CORE NOMADIC Blueprints
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Siargao
Remote Work
Blueprint

Remote work abroad, made practical. Starting with Siargao.

A free, field-tested guide to remote work abroad, covering what actually worked for internet, coworking, budget, where to stay, food and getting a thesis done far from home. Our first deep destination is Siargao in the Philippines. Written by two people who lived it, not a listicle.

Every place name on this page is clickable and opens in Google Maps
See what a month costs Start the guide
The story behind the guide

This Blueprint is public and free. We wrote our own master's thesis here and saw how hard it was to find concrete information on combining remote work with a bigger writing project. So we researched everything from scratch and gathered what we learned here.

Documented productivity
We tested workspaces, cafés and coworking for you.
Focus and freedom
A deliberate structure, not chaos.
All the practical stuff in one place
Visa, budget, transport and recommendations, all in one place.
Written by us
Not a generic tourist guide, we wrote our thesis here.

Writing a big project abroad, whether a bachelor, thesis or report, works well, but it takes planning. What worked for us was fixed deep-work blocks at CoCo Space, where we often wrote best after sunset, when it is quiet and cooler. We only realised that late in the trip, and had we planned it from the start we could have made more of it. In return, there was plenty of time for the beach, the pool and getting out to surf. Planning it from the start simply makes the whole writing period far better. Treat it like a job with office hours and the month beats a semester at home.

Where
Siargao, Philippines
Our month
2 people, about 30 days
Cost, all in
~32.000 DKK · 4.300 EUR · 4.600 USD
Internet
Coworking on Starlink
Best for
surf and deep work
A note on trust. This is our own month on Siargao, written by us, not a summary of other travel sites. The numbers are what we actually spent, so yours will vary. Prices and rules like visa change, so we date what we last checked and link the official source where it matters.

In this guide

01
Chapter 1

The Foundation

Everything you need to know before take-off

Your new office

A normal day here starts with a morning in the water, a focus block with the rice fields in front of you, and an afternoon where the pace drops on its own. But a month in Siargao isn't a holiday with wifi. It's a base you build on purpose, with work or study at the centre.

The rest of the guide is the practical layer. This chapter is the decisions that come first. Does the island fit you, what kind of month should you plan, and what should be in place before you book? Get the foundation right and the rest almost takes care of itself.

Is Siargao the right base for you?

Be honest with yourself here. It saves you an expensive wrong turn.

A good fit if
  • you can work or study independently
  • you enjoy nature, surf, heat and a slower pace
  • you want a fixed base but still room for spontaneous breaks
  • you can live with everyday life being less predictable than in Europe
  • you want to combine focus, freedom and community
Less of a fit if
  • you need fully stable city infrastructure
  • you have many important client meetings every day
  • you won't ride a scooter or depend on local transport
  • you expect to work efficiently from the beach
  • heat, rain, power cuts or unpredictability stress you out

The 4 decisions before you book

1
How long will you be away?
Under two weeks often feels like a holiday. A month gives a better rhythm and more calm.
2
Will you work, write or both?
It decides how much structure you need to build into your day.
3
Live comfortably or cheaply?
The choice affects distance, quiet, flexibility and how easy daily life gets.
4
Can you accept a scooter in daily life?
If not, you'll need to plan your stay and base far more deliberately.

Minimum viable setup

Don't book the trip completely blind. At a minimum, have these sorted.

  • somewhere to stay for the first few days
  • a realistic work plan
  • travel insurance
  • a payment card and a cash buffer
  • a plan for an internet backup
  • an idea of where you'll work the first days

The details come in the next chapters. Here it's only about getting the foundation in place.

The pre-departure checklist

Where the list above is decisions, this is the concrete things to tick off. Most nationalities enter visa-free for 30 days and can extend at the Bureau of Immigration, up to 36 months in total for visa-free nationals.

Official rule · Philippine Bureau of Immigration, checked July 2026. Rules can change, so confirm for your own nationality before you travel. Source

Weather and timing

The seasons overlap. Pick one and see what to expect.

02
Chapter 2

The Base

The logistics behind your freedom

Your office at CoCo Space

CoCo Space sits in Libertad Hills, a scenic 10-minute scooter ride from General Luna. Starlink internet, solar panels and a backup generator mean the power works, even when the rest of town goes dark. Ergonomic chairs, aircon, weekly events and a community of like-minded nomads.

Book your monthly membership well in advance at cocospace.io, it's very popular and can sell out.

Effective productivity hacks

Deep work after sunset
CoCo Space is open until midnight, total silence and cooler air. Spend the daylight hours on adventures.
Build your own sound bubble
Invest in good noise-cancelling headphones, cicadas and scooters are a constant soundtrack in the jungle.
Professional meetings
Book "Call Rooms" via the CoCo Space app for important calls, so the cicadas don't interrupt client meetings.

The best areas to stay

Our recommendation is to stay in or near General Luna, just 10 minutes by scooter from CoCo Space.

Central base Our favourite
Blauset Two
  • Our personal favourite and home base
  • Central and quiet with a lovely pool
  • Staff help with laundry and scooter rental
  • Perfect for first-timers
Beach life
Romantic Beach Villas
  • Right by the water
  • Direct beach access
Digital detox
Junglenest Resort
  • Tropical hut away from the buzz of town
  • Ideal for a digital detox or weekend stay

Book via Booking.com or a private Airbnb, often cheaper and more authentic than a hotel.

The scooter and your road to freedom

The roads are generally good, check brakes, lights and tyre pressure before setting off. Ride two on one scooter and cut your transport budget in half.

Our recommendation is a monthly rental at about 8,400 pesos (~$145) per month, via Blauset Two (our favourite) or Renta Gao (well regarded).

There is no Grab (Uber-like app) on the island, and tuk-tuks only work for short trips in town, they get expensive and impractical for daily commuting.

03
Chapter 3

The Balance

The art of balancing work and adventure

The sunset ritual

Ocean 9
Surfers' silhouettes against a blazing sky, one of the island's most beautiful views.
Catangnan Bridge
The social heart of the island. Stop here around 4.30pm on the way home from CoCo Space.
Junglenest Resort
The quieter, more upmarket option, a sunset drink with a view.

Training and recovery

Eskapo FitnessOur favourite
Authentic tropical outdoor gym with fans. Monthly membership.
CrossFit Siargao
High intensity, popular among the CoCo Space nomads.
Tawhay Fitness
The newest gym on the island, fully equipped, more polished and pricier.
MUJO Ice Bath
Cold plunges that genuinely helped after surf and gym days. One subscription covers ice baths at several spots on the island.
Vultun Massage Spa
Massage right on the beach to the sound of the waves.

Surf and the hunt for your flow

Spare yourself the sharp rocks at Cloud 9, where we learned it the hard way. Ocean 9 near CoCo Space has a softer bottom and better waves for beginners. Not surfing today? Go island hopping or do yoga in the jungle.

Adventures away from the screen

Head north. That's where the island's best day trips are waiting.

Magpupungko Rock Pools
Crystal-clear tidal pools, only at low tide, so check the tide table.
Trogon's Perch Resort
A bit further north. Buy pool access and have lunch with an ocean view.
Maasin River
The iconic rope swing and a calm boat ride, followed by the ice-cold Bugak Cold Spring.
Coconut View Point
A quick, mandatory stop. This is where you understand why Siargao is called the coconut island.

Your complete travel blueprint

Skip the expensive package tours. Instead, ride 45–60 minutes by scooter to the harbour and rent a boat directly from the locals to Sugba Lagoon and Kawhagan Island. You pay per boat, not per person, so find travel companions on the quay. We deliberately skipped Tri-Island and Sohoton Cove.

Siargao from the air. the island is very drone-friendly with lenient rules, bring your drone.

04
Chapter 4

The Taste

Where to eat, network and find calm

The food guide

A month of thorough research with knife and fork. Filter by meal, and click a place to open it in Google Maps.

Bravo was recommended by many, but never became our personal favourite, we never made it there.

The magic evenings

Wild is our absolute favourite, modern Filipino cooking we visited five times in one month. Cev is the world's first restaurant dedicated to ceviche and kinilaw, and Noods makes noodles, ramen and bao, perfect takeaway.

If the night carries on…

Harvana

A weekend beach party in the sand. DJs, usually packed by around 10pm, and the one big night out most weeks.

Barbosa

Where we met most of the other nomads. Good cocktails, low-key early on, and easy to fall into a conversation.

The ideal nomad week

This is what our best weeks looked like, pick a day and see the rhythm between focus and adventure.

05
Chapter 5

The Insight

What the others don't tell you

Avoid the classic beginner mistakes

Protect your office
The rain can soak you in under a minute, and cheap plastic ponchos from 7-Eleven don't work on a scooter. Buy a heavy-duty rain cover at Johlan and Dry Goods Store.
Save your wardrobe
Tumble dryers in Asia often shrink clothes. Always specifically ask for "Hang Dry".
When the island runs out of cash
Cash is the primary form of payment, and during power outages the ATMs can't be refilled. Always withdraw a little extra. Bigger places like Bravo and Kermit do take cards.

Our unofficial notes from the field

Use Instagram for everything
Restaurant bookings happen via Instagram DM, not phone or websites. They reply lightning fast.
SIM cards and backup
Buy both a Smart and a Globe SIM card on arrival, dual SIM as backup for patchy coverage.
When the power goes out
It's common on Siargao. Most hotels have emergency generators, but they can run dry during longer outages. CoCo Space always has power thanks to solar panels and generators.
Skip the diving
Siargao is not a known diving area, spend the money on surfing or island hopping instead.

What does the dream cost?

Based on a balanced nomad month for 2 people, all inclusive. Adjust the number of people and days, and see your own estimate.

Siargao for remote work, the honest trade-offs

What works
  • Fast, stable internet at CoCo Space (Starlink, solar and a generator)
  • Low cost of living for the lifestyle you get
  • Short commute, 10 minutes from coworking
  • Easy to build a rhythm of deep work, surf and recovery
  • An active nomad community for networking
What to plan around
  • Power cuts happen, so lean on coworking, not your accommodation
  • Cash is king and ATMs run dry, so withdraw extra
  • No Grab, so you need a scooter and a proper rain cover
  • Rainy-season downpours can reshuffle a work day
  • Popular coworking and stays sell out, so book early

Frequently asked questions

Is Siargao good for remote work?

It can be, if you plan around the basics. The reliable setup is a coworking membership at CoCo Space, which runs Starlink internet plus solar power and a backup generator. Town wifi and power can drop, so don't rely on a café or your accommodation alone.

How much does a month in Siargao cost?

For two people, all in, our month came to about 32,000 DKK (roughly 4,300 EUR / 4,600 USD), covering flights, accommodation, coworking, food, transport, training and activities. One person is cheaper per head, but not half. You can model your own numbers in the budget calculator.

Where should I stay in Siargao?

In or near General Luna, about a 10-minute scooter ride from CoCo Space. It keeps the daily commute short and puts you close to food and the beach. We based ourselves at Blauset Two. More options under where to stay.

Is there coworking and reliable internet in Siargao?

Yes. CoCo Space in Libertad Hills has Starlink, solar power, a backup generator, aircon and call rooms for meetings. Book a monthly membership in advance, because it sells out.

Can I write my thesis or study abroad while working remotely?

Yes, that is exactly why we built this guide. We wrote our own thesis on Siargao. The key is a fixed daily rhythm and real deep-work blocks, not trying to work from the beach. Read more on writing your thesis abroad.

Is it better to write your thesis abroad than at home?

It can be, if you plan for it. Away from the everyday noise, a fixed rhythm and real deep-work blocks are easier to protect, and the reward of the beach or a surf keeps you going. It is not automatic, though. The difference is planning it like a job, not a holiday.

How do you write a thesis or big assignment abroad?

Set fixed deep-work blocks and protect them like meetings, and keep a backup of every draft in the cloud plus a local copy. Pick a base with reliable internet and a short commute, and use the free hours for what you came for. A month with that structure can beat a semester at home.

Do I need a scooter?

Effectively yes. There is no Grab on the island and tuk-tuks get expensive for daily use. A monthly scooter rental is around 8,400 PHP (about $145). More under transport.

When is the best time to go to Siargao?

Dry season runs March to October, surf season August to November (September and October peak), and the rainy season November to February brings downpours with clear spells, cheaper stays and good focus time.

Meet the team behind Core Nomadic

We're Rasmus and Victoria. This didn't start as a holiday, but as a bet with ourselves, to write our master's thesis remotely, from Siargao. What could have been a stressful few months at home in Denmark became the start of Core Nomadic instead.

Away from the everyday noise, the deep focus actually showed up. We proved to ourselves that you don't have to choose between a career and an adventure. You can have both.

Most guides are written for tourists with seven holiday days. This one is for you, if you want to move your office to the tropics. We did the groundwork, so you can skip straight to the good part.

Core Nomadic is a growing set of honest, practical Blueprints for working remotely, studying or writing a thesis on a longer stay abroad. Each destination gets its own deep guide.

This guide is for remote workers testing a workation, students and academics writing abroad, and anyone planning a month or more somewhere new who wants the real logistics, not a highlight reel.

Your journey starts now

Thank you for choosing Core Nomadic 🥥. We hope the Blueprint saves you unnecessary challenges, so you can spend your energy on what matters.

"Remember to look up from the screen once in a while. Take the spontaneous trip to the spring, enjoy a coconut straight from the tree, take the time to talk to people on Catangnan Bridge. That's where the magic happens."