Cabalian to Surigao Ferry

This southbound crossing links the Port of Cabalian in San Juan, Southern Leyte, with the Lipata Ferry Terminal on the northern edge of Surigao City, Mindanao. It is operated by Lite Ferries (Lite Shipping Corporation), which was awarded the link as a MARINA missionary route and launched regular service in 2022, later stepping it up to twice-daily sailings in April 2023.

The service is a roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) crossing rather than a fast passenger craft, so it carries walk-on passengers alongside cars, buses and cargo trucks. Vessels assigned here have included MV Lite Ferry 11 and MV Lite Ferry 30; the Lite Ferry 11, for example, is rated for roughly 550 passengers plus a vehicle deck that can take around nine ten-wheeler trucks and several cars. Departures from Cabalian are typically scheduled at 6:00 AM and 6:00 PM daily, and the sea passage takes about four hours across the Surigao Strait.

For travellers this is one of the key stepping stones on the Eastern Nautical Highway, the RoRo chain that ties the Visayas to Mindanao. Arriving at Lipata places you at Surigao City's main terminal, the jumping-off point for Siargao (via Dapa), Dinagat Island and onward road travel deeper into Mindanao. Passenger fares are modest, broadly in the ₱430–₱570 range for basic accommodation, with economy and air-conditioned tourist tiers priced a little higher; vehicle rates are quoted separately at the terminal. As with all Philippine ferry links, sailings can be suspended in bad weather, so confirm the day's status and arrive at least an hour before departure with a valid government ID.