Bucas Grande’s Non-Sting Jellyfish and Trek to Sohoton Lagoons

Bucas Grande Island in Surigao del Norte had always been on my list of top island destinations to visit in the Philippines. No, it doesn’t have long stretches of fine white sand like Boracay nor does it share El Nido’s monolithic limestone rock formations but it does have something equally interesting — pristine coastal lagoons that typify my visions of extremely exotic island destinations in the Pacific.

Just look at this satellite image and you will understand what I mean:

Bucas Grande is an island located in Surigao del Norte province in the Philippines. Situated on the country’s eastern side, facing the Pacific Ocean, it is near Siargao Island, a popular international surfing destination.

I had been to Bucas Grande once before. That time, I was able to see its gorgeous lagoons on a whole day boat tour. I explored the usual suspects, which included the Sohoton Cave Lagoons, Hagukan Cave, Tiktikan Lake, Bolitas Cave, Makukuob Cave, and Crystal Cave.

These spots were clustered together in one little corner of the island. I didn’t get to see the rest of the island because of my limited time but I vowed to come back to satisfy my curiosity of seeing what the other parts of the island looked like.

I also didn’t get to experience what made Bucas Grande Island extra special, a paddle boat trip to visit the Tojoman Lagoon, famous for its swarms of golden non-sting jellyfish. It’s a rare occurrence that can only be seen in very few locations in the World like Kakaban Island in Indonesia and the Rock Islands in Palau.

Around Bucas Grande Island

The island kept its off-beat vibe and simple non-touristic island lifestyle even on the main town of Socorro. Most travelers visiting Bucas Grande Island only end up going to the areas around Sohoton Cave Lagoons for a couple of hours on a hired pumpboat from Siargao or the mainland (Hayanggabon, Claver). It was awesome that I got to see and experience other parts of the Island.

When I planned my second visit to Bucas Grande, I made sure to do a longer stay and scheduled it between the months of March and July, prime jellyfish season. I spent 6 days exploring every inch of the island as I could … mostly on foot. My itinerary basically involved following any interesting beach and inland trail I stumbled upon.

The day after my arrival, I followed the coastal trail south of Socorro Town. Here’s a glimpse of what to expect:

Socorro and the beach trail south of town

Pamosaingan and Santa Cruz Villages

The next day, I went to the beach coves near Pamosaingan Village at the western side of Bucas Grand, and then, explored the roads and hills on the middle part of the island.

Central Hills

The Forest Trail to Sohoton Cave Lagoons

Getting to Sohoton Cave Lagoons can be expensive for a solo traveler because it involves chartering a boat for the day and spending at least P1,500. That’s only for the boat ride. You will also have to charter another boat to get around the lagoon and then pay the hefty entrance/environmental fees.

While exploring Bucas Grand and spending four nights in Socorro town, I also waited to see if I would meet other travelers willing to share the boat ride. I met two other travelers but they weren’t planning on visiting Sohoton.

So, I tried asking the locals about cheaper alternatives. I later learned the Bisaya / Surigaonon word “baktas,” which meant, “to hike” and then, began to ask them if there was a way I could “baktas” my way to the Sohoton. It was indeed possible!

From Socorro, I rode a habal-habal (motorcycle taxi) to Barangay Sulod and then followed a forest trail, which took around 30 to 45 minutes, to “Dagatan.” This is the same trail that the guides at Sohoton trudged everyday. The habal-habal ride to Brgy. Sulod only cost me P30 one-way or P60 for a return trip, a far cry from shelling out P1,500++ for the boat charter.

I loved trekking through the forest. It seemed largely untouched. Except for a couple of steep climbs over limestone hill passes, it was a rather easy and picturesque trek.

From Dagatan, the other end of the trail, it was still a short boat ride away to the reception area of Sohoton, which the locals call the “Gate.”

There was supposedly a place to stay, called Sifai Guest House, in Dagatan. Unfortunately, the caretaker was not around.

An important note for those would like to do this forest trek: Do make a courtesy call with the Barangay Captain of Sulod to ask for permission and guidance.

Sohoton Cave Lagoons Boat Tour

The area of the lagoons and the whole bay is called Sohoton, named after one particular cave, aptly named Sohoton Cave. “Sohot” in the local tongue means “to pass through” or “to pass under.” The main lagoon is totally enclosed and hidden from plain sight by a wall of seemingly impenetrable limestone hills. To get there, one must pass through the Sohoton Cave, which is only accessible during low tide.

Golden Non-Sting Jellyfish

Much to my delight, the golden non-sting jellyfish was in season during my visit. The Tojoman Lagoon, where the jellyfish can be found, was a short paddle boat ride from the gate. As much as I was dying to do it, swimming was prohibited to lessen the impact of so many tourists coming to visit these jellyfish.

I hiked my way back to Sudlon and then continued my journey to Siargao Island to get my fill of catching some surf.