Philippines Surfing Spots
Philippines is known world wide to have many beautiful white sand beaches, magnificent dive sites, cultural and historical heritage and many natural attractions that could attract tourist. But the Department of Tourism (DoT) also discovered that the country is also a haven of surfing sites. Philippines have a coastline that is twice as long as the United States, with wonderful beaches that are powered by a living and breathing ocean, the country has a very big potential to become as an international surfing destination. the Department of Tourism (DoT) is exploring the places that has big potential for surfing spots.
Most Popular Surfing Spots are:
1.) Badoc Island, Ilocos Norte Province
North west coast of Luzon
Where is Badoc Island?
Your will find Badoc Island in the province of Ilocos Norte. Badoc town is the southern most town in the province and is about 40 kms south of Laoag City. The town of Badoc lies wedged between the Killago mountain range to the east and the South China Sea to the west.
The Surfing
Bardoc Island surfing, like most surf spots in the Philippines is inconsistent. The best time for surfing is during the October to early March period. This is when the surf is at its best, mainly due to the seasonal typhoons and low depression systems out in the South Chin Sea. You can also get some waves during July to September, but not all the surf breaks will catch the swell. The rest of the year can be a bit of a lottery.
2.) Baler, Aurora Province
East coast of Luzon
Where is Baler?
Baler is the capital of Aurora Province. It is located at about the mid point, on the east coast of the main island of Luzon. The town faces the deep blue of the Pacific Ocean, which gives it the surf that it is renowned for.
Surfing in Baler is dependant on what the weather is doing. It can have some of the best surfing in Luzon. When the might of the Pacific Ocean stirs it can dump some might big swells on to the coastline of Aurora.There is a wave just about all year in Baler, but the peak periods for consistent good quality waves is from October to February.
3.) Catanduanes, Aurora Province
Island Province of East Coast of Luzon
Catanduanes is an island province in the Bicol Region or Region 5. It lies off the south eastern coast of Luzon in the Pacific Ocean. It is separated from Luzon by the Maqueda Channel. To the south is the Lagonoy Gulf and Cabugao Bay. The north and east of the island is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean.
Surfing in the Catanduanes is pretty impressive and so it should be. The deep rumbling Pacific Ocean is its closest neighbour. Waves travel a long distance before they hit land and the first land they hit is Catanduanes. If you include the numerous typhoons the island is renowned for then you can get a pretty good idea what the surf will be like. The only problem is that there can be long flat periods.
The whole island is quite breathtaking with mountains touching powdery white beaches, even if you don’t surf it is pretty easy to lose yourself within the beauty here.
4.) Daet, Camarines Norte Province
East Coast of Luzon
Where is Daet?
Daet is in the province of Camarines Norte, which can be found to the south of Manila and is the capital. Camarines Norte is the most northern province of Bicol Region.
Like everywhere else in the Philippines the surf can be fickle.
Daet surfing is extremely popular as it is relatively close to Manila, so you tend to get a lot of surfers based in Manila coming down on weekends.
5.) La Union Province
East Coast of Luzon
Where is La Union?
La Union is a province in the Ilocos Region, which is Region 1. It is in the north of the main island of Luzon and is on the west coast.
La Union Surfing is centred around the area both south and north of San Fernando. Where you go will really be dependant on the time of the year you go.
The season which has twp parts, quite unique for the Philippines, spans from July to October, waves are not nearly as consistent and from November to February, this is when the waves are bigger and more consistent due to the typhoon season providing bigger waves.
6.) Samar
East Coast of Samar Island
Where is Samar ?
Samar is an island in the Eastern Visayas, on the eastern side of the Philippine archipelago. It is wedged between the island of Luzon to the north and the island of Leyte to the south.
Samar surfing is located along the eastern shoreline which is exposed to the Pacific Ocean. The Pacific Ocean is the critical element in determining the waves.
The Samar surfing season is generally accepted as being from September to March, the larger and more consistent waves arrive during the North East Monsoon or if there is a typhoon off the coast it will really push the swell up.
7.) Siargao Island
North East of Mindanao
Where is Siargao?
Siargao surfing is an island off the north eastern tip of Mindanao, which is in the south east of the Philippine Archipelago.
The eastern coastline faces directly out into the Pacific Ocean. Just off Siargao Island lies the Philippine Trench which gets to a depth of 10,057 metres! So you can imagine what happens when the swell hits the island.
Siargao surfing is known throughout the world as a first class quality break. Which is reflected in the fact that Siargao surfing now has an International competition every October.
The season here starts in August but really pumps from September/October through to about March. This coincides with the northwestern monsoon and the high frequency of typhoons in the Pacific Ocean during this time.
8.) Vigan, Ilocos Sur Province
West Coast of Northern Luzon
Where is Vigan surfing?
Vigan is the capital city of the Ilocos Sur province and is found in the Ilocos Region or Region 1.
It is situated on the north western coastline of Luzon and has it’s western boundary as the South China Sea. It is about 408 kilometres north of Manila, 130 kilometres north of San Fernando, La Union and about 80 kilometres south of Laoag in Ilocos Norte.
As is typical with surfing in the Philippines, the consistency and quality is extremely fickle. On it’s day you will not be disappointed in fact you will not have to share the waves with too many others.
Vigan city has a lot to offer if the surf is not working or dare I say it if you need a break from the crowd less breaks. Vigan city is the only colonial town in the Philippines, it’s culture and heritage is laid before you around every corner, with Spanish architecture represented in churches, houses and government buildings. A tour of the city is a good distraction.
9.) Zambales Province
West Coast of Luzon
Where is Zambales surfing
Zambales is a province on the west coast of Luzon north of Manila. Zambales is part of the Central Luzon Region.
It is bordered to the west by the South China Sea, hence the surf action. To the north is the province of Pangasinan in the Ilocos Region, to the east is Pampanga and Tarlac provinces and to the south is the province of Bataan.
The opportunities for surfing in Zambales are enormous. The entire coastline offers adventurous surfers many possible surfing breaks.
As with most Philippine surfing breaks the word that comes to mind the most is inconsistency. You are able to surf all year round in Zambales however you may have to search fairly hard to locate ride able decent waves. During the months of May to late November the surf is probably at is most consistent, not necessarily it’s biggest but definitely you will get more consistent waves. The period from December to April requires a lot more help from mother nature, usually in the form of a low depression in the South China Sea, which can whip the swell up to three or four metres. This is a big powerful swell and requires a good level of experience.
For more information about these places just keep coming back to this blog and I will fill it in more..
Thank you!
This post was adapted from...
http://nitsujpox.blogspot.com/2008/05/philippines-surfing-spots.html
Most Popular Surfing Spots are:
1.) Badoc Island, Ilocos Norte Province
North west coast of Luzon
Where is Badoc Island?
Your will find Badoc Island in the province of Ilocos Norte. Badoc town is the southern most town in the province and is about 40 kms south of Laoag City. The town of Badoc lies wedged between the Killago mountain range to the east and the South China Sea to the west.
The Surfing
Bardoc Island surfing, like most surf spots in the Philippines is inconsistent. The best time for surfing is during the October to early March period. This is when the surf is at its best, mainly due to the seasonal typhoons and low depression systems out in the South Chin Sea. You can also get some waves during July to September, but not all the surf breaks will catch the swell. The rest of the year can be a bit of a lottery.
2.) Baler, Aurora Province
East coast of Luzon
Where is Baler?
Baler is the capital of Aurora Province. It is located at about the mid point, on the east coast of the main island of Luzon. The town faces the deep blue of the Pacific Ocean, which gives it the surf that it is renowned for.
Surfing in Baler is dependant on what the weather is doing. It can have some of the best surfing in Luzon. When the might of the Pacific Ocean stirs it can dump some might big swells on to the coastline of Aurora.There is a wave just about all year in Baler, but the peak periods for consistent good quality waves is from October to February.
3.) Catanduanes, Aurora Province
Island Province of East Coast of Luzon
Catanduanes is an island province in the Bicol Region or Region 5. It lies off the south eastern coast of Luzon in the Pacific Ocean. It is separated from Luzon by the Maqueda Channel. To the south is the Lagonoy Gulf and Cabugao Bay. The north and east of the island is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean.
Surfing in the Catanduanes is pretty impressive and so it should be. The deep rumbling Pacific Ocean is its closest neighbour. Waves travel a long distance before they hit land and the first land they hit is Catanduanes. If you include the numerous typhoons the island is renowned for then you can get a pretty good idea what the surf will be like. The only problem is that there can be long flat periods.
The whole island is quite breathtaking with mountains touching powdery white beaches, even if you don’t surf it is pretty easy to lose yourself within the beauty here.
4.) Daet, Camarines Norte Province
East Coast of Luzon
Where is Daet?
Daet is in the province of Camarines Norte, which can be found to the south of Manila and is the capital. Camarines Norte is the most northern province of Bicol Region.
Like everywhere else in the Philippines the surf can be fickle.
Daet surfing is extremely popular as it is relatively close to Manila, so you tend to get a lot of surfers based in Manila coming down on weekends.
5.) La Union Province
East Coast of Luzon
Where is La Union?
La Union is a province in the Ilocos Region, which is Region 1. It is in the north of the main island of Luzon and is on the west coast.
La Union Surfing is centred around the area both south and north of San Fernando. Where you go will really be dependant on the time of the year you go.
The season which has twp parts, quite unique for the Philippines, spans from July to October, waves are not nearly as consistent and from November to February, this is when the waves are bigger and more consistent due to the typhoon season providing bigger waves.
6.) Samar
East Coast of Samar Island
Where is Samar ?
Samar is an island in the Eastern Visayas, on the eastern side of the Philippine archipelago. It is wedged between the island of Luzon to the north and the island of Leyte to the south.
Samar surfing is located along the eastern shoreline which is exposed to the Pacific Ocean. The Pacific Ocean is the critical element in determining the waves.
The Samar surfing season is generally accepted as being from September to March, the larger and more consistent waves arrive during the North East Monsoon or if there is a typhoon off the coast it will really push the swell up.
7.) Siargao Island
North East of Mindanao
Where is Siargao?
Siargao surfing is an island off the north eastern tip of Mindanao, which is in the south east of the Philippine Archipelago.
The eastern coastline faces directly out into the Pacific Ocean. Just off Siargao Island lies the Philippine Trench which gets to a depth of 10,057 metres! So you can imagine what happens when the swell hits the island.
Siargao surfing is known throughout the world as a first class quality break. Which is reflected in the fact that Siargao surfing now has an International competition every October.
The season here starts in August but really pumps from September/October through to about March. This coincides with the northwestern monsoon and the high frequency of typhoons in the Pacific Ocean during this time.
8.) Vigan, Ilocos Sur Province
West Coast of Northern Luzon
Where is Vigan surfing?
Vigan is the capital city of the Ilocos Sur province and is found in the Ilocos Region or Region 1.
It is situated on the north western coastline of Luzon and has it’s western boundary as the South China Sea. It is about 408 kilometres north of Manila, 130 kilometres north of San Fernando, La Union and about 80 kilometres south of Laoag in Ilocos Norte.
As is typical with surfing in the Philippines, the consistency and quality is extremely fickle. On it’s day you will not be disappointed in fact you will not have to share the waves with too many others.
Vigan city has a lot to offer if the surf is not working or dare I say it if you need a break from the crowd less breaks. Vigan city is the only colonial town in the Philippines, it’s culture and heritage is laid before you around every corner, with Spanish architecture represented in churches, houses and government buildings. A tour of the city is a good distraction.
9.) Zambales Province
West Coast of Luzon
Where is Zambales surfing
Zambales is a province on the west coast of Luzon north of Manila. Zambales is part of the Central Luzon Region.
It is bordered to the west by the South China Sea, hence the surf action. To the north is the province of Pangasinan in the Ilocos Region, to the east is Pampanga and Tarlac provinces and to the south is the province of Bataan.
The opportunities for surfing in Zambales are enormous. The entire coastline offers adventurous surfers many possible surfing breaks.
As with most Philippine surfing breaks the word that comes to mind the most is inconsistency. You are able to surf all year round in Zambales however you may have to search fairly hard to locate ride able decent waves. During the months of May to late November the surf is probably at is most consistent, not necessarily it’s biggest but definitely you will get more consistent waves. The period from December to April requires a lot more help from mother nature, usually in the form of a low depression in the South China Sea, which can whip the swell up to three or four metres. This is a big powerful swell and requires a good level of experience.
For more information about these places just keep coming back to this blog and I will fill it in more..
Thank you!
This post was adapted from...
http://nitsujpox.blogspot.com/2008/05/philippines-surfing-spots.html
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