Magpupungko Rock Pools: Siargao’s Natural Infinity Pools

Magpupungko Rock Pools are one of my favorite natural attractions on Siargao Island. Located in Pilar, these tidal pools are known for their crystal-clear waters, striking rock formations, and the way they reveal themselves only during low tide. The pools are sheltered from the open ocean by a natural limestone barrier, creating a calm, turquoise swimming area with underwater rock formations and small caves to explore. The jagged rock formations are awesome for exploring and cliff jumping!

Magpupunkgo Rock Pools: Complete Guide

To visit Magpupungko Rock Pools, timing is crucial. The pools are only visible and swimmable during low tide, so checking the tide schedule beforehand is essential. The surrounding area also features Magpupungko Beach, a great spot for relaxing, sunbathing, and taking in the scenic coastal views. Just a note, sometimes Magpupungko is spelt Magpopongko online but both spellings refer to the same place.

The name “Magpupungko” comes from the Visayan word “pungko,” meaning “to squat”, referring to a large rock that appears to be sitting on another near the pools.

How to get to Magpupungko Beach

To get to Magpupungko Rock Pools from General Luna you will need to drive your moped for 45 minutes or you can visit as part of a tour or with a rental van. The drive to the tidal rock pools is incredibly scenic and I highly suggest driving up on the moped. The roads in Siargao are unbelievable smooth and something we compliment every time we go on an island adventure. A moped can be rented on Siargao for $10 USD per day. I’ve attached a map below with the Magpupngko Rock Pools location pinned.

Booking a ‘Siargao Land Tour’

A great way to explore the best locations on Siargao Island is with a private land tour starting at just $25 when booked online with Klook. The Land tour is customizable and includes all of the top locations like Magpupunkgo, Tayangban Cave Pool, Coco Rope Swing, and the epic palm viewpoint. You can really tick off most of the epic Siargao hot spots (the tour includes 10 attractions) with one big adventure day! Here is the link for the activity booking page on Klook: Siargao Island Land Tour

Interesting stops on the way to Magpupungko Beach

On the way, you will pass the Tayangban Cave Pool, which is worth stopping at. Tayangban Cave Pool was one of the highlights of my many adventures throughout Siargao. It was one of the best caving experiences I have had in Asia. For 15 minutes you swim and float in darkness, only aided by torches. Bats fly around you until you finally emerge to the open cave pool where you can cliff jump from seven meters. The Tayangban Cave Pool is one of Siargao Island’s hidden gems, offering a unique and adventurous experience for visitors. Located near the town of Pilar, it combines an exciting mix of natural beauty, adrenaline, and mystique.

When to visit the Magpupungko Rock Pools: Low Tide!

The timing of your visit is imperative. In fact, if you are even an hour or two late it may ruin the entire experience for you. The Magpupungko rock pools are tidal pools. This means they are exposed during low tide and submerged at high tide. You want to be there about an hour or two before the low tide so the conditions just continue to improve throughout your visit. Arriving after the low tide means the area will become less and less exposed and eventually they will close the pools for safety reasons. You can click here to check the daily tides for Pilar, the region where the rock pools are found.

I suggest arriving an hour or two before low tide and then enjoying the rock pools for an hour or so either side of low tide. It’s important to note that the tides change dramatically each day. If like me, you are unfamiliar with how often the tides can change it can actually change more than an hour later each day. Make sure you check the tide time and trust it to ensure you arrive for the peak period during low tide.

Magpupungko Rock Pools Cost

The entrance fee for the rock pools is 60 pesos or $1-2 USD. This gets you access to the rock pools and also Magapupungko Beach, which is worth it in itself. You will also need to hand over a small parking fee for your motorbike, assuming you drove a moped from General Luna.

Magpupungko Rock Pools: My Experience

When you first arrive to Magpupungko Rock Pools, you will pay the fees and park your bike. Then you enter Magpupungko Beach, which is honestly quite a nice beach to hang out at regardless of the pools. Inside the beach area on the shore, there are lots of small restaurants serving local style dishes and we ate there on several occasions. For a couple of bucks, you can get a rice and curry, adobo or other Filipino style dishes.

As you continue to walk past the huts and follow the trail along the coast for a couple of minutes and you will arrive at the Magapupungko Rock Pools. It’s not hard to find, there are usually lots of tourists enjoying the pools. It’s best to find a safe spot for your clothes and valuables somewhere away from the water’s edge. Then off you go to explore the pools.

The crystal clear blue water had me speechless. This is an epic little area, with coves, caves, and cliff jumping spots aplenty. There are multiple spots to get your backflip on if you are into a bit of a jump. I advise wearing water shoes or just regular shoes like me as the rocks are very jagged and sharp to climb. Some rock formations around the pools serve as natural diving spots, with jump heights ranging from 3 to 5 meters (10-16 feet).

If cliff jumping isn’t your thing, there is still a ton of adventure to be had at the rock pools. We swam through small caves, under ledges and explored all the different coves above and below the surface. There is too much to explore here.

If you swim or walk along the reef around the corner you will find the iconic balancing rock formation, which sits on the edge of the tide pools.

You may want to consider bringing a dry bag as there is no spot to put your belongings other than the entrance and you can’t really keep an eye on it while you explore. We just asked a local if he would keep an eye on it and as I’ve always experienced in the Philippines he did and shook my hand with a smile when we came back.

Magpupungko Beach

After exploring the rock pools, head back down and grab a feed at the restaurant and then enjoy Magpupungko Beach. Although there is a lot of reefs there is enough sand to enjoy a dip. The beach is a beautiful long stretch of sand, which is of course surrounded by coconut palms.

MY ACCOMMODATION GUIDES FOR THE PHILIPPINES

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