Grab your board and visit the best Philippine surfing destinations in Siargao, La Union and Baler.
When people mention the Philippines, an archipelago of 7,100 islands, images of white-sand beaches, calm and clear waters come to mind. The beaches are beautiful. But for surfers, it’s the waves that matter and most surfers think that beaches just don’t get the kind of waves they need.
Well, that’s slowly changing. Surfing in the Philippines is gaining popularity as more local residents are finding more and more places where the waves are big. And the best thing about it is that the places aren’t so crowded yet!
Best time to go surfing
The best time to travel to the Philippine surfing destinations is during the monsoon months of June to December, when the typhoons are just passing through. During these months, the waves are surely up to par to what you need to get your blood pumping!
Here are the popular surfing destinations in the Philippines.
Siargao, the Surfer’s Paradise
The most famous surfing destination in the Philippines is Siargao Island in the province of Surigao del Norte, north east of the island of Mindanao.
Known as the surfing capital of the Philippines for its great, big waves, most especially near the area known as Cloud 9, Siargao holds the annual Siargao Cup for local and foreign surfers.
Tagged as “Surfer’s Paradise” in the Philippine, Siargao has the accommodations, restaurants and bars to support a large number of visitors so there’s a chance that the place can get a bit crowded.
La Union
Aside from Siargao, the province of La Union in Northern Luzon is another hot travel destination both for advanced surfers and those just getting their legs on the board. La Union’s surfing is centered on the shores of the provincial capital of San Juan and there are a number of different sites for different skill levels.
Lessons are also available for individual looking to take their first steps in riding the waves. Surfing camps and schools are found around La Union.
Baler
Another great site to visit for its waves is Baler in Aurora. Baler’s waves are continuous throughout the year, but things get really interesting from October to February when the monsoon brings strong winds to the east coast of Luzon.
Baler holds the annual Baler Surfing Cup, a three-day surfing event with four categories: Open Surfing, Youth, Grommet, and Bodyboarding. The event is supported by the local government and draws in many surfing aficionados from the Philippines and abroad.
Other good Philippine surfing destinations in Baler include Sabang Beach, Cemento Beach, Charlie’s Point and Lindy’s Point.
Baler was featured in Francis Ford Coppola’s “Apocalypse Now”, which showed US servicemen riding the Baler waves.
I’m sure there are still so many beaches with fantastic waves yet waiting to be discovered, so if you intend to go on a quest for new surfing spots, try getting off the beaten track.