Siquijor is probably one of the lesser popular islands to go to for travel. In the Central Visayas region, Cebu and Bohol would be more frequented but it still boasts of white sand beaches and seas teeming with marine life. Siquijor is a very small island and in fact, it is the third smallest after Camiguin and Batanes, and it only has a total of 6 towns. Maria is one of these towns and here you will find a white sand stretch they call Kagusuan Beach. It has probably gained a bit more attention since it has been placed on the tourist map but it remained deserted when we were there and is just a pure white sand bliss! :)
A hidden haven of pure white sand
Most travellers amongst you have probably experienced the moment you reach the summit of a mountain or a top of a lighthouse and the view just blows you away. That's exactly the same feeling I had when we walked down the steep stairs and when we reached the bottom, I was definitely blown away by its beauty. I am probably just exaggerating but I love white sand beaches very much so this is a real pleasant surprise. The sand was very fine and very white against the noontime sun. It was too hot to swim so we just laid down our sarongs underneath the limestone rocks and stayed there for a couple of minutes to relish the view.
Not only does our tricycle driver/tour guide not know the place, he has also never heard of it so it was a real challenge finding it. We had a map but it was easier asking for directions from the locals than relying on our sense of direction. The problem is that there were only a few people/houses in the area so you'll have to go on driving until you see a person to ask directions from.
To add to that, there were no road signs leading to the beach. We traversed the entire road and the only signage we saw was a poster with a government announcement containing the words "Kagusuan Beach". Even as we head towards the beach, there was still no signage. Only parked tricycles and habal-habals gave us a clue of its exact location.
I am in love with virgin beaches, far more than commercialized and crowded shores where there are so much activities going on that you can't even relax. Kagusuan Beach is a pure virgin. There are no resorts, no stores, nothing except for the boulders, the sand and the tourists. It is probably too small to develop anyway, which makes it the go-to beach if you are looking for a place to sit by the beach, relax, unwind and reflect on life. :)
Limestone boulders and lots of 'em
Probably the only thing that makes this beach a little unique are the limestone boulders scattered all over the sand. You can tell that it was low tide because the rocks had water marks on them and where we were sitting is submerged in water during high tide.
Reminders to my co-travelers:
Compared to other beaches in Siquijor, Kagusuan Beach is a bit farther away from the main road. From the national road, you need to drive about 5-6 kilometers into inner streets to get to the beach.
There are no stores or resorts in Kagusuan Beach. If you need to buy refreshments, there are one or two sari-sari stores you'll pass by along the way. Buy anything you'll need beforehand.
There are very few shades around the beach so be prepared with your sunscreens, hats and sunglasses. Some of the Pinoy tourists we saw actually brought umbrellas but I wouldn't recommend that though. :)
Due to inactivity, the beach is very clean. Be sure to clean up after yourselves, especially if you brought in food and drinks.
Since it is quite difficult to get to, it will be better if you hire a habal-habal or tricycle driver to get you there. You can ask the driver beforehand if he knows the place to be sure.
We did not see any multicabs or jeepneys passing by the road near Kagusuan Beach. I assume there are no other transportation going there but by habal-habal or tricycle which you can hire from Lazi or Maria town propers. Although it is part of Maria, the beach is nearer Lazi town proper.
The beach is located in barangay Minalulan so I guess it is one and the same as Minalulan Beach. Although now, it is more popularly known as Kagusuan.
Near Kagusuan Beach are other interesting places such as Crocodile Hill and Ilihan Cave. Ask your tour guide about it.
How to get to Kagusuan Beach
Maria is located at the south eastern side of Siquijor. There are several multicabs and jeepneys traversing the national highway coming from San Juan. However, since there are no signages to instruct motorists how to go to Kagusuan Beach, I highly suggest to hire a tricycle or habal-habal tour guide. Their rate is around P1,000 for the entire Siquijor island which will take almost the entire day.
If you would really like to go to the beach by public transport, the best I could suggest is drop off at Lazi town proper and hire a tricycle/habal-habal from there. No multicabs or jeepneys traverse the inner roads near Kagusuan Beach.
Where to stay in Siquijor
I have divided my list of resorts and hotels into budget and mid-priced to premier. You can check them out by clicking the buttons below.
