SOHOTON COVE: An Otherworldly Paradise, The Heart & Soul Of Bucas Grande

We all heard about Siargao and how surreal this island down south of the country truly is. It is a surfing capital, a home to the bluest lagoons and beautiful white sand beaches and more. There is no mistaking that Siargao is quickly on the rise to fame. As big as Siargao is fast becoming is the fact of how fast Bucas Grande (its neighbor and another island part of the Siargao Islands) is pulled back behind the shadows. I get it. Bucas Grande is able to share a portion of the tourist population due to a number of eager visitors willing to go out of their way to visit Sohoton Cove. But it deserves more than just a share as it is more than just a mere side trip. I think it’s time that we give credit where credit is due and see Bucas Grande Island as an equally stunning destination and not just a tiny shadow of a super star that people have made out of Siargao. After all, this island has a variety of things to offer and perhaps Sohoton Cove is just the tip of the iceberg, a delightful one for that matter.

Sohoton Cove is a priceless treasure in itself. Alone the experience this cove within Bucas Grande can offer equates to a day of island hopping in either El Nido or Coron. Yes! That’s how diverse and extraordinary it is. The views alone will leave you speechless. The pristine and crystal clear turquoise water will make you even more in awe. And swimming with the jellyfishes! Where the heck can you experience that? It’s unique and quite one hell of an experience that only Sohoton Cove can offer so far. And do I need to mention those massive karst mountains dotting the cove, glistening pool caves and the lushness of the forests enveloping it? So there. Sohoton Cove does need no justification of its beauty but I think I just need to put it out there.

OUR SOHOTON COVE STORY

We were down to our 3rd day in Siargao and this time the atmosphere had become more positive. The sun shone brightly as it rose up the horizon on that beautiful tropical morning. Unlike the past two days where the rain and clouds dominated the skies, this day was as sunny as it can be. The warmth of the sun has chased the cold away and we were pumped up and high to get the adventure started early on.

6AM. After leaving our hostel to go to the port where our boat awaited, we quickly dropped by a local fruit stand along the main strip in General Luna. It happens to also sell delicious Filipino food. Unlike the previous two days that we were on a splurge, this time we were more into spending within our means. Besides that fifty pesos (P50) kanin+ulam meal looked so promising that I didn’t worry about not being satisfied for the entire day. There was an option to avail a meal in Sohoton Cove but we had to pass on that due to our limited budget.

6.30AM. We got started with our journey to Sohoton Cove as soon as our little outrigger boat sped into the ocean. We were warned about unfriendly seas leading to our destination beforehand but I was a least bit worried about it. Guess it’s because I have learned to trust the locals to be the master of their craft I have not a single idea about. And besides, thinking about it too much will do me no good but make me more anxious and make me appreciate the journey much less.

7:30AM. One of the boat engines broke. We had not gone far from General Luna that I worried we may need to go back and going back may mean plenty of time wasted but our boatman (yes he was alone manning the boat and taking care of the broken engine) did not even flinch. I breathed a sigh of relief and went on to marvel at the stunning view surrounding us.

8:00AM. The sea became wilder and our boat was too weak to resist every relentless waves coming at us. We were swaying along a strong current which also slowed down our progress. One of the boat engines was still broken and there was nothing we can do but let our boatman fix the trouble. As we continued to sway with the waves came another small outrigger boat dashing past us with ease and in no time was already a mile away. I can’t help but feel slightly envious. Like, can my bad luck run out already! And then just when I was about to let my frustration spoil the trip came a double rainbow coloring the skies from above the horizon. It was like the almighty creator telling me, “Child, everything will be alright.” And then my worries quickly evaporated. Me, back to my happy sunny self.

9:30AM. We finally took the turn to Sohoton Cove. If I was entertained by the beauty of the coast we passed by earlier, there was no words to describe how alluring Sohoton Cove was. And I was only looking at the entry to the cove. I haven’t seen the entirety of it yet but still I couldn’t help but be in awe. More than just the stunning scenery,  there was something about the cove that was calming and peaceful. It felt really good being engulfed within it.

We arrived to a busy registration site in Sohoton Cove and one thing that I haven’t been told about was the queue! A very long queue. I didn’t know that tour boats were very limited and were just taking turns in guiding visitors to the cove. I haven’t also anticipated the tour being time bounded for each group. I was looking forward to taking my time in savoring everything this cove has to offer like any other island hopping tours I’ve tried before but I guess that left me no choice but to take it all in with what little time we had.

10:30AM. After waiting for an hour, it was finally our turn to explore. Looking at the sunburned faces of the people who just came from the tour, I could tell that they were happy and satisfied. Seeing that made me all the more excited and hopeful to experience the same. It didn’t matter anymore how long I have waited. I was filled with so much enthusiasm which was doubled when our witty tour guide finally started with his introduction.

11AM. Taking 10 minutes from the main registration site, we arrived at another waiting area. There we waited for about five minutes to board a tiny row boat going to Tojoman Lagoon where the jellyfishes are. What made this part of the tour interesting was the nón lá worn by the boatmen that I got reminded of Vietnam. The scene has this Vietnamese vibe to it coupled by the tropical goodness of the Philippines.

I boarded the tiny row boat when it was already our turn and sailed away to Tojoman Lagoon. I asked my boatman if he could go slow since I wanted to marvel at the scene while I snapped me some photos. He willingly obliged saying we were not at all in a hurry. His kindness warmth my heart. I went on to take me more photos and some video clips. When I thought I finally had the shots I needed, I content myself with basking at the beauty of the lagoon. Free from distractions, I finally had the ear to listen to what my tour guide had to say.

He went on about Tojoman Lagoon being known as Malubog Lagoon. Malubog is a Visayan word which means malabo in Tagalog and hazy or blurry in English. He said that the water isn’t dirty but it isn’t clear no matter the season denying everyone a view of the bottom. I looked at the water and he was right. As we took another circle within the lagoon, I told my guide how surprised I was to find their place to be this beautiful to which he replied “Everyone says that.” For some reason his words sent some arrows into my heart. I didn’t know what to make out of it. I couldn’t tell whether his words meant pride of the beauty of their place or pain as it is not getting the kind of recognition that it deserves.

We circled the lagoon several more times as my guide went to tell the history and every feature Tojoman Lagoon has. He pointed at the huge trees surrounding the lagoon. What caught my attention was the dried up pitcher plant I believed was only endemic to Mt. Guiting-Guiting. I thought I had to scale one the most difficult if not the most difficult mountain in the country just to see one. He said that those pitcher plants were another reason why the lagoon is special.

I wanted to get a closer encounter with the jellyfishes so I decided to go down the water. I asked my guide whether touching the jellyfishes is okay or would be stressful for them and he said they like being touched. I was surprised not to see anybody go down their boat for a swim. I frowned at how some people substituted experience with mere photos. But then again people are different. And it is not my place to judge as we enjoy different things.

11:45AM. I left Tojoman Lagoon with a heavy heart. I was still having fun swimming with the jellyfishes but had to leave to give way to other visitors. I was surprised my guide let me took my time whereas the others would bug visitors when the 20-minute time limit had passed. Ian (my boyfie slash moody travel buddy) even scolded me for taking so long. Said I had taken ages to finish. As for me, I was baffled. I thought it was too short of a time! Talk about different perspective, huh!12:00NN. We headed on to the 2nd part of the tour. This time we explored Sohoton Cove. Our boat sped to the cave like entry of the cove. Our guide told us that there are 7 karst mountains within the cove each have cave systems with some being more accessible than the others. The first karst mountain he featured was the one called the “cathedral”. He said that it was called such because people back in the day heard a ringing of a bell coming from its direction. Another interesting thing he said was that Sohoton Cove is also home to some tarsiers! Wow. But we didn’t see one during our visit. Too bad.

Our boat continued to maneuver to our first stop called Hagukan Cave. While on our way, our guide pointed at one of the rock formations they call tiil sa kabayo meaning horse shoe. I couldn’t recall its implication but I believed it was something important. Enlighten me on the comments if you know the answer though.

We reached our first stop fifteen minutes after leaving the receiving area. From our boat, we floated on our back to get through a tiny hole entrance. It took us to a deep cave pool with a ceiling shaped like a dome of marble. This is my second favorite part of the tour as it featured a gorgeous stalactite formation sparkling like stars. Another interesting part is that the water inside the cave glistens. It was nothing special though. I mean there was no natural phenomena or exotic specie causing it. It is just what happens when water gets caught up with light reflected from outside of the cave. But it still was fascinating to look at.

Our second stop was Magkokoob Cave. Here featured a more precarious cave system. To get inside from our boat, we needed to wade along knee deep water. This cave is too dark even with flashlights and if you are not careful with your steps, you could stumble and fall face first. Another thing to remember is that if you decide to climb up to explore the cave more, the only exit available is to jump from a 15-feet platform into the water. Sadly, I passed on the cliff jumping part and decided that seeing the rock formations inside the cave was already good enough and went back to our boat. I felt like I just had enough of cliff jumping from the previous two days after visiting Magpupungko Tidal Pool and Sugba Lagoon.

1:30PM. And I saw myself wistful as we sailed away from Sohoton Cove. I would have loved to stay and explore some more but it was what our money could afford us. Or maybe not. It just happened that we came at a time when the sanctuary gets visited a lot. I would definitely go back but for now, all I can do is savor the memories this treasure has given me even in such a little time. What would always get me is its unearthly feels. The tranquility. That calming scent. The enchanting scenery. Sohoton Cove is truly a paradise. An exquisite dream you’d never wanna wake up to.

HOW TO GET TO SOHOTON COVE

• From Siargao – For those with limited time and can only give Bucas Grande a day in their itinerary mainly to see Sohoton Cove, you can simply hire a boat in General Luna to take you there for a price of P3500. Note that this only covers the transfer and not the additional fees in the sanctuary. Travel from GL to Sohoton Cove can take up to 2-3 hrs depending on the speed of the boat and sea condition. Another option and is applicable to those travelers with more flexible itinerary is taking a passenger boat from Dapa Port to Socorro for P100 which departs at 7-8AM and 2-4PM daily. In Socorro, you can arrange your guided tour to Sohoton Cove which is normally priced at P2000/boat good for 10 people which again only covers the transfer.
• From Hayangabon – For those travelers coming from Tinuyan Falls or Enchanted River, the best way to access Sohoton Cove is via Hayangabon Port in Claver, Surigao Del Norte. Two-way boat transfer cost P3500 for a group of 10 people. A more budget friendly option is to ride a passenger boat to Socorro from Hayangabon for P100 and hire a boat to Sohoton Cove once you get there. Passenger boat normally leaves at 10AM and 4PM in Hayangabon so make sure to be there before those hours.
• From Surigao City – From the airport or bus station, ride a multicab or a tricycle to Pantalan Uno or simply Pantalan. Tell the driver that you are going to Socorro. Boats leave as early as 6-7AM.
• From Butuan – Ride a bus or a van to  Surigao City (4Hrs ; P220). From the bus station, ride a tric or a multicap to Pantalan. Tell the driver you are going to Socorro.
• From Manila – You can fly to any of the nearest airports. Cebu Pacific now has daily trips to Siargao. It also flies to both Surigao City and Butuan and fareto both these airports are most of the time discounted and cheaper than flying to Siargao.

USEFUL TIPS IN EXPLORING SOHOTON COVE

For those coming from Siargao Island:

• This tour can be quite expensive. Boat service alone can cost up to P3000 and that doesn’t include yet the other fees in Sohoton Cove.
• If you wanna make the most out of this tour then better get started as early as 6AM to avoid the crowd and to have better chances of visiting the other sights without being a little press for time.
• After touring Sohoton Cove, you can drop by Club Tara Resort for some snap worthy photos for your Instagram.
• This tour can be clubbed with Siargao’s Tri Island (Guyam, Naked & Daku). Kuya Romeo offers island hopping + Sohoton Cove tour for P4000/boat. You may call him at  09158581654.

Other Useful Tips:

• While waiting for your turn to explore the cove, take some time to explore the water surrounding the main receiving area. It is abundant and you would see that beneath the crystal clear water is a lively world below the surface.
• Time your visit during the jellyfish season starting February-June. There is few to no jellyfishes during the other months.
• Avoid visiting during peak season (March-June) and during weekends to avoid the crowd and to have a much longer time to explore the cove.
• To better appreciate Bucas Grande Island, spend at least 2-3 days there to be able to explore the other sites hidden in the island.

BUDGET & OTHER ESSENTIALS

Our visit to Sohoton Cove was part of our 4D3N Siargao Adventure. To get a more comprehensive guide to exploring Siargao, kindly visit my other post.

WHERE TO STAY

In Socorro

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In Siargao

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There you have it lovelies. Sohoton Cove is definitely quintessential whenever you  would visit this part of the country. There’s definitely a lot of other places to visit within Bucas Grande Island but if ever you have limited time, Sohoton Cove is absolutely able to deliver. For questions, suggestions and violent reactions, just leave them on the comments below. If you enjoyed this post or helped you out in any way, give me a shout on the comments as well. Show me some love and share this post to your friends. Until next time. Ciao!

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