Hey guys, i'm looking for anyone surfing, or has surfed extensively in Philippines. Moved here permanently 9 months ago, thank god, after 10 years of loitering and love it. Originally from the Goldie area in QLD but stayed away from the crowded joints, mostly surfed seaworld area, TOS, Burleigh when it got big etc. Philippines SEEMS to have a lot of potential. I'm situated in central Luzon so have the pick of east coast (Aurora) and west coast (Zambales in the south, La Union/Illocos in the north). Read heaps of crap about the surf here, 7000+ islands bla bla, Apocalypse Now shot in Baler (who cares?) bla bla giant fantastic waves surfing 2' bottom feelers on a log wtf etc etc. Surigao looks pretty good on it's day but not into flying down there, Eastern Visayas, same if u feel like getting robbed/ mugged etc. So I stick to Luzon. Surf here is very fickle, dependent on the west coast for short period swell off some weather disturbance in the South China Sea and east coast for typhoon swells. Large parts of the coast here are inaccessable with some parts only accessable by plane or boat. Those inaccessable areas are just that...unless u have very reliable yacht type thing. Satellite maps show some insane reef set ups, point breaks and hidden cove beaches, coming out of very deep water in places. Often see on Mseaweed (sorry swellnet, u don't cover Philippines so have to use yr competition, ha!) places with 5 star ratings on 12-15 second swell wtf! Absolutely going off, but totally inaccessable while the more well known places are often blocked by points and geography and those points and geography are inaccessable and THAT'S where the swell is hitting directly and cranking with 5 star ratings.
Surf here is a lot different to the Goldie where u can sit on a bank or strectch of beach and surf all day, here it can and does change by the hour. Perfect little 5' hollow bank peeling off and an hour later flat and/or mushburgers and or/blown or closing out. Have seen in the Amihan (northeast monsoon) 4'-6' alternate days of glassy mornings like clockwork for months. Will be interesting to see from now until end of Amihan in April or so how it is, and when the typhoons/low pressure start pushing in from the Pacific. Have seen some points on my travels on small days just peeling off in the distance, no roads going there, perfect tropical setting, no one out or interested in going out haha. If you get off the beaten track here you are well and truly on your own. Surfing perfect 6'-8' reef or point and literally no one around for about 100 kms either side. Sounds pretty good but if u get in trouble then it's all over. Well known spots CAN get good, but those out of the way places can and do get totally epic.
I'm still working on getting a read on the place, what works when etc etc etc. but with very fickle conditions the last 6 months it's not easy. Often there's awesome looking swell coming 10-14 days ahead on forecast but usually they fizzle away to bugger all. Anyone had experience surfing here away from Surigao, LA Union, Baler, Samar or Zambales? With the right swell, period, winds and direction the whole coast of Luzon looks absolutely primed.
Hey guys, i'm looking for anyone surfing, or has surfed extensively in Philippines. Moved here permanently 9 months ago, thank god, after 10 years of loitering and love it. Originally from the Goldie area in QLD but stayed away from the crowded joints, mostly surfed seaworld area, TOS, Burleigh when it got big etc. Philippines SEEMS to have a lot of potential. I'm situated in central Luzon so have the pick of east coast (Aurora) and west coast (Zambales in the south, La Union/Illocos in the north). Read heaps of crap about the surf here, 7000+ islands bla bla, Apocalypse Now shot in Baler (who cares?) bla bla giant fantastic waves surfing 2' bottom feelers on a log wtf etc etc. Surigao looks pretty good on it's day but not into flying down there, Eastern Visayas, same if u feel like getting robbed/ mugged etc. So I stick to Luzon. Surf here is very fickle, dependent on the west coast for short period swell off some weather disturbance in the South China Sea and east coast for typhoon swells. Large parts of the coast here are inaccessable with some parts only accessable by plane or boat. Those inaccessable areas are just that...unless u have very reliable yacht type thing. Satellite maps show some insane reef set ups, point breaks and hidden cove beaches, coming out of very deep water in places. Often see on Mseaweed (sorry swellnet, u don't cover Philippines so have to use yr competition, ha!) places with 5 star ratings on 12-15 second swell wtf! Absolutely going off, but totally inaccessable while the more well known places are often blocked by points and geography and those points and geography are inaccessable and THAT'S where the swell is hitting directly and cranking with 5 star ratings.
Surf here is a lot different to the Goldie where u can sit on a bank or strectch of beach and surf all day, here it can and does change by the hour. Perfect little 5' hollow bank peeling off and an hour later flat and/or mushburgers and or/blown or closing out. Have seen in the Amihan (northeast monsoon) 4'-6' alternate days of glassy mornings like clockwork for months. Will be interesting to see from now until end of Amihan in April or so how it is, and when the typhoons/low pressure start pushing in from the Pacific. Have seen some points on my travels on small days just peeling off in the distance, no roads going there, perfect tropical setting, no one out or interested in going out haha. If you get off the beaten track here you are well and truly on your own. Surfing perfect 6'-8' reef or point and literally no one around for about 100 kms either side. Sounds pretty good but if u get in trouble then it's all over. Well known spots CAN get good, but those out of the way places can and do get totally epic.
I'm still working on getting a read on the place, what works when etc etc etc. but with very fickle conditions the last 6 months it's not easy. Often there's awesome looking swell coming 10-14 days ahead on forecast but usually they fizzle away to bugger all. Anyone had experience surfing here away from Surigao, LA Union, Baler, Samar or Zambales? With the right swell, period, winds and direction the whole coast of Luzon looks absolutely primed.