Magpupungko rock pools: tides, fees and how to visit

A string of glassy blue pools in a shelf of black rock, a giant boulder balanced on top of it all, and cliff jumps of up to 5 metres into water that was open sea a few hours earlier. When can you actually swim at Magpupungko, which tide website gives the wrong answer, and why do you need water shoes more than a swimsuit? Here’s how to time it right.

The Magpupungko rock pools are one of Siargao’s great natural sights: a series of clear, sheltered tidal pools on a flat shelf of rock at the edge of the Pacific, near the town of Pilar on the island’s east coast. At high tide the shelf disappears under the waves; as the tide goes out, the pools emerge, calm and impossibly clear, for a few hours of swimming, snorkelling and cliff jumping.

I visited on the Siargao land tour, timed for low tide, and it’s one of the things on the island you absolutely shouldn’t miss. This guide covers when to go and how to read the tides, what it costs, the cliff jumps, what to bring and how to get there.

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Clear turquoise tidal pools in dark volcanic rock at Magpupungko, Siargao, with swimmers on the rocks — The Magpupungko rock pools at low tide, with swimmers on the rocks and the Pacific beyond

Magpupungko at a glance

Where: Magpupungko Beach, Barangay Consolacion, Pilar, on Siargao’s east coast, about 45 to 60 minutes by road from General Luna.
When: only around low tide, roughly one to two hours either side. At high tide the pools are underwater and you won’t be allowed on the rocks.
Cost: about ₱50 to ₱65 per person to get in, plus ₱20 to park a motorbike.
Facilities: food stalls under the palms, paid toilets and showers, cottages to rent. No lockers and no shade at the pools.
Bring: water shoes, a dry bag and cash.

What are the Magpupungko rock pools?

Magpupungko is a white-sand beach at the northern end of which a broad, flat shelf of dark rock runs out towards the reef. A wide barrier of rock keeps the Pacific swell off the shelf at low tide, leaving a series of tidal pools filled with clear, turquoise water. The deepest is around 5 metres.

The name comes from the Visayan pungkò, to sit or squat, and refers to the huge boulder that sits balanced on a flat rock above the pools. You’ll also see it spelled Magpopongko.

When to go: the tides

Everything at Magpupungko depends on the tide. The pools are only accessible for about one to two hours either side of low tide, and local staff won’t let you onto the rocks once the water starts to rise. At high tide the waves wash right over the shelf.

To time it, check the tide tables for Dapa, the nearest port with published tides, rather than a page labelled “General Luna” or “Pilar”: the popular tide websites have pages under those names, but they’re for completely different places elsewhere in the Philippines and Brazil. There are two low tides a day, and they’re uneven, so plan around the lower of the two and aim to arrive an hour or two before it.

The best months are March to October. From November to January, the north-east monsoon brings heavy rain and big waves to this coast.

Top tip

Get there early in the day if low tide allows. The pools fill up fast with tour groups from late morning, and there’s no shade on the rocks.

What it’s like

You walk along the beach and then out over the rocks to the pools, and the rocks are slippery: my water shoes were an absolute godsend. Once you’re in, the water is clear and cool, and on a hot day it’s exactly what you want after a morning on the road. You can float, swim between the pools, and snorkel to look for small fish, crabs and sea urchins in the cracks.

The cliff jumps are the other draw. The main jump is from the large central rock, at about 3 to 5 metres, into pools about 3 to 4.5 metres deep. I didn’t jump. I’m such a baby when it comes to climbing up rocks, not the jumping in. There are no lifeguards, so only jump where a local guide shows you, and check the depth yourself first.

What it costs

Item	Price
Entrance or environmental fee	About ₱50 to ₱65 per person
Motorbike parking	₱20
Car parking	About ₱50
Life jacket rental	About ₱100 to ₱200
Snorkel rental	About ₱200
Cottage (shaded hut) on the beach	About ₱300 to ₱500
Local guide	About ₱100 to ₱150

The fee has been quoted variously as an entrance fee, an environmental fee and, more recently, an access road fee, so expect small differences. Everything is cash only, and there’s no ATM nearby.

Rules and safety

No access at high tide. Staff close the rocks as the tide comes in.
Watch the edge. The seaward side of the shelf gets strong waves and currents, so stay in the inner pools.
Mind the rocks and urchins. They’re slippery and sharp in places.
Don’t get caught out. Head back across the rocks before the tide turns.
Keep valuables in a dry bag with you, as there’s no secure storage.
Check for closures. Pilar closed the site for two weeks in February 2026 so the area could recover, and it may do so again.

What to bring

Water shoes with good grip. Flip-flops won’t cut it on the rocks.
A dry bag for your phone and cash.
Cash for the fee, parking, rentals and food.
Reef-safe sun cream and a hat, as there’s no shade at the pools.
A towel and a change of clothes.

How to get to Magpupungko

On a land tour

Most visitors come on a Siargao land tour from General Luna, which combines Magpupungko with Coconut View, Maasin River and Sugba Lagoon and times the day around the tide. Shared tours cost about ₱1,900 to ₱2,200 per person, including the fees and lunch. My Siargao land tour guide has the full details.

By scooter

It’s about 35 kilometres from General Luna on the island’s main road, past the Coconut View, and takes 45 minutes to an hour. Scooters cost about ₱300 to ₱400 a day. The last stretch is unpaved, so take it slowly. Roadside touts sometimes claim the car park is full: drive on to the attendant-run parking at the beach entrance.

By habal-habal or tricycle

A return habal-habal (motorbike taxi) or van for a group costs about ₱1,200 to ₱1,500, and a tricycle about ₱800 to ₱1,000 return, with the driver waiting.

Combine it with

Pacifico, a long, quiet surf beach about 20 minutes north.
Tayangban Cave Pool, a cave you wade through near Pilar, about ₱100 including a compulsory guide.
Sugba Lagoon, about 45 minutes away on the west coast, if the tides work for both. My Sugba Lagoon guide has the boats and fees.

Recommended tours

Siargao land tour with lunch and hotel transfers: Magpupungko, Sugba Lagoon and lunch on a shared tour.
Siargao: Sugba Lagoon, rock pools and river tour: The classic loop, including Maasin River.