Siquijor Tourist Guide

I have known Kuya Tata for more than 10 years as a Tourist Guide in the Island of Siquijor. And whenever we are in Siquijor, he becomes a like Family Member that will host you and tour you around the whole Island of Siquijor. When he has no Guest to tour, he works in his farmyard cultivating organic vegetables and driving his tricycle for the local transportation industry using the Island of Siquijor. Kuya Tata who is Judelito Cenas in real life is a father of 2 kids and a Loving Husband that works hard in supporting his Family. Kuya Tata is not just an ordinary Tourist Guide, as he can make his service available 24 hours in the duration of your stay in the Island of Siquijor.

By knowing Him, I might be able to write down a Training Standard for Tour Guiding using the pattern of Quality Service that Kuya Tata Provides to us. Before the day of your arrival in the Island, Kuya Tata can prepare the booking of your Hotel Accommodation as he knows all the best and affordable Hotel in the whole Island just let him know what kind of room you prefer to have and how many person will stay. Smoking is prohibited in Public Places in the whole Island but he could book you a hotel that allows smoking if you are smoker or vaper. The place where we stay this December was at Replica Manor which is an Airconditioned Room with Queen Size Bed and a Hot and Cold Shower and Toilet with Bidet. The Room also has a Cabled Television and Wifi that you could stay connected with your family and friends while you are in vacation.

In terms of Food, Kuya Tata knows the best restaurants that serves delicious food and affordable. I just learned that there is a Restaurant in the Island that serves Vegan Food and that is the Wonderland Siquijor. When it comes to Nature Attraction, he could bring you to all of the Islands wonders such as:

  • The Enchanted Balete Tree
  • Cambugahay Falls
  • Lugnason Falls
  • Cantabon Cave
  • Paliton Beach
  • Butterfly Sanctuary
  • Lagaan Falls
  • Salagdoong Beach
  • Tulapos Marine Sanctuary
  • Marelle’s Seashell Museum
  • Cangisok House
  • Mt. Bandilaan National Park
  • Tubod Marine Sanctuary
  • Kanheron Ranch
  • St. Francis of Assisi Church

Though every inch of the land in the Island of Siquijor are magickal, the places that been mentioned above are all breathe taking and captivate your hearth. Aside from swimming, mountain hiking, people can do sky diving, para sailing, diving, snorkeling. But the most important activity we could do in Siquijor is to meet the locals which are famous for their traditional Healing.

History of Siquijor

The Spaniards have reached the Island of Siquijor in 1565 coined the Island as Isla Del Fuego or the Island of Fire as they see it glowing at night due to many Firefly that lives in the Molave Tree that they called Tugas that is plenty in the Whole Island. Before it was known as Siquijor, the whole Island was called by the native as Katugasan which is the place where Molave Tree grows. So, where the name Siquijor came from? Actually as like other legend was told, the Spaniards thought it to be the name of the place but it was actually a name of a person which is the Tribal King of the Island named Sri Kihod. The name Sri is an Honorary Title used during the Srivijaya and Majapahit Empire attached to a persons name that has important position in the Community. This shows that the whole Island was once an Indianized polity prior to the Colonial Reign of Spain and the Roman Catholic Church. But according to some Bloggers such as the kampaninipot.com Siquijor Island was once an Under Water Kingdom ruled by King Kihod and rose up above the water due to the war with an evil witch named Ingkanta. This folktale of Siquijor could be likened to the story of Aquaman as king of the underwater Kingdom.

But according to Dumaguete.com Siquijor has a Pre-Colonial History that Chinese, Indonesian and Malaysian came to the Island for trading activities. And aside from trading, these group of people came to the Island for Healing as well. And when the Spaniards learned about the healing practices of Katgusan (which was the former name of Siquijor) they were curious to know and experience it. According to History, “Siquijor Island was known back then as the main route for trade and merchandise in the Visayas. During the voyage of many Spaniards, crew member of the ships started feeling ill and had to drop by to the nearest island. The Spaniards asked the locals to do all they can to cure their crew. But after learning the process of Siquijor traditional healing, the Spaniards distanced themselves from the so-called sorceries and ‘witches’, and called it the Island of Witches.”

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Email Kuya Tata at judelitocenas@gmail.com or you may contact him by whats app at +639694217190 or direct message him through Facebook Messenger by clicking on the Button below.

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