Explore Padre Burgos: Stunning Beaches, Whale Sharks, and Must-Do Activities
Rising in popularity for its whale shark snorkeling tours, the quiet dive town of Padre Burgos largely remains an overlooked gem in the Philippines.
Located in the southern reaches of the X-shaped island of Leyte, Padre Burgos’ location on Sogod Bay offers a range of opportunities for marine enthusiasts. While this certainly isn’t a bustling tourist destination, its proximity to Cebu, Bohol, and Siargao offers a peaceful alternative to these vacation meccas.
Padre Burgos is primarily visited by scuba divers, with several dive resorts in the area, including Peter’s Dive Resort and Sogod Bay Scuba Resort. Sogod Bay is host to a range of excellent dive sites, including the Napantao Marine Sanctuary, teeming with tropical fish and coral. Though even if you’re not a diver, this is an excellent spot to relax, offering uncrowded beaches, palm-fringed roads, and clear, shallow water for snorkeling.
I spent a week in Padre Burgos in February 2026 for a whale shark snorkeling day-trip and was captivated by its calm atmosphere. Though I’m not a diver, I found plenty of ways to spend my free time during my remaining days in town. Here is everything you need to know about Padre Burgos, whether you’re headed here to snorkel with whale sharks, scuba dive, or simply relax.
How to get to Padre Burgos
From Manila
From Manila, you can catch a regional flight to Leyte’s air hub, the Tacloban Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport. To get to Padre Burgos, you can opt for a private transfer to your hotel or dive resort, which will take about four hours and cost around 5,000 Philippine pesos ($85 USD). Another option is public transportation. This involves taking a van to Maasin City, then boarding a “jeepney” (shared, open-air Jeep) for Padre Burgos. This route takes closer to five hours.
From Cebu
From Cebu, catch an OceanJet ferry from Cebu City’s Pier 1. I paid PHP 1,600 ($27) for a business class ticket, and overall had a very comfortable journey. The ferry takes about three hours and docks in the port city of Maasin. From Maasin, arrange a private transfer to your accommodation in Padre Burgos, around PHP 1,500 ($25), or take a jeepney from the Maasin Bus Terminal. The jeepneys are crowded, but very affordable, and the one-hour journey only costs PHP 50 (less than $1).
From Siargao
From Siargao, you’ll need to take two ferries. The first leg departs from Siargao’s Dapa Port and stops at the ferry terminal in Surigao. There is both a fast (Evaristo and Sons) and a slow boat (Vince Gabriel Liner), but they’re almost equal in price. Depending on which boat you choose, the journey takes 90 minutes to two hours. From Surigao, catch the OceanJet ferry to Maasin, which takes about two hours, followed by a private transfer or jeepney to Padre Burgos.
Where to stay in Padre Burgos
There aren’t a ton of options when it comes to accommodation in Padre Burgos, so I’d recommend booking at least a few weeks in advance. The area offers a handful of dive resorts, including Peter’s Dive Resort and Sogod Bay Scuba Resort. Even if you’re not a diver (like me), these are good budget and midrange options, each with a pool and on-site restaurant.
Both have decent snorkeling just offshore, so you can enjoy the coral and marine life of Sogod Bay without going on a dive. You’ll need to reserve directly with both these properties (email is easiest), as they’re not on platforms like Booking.com or Expedia.
A more upmarket option is Burgos Reef Boutique Resort, with modern coastal furnishings and upscale amenities like an infinity pool and on-site gym with sea views.
Where to eat in Padre Burgos
The town center is compact, offering a few local shops, a 7-Eleven, a fresh fish market, and a primary and secondary school. While you can find the essentials in town, you’re better off eating at one of the local restaurants or the resorts in the area.
My favorite cafe in Padre Burgos is Eskina Brewers. With a coffee-themed mural out front featuring swirling beans, a moka pot, and steaming cappuccinos, this little cafe is the best spot for a caffeinated beverage in town. Eskina Brewers offers a variety of iced and hot espresso-based drinks, along with matcha, strong WiFi, and excellent air conditioning.
For a heartier meal, head to GhieBhal’s, a local eatery right on the waterfront. It’s colorful picnic tables, string lights, and sparkling views of Sogod Bay make it a laid-back spot to enjoy classics like sisig, chopped meat served on a sizzling hot plate with an egg, or silog, your choice of protein served with garlic rice and fried egg.
The best beaches in Padre Burgos
Tangkaan Beach
While most of the accommodation options in Padre Burgos are seafront, if you want a spacious stretch of sand to lie out on, it’s best to head to one of the area’s beaches.
The most famous beach near Padre Burgos is Tangkaan Beach, located at the very tip of the peninsula. It’s about a 10-minute drive from the center of town with one of the local tuk-tuks/tricycles, or a 45-minute walk. I highly recommend the walk — the road is wide, quiet, and lined with swaying palm trees.
Like most beaches in the Philippines, Tangkaan Beach has an entry fee, though it’s very affordable here, only PHP 10 (about 20¢). This stretch of white sand is sprinkled with shells and beached traditional fishing boats (barotos) in a rainbow of yellows, blues, and reds. I recommend visiting in the morning: the beach is backed by a cliff, which obscures the sun in late afternoon.
Mahaba Beach
Though it’s not officially marked on Google Maps, Mahaba Beach was my favorite spot in Padre Burgos. This secret paradise is just a five-minute drive or a 30-minute walk from town. Unlike Tangkaan Beach, this quiet stretch of golden sand faces west, offering excellent sunsets and protection from the northeast winds. Both times I visited Tangkaan Beach, the wind and current made the water choppy and not super pleasant for swimming, while Mahaba Beach was glassy and wind-free.
Mahaba Beach also charges a PHP 10 entry fee, paid at the snack kiosk at the entrance. Backed by palm trees with clear, shallow water, Mahaba felt like a semi-private oasis and was a relaxing locale for sunbathing and swimming.
Snorkeling with whale sharks in Sogod Bay
Sogod Bay and Southern Leyte are growing in popularity as destinations for ethical whale shark snorkeling in the Philippines. Padre Burgos is the most common jumping-off point for these excursions, and several dive resorts offer small-group whale shark snorkeling tours.
If ethical animal observation is important to you, I’d recommend skipping these group tours. I found them to be too crowded and was disappointed in some participants who didn’t respect the sharks. Instead, make the two-hour drive around the bay to the town of Pintuyan (this is where all group tours go) and organize a semi-private outing at the tourism office in the municipal hall. The extra effort will be worth it for a more intimate experience.
You can read about my full experience snorkeling with whale sharks in Padre Burgos here: Swimming With Whale Sharks in Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte: An Ethical Review
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