Philippines surfing is not quite a destination that would
conjure up images of brilliant surfing breaks. Truth be told
surfing in the Philippines can be fickle, but if you are after
an adventure, are willing to go off the beaten track and are not
afraid to try something different, then surfing in the
Philippines will not disappoint you.
With 7,107 islands, the roaring Pacific Ocean bordering the
eastern coastline and the South China Sea on the western
coastline and attracting more typhoons than most neighboring
countries, Philippines surfing is alive and well. In fact the
Philippines are not a new surfing destination, with surfers
enjoying the waves here since at least the sixties, maybe even
earlier. Let’s face it who wouldn’t want a perfect left or right
hander all to yourself!
Philippines surfing can be both temperamental and seasonal, it
is important to know when the best time to come is or you may be
disappointed, nothing worse that a surfer without surf.
amihan, during November to April. On
top of the monsoons throw in a typhoon or many and you can
imagine that surfing in the Philippines can really pump. The
typhoons usually come in from the east of Mindanao and head in a
north westerly direction hitting the southern Luzon and the
islands between Luzon and the Pacific.
The west coast of the Philippines is more inconsistent than the
east coast, it relies on the winds through the Taiwan Straights
during the north east monsoon. This wind created swell hits the
west coast of Luzon. The swell can also be really good when the
odd typhoon heads towards Hong Kong. The swell that hits Palawan
can be hard to pick, but you are guaranteed to have fantastic
waves if you leave your surf board at home, typically if you
bring it the surf will be flat!
So when is the best time to go surfing in the Philippines? Well
your best to try the east coast during the north east monsoon.
But like everywhere surfing the Philippines is inconsistent,
however on it’s good day, totally unforgettable.
Where To Go Surfing
Philippines
Travel Guide, his passion for the Philippines and
surfing is reflected in his writings and articles on his
information based website.
|