Del Carmen mangroves and Sugba Lagoon

A boat ride through one of the largest mangrove forests in the Philippines to a hidden lagoon of jade water ringed by limestone and jungle.

Area

Siargao’s islands & lagoons

Start from

General Luna, Siargao

Distance

about 40 km to Del Carmen, then roughly 45 minutes by boat

Time needed

1 day

Best season

All year; calmest roughly March – October

Difficulty

Easy

Transport

Van or scooter to Del Carmen, then boat through the mangroves

Tickets & rules

Environmental fee, boat fee and fees for paddleboards or kayaks

Why go

Sugba Lagoon is Siargao’s most magical place, and getting there is half of it. From the small town of Del Carmen on the island’s west coast, a boat threads through a vast mangrove forest, the channels narrowing and widening, the roots arching out of the water on both sides, and birds lifting from the branches as you pass.

Then the mangroves open and you are in the lagoon: a sheet of still, jade-green water enclosed by forested limestone hills. There is a floating wooden platform with a diving board, paddleboards and kayaks for rent, and quiet corners where you can paddle off into the edges and hear nothing but birds and insects.

It is one of those places that looks almost unreal in photographs and somehow even better in person, especially in the morning before the main crowd of boats arrives.

The story

Del Carmen’s mangrove forest is often described as one of the largest contiguous mangrove forests in the Philippines, covering thousands of hectares on Siargao’s western side. It is part of the Siargao Islands Protected Landscape and Seascape, and it shelters fish nurseries, crabs, birds and, deeper in, saltwater crocodiles.

For years, illegal cutting threatened the mangroves, and the town of Del Carmen became known for its efforts to protect them, turning former loggers into guides and boatmen. Local tourism here was consciously designed to make the forest worth more standing than cut, and the fees you pay help support that work.

Sugba itself is a tidal lagoon connected to the sea through the mangroves, which is why its water changes subtly with the tide. The surrounding limestone hills are thickly forested, and on calm days their reflections fill the lagoon.

Typhoon Odette hit Del Carmen hard in 2021, damaging homes and stripping parts of the forest. Mangroves regenerate faster than many forests, and the area has been slowly recovering; local groups continue to replant.

Getting there

From General Luna, travel by van, tricycle or scooter to Del Carmen, roughly an hour. Many tours include the road transfer, boat and lunch.

At Del Carmen, register at the tourism office, pay fees and board a local boat for the trip through the mangroves to the lagoon.

A suggested plan

1. 7:00Leave General Luna for Del Carmen.
2. 8:00Register and board the boat into the mangroves.
3. 9:00Arrive at Sugba Lagoon; swim, jump from the platform and paddle.
4. 12:00Lunch on the lagoon or at a nearby spot arranged by your guide.
5. 14:00Boat back through the mangroves and road return to General Luna.

Where to stay

Most people visit from General Luna. Del Carmen has a few small places to stay if you want a quieter base on the west coast.

Good to know

• Go early to enjoy the lagoon before the bigger groups.
• Bring reef-safe sunscreen and a hat; there is little shade on the water.
• Paddleboards are the best way to explore the edges of the lagoon.
• Carry cash for fees in Del Carmen.