Siquijor Market Days: A Local's Guide to Fresh Finds & Street Food

Why Visit a Siquijor Market?

You can learn more about a place in one hour at its public market than in a week at its resorts. Siquijor’s markets are the heartbeat of island life — where fishermen sell the morning catch, farmers spread out vegetables still damp with mountain dew, and grandmothers fry banana cue in bubbling oil at 6 AM.

For visitors, the market is the most authentic, budget-friendly, and sensory-rich experience on the island. No entrance fee, no tourist markup, just real island life at full volume.

Market Day Schedule

Each municipality has its own rhythm. Here’s when and where to go:

Siquijor Town (Capital)

When: Daily, busiest on Saturdays and Sundays Peak hours: 5:30-8:00 AM Location: Main public market, town center (near the port)

The island’s largest market. Saturday mornings are electric — fishermen from all around the coast bring their catch here, and farmers descend from the highlands. You’ll find everything from live chickens to hand-rolled tobacco.

Must-try: Fresh sea urchin (uni) when in season (March-June). Vendors crack them open on the spot. ₱20-30 per piece.

San Juan Market

When: Daily, busiest Wednesday and Saturday Peak hours: 6:00-8:30 AM Location: San Juan town center, along the main road

Smaller but charming. San Juan’s market caters to the tourist belt nearby, so you’ll find slightly more variety in fruits and snacks. The carinderia section here serves excellent tinola (chicken ginger soup) and pungko-pungko style street food.

Must-try: Grilled pusit (squid) from the morning catch — stuffed with tomatoes and onions, ₱40-60 each.

Lazi Market

When: Daily, busiest on Sundays (post-church rush) Peak hours: 6:00-9:00 AM Location: Near Lazi Church

The Sunday market at Lazi is special. After mass at the historic church, the entire town seems to converge on the market. It’s smaller than Siquijor Town’s but has a community feel that’s hard to beat.

Must-try: Budbud (sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves) — a Lazi specialty. Often paired with sikwate (hot chocolate from local cacao). ₱10-20 per piece.

Maria, Larena & Enrique Villanueva

Smaller markets, mostly produce and basics. Worth visiting if you’re staying nearby but not worth a special trip unless you want the hyper-local experience of being the only foreigner in a room full of nanays buying garlic.

What to Buy

Seafood (5:30-7:00 AM Only)

The seafood section is where you want to be early. Once the day’s catch sells out, it’s gone.

• Lapu-lapu (grouper) — ₱200-350/kg, the island’s premium fish
• Dilis (anchovies) — ₱80-120/kg, dried or fresh
• Kinilaw-ready tuna — ₱250-300/kg, ask for sashimi grade
• Shrimp — ₱300-400/kg when available
• Squid — ₱150-250/kg, incredibly fresh
• Crabs — ₱200-500/kg depending on size, seasonal

Pro tip: If you’re staying in a self-catering place, buy fish at the market and ask your accommodation to cook it. Most places will sinugba (grill) or tinola (soup) your market fish for ₱50-100 cooking fee.

Tropical Fruits

Siquijor grows everything. Depending on the season:

• Mangoes (March-June) — ₱60-100/kg, some of the sweetest in Visayas
• Coconuts — ₱15-25 each, drinking or for cooking
• Bananas — ₱30-50 per bunch, multiple varieties
• Papaya — ₱30-50/kg
• Jackfruit — ₱40-80/kg, incredible when ripe
• Calamansi — ₱30-50/kg, essential for any fish dish
• Lanzones (September-November) — ₱80-120/kg, the island’s favorite

Local Products

• Honey — Siquijor produces excellent wild honey. ₱200-350 per bottle. Look for dark, thick varieties from highland collectors.
• Coconut vinegar — ₱40-80 per bottle. Used in everything; makes a great souvenir.
• Dried fish — ₱100-300/pack. Danggit (rabbitfish) and buwad (various) are local staples.
• Tablea (chocolate tablets) — ₱80-150/pack. Made from local cacao. Melt in hot water for authentic sikwate.

Street Food Guide

The carinderia and street food stalls are where the real eating happens. Here’s what to order:

Breakfast (6-9 AM)

• Silogs — Silog combos (garlic rice + egg + protein). Bangsilog (bangus/milkfish), tapsilog (tapa/cured beef), longsilog (longganisa/sausage). ₱60-90.
• Pungko-pungko — Sit on tiny stools and eat from communal trays of fried goodness: chicken skin, lumpia, fish, chorizo. Point at what you want, they tally at the end. ₱50-100 for a full meal.

Snacks (All Day)

• Banana cue — Deep-fried caramelized saba bananas on sticks. ₱10-15 each. The perfect walking snack.
• Fish balls — With sweet, spicy, or vinegar sauce. ₱5 per stick.
• Turon — Banana spring rolls with jackfruit. ₱10-15.
• Biko — Sweet sticky rice dessert. ₱15-20 per piece.

Lunch (11 AM-1 PM)

• Carinderia set meals — Point at dishes behind the glass. Rice + two viands typically ₱60-80. Try pinakbet (vegetable stew), adobo (braised meat), or whatever fish is fresh that day.
• Kinilaw — Filipino ceviche. Raw fish “cooked” in vinegar and calamansi with ginger, onions, and chili. The market version is as authentic as it gets. ₱80-120 per serving.

Tips for the Market

Etiquette

1. Greet vendors with “Maayong buntag!” (Good morning in Cebuano). It goes a long way.
2. Ask before taking photos of people — most will happily pose, but asking shows respect.
3. Bring small bills — ₱20s, ₱50s, ₱100s. Breaking a ₱1,000 at a market stall is awkward.
4. Bring your own bag — Many vendors have shifted away from plastic. A reusable bag or basket marks you as respectful of local efforts.

Practical

• Wear closed shoes — Market floors can be wet and slippery.
• Go early — By 9 AM, the best seafood is gone and the heat is building.
• ATMs are limited — Bring cash. The nearest ATM is in Siquijor Town.
• Bring wet wipes — Useful after handling fruits, fish, and street food.

Market Photography

Markets are photogenic gold. The colors, textures, faces, and chaos make for incredible shots. Tips:

• Golden hour isn’t the only good light — Market stalls at 6 AM have beautiful diffused light filtering through tarps and corrugated roofing.
• Shoot the details — Piles of calamansi, the texture of dried fish, steam rising from rice pots. These tell the story better than wide shots.
• Ask first, shoot second — Vendors will often arrange their produce for you if you ask nicely.
• Keep your camera dry — Markets are humid. Wipe your lens frequently.

The Bigger Picture

Siquijor’s markets are more than shopping destinations — they’re where the island’s economy literally happens. Every peso you spend goes directly to a local farmer, fisherman, or cook. No middlemen, no markup, no corporate layer.

In a world of resort restaurants and tourist menus, the public market is the most honest meal you’ll eat. And at ₱80 for a full breakfast? It’s the best deal on the island too.

Set your alarm. Get there early. Eat everything.