Make a love potion with the healers of Siquijor

Item	Details
Pick-up Point	Your Siquijor hotel (specified to us after your online reservation via email)
Drop-off Point	Your Siquijor hotel
Duration	About 8 hours (depending on the distance of your hotel and the pace of your private group)
Physical Level	Moderate to High (hiking and swimming involved)
Cultural Rating	Moderate – interactive cultural exchange
Ages	18+ (younger than 18 must be accompanied by an adult)
Group Size	Private – Max 8 people per booking/group

Why We Created This Experience

Siquijor love potions have captured the imagination of people across the Philippines in recent years, but most visitors only ever encounter the bottled version on a shop shelf. We created this experience for travelers who want to go much deeper and understand the island through the traditions, ingredients, and beliefs that give these potions meaning.

This is not only about romance. In Siquijor, attraction can be understood more broadly. A potion may be made with intentions connected to love, friendship, confidence, belonging, drawing in the right people, or even helping you feel more open and aligned when meeting new opportunities. That wider sense of attraction is part of what makes the experience so interesting.

Our goal is for you to leave with more than a bottle. We want you to come away with a deeper understanding of Siquijor as a place where folklore, healing traditions, landscape, and local life continue to shape one another in ways that are still very present today.

What Makes This Experience Different

Many visitors to Siquijor hear about love potions, but very few get the chance to understand how they are made, where the ingredients come from, and why the island itself matters so much to the process. This experience is built around gathering elements from very different landscapes across Siquijor and then bringing them together with intention.

The day is also shaped by a well-respected local healer who helps connect the different stops into something more meaningful than a treasure hunt. Rather than simply collecting random ingredients, you learn why each element is chosen and how it contributes to the final blend.

Because the experience is private, it can also move more naturally with your group. There is time to ask questions, absorb the island’s atmosphere, and enjoy a much fuller cross-section of Siquijor than you would on a more standard sightseeing tour.

What to Expect During the Day

We start your day early, as the island can get quite warm by midday. With a 9:00 AM pickup from your hotel, we head straight to the San Juan market to sample some of Siquijor’s well-loved pastries and a unique local chocolate drink. It is a fun and fitting beginning for a day built around attraction, folklore, and island ingredients.

From here, we visit a local church to collect some of the sacred ingredients necessary for your special Filipino love potion. After that, we head up into the forest on Mt. Bandilaan and learn about some of the flora and fauna found on the island. This mountain landscape is not only a source of life for island residents, but also home to some of the ingredients that continue to play a role in Siquijor’s healing traditions.

By now, you will likely have worked up a healthy appetite. We stop in the middle of the jungle for a picnic, which often becomes one of the most memorable meals of the day. Dietary requests can usually be accommodated, but they should be shared in advance.

With lunch behind us, we hike into the lush Bulalakaw Forest in search of more additions for your custom love potion. Later, we head to the sea in search of water-based elements, and snorkeling may also be possible if the weather cooperates. From churches to forests, mountains to the sea, the day moves across much of the island’s landscape to piece together your final recipe.

Once your sachet is full of ingredients, we go to the healer’s house to make the potion itself. Here, you are walked through why these ingredients were chosen and what each one contributes to the final mixture. It is a thoughtful, detailed process and one of the most fascinating parts of the day.

From there, you may either be dropped back at your hotel, or, if you prefer, you may choose to end at a romantic sunset restaurant such as U Story in San Juan. That option is entirely up to you and is not the main focus of the tour, but it can be a nice way to close the day.

We feel honored to share this unusual and meaningful experience with you, and we hope your potion brings the kind of attraction, connection, and good energy you are hoping to invite in.

Why Siquijor Matters

Siquijor matters because it carries a reputation unlike anywhere else in the Philippines. The island’s long association with healers, potions, folklore, and natural ingredients gives it a distinctive atmosphere that shapes the entire experience.

That matters for guests because this day is not only about making a potion. It is about understanding why Siquijor became the place where such traditions could take root and continue evolving in the public imagination.

By moving through markets, churches, mountains, forests, mangroves, and finally the healer’s home, guests come away with a more layered sense of the island than they would from a simple beach day or island road trip alone.

Is this tour right for me?

This experience works especially well for travelers who enjoy folklore, unusual cultural traditions, full-day island exploration, and hands-on experiences that move beyond standard sightseeing.

It is a strong fit for curious travelers, couples, close friends, solo travelers with an open mind, and guests who are comfortable with a day that includes movement, nature, swimming, and local belief systems.

If you are looking for something playful, mysterious, offbeat, and rooted in the landscapes and reputation of Siquijor itself, this is one of the most distinctive experiences we offer in the Philippines.

What to Bring

This is a full island day with time in markets, forests, mountain areas, and coastal spaces, so a practical setup makes a big difference. Because your transport is private and secure, you can leave some items in the vehicle when not needed.

• Comfortable clothing
  Lightweight clothes that you do not mind getting a little dusty or damp work best.
• Comfortable walking shoes or sturdy sandals
  You will be walking and hiking through uneven terrain, so practical footwear is important.
• Swimwear and towel
  Useful if snorkeling conditions are good and you decide to enter the water.
• Sun protection
  Bring sunblock, sunglasses, and a hat or cap, especially for the coastal part of the day.
• Bug spray
  Recommended for time in forested areas and around the mangroves.
• Cash
  Helpful for any extra purchases, tips, or optional spending during the day.

What is included in your Love Potion Experience in Siquijor?

Your experience includes the essentials needed to enjoy the day comfortably and fully take part in the island-wide process of gathering and preparing your potion.

• Pre-tour information
  Helpful details are shared beforehand so you can prepare properly.
• Pick-up and drop-off transfers from your Siquijor hotel
  Private transport is included for the full experience.
• Private vehicle around the island
  Depending on your group size, this may be a small SUV or a larger tricycle.
• Specially trained and licensed guide
  Your guide also works as a healer and helps facilitate the experience throughout the day.
• Market pastries and local chocolate drink
  A small local introduction to begin the day.
• Jungle picnic lunch
  A local meal is included, with most dietary restrictions possible when shared in advance.
• Lifejackets
  Provided for the water portion of the day.
• Snorkeling equipment
  Included when weather conditions allow snorkeling.
• Church herbs donation
  Included as part of collecting ingredients respectfully.
• Water and snacks
  Simple refreshments are included during the day.
• Bottles for your love potion
  Everything needed to take your final potion with you is provided.

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

A few things remain separate from your booking so you can stay flexible around the rest of your trip.

• Travel insurance (Compulsory)
  All guests must have travel insurance or sign a waiver.
• International flights or transportation to and from the itinerary’s start point
  Travel to Siquijor itself is not included.
• Accommodation in Siquijor
  Lodging is not included.
• Activities not listed in the itinerary
  Anything beyond the described route is separate.
• Meals not listed in the itinerary
  Extra meals outside the included picnic and snacks are not covered.
• Extra drinks
  Only the drinks specifically mentioned as part of the experience are included.
• Gratuities and tips
  Tips are not included.
• Spending money and optional dinner or massage
  Any optional sunset restaurant stop, massage, or personal purchases are separate.

Ready to Reserve Your Date?

If this feels like the kind of offbeat Siquijor experience you are looking for, you can reserve your private date using the booking section at the top of the page.

Because this is a full-day private experience with a specialized healer-guide and island-wide routing, it is a good idea to book as soon as your dates are fixed, especially if you are traveling in a couple or with a small group.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this love potion only for romance?

No. On this experience, attraction is understood more broadly. Some guests may set intentions around romance, while others think about friendship, belonging, confidence, community, or drawing in the right opportunities.

Do I actually make the potion myself?

Yes. The whole day is built around gathering the necessary ingredients across the island and then working with the healer to prepare the final potion.

Is snorkeling guaranteed?

No. Snorkeling is weather-dependent, so it is only included when conditions are suitable and safe.

How physical is the day?

The experience is rated moderate to high because it includes hiking, movement across several parts of the island, and possibly swimming or snorkeling.

Will I meet the healer in a home setting?

Yes. After gathering ingredients around the island, the final preparation takes place at the healer’s house, where the meaning and role of each ingredient is explained.

Can the day end somewhere other than my hotel?

Yes, it may be possible to end at a sunset restaurant such as U Story instead of returning directly to your hotel, but that is optional and not the main focus of the tour.

Our other healer experiences

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.