Blue sea and green mangroves greet the visitor to the central Visayan province of Siquijor; an enchanting island with ruggedly beautiful white-sand beaches, caves, corals, marine sanctuaries, centuries-old churches and acacia trees, hills and mountains and friendly people. In the popular imagination, Siquijor is an eerie, forbidding place inhabited by sorcerers who whip up intoxicating potions, use charms and amulets (some displayed in Silliman University in nearby Dumaguete City) and cast spells upon the unwary.

For some, the island's reputation only adds to its mystique and makes it a fascinating tourist destination. For others, like the unsmiling provincial tourism officer, Perlito S. Maghanoy, all this talk about witchcraft, sorcery and black magic is just plain "black propaganda". Some disagree, and there are those who regard the so-called witches simply as faith healers who cure various ailments through a process known as bulo-bulo.

   As for the island itself, it can be enjoyed simply for its many attractions. Siquijor has at least 45 caves, many of them unexplored dive sites, beach resorts, historic towns and landmarks, a fish sanctuary on its northern tip, and mountains, the highest peak being on Mt. Bandilaan (accessible through a grotto stairway), from where you can look out over the surrounding land and seascapes. Siquihodnons (or Siquijoreans) believe that their island arose from the sea amid claps of thunder and flashes of lightning. Siquijor was once thickly covered with molave trees where the fireflies danced, leading the Spaniards to call it Isla del Fuego (Island of Fire). Chinese artifacts discovered on the island indicate that the residents traded with merchants from old Cathay. Spaniards led by Esteban Rodriguez, a splinter group from the Legazpi expedition, landed here in 1565.

   During the American period, many Siquijodnons were recruited as farm laborers in Hawaii and California. During the World War II, the Japanese occupied the province and operated manganese mines which denuded many areas.

   Today, the lovely isle of Siquijor beckons to the traveler, domestic or foreign. It's accessible by air and sea from Mania (via the cities of Cebu and Dumaguete). The province has six towns, including the capital named after the province. The terrain alternates between flat and smooth in the main highway and rugged and hilly in the upland areas. There's no serious law-and-order problem, way Police Superintendent Elpidio Bado Zerrudo, who's ready to assist visitors in any way. He even arranged for some of his men, PO3 Roland Bautista, SPO3 Hilarion T. Anos, and SPO1 Ursing Jumawan, to act as my tour guides, which is admittedly beyond the call of duty.

   You can start your day in Siquijor by lazing around the beaches and coves of the capital, and indulging in aqua sports. The leading resort of its kind is Coco Grove, with its thick foliage, kidney-shaped swimming pool, shoreline and air-conditioned cottages. Other accommodations in Siquijor town are Calalinan Beach Garden, a mini-hotel, Dondeezco Beach Resort, Tikarol Beach and lodges like Rudy's and Buhisan. There are similar establishments in other towns, all of them coastal.

   After a tour of the capital, you can explore other areas via jeepneys and tricycles, which commute from town to town, or by rented motorcycles. For those who want to swim in spring waters and chat with locals, the natural pool in the shady town plaza of adjacent San Juan, 15 kilometers from the capital, is the best place. Hidden springs are the source of the swirling, emerald water. The plaza faces the sea that extends all the way to Misamis, Oriental. You only pay a token amount for a refreshing dip in the cool water of the pool, and chances are those frolicking beside you will be neighboring children and students taking a break from their classes.

   Fifteen kilometers from San Juan, in the southern part of the island, is the town of Lazi, where the majestic acacia trees stand guard over two national treasures: the parish church and the St. Isidore convent. The latter is said to be the biggest of its kind in the country. Both are musty with the smell of history or, if you wish, the odor of sanctity.

   The church's outer walls are covered with moss and has two Greco-Roman columns under the arched portal. It was established by the Augustinian Recollects in 1857, dedicated to San Isidro Labrador and completed by Filipino artisans in 1884. The disarming, pyramid-shaped façade is deceptively small, but the interior isn't modest by any means. The towering retablo (altar backdrop), ceiling vault, twin period pulpits and Stations of the Cross beside the windows give if a sense of vastness. The narra planks are study, but they creak as you ascend the choir loft to the belfry for a closer look at the antique bells and a panoramic view of the surroundings.

   Work on the massive convent…measuring 42 by 38 meters…started in 1887 and was completed in 1891. The two-story edifice has a corrugated red roof, glass windows, stones arches, a grand stairway, and gracefully curved ventanillas (lower-level windows with sliding doors). In the 1970s, both church and convent were declared Pambansang Makasaysayan (National Historical Shrines).

   Following the itinerary suggested by the tourism officer, my newfound policemen friends and I proceeded to the town of Maria, 53 kilometers away from the capital. A sign along the highway announced the resort area, and the car turned right, passing through a relatively smooth dirt road and forested grove. The trees block out the sun. The secluded beach cove that emerged has a rugged beauty, rimmed with corals, rock formations and small caves overlooking the Bohol Sea. Two comfortable-looking cottages, constructed by the Philippine Tourism Authority and open during weekends, cater to visitors. There are even sheds for picnickers.

   It was a good place for to cap my visit to Siquijor. But don't follow my example. Stay for a week or two, or longer, to fully savor the island. And explore the other areas of interest…the caves and mountains, the dive spots between Siquijor and Negros Oriental, Candanay and Tugawi Beach resorts in the western coast. Cannas Falls, the cool forest area of San Antonio, Sandugan Beach in Larena and Poo Waterfalls. At once enchanting and enchanted, the isle of Siquijor casts its spell on all who visit its shores.