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. The best thing is, the places aren’t so crowded.

Best Time to Go Surfing

The best time to travel to the Philippines to surf is during the monsoon months of June to December, when the typhoons are just passing through to make sure the waves are up to par to what you need to really get your blood pumping. For you surfers, here are the best destinations in Philippines.

Siargao

The most famous destination in the Philippines for surfers 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.

Being a known the 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

The province of La Union in Northern Luzon is also another hot destination both for advanced surfers and those just getting their legs on the board. La Union’s surfing is centered around the shores of the provincial capital of San Fernando 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.

One of our readers report that San Juan is now the surfing destination in La Union.

Baler

Another great site to visit for its waves is Baler in the province of Aurora. The place was a site for the film Francis Ford Coppola film “Apocalypse Now”, which featured US servicemen riding the Baler waves. 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. The good sites in Baler include Sabang Beach, Cemento Beach, Charlie’s Point and Lindy’s Point.

I’m sure there are still so many places with fantastic waves which have yet to be discovered, so if you intend to go on a quest in search of these, try getting off the beaten track.