How to get to the Dinagat Islands via Surigao City and San Jose Port
The practical shape of the journey into Dinagat Islands, and what we can do to make the last leg easier.
The question we get most from first-time visitors isn't about the islands themselves — it's "how do I actually get there?" Here is the shape of the journey, and where we come in.
Step one: reach Surigao City
Surigao City, on the northeastern tip of Mindanao, is the usual mainland gateway. The provincial tourism office lists Surigao City Airport as the primary gateway and Butuan City Airport as the alternative, with Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and AirAsia operating routes from Manila and Cebu.
Overland is possible but long: roughly 36–40 hours by bus from Manila, about 6–7 hours from Davao, and around 2 hours from Butuan.
Step two: cross to the islands
From Surigao Port, the crossing to the Dinagat Islands takes about 1.5 to 2 hours. Boats serve San Jose — where our office is — as well as Cagdianao and Libjo.
Coming from Siargao instead
Worth knowing if you are already island-hopping in this part of the country: Nier Shipping Lines runs Del Carmen Port (Siargao) to Cagdianao Port, departing 1:00 PM and returning 3:00 PM, Monday to Saturday, taking about 1 hour 20 minutes in normal conditions.
The provincial tourism office notes plainly that "trips may be suspended without notice during rough weather" — the same reality our own sea tours operate under.
Route details above are from the Dinagat Islands provincial tourism office (dinagatislands.gov.ph).
On fares and exact times
We deliberately don't publish ticket prices or precise departure times here. More than one operator runs these routes, schedules shift, and a fare printed on a blog post has a way of outliving its accuracy. Confirm directly with the airline or shipping line before you book — or tell us your target dates and we'll point you toward what's currently reliable.
Once you land at San Jose Port
This part we can promise, because it's ours to keep. Tell us your arrival details in advance and we will have transport waiting — whether that's straight into a tour, or a transfer to your accommodation first. Our office sits beside the port for exactly this reason: we are set up to be a visitor's first stop, not a place you have to go looking for.
If your first evening is an arrival day
A same-day arrival doesn't have to mean a wasted evening. The Sunset Ride & Dine combo picks up from San Jose Port itself, no separate transfer needed, and has you watching the sun go down over the Dinagat range within the hour — dinner included at Laaganan Skybar & Restaurant on the way back down.
If a sailing gets cancelled
This is worth knowing before it happens rather than after: our own sea-leg tours only run with Philippine Coast Guard clearance, so we understand exactly what a cancelled crossing does to a schedule. If your travel plans shift because of the weather, our booking policy already covers rescheduling and transfers — talk to us and we'll work around it rather than around a rulebook.
Plan the connection with us
Send us your target arrival date and we'll help you time the last leg of the journey around an actual tour, rather than leaving you to guess.
- Getting here
- Planning
The Laaganan team
Reservations & guest experience, San Jose
We run tours out of San Jose, Dinagat Islands. Everything we publish here is something we have organised ourselves.
