The article explores the paradox of Siargao Island, particularly its bustling Tourism Road in General Luna, filled with tourists and commercialization reminiscent of Bali. Despite the perceived superficiality of tourist hotspots like cocktail bars and souvenir shops, the author seeks authenticity. A journey away from the tourist areas reveals the island's stunning landscapes, including coastlines, tide pools, and serene nature. This contrast illustrates the struggle between tourist-driven development and the island's intrinsic beauty, prompting reflection on what it means to genuinely experience a place.
Tourism Road, the main drag in General Luna, the commercial hub, perfectly describes a place some have dubbed the next Bali.
A few miles outside of town, though, the shops, the bars, the traffic, and the shame of Tourism Road vanished, along with nearly all the tourists.
At the top of some steps, I saw the craggy coast plunging into the Philippine Sea's foamy churn. Tide pools glistened like topaz gemstones set in jagged rock.
I would have slid down in my seat for fear of being seen as one of them, except it was pointless: I was being ferried around in a minivan.
Collection
[
|
...
]