Siquijor: Sandugan in monochrome
A lone mangrove
Isla de Fuego or the Island of Fire as early Spaniards called this small island in Central Visayas when they saw a warm glow of light caused by fireflies when seen from afar. Nowadays, just the mention of Siquijor, people are quick to associate the place with mysticism, magic, witchcraft and sorcery. For a traveler like me whose more interested by stories of such phenomenon than to be shunned away by it , I guess it’s just a matter of time ’til I come to visit the place. And for the first time in this blog, my initial set for Siquijor will be in black and white. I thought that the monochrome treatment captured the mood of what I want to convey a certain mood somehow which is very “Siquijor” to me.
Our place at Casa Dela Playa in Sandugan Beach, Larena
The Fast Craft Ferry to Siquijor costing 160 Pesos one way took only 45minutes to get to the island which is really fast in contrast to the cheaper 70 pesos Car Ferry which will take you 2 hours to reach the island. Since time was very important to us, it was really convenient decision. When we got to the port, there was already an AUV and a driver waiting, ready to take us to Casa Dela Playa located at the north eastern tip of the island in the town of Larena since Oggie, who stayed here before, booked us a place beforehand.
Casa Dela Playa beach front on high tide
Not to sound a bit promotional, but this Filipina and German owned Resort has quite an appeal. It has a nice large bamboo house restaurant and reception area. Nice landscaped inner garden and very good beach front houses. We stayed at a very nice beach front house called Casa blanca. It’s a fan house with a kitchen and a fridge. If you could bring your own stove you could cook here as well. What’s better is that the wide stretch of beach is right at your front door a few steps away. And what’s way better is our accommodation rates here which I as a budget traveller would say is very reasonable. But I still recommend hiring your transpo outside the resort.
Sandugan Fish Fences Perspective
Even though we stayed here, we only got to explore the beach for a short time since we spent most of the time around the island. But after going around seeing the other beaches and resorts I could say that Sandugan Beach is a hidden gem in Siquijor.
Patience of a fisherman on a mangrove, Bohol on the horizon
The beach stretch is long and white, scenic with clumps of mangroves on some areas. There are two other resorts there on the stretch but not much tourist crowd around save for a very few foreigners there. In fact the place is very quiet and peaceful that at night you could only here the sound of waves lapping by the shore. It also has a very nice point of view. From there you could see the area of Dumaguete, Cebu and Bohol on the horizon. Facing slightly on the west, you could also view the sunset from here.
Mangrove roots detail
The weather in Siquijor at that time is quite unpredictable. There were these occasional rains and then sunlight, but on our last day when we were supposed to explore Sandugan Beach on a relaxing pace, it rained early morning giving that sullen feel in the air. Not that I’m complaining as I’ve seen the place basking in sunlight when we arrived, I thought that the conditions there gave an opportunity for dramatic moody shots. Yes everyone loves blue skies, but when you’re a travel photographer who has dealt with assignments where you have no room to complain to your editor on the conditions of the weather, you just have to take what you have and produce images no matter what.
Mangrove branches and some birds
From Casa Dela Playa, we moved a bit further up north were there’s a group of mangroves there. Interestingly there were also a number of fishermen there moving quietly along the water as not to disturb the nearby fishes. There were also these lines of fish fences which were interesting subjects on geometry. The soft backdrop of mountainous Bohol is an added scenery as well.
Scenic mangroves at Sandugan Beach
The mangroves scattered along what might be the northern tip of Siquijor are fascinating subjects themselves. Their shapes are like a frozen poetry-in-motion dancing on top of the water. I never had much passion for mangroves before but seeing them closely here in Siquijor at Sandugan beach made me appreciate them more as land creatures giving in to the call of the sea.
Sandugan twilight along mangroves
In this last picture, we were barely able to catch the tail end of a twilight. We literally have to run to the beach after our first day of touring some places in Siquijor. We tried doing some night shoot but it was really cloudy and the stars didn’t come out. we did saw a few fireflies though at the tree in our lodging. Even if we didn’t have a decent sunset picture there, I think we maximized our time there still and was able to glimpse the lowlight scenery of Sandugan Beach.
Tags: Beach, Casa de Playa, mangroves, Monochrome, Sandugan, Siquijor, Sleep
Posted on
Thursday, November 15th, 2007 at 1:11 am 
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November 15th, 2007 at 5:25 am
great pics. siguro nga in a way nakatulong yung weirdo na panahon sa pagkuha ng kakaibang pictures
yung mangrove root detail mukhang alien sa unang tingin 
November 15th, 2007 at 5:32 am
You lead a beautiful life. Keep up the fascinating travels.
November 15th, 2007 at 5:37 am
magnificent pictures. must be one heck of a place.
November 15th, 2007 at 8:46 am
the first pic was eerie..nice! =)
When I was in Bohol we went to this beach and my uncle was pointing to an island faraway…Siquijor nga
coolness.
November 15th, 2007 at 9:25 am
what a “mysterious” place… siguro dahil nilagyan mo ng black and white effect… id love to visit and experience what you experienced on your stay there….
nice mysterious shots…
November 15th, 2007 at 9:26 am
wow you rarely do bnw but this set is great. it’s so surreal.
November 15th, 2007 at 9:59 am
the first shot is very postcard-like. i like the almost luscent treatment in the fourth shot and still you were able to create a clear definition in the tones (considering it’s monochrome, i think it ’s one heck of a feat in itself). but really, i honestly think that the fifth shot is perfect. ang lufet Ferdz! napaka-minimalist ng approach sa shot, ang linis and yet the mood is there: tranquility and oneness with nature all together, samahan pa ng vivid detail nung mountain sa background.
i agree, the “feeling” of viewing these images would have been totally different in colored. i haven’t been to Siquijor but with these images, there’s now a reason to put it in my “must-see” places in the Philippines.
November 15th, 2007 at 10:09 am
This set is amazing. And the first photo has a very nice composition Ferdz. Like you, I’m not shunned when you said “witchcraft” but I find it appealing. I hope to visit Siquijor when I go over again.
November 15th, 2007 at 11:23 am
ang ganda! tahimik din ang beach…
malapit lang pala to sa bohol.. meron pa kayang mga fireflies doon?
November 15th, 2007 at 12:53 pm
tagal na akong kinukulit ng cousin ko re siquijor. though i associate it with aswangs, i’ve decided to visit the place next year coz they said it was really beautiful and ghost stories are not true.
then she told me last month about her boyfriend’s encounter with a ghost. natakot ako! ayoko na ulit! hehehe
but with your post, even if it’s in black & white and sa sinulat mo.. punta na ako
November 15th, 2007 at 2:11 pm
bai! i’m bowled over your captures. the mono treatment really works! in fact, it rocks! galing! susmarya, do i sound like a fan? hahaha. actually, i am. abangan ko ang mga susunod na posts and i’m preparing to be surprised again.
November 15th, 2007 at 4:17 pm
wow… parang mga bonsai sa dagat..
November 15th, 2007 at 5:55 pm
ang ganda naman ng black and white effect ng mga imagaes.
Galing!
November 15th, 2007 at 8:00 pm
B/W is a perfect choice for this series… it isindeed conveying the feeling of things supernatural, witchcraft and sorcery…
The subjects you photographed are even accentuating this mood.
Well done!
November 16th, 2007 at 3:21 am
that photograph of a fisherman on a mangrove is very poetic! it reminds me of chinese ink paintings. it’s 1 of the most beautiful pics i’ve seen here.
November 16th, 2007 at 12:44 pm
Such a mysterious and mystical island. The monochrome technic even enhances the mystery. Kudos for this.
November 16th, 2007 at 2:29 pm
Hi Ferdz….at last you listened to my poor suggestion….I am so glad that you took some pictures of Siquijor that describes the tranquility of the place…
The photos that you posted invited me to visit the place I once considered home too.
Thanks for taking your time to visit Siquijor though the visit was just like you were happened to drop by….wishing you could pay a visit again…..
November 16th, 2007 at 2:49 pm
dramatic. that’s how i see the above pictures, and doing them in black & white, just perfect!
November 16th, 2007 at 2:49 pm
treating it in b/w really captures the mood.
Nice take on Siquijor. by the way, sabay ba kayo ni oggie?
November 16th, 2007 at 3:06 pm
Ferdz…I didnt know that you were with Oggie when you visit Siquijor….ganda ng mga kuha nyo pang international ang mga moods…
November 16th, 2007 at 4:23 pm
You’re an Amazing Blogger…
November 17th, 2007 at 5:06 am
very mystic nga dating ng mga pictures. galing ng black and white.
happy weekend!
November 17th, 2007 at 6:27 am
eerie shots and details, but as usual, i love it.
November 17th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
i have a new home. .check it out!
November 17th, 2007 at 11:44 pm
A German-Filipina owned resort? Seems like there’s a lot of those foreign-owned businesses in pinas nowadays. I hear that foreigners need a local so they can set up a business in pinas, so maybe that’s why the Filipina is part-”owner”.
November 18th, 2007 at 1:26 am
Very lovely B&W pics ! When I was a young kid in Negros we always feared anyone hailing from Siquijor which is known for the “barang” or in Tagalog, “kulam”
November 19th, 2007 at 1:35 am
Hi Ferdz! Wow, I absolutely love the pictures. I wouldn’t mind seeing some of them on my wall.
November 19th, 2007 at 11:47 am
Sa northern porttion of the island pala kayo nag-stay, ako sa eastern portion nag-stay. Di na ko nakapunta jan sa Sandugan pero parang nakapunta na rin ako because of your pics. Great posts as always.
November 19th, 2007 at 9:11 pm
FANTASTIC SHOTS! what a great series here ferdz :0) i just love it all
November 20th, 2007 at 12:53 am
Those mangroves look amazing in B&W. I like these series, it is quite dramatic. Surely captures the essence of Siquijor.
Maybe sunset photos will then describe it more as the Island of Fire. Hmnn, maybe next time?
November 22nd, 2007 at 1:01 pm
Tell me when you visit there again para ako na ang tour guide nyo ni Oggie
November 23rd, 2007 at 1:31 pm
sometimes, the richest of moods are seen through the spectrum of black and white. Like chinese paintings and caligraphy which uses 8 shades of black in their art.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
wow ha!!!amazing picture…it seems like we back in 1980’s picture….but infairness im from that place..proud to be a siquijorian….so those who are not visited yet there what are you waiting for..visit now…discover the beuty of siquijor……..
January 25th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
you have nothin’ to worry all people in soquijor are very approachable……..!!!
January 26th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
hello to manay emily gom-os the owner of casa dela playa beach resort and tita terry her business partner….very nice picture tita terry..