THE ISLAND OF FIRE - SIQUIJOR / The Place To be In The Philippines

Pea and her cousin Sai explore Siquijor island — a small, mystical, affordable destination about two hours by ferry from Dumaguete. The video is a travel vlog covering beaches, the famous enchanted balete tree, a deep dive into local love potions and amulets with a souvenir shop vendor, a hidden private cove, and Cambugahay Falls, all with practical pricing and travel info for prospective visitors.

Getting to Siquijor and getting around ​

• About two hours by ferry from Dumaguete City
• The entire island is small enough to circumnavigate by motorbike in just two hours
• Motorbike rental: 350 pesos/day ($7 USD)
• Accommodations range from $10–$100/night depending on budget, bookable on Agoda or Booking.com
• Much less crowded than Boracay or Bantayan — more private and significantly cheaper

Beaches ​

• The sand is not as powdery-white as Boracay — it's more of a yellowish-white, but still nice
• Pea says she'd rather be on Siquijor's less fancy beaches than on Boracay surrounded by massive crowds
• Food, accommodation, and transportation are all cheap
• The water is very warm and shallow near shore with small fish visible

Fig Sunset Beach Resort review ​

• Located right on the ocean — just a few steps to the beach
• Has a swimming pool (adult and kids), restaurant, and bar
• Rate: 55 dollars/night (2,800 pesos)
• Room is spacious and clean but has the typical Philippines thin foam mattress instead of a real mattress — Pea warns this could be a problem for people with hip or back issues
• Bathroom is notably spacious with high ceilings, which she contrasts with the cramped bathrooms in other Philippine hotels

The Old Enchanted Balete Tree ​

• A famous landmark Pea has heard stories about since childhood
• It's a balete (ficus family) tree estimated to be 400–500 years old
• There are over 800 kinds of balete trees but only 10 are named in the Philippines; this is one of the oldest
• Local folklore says mythical creatures live inside: elves, diwata (fairies), tikbalang (demon horses), and white lady ghosts
• Witches supposedly performed rituals in front of the tree — making love potions and curses
• Balete trees are parasitic — they grow next to another tree and eventually strangle and kill the host
• This tree is known for its massive roots with crevices where "dwarves and elves dwell"
• Locals say you must never cut balete trees to avoid inviting bad spirits
• At the base: a natural spring-fed fish pond where visitors can soak their feet for a fish pedicure
  • The fish eat dead skin and calluses off your feet
  • Pea finds it hilariously ticklish, especially between her toes and around cuticles
  • She notes the water appears to come from the base of the tree itself — a natural spring, not a stocked pond
  • She jokes about whether the fish are attracted to smell: "Am I fishy?"

Love potions and amulets — detailed souvenir shop segment ​

• After the enchanted tree, Pea and Sai visit a souvenir shop selling Siquijor's famous love potions
• A vendor named Kuya Julia explains each item in detail:
• Love potion (200 pesos / $4 USD):
  • Made from 20 kinds of herbal medicines said to have magical power
  • Primary purpose is actually for business — you put perfume in it and splash it around your store or sari-sari shop for good fortune
  • Called "love potion" because when you apply it with perfume to yourself, it supposedly makes people around you feel comfortable — and "being comfortable with someone is the starting stage of love"
  • Pea jokes: "So now I'm very comfortable with you — I think the secret's out"
  • Critical rule: never bring to a funeral or cemetery, or the effectiveness disappears (according to the faith healer who makes them)
• Money charm:
  • Keep alongside your money in your wallet, or in your business counter
  • Same cemetery restriction applies
• Habakkuk amulet:
  • Worn around the neck
  • Contains Latin words and special herbs
  • Provides protection against voodoo and accidents
  • The faith healer claims that soldiers or police wearing it will have bullets avoid them — "99% guaranteed... maybe 10% guaranteed... better than zero"
  • Pea jokes they should ship these to Ukraine
• Another amulet (Latin words only):
  • Just carry it with you in your pocket or string it around your neck
  • Common to see on Filipino babies
• Takom:
  • Described as "newly invented by the faith healers"
  • "Takom" means "shut your mouth" in Visayan
  • Designed to stop nosy neighbors ("anti-marites" — Filipino slang for gossips) from spreading bad rumors about you
  • Pea jokes about whether wearing one while filming would make the internet trolls stop talking behind her back

Hidden private cove discovery ​

• While exploring, they stumble on a completely empty private cove
• Turquoise water near shore transitioning to deep blue further out — "two-toned"
• Interesting rock formations where water carved out the bottom of rocks
• Sand is a mix of white and yellow, fine but not as powdery as Boracay
• Pea jokes this would be the spot for nude bathing, referencing a previous conversation with friends Fritzy, Angel, and Cindy about nude beaches — "but I'm not going to do that"

Cambugahay Falls ​

• One of Siquijor's famous waterfalls
• 135 steps going down to reach it
• Features a rope swing over the water — both Pea and Sai's favorite part
• Pea describes the swing as looking terrifyingly high from above
• After exploring all day, they grab a raft under the waterfall to relax — doing what Filipinos always do: "talk about boys, talk about our futures, and of course take pictures of each other"

Overall Siquijor impression ​

• Pea frames Siquijor as packed with activities despite its small size: beaches, waterfalls, enchanted forests, love potions, fish pedicures, rope swings, hidden coves
• Everything is remarkably cheap compared to more popular Philippine destinations
• The island has a mystical, quirky character that sets it apart from typical beach destinations

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