Mystical Siquijor.

Siquijor is an island in the Central Visayas region. Its capital is also named Siquijor.

Legend has it that Siquijor rose from the sea amid thunder and lightning. To support this, fossils of clams and other sea creatures can be found in the interior highlands.
The islands´s native name was Katugasan derived from "tugas", molave trees that covered the hills. It was earlier known to the Spaniards as "Isla del Fuego" (Island of Fire) because of the swarm of fireflies that proliferate the area.
Its present name is claimed to have been after King Kihod, its legendary ruler. Another version says it came from "quipjod", a native term meaning "the tide was ebbing". In time, the name "Siquijod" evolved until the "d" was changed to "r" for Spanish euphony.

Today Siquijor is known as the “Island of Sorcerers” although tourism officials try to market it as a peaceful place with white sand beaches, clear waters and massive acacia trees. And indeed, the serenity of the province makes it ripe for tourism. It lures nature lovers to climb up Mount Bandilaan, its highest peak at the center of the island, to dive beside colorful coral reefs, and offers a stretch of white sandy beaches all over 102 kilometers of shoreline surrounding the island. Indeed, Siquijor is a laid back island where life is simple and tourists are made very welcome.
 
Siquijor also provides a trip to the past with the St. Francis Assisi Church, the St. Isidore Labrador Parish and the Lazi Convent which is reputed to be Asia's largest convent.

I am not particularly a beach lover so I decided to explore the island on a motorbike. Siquijor is just about 72 kilometers in circumference. I spend most of my time wandering in small villages, looking for old Spanish churches and visiting healers, sorcerers and witches. This series will focus on the supernatural and less on the tourists spots.

I really love Siquijor and I hope you will enjoy this series...

Click image to enlarge.

(Source: map: wikipedia)

Comments

[lagal[og]]

beautiful and interesting series on one of my favorite island provinces, sidney. if only more people would visit, then they wouldn't miss out on the laid-back life and quaint beauty of siquijor.

[bw]

Siquijor has always been a mystical place for me. I remember when I was a little boy, I feared people from Siquijor because of the reputation of their voodoo practices :(

[luna miranda]

i visited Siquijor 5 or 6 years ago during the Holy Week. it's a peaceful island, with nice, friendly people. looking forward to this series, Sidney.

[pieterbie]

Ha, interesting they have a church of St Francis of Assissi there. I visited the one in Assissi some years ago.

[Zherwin]

siquijor is one place i want to visit someday, it's very mystical

[oggi]

Churches, sorcerers, and witches...I'm definitely going to enjoy Siquijor series!:)

[LAR]

I've been waiting for this. :D

[backpacking philippines and asia]

look forward to more plus pics of aswang :P

that map of siquijor is no more. i have a picture of myself beside that when i visited the island for 3 hours in 2004

[Laetirature]

Une île volcanique
Recélant des trésors
Une magie enfouie

[Fotografia e luz]

Very interesting that the commentary makes this island, which still keeps the humility of the people and the traces of the old settlers, an island to visit

[Luke]

I look forward to more great pictures from this place!

[Photo Cache]

I can't wait for this series.

[Oswegan]

A very interesting history, I didn't even know of this island. I really enjoy seeing fireflies but I imagine it must be quite hot there.

[Panaderos]

The Siquijor series finally!! :)

I don't really know much about this island and shame on me for that. However, I plan to learn a lot about it through your series of photos on the place. I never knew until today that this island is also considered a mystical place.

Thanks for sharing such great information and pictures, Sidney!

[pusa]

cant wait to see your siquijor series, so excited to know what you found :)

[haggis basher]

You get arround Sidney, looking forward to this series!

[don]

Looks a place with great promise and many photo opportunities. I'll look forward to more.

[Kevin from OrganicPIX.com]

Sounds like a beautiful place to explore, I am excited about the tour too!

[RennyBA]

Glad you and me is of the same kind: don't like to lay down and get burn on beaches, but to explore!
Looking forward to follow your bike trip then and in the mean time: have a great end to your week :-)

[Betol]

Excellent Sidney! The area around Dumaguete, Bohol, and Siquijor is probably my favorite place in the Philippines. The people are so laid back and easy going. This is the part of the Philippines that sticks in my imagination whenever I think of the Philippines. The guitar playing Visayan sitting under the acacia tree and drinking "tuba" with his buddies, catholic processions at night with candles, faith healers and witches casting spells, and so on and so forth...

[standley]

Many thanks for the information about this island that I had never heard of before. I am looking forward to see your series.
Funny enough, in Madagascar , there was a medicine called "Siquid" which was supposed to be a "truth serum"!