Top 5 Best Surf Spots in the Philippines If You Want to Learn Surfing

Every November, surfers from all over the country compete at the Lanuza Surfing Festival. We start our countdown with Lanuza, a coastal town named the Surf Center of Surigao del Sur. Its local tourism office has also been marketed as an eco-tourism destination with other attractions like caves, springs, waterfalls, and beaches.

The town has several surfing spots, such as Punta and Sitio Badang. However, the most popular one is Doot Poktoy right at the town proper. Surfing lessons cost PhP500 per day.

Zambales is the fourth spot, a great surf spot for people looking to catch a wave near Manila. It is home to three known surfing spots: “Magic Left,” Camara Island, and Anawangin Cove. Over the years, interest in surfing and other board sports like skating, skimming, and bodyboarding has led the province to evolve into the Board Sport Capital of the Philippines. You can head to Crystal Beach, which has shallow waters ideal for beginners if you’re starting.

Up at third spot is Siargao, which has been touted as the Surfing Capital of the Philippines. It has earned international recognition from CNN in 2012 and Condē Nast Traveler in 2017 as one of the top surfing spots in the world. What draws local and foreign surfers to the island is the hollow tubes of Cloud 9, which is also the venue for the annual Siargao Cup.

Siargao has more than 15 different surf breaks, but you can find most surfing activities in General Luna. Other surfers will indeed find a spot suitable for their skill level, from Cloud 9, which is for advanced surfers, to Jacking Horse for beginners. Lessons start at PhP400 per hour.

This small town in Aurora province, Central Luzon, is the birthplace of surfing in the Philippines and a go-to place during summer. The city is also the setting for other movies like the 2008 drama Baler and the 2015 indie film Apocalypse Child. In the 1970s, American director Francis Ford Coppola shot some scenes for the epic war film Apocalypse Now in Baler. After filming wrapped up, a few local kids picked up the surfboards left behind by some crew members and taught themselves how to surf.

Surfing spots in Baler include Sabang Beach, Cemento Reef, and Charlie’s Point. The latter is where surfing and battle scenes were filmed for Apocalypse Now. After surfing, you can check out the Millennium Tree, one of many haunted places in the Philippines. Rates start at Php350 per hour.

La Union, fondly called Elyu by locals, takes the top spot in our poll. Just five hours away from Manila, it’s easy to take a summer road trip up north to this province in the Ilocos region.

TThose who would like to take surfing lessons can head to San Juan, where one can find various accommodation options from high-end resorts to budget-friendly hostels. A popular surfing spot is Urbiztondo Beach, which fits all surfers with different skill levels. The peak season for surfing starts from October to March, with reasonably good weather beginning in December. Rates start at PhP400 per hour.

Visit Yoorekka Magazine for more exciting travel spots in the Philippines this summer!