The Philippines - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget

Travel Reference

In-Depth Information

ON CLOUD 9

The Philippines is not a destination at the forefront of most surfers' minds, although enthusiasts

have been riding waves here since the 1960s. Thanks to its location on the Pacific typhoon

belt, the country is home to some of the world's greatest swells. The acclaimed reef break

Cloud 9 , with its famed hollow barrel, gained fame in the late 1980s and is today considered

one of the world's top surfing waves. It is the site of the annual Siargao Cup , a domestic and

international surfing competition that draws crowds of avid followers from all over the globe.

The east coast is blessed with some of the country's best surf, with a number of destinations

still rarely accessed because of their remote location. Among the country's other popular

surfing destinations is San Juan in Northern Luzon, a laidback surfing village with some good

reef breaks on the South China Sea.

which feels more like a village, being little

more than a couple of streets with some

sari-sari stores. For surfers , the area to stay

is by the Cloud 9 break (see box above),

less than 2km north of GL.

through your accommodation (P200-300). The bumpy

roads here mean motorbikes are the best way of getting

around, and they're widely available for rent (P500/day).

ACCOMMODATION, EATING AND

DRINKING

Room prices increase exponentially during the surfing

competitions; ask about long-term discounts. The best

places to hang out at night are Nine Bar in GL and Bar 101

at Cloud 9, both full of laidback surf dudes talking about

the day's swells.

Kesa Cloud 9 Resort T 0921 281 2960, W cloud9

philippines.com. A decent budget option overlooking the

Cloud 9 break, though you're better off going down the

road to 101 to arrange surfing. The restaurant has views

over the lagoon and specializes in fresh seafood dishes.

Sometimes closed for a few weeks in Dec and Jan so phone

ahead. A/c rooms (P1500) have thei r own bathroom, while

fan rooms have shared bathrooms. P500

Ocean 101 T 0919 826 8837, W ocean101cloud9.com.

Catering to surfers, with a wide range of accommodation

from smaller rooms with communal bathrooms at the back

of the resort to a/c doubles with sea views and private

bathrooms (P2000). There's a good restaurant serving inter-

national and local dishes and they accept credit cards. P750

★

WHAT TO SEE AND DO

Kayaking is a great way to explore,

paddling through mangrove swamps or

into hidden coral bays (P250-400/hr). You

can also hire a bangka to do some serious

island-hopping , or rent a motorbike for the

day and tootle up the dusty coastal road to

Alegria and Burgos at the island's

northernmost tip, visiting beaches that few

travellers see. Don't miss a trip out to Dako

and Naked islands (access is easiest from

GL), both with superb snorkelling. Patrick's

(see below) is the best place to organize

things, or just ask around.

Surfing remains the main draw,

however; you can rent equipment (board

rental P750-1000/day) from the resorts,

and lessons cost about P400 an hour.

he annual surfing cup , held every year in

late September or early October, has risen

in profile over the past few years and

attracts competitors from Australia, the

US and Europe, as well as from around

the Philippines.

8

Patrick's on the Beach T 0918 481 6483, W patrick

onthebeach.com. This is the centre of the action in GL, with

comfortable beach hut accommodation, right on a lovely

swimming beach. Helpful staff can arrange everything from

travel and tours to surfing and island excursions. There's a

sister resort at Cloud 9 itself, open seasonally. A bit steep if

you're on a tight budget, although there's tent accommoda-

tion for P400-800 (depending on size). The restau rant off ers

dishes from fifteen different countries. Free wi-fi. P1500

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE

By plane Cebu Pacific flies between Siargao and Cebu

(daily; 1hr).

By ferry There are daily ferries (4hr) between Surigao and

Dapa, as well as daily fast crafts (2hr 30min).