A secret spot in Siargao's jungle

by Anna Lena Bachmann (Germany)

A leap into the unknown Philippines

Siargao Island is one of the 7000 islands of the Philippines. Its stunning sunsets, surfer waves and friendly locals make it one of the best backpacker paradises in Asia. Last year, me and my boyfriend travelled around this heavenly island in its best way: renting a scooter, feeling the beach breeze and exploring it in our own way. It was Monday when we grabbed our bright, yellow rental scooter to start our small day trip. On our sightseeing list was a famous place for rope swinging at “Maasin Secret River”. We were so excited to finally visit the place that we only knew from photos! But when we arrived, we got really disappointed…there was a massive crowd of tourists waiting in a line for their turn to jump, just to get their perfect photo. The place wasn't what we had imagined at all. We decided to have a look around and get to know some of the locals that worked there. Apparently one of them could feel our disappointment and decided to entrust a secret place to us: “My village is known only by a few people. You should go there and talk with the locals. They will show you the way to a secret spot. We hope you will keep it for you, so it can stay special, but you two look trustable. Just follow that road...”. He pointed towards a small muddy way leading into the deep jungle. Although we were sceptical, we decided to venture the uncertain. 10 minutes later, we were surrounded by nothing but lush green coconut trees. Without orientation and almost giving up, we heard another scooter coming from behind. On the top, 4 Filipino children were squeezed together in a row and asked us giggling if we were lost. We told them about the secret spot we were looking for. They looked at each other first, and all smiled: “Follow us.” After 15 minutes we arrived in a poor village with tiny houses surrounded by a dirty river. Everybody from the village smiled and welcomed us proudly. “Just leave the scooter here”, the kids told us. "We have to take a boat now!" When I saw the tiny boat made out of wood, my heart slipped into my pants. It was the most unstable boat I have ever seen! On our way, we passed the slums and I could see how poorly the people were living there. Some of the houses didn’t have a roof and were partly being destroyed. I felt a wave of sadness overcoming me seeing this, but also felt gratefulness for my own standard of life. 10 minutes later, I couldn’t believe my eyes! Deep inside the jungle, we arrived at turquoise green waters reflecting the jungle trees and small fishes swam all around- it was just beautiful! On a grass area nearby, a big Filipino family was having a Lechon BBQ, a traditional dish in the Philippines (a whole roasted pig!). When I saw their smiles and how everyone welcomed us, I suddenly realized that the young Filipinos that brought us here must be part of the family! A group of about 20 people wanted to get to know us, as well as our travel stories while sharing their drinks and food. They told us about their life in the village and that this was the place to enjoy time with the family, be grateful and celebrate life. This spot truly was amazing and at least 1,000 times better than the one at "Maasin Secret River"! We swam and jumped into the water for hours, laughing and having lots of fun together with the local family. In the end, this trip really was one of our most beautiful memories! It showed me, how grateful we can be for the things we have in our lives and that it doesn't take much to be happy! It’s the simple things that make up our happiness. It also showed me that most of the times it’s really worth it to jump over our own fear to explore the unknown. Because often, this is exactly what brings us the biggest rewards and most adventurous stories to tell.