The Ultimate Guide to Surfing Philippines
Surfing Philippines can be pretty darn good, with the likes of Siargao and its hollow Cloud 9 leading the way. There’s plenty more than that, too, even on the big island of Luzon within reach of the sprawling capital of Manila.
An introduction to surfing Philippines
The Philippines has never managed to attain the heights of next-door Indonesia when it comes to surfing. That’s certainly not down to a lack of coastline – A mind-blowing 36,000km of the salt-washed stuff is on offer here, across 7,000+ islands. It’s more to do with the fact that this archipelago nation doesn’t get the same clockwork swell pulses from the southern latitudes; the ones responsible for Uluwatu and G-Land.
That said, there is plenty of Pacific-facing land that gets epic fall and spring systems off the low-pressure typhoons, along with other places that harness the power of NW trade winds coming over the East China Sea.
They’ve started making real waves on the Southeast Asia surf line up, too, especially palm-fringed Siargao, which now flaunts the tubular Cloud 9 break as a rival to any that Bali can muster on the Bukit.
We’d say this: The Philippines is still very unchartered territory for surfers. There are only one or two places we’d consider to be worthy of a dedicated surf trip (basically Siargao, Baler, and San Juan in La Union). However, there’s an infectious vibe to the beaches, which are some of the most sugar-white we’ve ever seen, and bucket-list diving and snorkelling to be done if you want a mixed-adventure holiday.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
This guide is a part of our larger ultimate guide to surfing in Asia
Surfing Philippines at a glance
The good:
- Some stand-out breaks like Cloud 9
- Stunning settings for surf
- Always warm
The bad:
- Unpredictable swell seasons
- It’s hard to travel around here still
What will I find in this guide to surfing Philippines
Where is the Philippines?
The Philippines are the one of the mainstay names of Southeast Asia. They lie to the east of Vietnam (and are actually largely responsible for why Nam’ doesn’t get any great waves), with the wide Pacific Ocean opening up to the east of them.
This is an archipelago country, made up of over 7,600 individual islands. They cover nearly 1,000 nautical miles of water, bordering Taiwan to the north and everyone’s favourite Asian surf hub of Indo to the south – the island of Sulawesi is only 300 miles across the Celebes Sea from the southern Philippine isle of Mindanao.
For surfers, the eastern edge of the country is the one to look to. There are some surf towns in the west – like La Union and Zambales, for example – but the most consistent and most famous string along the Pacific. They include Siargao and Baler.
Unless you pick one of the surf destinations on the island of Luzon, then there’s a good chance that you’ll have to make an internal flight connection to get to where you want to go. Thankfully, the rising popularity of places like Siargao means there are now multiple daily prop plane links to there from Manila. You can search and book those on Kiwi.
Where to surf in the Philippines?
iStock.com / Stephen Green-PriceThere are surf spots all over the Philippines, from Luzon in the north to the south-eastern islands around Siargao. Different spots pick up different swells, so always check that the place you pick is in season.
Let’s begin with what’s now by far the most famous…
Siargao
Siargao is now firmly established as the top surfing destination in the whole of the Philippines.
It owes its honor to two breaks: Cloud 9, a heavy right-hand barrel over the reef on the southwest side of the island, and Quiksilver, a faster right that’s just next door.
But there’s way more on offer, including a trio of small reef breaks and secondary-swell spots that are good for beginners, and some fun sandbar island breaks that you can only get to by boat.
More than that, this island is simply stunning! White-sand beaches string the whole coastline between pockets of wild mangroves, and there are inland tidal pools and coconut farms to explore.
Storm Odette wreaked havoc here back in 2021 but the island is bouncing back. The famous surf-viewing platform at Cloud 9 was destroyed, though there are rumors they’re going to build a new one.
Where to stay? Siargao has some of the best surf stays in the Philippines. For us, there’s no beating the exquisite Awake Siargao Retreats. It’s a luxury camp package that includes everything you could need; 5 x surf lessons, a massage, yoga, all your food and accom.
Check out our complete guide to Siargao surfing
Baler
Baler is often called the birthplace of Philippine surfing because it was where a certain Francis Ford Coppola brought his crews to film the infamous wave scene with a wild Robert Duval back in 1967.
As the locals looked on, they must have thought, man that looks fun. The rest is history and surfing has been happening here ever since.
More and more points and beach breaks have been discovered in the area, and there’s a decent mix of waves for all levels. The vibe is chill, the stays are cheap, so all good. Top wave is probably Cemento Reef, a nice wedgy number with fun A-frames for hotdoggers.
Where to stay?
Check out our complete guide to surfing in Baler right now
La Union
La Union is called the Surfing Capital of the North. A couple of hours’ drive from Manila, it’s cut its teeth on an ultra-consistent beach break of crumbly stater waves and a peeling right point break that mimic the best of South Oz.
Better surfers should try to time their trips for the winter season, when the strong NW trade winds can bring swells of 10 foot+.
Generally, this is a nice option for most surfers who want to check off the Philippines. It doesn’t have the quality of reefs that you’ll get in Siargao but Monaliza Point can fire off lovely, long rights, and the urban beach break is a decent learner spot.
Where to stay? Lakayo Hillside Apartelle has modern rooms that suit both couples and families and remains one of the highest rated stays near the breaks in La Union (lots of the hotels here are further up the beach, but you want to pick one around this to be within walking distance of the surf).
We’ve got a full guide to La Union surf
Zambales
If you can’t be bothered to make the 3.5-hour drive to San Juan in La Union to hit the points and beaches there, Zambales is a good alternative.
So long as it’s the summer (May-Sept) then you can usually pick up small ankle-burner waves at the Crystal Beach break, and there’s also one proper swell-magnet of a spot that’s for experts.
Check out our full guide to surfing in Zambales
Dahican
The all-level beach breaks of Pujada Bay in Dahican are pure fun. Getting very consistent swell through the Mayo Bay opening into the Pacific, there always seems to be something surfable on the shoreline. It’s not the best quality stuff, since the town lacks the reef fringing that you get in Siargao and others, but it’s chilled and unbusy.
Lanuza
The tiny little fishing village of Lanuza was already famous with water babies for its amazing underwater reefs, which are said to be some of the most biodiverse in the Philippines. Then folks realized there was a surf break here and bingo: A couple of surf camps now ply their trade in town too. The waves aren’t the quality you find in Siargao. Mostly, they are mushy reef-top stuff that goes left and right. There is one pretty good right hander, but we’re not sure its enough to tempt us on the 7-hour trek from Siargao.
Surf camps in the Philippines
If you’re not into planning every little detail of your surf hol, then don’t worry – surf camps are to the rescue. They exist all over the world, from Mexico to Morocco, and there are now quite a few on offer in the Philippines (esp Siargao).
The idea is simple: Make it easy for you to score a great surf vacation where you’ll surf almost every day by packaging lessons, accomodation, food, and lots more into one booking.
- Awake Siargao Retreats 7-Day All-Inclusive Surf Camp – Awake Siargao offers the most detailed surf camp on Siargao right now. Their week-long package features five water lessons with a maximum teacher-student ratio of 2:1, which is top for improvement. It also includes morning meditation, yoga sessions, and video analysis of surfing techniques. Accommodation is equally impressive, with a beautiful villa that has a luxury pool and very nice suites.
- Mao Mao Surf 6-Day Camp in Siargao – We talk about Mao Mao more below (it’s one of our fav accomodation options in Siargao). You can book independently, but they also do this planned camp, which includes multple lessons with ISA-qualified instructors, plus a drone photography session, and breakfast each day.
A note on why we partner with BookSurfCamps.com: Book Surf Camps are probably the biggest online aggregator of surf camps and surf-yoga packages in the world. We sounded out a quite a few potential partners before we affiliated with them. But, in the end, the abundance of choice for beginners, intermediates, and female-only surfing sealed it. We also love the simplicity of their booking system and the trusted brand name, along with the focus on connecting with homegrown local businesses on the ground.
Want more surfing philippines camp options? Search the whole shebang below right now and book in a few clicks.
Best hotels (for surfers) in the Philippines
Most of our hotel picks for surfers in the Philippines are in Siargao. That’s because we think the island offers the best all-round experience and variety of breaks of anywhere in the country, and the hotels here are a cut above the rest
Mao Mao surf
Walk through the palm-lined backstreets about five minutes from Cloud 9 and you’ll come to the quirky set of tropical cottages at Mao Mao Surf.
They are done out like boho surf shacks, with indoor-outdoor bathrooms and arty touches throughout. We love the gardens and the lush grass areas where you can chill, plus the healthy eating from the on-site restaurant.
We’d say it’s a great pick for surfing couples who value a touch more privacy than the local hostels have on offer.
Single Fin Siargao
Single Fin Siargao reminds us of a stylish Balinese surf camp. It’s got the leafy garden with the plunge pool that you can return to after the dawn patrol. It’s got stylish interiors with their thatched roof and bamboo-walled bathrooms.
But this surf camp is also very down to Earth, offering affordable hostel dorms for those on a budget and more luxurious doubles for those with some cash to splash.
It’s also within easy reach of both of the major surf areas in what we’d say is the best destination for surfing in the Philippines: Siargao island.
A top pick if budget is a big concern.
Seasta Beach Resort
Seasta Beach Resort is a more left-of-field option. It’s a charming coast stay that channels that old-school Southeast Asian shack look.
The onsite bar does hearty plates of food and cold beer (of course). There’s a lovely pool and outdoor chillout spaces.
Mainly, though, the location: It’s right beside the best reef break in Baler, which is rarely crowded but probably one of the few breaks in Luzon that can match what Siargoa has to offer!
When to surf in Philippines?
There are two main surf seasons in the Philippines, hitting opposite ends of the archipelago nation at different times of the year: One in July and October (for Siargao and the east-facing spots), the other from December to March (for the likes of La Union and Zambales)
First, there’s the July-October typhoon months in the south-west. This is when Siagao goes off, with regular barrelling days on Cloud 9 et al, combined with good offshore winds to help the smaller reef breaks there hold shape. Second, you get the winter NW windswells that push through the Pacific. They hit a zenith between December and March, and bring the biggest waves of all to the northern island of Luzon, which means La Union and Zambales will be in their prime.
With the Philippines this isn’t hard and fast stuff. The swells don’t switch between the monsoon and the dry seasons like clockwork like they do down in Bali. Lots of places get some swell all year, while others – Siargao notably – has unexpected peaks in late winter and through the spring.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!