Make a love potion with the healers of Siquijor

Itinerary for making a love potion with the healers of Siquijor

We start your day early, as the island can get quite warm by midday. With a 9 am pickup from your hotel, we’ll head straight to the San Juan market to sample some of Siquijor island’s famous pastries and a unique chocolate drink made here (what better way to start a love potion experience than by drinking the nectar of the gods?).

From here, we’ll visit a local Church to collect some sacred ingredients necessary for your special Filipino love potion. We’ll head from here up into the forest on Mt Bandilaan and learn about some of the flora and fauna found on the island – being the source of life for the islanders, and home to some of the most unique ingredients that go into all the potions made in Siquijor.

By now, you’ll have worked up a good appetite. We’ll stop in the middle of the jungle for a picnic, which will be guaranteed to be one of the best lunches you’ll have in the Philippines (most dietary requests can be met, but must be made in advance).

With your bellies full, we’ll hike into the lush Bulalakaw Forest in search of more special additions to your custom love potion. Our last stop will be a trip to the sea in search of some water-based elements. We may even go snorkeling should the weather permit it! From churches to forests, mountains to the sea, you’ll be traversing across much of the island’s landscapes to piece together your magical recipe.

Now, with our sachet full of love potion constituents, we will go to your healer’s house to make the potion. You will be walked through all the reasons these ingredients were chosen, and their significance to making the love potion. It’s a very comprehensive and fascinating process and the reasoning behind your special selection of herbs is all carefully considered to come together to make this ancient concoction.

From here, you may either be dropped off at your hotel… or you can test your new love potion out at a romantic restaurant, such as U Story in San Juan, for sunset. Should you choose to go to U Story, we also suggest trying one of their island-famous massages at U Story (optional).

We feel honored to share this special and sacred experience with you, and we hope your new love potion brings you the luck and enchantment you hope for!

Who helps you make a love potion in Siquijor?

A very special healer on the island of Siquijor also happens to be a man of several other talents – an artist, a massage specialist, and one of the top guides on the island! Junel has been practicing sacred healing techniques for years and picked up several other skills along the way. Through careful consideration of the sacred aspects of this ancient practice, Junel agreed to help us curate a respectful expedition around the island of Siquijor to collect all the ingredients necessary for the famed Love Potion – one of the many potions made here. This is an exclusive experience since though possible to buy the love potion, no one else will share the secret (and often difficult to find) ingredients that go into the potion itself, and it will certainly not have the same potency or effectiveness as one you made yourself.

More information about the significance of the love potions in Siquijor

What are love potions in Siquijor?

The healers of Siquijor have been practicing various magical techniques predating Spanish and Islamic colonization of the Filipino archipelago. Shunned by the church, for decades the practice was seen as witchcraft and many neighboring islands thought Siquijor was cursed as a result.

Many of the ancient practices have now intertwined with religious artifacts and ceremonies, though the practices themselves are still unique and maintain the wisdom of the elders. However, with more global acceptance and intrigue in cultural differences, the island has started to see a boom of interest, especially from fellow Filipinos. One of the main practices that gained the most attention in recent years has been the love potion.

It makes sense – if you search aphrodisiacs online, you’ll get more than 12 million results, showing that there’s an interest in finding ways to help find your perfect match or rekindle a passionate flame with your partner. The question that most people ask though, of course, is “Does it work?”. No healer will give a certain 100% guarantee – as much of the magic of any spell will come from your own belief in its power and the way you carry yourself after.

If you use a love potion, but then treat your date like a jerk, I don’t think there’s much that can save that situation. However, if you believe in the potion’s power, and with this, it brings you confidence, it is proven that confidence attracts people to you. On that level alone, the potion will be doing exactly what it is intended to. We asked a healer’s wife if the potion works, and she jokingly said, “Of course, how do you think he ended up with me?!”

This is not the only magical practice in Siquijor, but it is certainly an important one. If you would like to get the opportunity to learn about the ancient wisdom and folklore surrounding one of the most unique traditions found in the Philippines, this experience is for you!

What is included in your Love Potion Experience in Siquijor?

Your love potion experience includes:
– information provided before your experience to educate you and properly prepare you
– pick-up and drop-off transfers to your hotel (must be located in Siquijor Island).
Note: We will use a private vehicle to get to the healers, as many are located in the mountains. We will use either a small SUV or a bigger tricycle (converted motorcycle with a carriage) depending on your group size.
– a specially trained and licensed guide who will facilitate your experience (and who happens to be a healer)
– Jungle Picnic – Local meal (dietary restrictions available)
– Lifejackets
– Snorkelling equipment (weather dependent)
– Church herbs donation
– Water and snacks
– Bottles for your love potion

What is not included in your Love Potion Experience in Siquijor?

– Travel Insurance (Compulsory)
– International flights or transportation to/from the itinerary’s start point
– Accommodation in Siquijor (we suggest Agoda for the best hotel rates)
– Activities not listed in the itinerary
– Meals not listed in the itinerary
– Gratuities and tips
– All drinks
– Spending Money
– Dinner/Massage

Need a place to stay in Siquijor?

We’ve created an interactive map below to help you find a place to stay while exploring this mystical island. You can enter your dates and number of guests to see a range of accommodations from hotels to short-term rentals, listed on platforms like Booking.com, Agoda, and others. We’ve pinned a spot close to where most visitors choose to stay — not only is this area home to the best sunsets on the island, but it also has the widest variety of hotels, beach access, and dining options. Staying near the marker ensures you’re well positioned for pick-ups for your tour, and it’s a great base for your time on the island.

Please double-check the currency displayed, as it may vary depending on your device settings or the website you’re viewing.

Supporting Local Projects with our TRiP Foundation

For every TRiP that you go on with WSE Travel, we will donate 2% of the total sales price to an environmental or community-based project in the country you’re visiting. We want to ensure that every guest we help, in turn, helps support and preserve the destination we’re experiencing together as a direct result. We live by an ethos to Travel Responsibly & Impact Positively (TRiP).

For more information on the projects this experience supports, please visit our Philippines TRIP projects.

Cancellation & Rebooking Policy

All tours, services, and experiences booked through WSE Travel are bound to our Terms and Conditions, which were modeled after most other travel services, such as flights, hotels, and other tour operators.

At Where Sidewalks End, your reservation is more than a transaction — it’s a direct contract with local professionals who rely on this work as a primary source of income. As such, we are obligated to honor the livelihoods of our local partners — including guides, Ajarns (masters), and drivers — who dedicate their time exclusively to your experience.

In many of the destinations where we operate, labor protections and fair wage commitments are upheld by local laws — and we are both ethically and contractually required to adhere to them. Once a booking is confirmed, the service providers committed to your experience are financially compensated for reserving their time — even in the event of cancellation. This ensures fair and dignified treatment for all involved in delivering your experience.

If You Need to Cancel or Reschedule

All bookings are subject to the following terms:

More than 14 Days’ Notice

Your payment will be placed into a Lifetime Deposit (Safety Deposit Box). This can be:

• Used for a future date
• Transferred to a friend or family member

Refunds are not available, unless WSE Travel cancels your booking due to reasons beyond your control.

7–14 Days’ Notice

A 50% rebooking fee will apply. This helps offset the compensation obligations to your dedicated team of local guides and service providers, who have reserved their day exclusively for your private tour and may not be able to secure alternate work with us or others on short notice.

Less than 7 Days’ Notice

The full cost of the tour is retained. As this is a private experience, your local team’s time is fully dedicated to your session. A new team will be hired for any future rebooking.

These policies are a compassionate extension of our official Terms & Conditions, designed to support both our guests and the ethical standards of responsible tourism.

Travel Insurance or Liability Waiver Required

Because life can be unpredictable — and because we are required to uphold our commitments to local partners — all guests must either:

• Provide proof of comprehensive travel insurance, or
• Sign a Liability Waiver Form at the start of their trip

We highly recommend SafetyWing Nomad Insurance — trusted by global travelers for its flexible, affordable coverage and very competitive rates.

Travel insurance can help protect you from financial losses related to:

• Illness
• Missed flights
• Emergency cancellations
• Non-refundable bookings

If you choose to travel without Travel Insurance, you will be required to fill out a Liability Waiver Form at the beginning of your trip. 

Thank You for Traveling Responsibly

We deeply appreciate your understanding and support of ethical tourism. Your booking directly sustains local communities and helps preserve cultural traditions in a meaningful and lasting way.

If you have any questions or need help rescheduling, please contact us — we’re always happy to assist.