Siargao finally

When I told my wife and daughter that I was flying out to Siargao to do a test drive of the new Hyundai Sta. Fe, I made it a point to say that we were probably going to rough it since Siargao is generally known as a no frills surfers paradise. The only thing I knew was that we would be staying at “Dedon Island” and that was fine with me, wherever Dedon Island was. All I wanted was to have the driving experience and to write about another potential tourist destination. What concerned me the most was my daughter feeling bad that she couldn’t come with me.

Intrigued by the name, my wife Karen decided to Google our destination, and in a matter of minutes my wife and daughter were already declaring that they were no longer speaking to me! Apparently Siargao is more than just a surfers’ paradise or surfing camp and Dedon Island was actually a high-end resort that showcases world-class furniture of the same brand name. From the looks of it, some people have been trying to keep Siargao a secret instead of sharing it.

I don’t know if it was because Surigao del Norte also has a town named Sta. Fe, or because Ms. Fe Agudo and her team believed in matching the class of Hyundai’s Sta. Fe with the global standard of Dedon Island resort. What ever it was, the team certainly found the perfect place to bring motoring journalists to do a test drive and support local tourism as well.

We left Manila through the old domestic airport that they now call the “NAIA 4” and we were all mildly surprised that the old domestic does not look “so old” anymore. The place has apparently been renovated some time ago and the all white appearance certainly lifts up everything. It would also help if the MIAA management actually did the same outside the old airport as well as outside NAIA 1-2-3. That would greatly help make it look better.

Upon arriving at the Siargao airport, I was surprised and impressed to see veteran rally driver and instructor Vip Isada and his team of instructors all of whom were on hand to meet us and later to instruct us for the 2-day test drives. We quickly drove off to the island resort and I knew instantly that the images on Dedon’s website are a true representation of the place. From well kept gardens featuring exotic plants, to furniture that could find itself in museums of modern art, the resort combined the rustic ambience of the old world tropics with the new world furnishings.

After the initial rush to take photos and post on Facebook, we soon settled down to the business at hand. Lunch, product presentation and technical briefing were conducted by Rene Pizarro, Don Sta. Agueda and Vip Isada. There are no buffets on Dedon island resort; everything is generally done to order or dining preference in what they call family meals. The variety of meals would fill the pages of an Asian-European food book and there were always more than we could consume.

With very little time to spare, we were once again on the road with nine units of the Hyundai Sta. Fe, and for the second time in the day, I was again behind the wheel of Unit #9. Given that there are 4 journalists to a team, I figure I might as well get the consumer or buyer experience before the more technically minded drivers start pushing the units for performance.

As a mid-size crossover diesel SUV, the first thing I noticed about the new Sta. Fe is that I sat in it with all the room I needed for legs, arms, butt and back. The second thing I noticed is that it was not one of those cushy soft rides that eventually give you an aching back after half a day’s drive. Car #9 was firm and just fine. You will notice though that unlike SUVs that make you feel like you’re on top of a big horse, the Sta. Fe is designed to give you the low slung “lowered” feeling that’s more like a car than a truck.

The Sta. Fe is clearly a high-end unit with all the frills, but that’s what makes it attractive especially for women who have issues with driving up or down very steep inclines or slopes such as multi level parking garages, bridges or the likes. If you want to know more about the unit, watch out for the technical write-ups in our motoring section in the coming weeks.

After the short runs and test drive, we were escorted to a place people call “The Boardwalk at Cloud 9.” This serves as the jump off point of surfers who paddle their way out to the world famous surf of Siargao, which I suppose people relate to being on Cloud 9. I guess if your idea of fun is paddling against the waves for about a kilometer, catching a wave and standing on a board made of foam and fiberglass for 10 to 20 seconds tops, and then getting dumped into shallow water with rocks underneath, then yes you would be on Cloud 9.

But when 20 to 30 out of shape journalists don body hugging shirts, paddle and pants in front of you, the sight can be very disturbing! I could not help thinking of beached baby whales struggling in the shallows. I even suggested we call the local BFAR representative for help! Without a doubt, surfing is for young people and you must be ready to get cuts and bruises as I saw that most of the hardcore surfers did not have flawless legs. Each of them, boy or girl, had a gash or a scar showing us the price of “fun” in Siargao.

After driving around Siargao, I learned that it is largely an undiscovered specialty place dotted with many other islands with white sand beaches. There are many resorts and rental places for different budgets and accommodation requirements. It helps to have your own vehicle to drive around or to rent one because things are quite a distance from each other. Although I have yet to snorkel and fish in the area as of this writing, a reliable source has informed me not to expect much since dynamite fishing is the scourge of marine life along the shores of Siargao.

As a final impression, Siargao is one of those places where you’re meant to “hang loose,” chill and simply get away to a simpler, quieter place.

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