There are cool places in the world that try to be cool, like Las Vegas, or Boracay in the Philippines. And then, there is Siargao, the surfing capital of the 7.500 islands in the archipelago, which is insanely nice – and one of the coolest places on earth – by just being itself. As the best example of what I mean by that, let me tell you about a place called Kermit’s on Siargao.
The Kermits Eco Resort Full Review
Kermits is described as a surf lodge and eco-resort. Sitting back only a 10-minute walk to the beautiful white sand beach, it’s nestled in the jungle on a quiet sand road in General Luna on the southern end of Siargao island.
There are many such places in magical Siargao, but still, Kermits manages to stand out as one of the most chill. They have about 20 bungalows that are just local nepa huts, most with just a fan but some have the more extravagant window air conditioning unit that seems out of place here in the tropics. Rooms with AC go for about 1,400 Pesos a night – or less than $30 – but there are family style rooms with plenty of beds, rooms with a shared bathroom, an even dormitories hostel-style for travelers on any budget.
But Kermits offers far more than just accommodations. Their open-air restaurant (palm leaf roof but no walls) is the center point of a stay there, and people also come from far and wide to sample their famous brick oven pizza. I’ve also had their seafood curry dishes, breakfasts, and of course, their fruit shakes (mango/banana and peanut butter/coconut are my favorites) and they never disappoint. I’ve heard their wraps are amazing too, but the whole thing I’ve tried and didn’t like was the bagel with salmon – which was so card-boardish and lacking fresh salmon (probably because those all have to be imported) that it wasn’t even worth ordering.
The other great part of Kermits is the lounge/chill out area, where you kick off your flip flops (required) and hang out in the open-air setting on sofa cushions, small stools, bean bags or just on the floor on mats. They have books, music, instruments, board games, cards, art work, and I bet you can even find a hammock to take a snooze on. The chill out area extends to the upstairs, too, where you’ll find it’s even cooler and less crowded. They also have nightly yoga classes in these areas!
While this area is supposed to be for Kermit guests only, no one is really regulating or minds if you come hang out there – as long as you eat, drink, or just bring a smile and a great vibe.
Kermits can also take care of just about anything you need during your stay on the island, including renting motorbikes, setting up tours to nearby islands and attractions, and especially surf lessons and excursions. There are hundreds of places to surf in Siargao, and they know exactly where to go and when based on the conditions, tides, and even crowds (the popular Cloud 9 surf spot is known as Crowd 9).
Go pay a visit to Kermits and I bet you’ll come in for breakfast, book a surfing trip and island hopping trip, and end up staying there with them – and never wanting to leave!
About Norm Schriever
Norm Schriever is a blogger, Amazon best-sellling author, cultural mad scientist, and enemy of the comfort zone. His work appears in the Huffington Post, Business.com, Good Morning America, The Anderson Cooper Show on CNN, NBC, MSN, Yahoo, Hotels.com, and media all around the world.
Norm grew up in Connecticut and graduated from the University of Connecticut, where he was never accused of overstudying. After expatriating to Costa Rica in 2011, he started traveling the world and documenting what he saw. He now lives in Southeast Asia, writing his heart out and working with local charities.
