Photographed by Choi Narciso
At Bayud Resort in Siargao, calm waters, bold island art, and Filipino food define a slower, more intimate way of experiencing the island.
Along Dapa-Union-General Luna Road in Siargao, Bayud Resort sits in Barangay Malinao, an area that feels deliberately removed from the island’s surf mythology. The drive there softens as you leave the busier stretches of General Luna, the road opening into the barangay, where the island seems to exhale. The surf talk fades, replaced by glassy water, pale sand, and a calm that stretches across the shoreline. Cloud 9 is about nine kilometers away, Naked Island just eight.
The beachfront is notably still. At low tide, the sea flattens into a mirror; at sunrise, light moves gently across the water, accompanied by birds and the low, ambient sounds of the island waking up. The absence of waves becomes part of the experience. This is not the Siargao of urgent surf checks and packed lineups, but something slower and more inward-looking.
The resort’s architecture mirrors that sensibility. Tropical and contemporary in equal measure, the structures are simple and open, allowing for optimal airflow and natural light. Furniture is kept minimal, almost intentionally so, encouraging guests to spend more time outside: on the grass, by the shore, under the shade of trees, rather than retreating into their rooms. The property feels lived-in rather than styled, relaxed rather than refined.
Color, however, is everywhere. Across the resort, bright and playful murals interrupt the neutral palette, offering moments of visual surprise. The wall art by Egg Fiasco, Kookoo Ramos, Miggy Antonio, and JP Pining is bold and expressive, a celebration of island energy rendered in saturated hues.
Bayud offers a range of accommodations, including Superior and Deluxe rooms, Seaview rooms, Family rooms, and a Presidential suite. Rooms are straightforward and comfortable, designed more for rest. Mornings are a slower pace of life, with American and Asian breakfast options served in a way that feels casual, setting the tone for days without fixed agendas.
Food is an essential part of that rhythm. At Surfing Pig, the resort’s in-house restaurant, Filipino dishes take center stage. The kitchen, led by Chef Rainier (also behind Tipsy Pig and Reserve in Manila), approaches the menu with clarity and restraint. In an island where many dining spaces cater to international tastes, Surfing Pig makes a case for Filipino food that is familiar, grounded, and confident in its own flavors. It’s the kind of place where meals stretch longer than expected, carried by conversations.
Beyond the physical space, Bayud is shaped by a strong sense of intimacy. The resort operates more like a shared home than a conventional hotel. Many of the team members are locals who have been with Bayud since its earlier years, creating a continuity that’s increasingly rare in fast-growing destinations. This dynamic fosters a sense of ease; people linger, return, and settle into patterns that feel personal rather than transactional.
That sense of familiarity is what keeps guests coming back. Repeat stays are common, sometimes annual, and often in the same rooms. Bayud doesn’t rely on aggressive visibility or marketing; its presence circulates quietly, through word of mouth and shared stories. In a place where expansion often feels inevitable, the resort has chosen to remain as it is: small, contained, and intentionally unchanged.
In an island navigating rapid growth and constant reinvention, Bayud offers something increasingly rare: a pause. Not a retreat from Siargao, but a different way of being in it. One that values stillness, connection, and the pleasure of staying put.
