The turquoise pools
Basins in the rock.
AGUSTIN MENDEZ, Tubod Founding Hero — CC BY-SA 4.0 · kbraner — CC BY-SA 3.0 · kbraner — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wolfgang Hägele — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wolfgang Hägele — CC BY-SA 4.0
Natural pools of clear water that form among the flat rocks on Pilar's shore when the tide goes out, revealing calm turquoise basins in the stone, some deep enough to jump into from the edges, while ocean waves break behind them on the edge of the reef. At one end of the beach stands a huge boulder balanced on a smaller base, as if about to topple, which gives the place its name and is one of Siargao's best-known sights. Around the pools are a sandy beach, shady huts and simple food stalls. The pools appear only at low tide; at high tide the sea covers them completely and the place becomes an ordinary beach with strong waves. So check the tide table before you go, and plan to arrive an hour before the lowest tide. The rocks are slippery and sharp, so wear water shoes. Jumping from the edges is at your own risk, so check the depth first, and keep away from the outer edge where the waves break.
Basins in the rock.
Poised to topple.
Where the water is deep.
Pilar town, east coast of Siargao; about 45 minutes by motorbike from General Luna
Only at low tide, as the pools disappear at high tide. Ask your accommodation for the tide table and arrive an hour before the lowest tide.