Island Vacations- An Introduction
Island vacations aficionados prefer to spend unique vacations and visit island getaways hosting a variety of natural tourist attractions like a seaside lagoon with islets having lush natural vegetation and wildlife resembling that of floating rock gardens in crystal clear water teeming with coral fish and surrounded by fantastic caverns. Name them all and it is found in the famous island vacations spot named Sohoton Cove in Bucas Grande Island, Socorro, Surigao del Norte, Philippines.
Island Vacations – What Sohoton Cove Can Offer?
Island vacations are best spent in Sohoton Cove as it is a single tourist destination that offers you a variety of tourist attractions:
1- Enchanting Cove. As part of the Inayaran Inlet in the southwestern part of the island, the cove is accessible only during low tide through the 40-meter Sohoton Cave serving as the sole entry and exit to the area. The best time to enter the cave is when the tidal movement recedes enabling the sea water current to slow down or come to a complete stop. You could have a completely satisfying experience if you will ride on a kayak or canoe. But if you are on a group, you can opt to ride a motorized boat and signal the operator to stop the engine upon entry and just paddle it inwards. You will be a little bit nervous and breathing with emotional thrill as the boat slowly enters the passage way. Going into the center of the cave and as the foreign light from the other end meets your eyes, you could hear a mixture of strange sounds resembling that of a banging metal or other identical vibrations. A very dark corner at the left side occasionally shoots-off a noise that resembles that of a frying lard. With the dim light from the outside serving as background, you can view the spell binding stalactites hanging from the cavern’s ceiling. Looking down, you can see blended colors of sea water often forming tiny whirlpools as the cave ends into the serenity of the lagoon.
2- Identical Islets. A hard-to-explain feeling of fulfillment for your island vacations would greet you once you are inside. Looking straightforward, you cannot help but admire the sight of the islets of almost the same size resembling that of floating dish gardens adorned on water streets. Glancing downwards, you would be amazed with the reflections of its lush natural vegetation flashed in the pristine and crystal-clear waters. Occasionally, you can see a variety of birds and fruit bats hopping from one aguho and iron wood tree to another.
3- Magnificent Rock Formations. A sight to behold in this island vacations spot are the spectacular, scenic and sometimes colorful rock formations resulting from weathering and erosion sculpting the existing rock of some islets.
4- Alluring Caverns. There are 2 small caverns inside this island vacations destination. The first is the “hagukan” due to the snoring sound it emits as the water slams into the cavern. You can enter it by swimming carefully so your head will not touch the upper portion of the low mouth entrance. There is a big rock in the central portion inside the cavern where you step on and take a rest. As light comes in through the small cavern entrance, you can witness a luminous green color of the water thereby offering the only chance for dark-skinned visitors to have a fair complexion. The other cavern is the “magkukuob” coined by the bending position you shall undertake to barely make through a low opening and walk up the steep and rocky passageway towards a skylight leading to a wooden platform right on a cliff located 15 feet above sea level for a dive back into the lagoon.
5- The Jellyfish Kingdom. If you happen to visit this island vacations spot in the months of January to September, you will be fortunate enough to mingle and swim with a smack of stingless Spotted Jelly or Lagoon Jelly (Mastigias papua) which abound inside the cove.
Island Vacations In Sohoton Cove- Final Views
Island vacations destinations offering a variety of attractions are not-so abundant. In Sohoton, you can go sightseeing and bird watching on its thickly vegetated identical islets and scenic rock formations, snorkel and dive on its placid waters, experience fun and thrill on its caverns and swim with the friendly and harmless jellyfish. No wonder, Sohoton Cove is the emerging all-in-one island vacations spot in this part of the world.
SOHOTON COVE VITAL INFORMATION PLEASE CLICK HERE. . .
SOHOTON COVE TIDAL CALENDAR PLEASE CLICK HERE . . .
If you are looking for world-class resorts suited for island vacations enthusiasts like you located within the vicinity of Sohoton Cove please click here and also here. However, if you are one of the budget travelers like me, you may opt to stay in a backpackers hostel featured here.
Want more emerging island vacations spots in Bucas Grande frequented by sightseeing aficionados, please click here as well as here.
You can also see the most popular white sand beach in the island by clicking here and a seaside waterfall being featured here.
Finally, if you are looking for a Package Tour either for 1 day visit at the Sohoton Cove and its vicinity only or avail of the 3-day, 2-night package for the Bucas Grande Island Tour, please click here.
Sohoton Cave, the lone entrance and exit of the Sohoton Cove . . .
The Sohoton Cove entrance towards outside of the lagoon.
Horse's shoe rock formation inside the cove
Another angle of the horse's shoe rock formation
The verdant islets dotted on crystal-clear waters inside the cove.
Islet ranges mirrored on the placid waters had delighted these island-hoppers much.
Fantastic view from inside the Hagukan Cave inside the Sohoton Cove
The Dagongdong Rock Formation inside Sohoton Cove.
Swimming with the smack of stingless jellyfish at the Jellyfish Kingdom
Pristine waters leading to Club Tarra resort within the vicinity of Sohoton Cove.
Bird's Eye View of Club Tarra Resort near the Sohoton Cove.
Club Tarra Swimming Pool
Another fantastic view of Club Tarra Resort Swimming Pool- a sight that island vacations lovers really like to behold.
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Hi Ed,
Thank you so much for your informative blog! These are very helpful articles and truly promoting these islands in a very very good way. Mabuhay ka!
May I request if you could advise where I would be able to find a good map for bucas grande and nearby places. It will be helpful to see how to plan a trip and maximize the stay without missing the “must see’s” and “must do’s” around the area.
Thanks a lot!
Hello Nat,
Thank you very much for the comment. This is my own little way of promoting the God-given tourist destinations of our country. The best map for Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands so far I searched from the web is at http://www.surigaoislands.com/siargaomap.html, you may take your time to see and download it. The road network for Bucas Grande is not yet updated in the map. To date, there is a farm-to-market road connecting Barangay Songkoy to Sering and there’s a road connecting to Kapihan View Park which is part of Barangay Sering. Take your time and enjoy your visit here . . .
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this is awesome! i haven’t heard of this place till now. this place will definitely be in my bucket list for this year!
Very interesting. I’ve never known this place until you blogged it. Would you recommend this place for a budget traveler like me?
Yeah, this place is suited for all. High end tourists can stay in luxury resorts like club tara and budget travelers can spend the day in sohoton and spend the night in the town center where budget hotels/inns are located.
Nice photos! I always feel conflicted between wanting to keep beautiful finds that haven’t been invaded by tourists to myself, or telling everyone how amazing they are.
This place looks amazing!! I could definitely relax in a place like this
Stopped over from the Round-The_World hop! Now off to have an even better look around!
Thanks for the kind words. You are very much welcome to visit Bucas Grande, my island home.
Hey! This is INCREDIBLE!! Particularly loved the horseshoe rock formation!! Thanx so much for playing!!
Hi, hope you include Bucas Grande Island in the Philippines in your future travel itinerary. Likewise, thanks for the invitation to join.
Fantastic post on the islands and waterways. Thanks for posting this. I found it fascinating, a little known part of the Philipines.
Thank you very much for appreciating the beauty of Sohoton… truly it deserves its monicker as the Philippines’ all-in-one tourist destination.
Awesome pictures! We are going here this month. I just can’t wait! Thanks for sharing this and nice blog by the way! Keep up the sharing
hi:)
do they offer day tour?
we’re not staying overnight on the resort kasi..
Yes…the Municipal Tourism Office staff are readily available to facilitate day tour activities.
Hi! Salamat sa pagbisita sa site ko.
Ang ganda d2! Breath taking ang Sohoton! I already saw a picture of the Horse Shoe rock formation before and only now that i found out na d2 pla yun matatagpuan. Thanks for sharing this information! Hats off!
-teng
Hi teng,
I wish to call you “sangay” in Surigaonon or “tokayo” in Boholano, because my nickname is “Titing” and I am comfortable to
be addressed with that name, the sweetest word to my ears of course. Thanks for appreciating…hope you can find time to visit Bucas Grande-my island home. If you prefer to stay at Club Tara, we can arrange for a 5% discount. I love your photos, I’ll be attending basic photography workshop at Cebu this April 15-17, hope I can maximize my Nikon 7000 and take pictures with the same quality as yours. BTW, may I invite you to join the Travel Blog Success Community by clicking on the banner at my sidebar. I applied for premium membership and it’s really worth it. The lessons and tutorials are really substantial in the development of our blog.
Sir are you from Socorro? I’m from Surigao city but never been to Bukas Grande..yah I know- shame on me.
It’s on my bucketlist and hopefully I’ll be able to visit this enchanting place soon..
Had visited your great blog and dropped a comment on your Bohol sojourn. Hope you can visit Bucas Grande- my island home soon. Nice meeting you here . . .
hi, try to register at http://www.wowsurigao.com sign up free!
Hi,
Had registered and participated in the forum. Thanks for the invitation.
I don’t know why, but this reminds me of Island of the Blue Dolphins.
Thank you very much for appreciating to the extent of comparing Bucas Grande Island with the setting of the great Scott O’Dell novel… you are most cordially invited to visit my island home.
hi sir,
very beautiful blog.
can you please tell me who i can contact kung gusto ko mubisita dinha? can you recommend anybody who offers tour packages?
please if you have their email or website. that would be very helpful.
planning a trip before summer ends.
salamat kau!
Hi Dana,
Thanks for the kind comments. Please contact Ms. Racquel Kristina T. Ocon, our former Municipal Tourism Officer who is now organizing tour packages for Sohoton Cove and other Bucas Grande Island attractions. You may contact her at 09073310225 or at her email address: rkgt.ocon@yahoo.com.
It was a paradise..and di ako magsasawang bumalik dun hanggang nandudun pa ung mga natural beauty niya…
Thanks Aleah for appreciating the beauty of Bucas Grande- My Island Home.
Amigo.. you’re doing great with your blog. Congratz!! Nice pix.. will forward them to my friends. I’ve been to Suhoton 3 times already but still craving to be back again…
Thanks for the kind comments Amigo… I’ll never forget our “Contrata” en España. Como estas ahora?
will be heading to Surigao tomorrow with Bucas Grande Island as our main destination.
can you give a more detailed instruction on how to get there? do we have to go to Siargao or will it suffice to start from Surigao City? how far away is it?
Please contact Miss Nissan Lyka T. Canta, our newly-designated Municipal Tourism Officer at 09214285854. You may also open the SOHOTON VITAL INFORMATION PDF file in my Sohoton Cove post for more details on how to get there.
very beautiful indeed! Thanks for sharing, i’ve been wanting to see surigao and siargao, and seeing this post, made me want to go more!!
Thanks for dropping by. Hope you can find time to visit Bucas Grande- my island home.
Club Tara Resort reminds me of of the cool cottages at Miniloc in El Nido. This place is a nature lover’s paradise!
I’ve not visited Palawan yet but my friends were telling me that Sohoton is El Nido and Coron combined.
I’ll keep that in mind
love your blog. btw i added your link on mine 
Likewise, am an avid fan of your great blog. Added your link also to my Travel Sites 2.
Wow! A nature-lover’s paradise! My aunt mentioned this place once when she saw a picture of Palawan, saying that both places have similarities.
I’m from somewhere in the middle of Mindanao and Surigao del Norte is really far from us. The only must-see place I had in mind when thinking about Surigao del Norte is the surfing haven that is Siargao Island. But after seeing your blogs about Bucas Grande, I was totally surprised and I would not mind the very long roadtrip! I really hope to be able to set foot on this place someday. I’m sure my family would also love this place.
Thanks for this wonderful article!
Thanks Onie for appreciating. Truly, it’s my dream that our place shall be recognized as an ecotourism destination separate and distinct from Siargao’s surfing paradise. Due to numerous requests from my readers from various parts of the Philippines and other countries as well, we are organizing a travel and tours company to cater to the needs of my readers and other tourists who want to visit Bucas Grande Island. We are now on the finishing works of the Island Vacations Country Inn here in the town center which, hopefully, will be operational within this month of July. We will be glad to be your host for your coming visit.
Wow! Putting up a travel & tours company is a good idea. I am planning to bring my family there (hopefully in December this year) and it would be very convenient if we avail of a packaged tour. Thank you once again!
Thanks for your interest in visiting here. Please let me know if ever you could finalize your travel date.
how much is the rate in an island hopping
Thanks for the query Mercy. We will be launching the Island Vacations Country Inn situated at the Socorro town center by the end of this month to cater to the needs of backpackers and medium-end travelers. Our next target is to launch the Island Vacations Travel and Tours. Please see my post for the next month of August as we will be finalizing the various tour products and services with the corresponding rates.
2011 was the year that I was introduced to the beauty of Bucas Grande & my visits so far this year were always filled with awe to the magnificence of the place, the friendliness of the people and the experiences yet to unfold in my upcoming visits. Thank you very much Sir!
Thanks for appreciating Dennis. It’s a pleasure sharing to you the beauty of my island home.
im planning on backpacking there together with my girlfriend this coming october. i need tips and places to stay there. we don’t have much, were on tight budget so we will be needing help were to go when we get there and the rates and itinerary with rates would be greatly appreciated. thank you. im from davao city anyways. thanks..will be waiting for your emails..
Thanks for dropping by. Please see my latest blog post for the accommodation. I will be posting soon about the Island Vacations Travel and Tours that we will be launching.
will definitely add that to my travel list..
Thanks for taking interest in visiting Bucas Grande Island. Rest assured that your coming here would be worth the time, money and efforts.
hello ay i know if 3500 for boat hopping in bucas grande i reasonable then anther 350 for 1 tur guide then another fee for the entrances in the park and another fee when you sim with the jelly fish
Wonderful web site. Plenty of helpful info here. I am sending it to a few buddies ans additionally sharing in delicious. And obviously, thank you in your effort!
Thanks for dropping bye and for the kind words. Nice knowing that you found interest in going over my blog.
wat r the different parts of Sohoton Cove?