Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
S
OUTHEAST
L
UZON
CHICO RIVER
Rafting & Kayaking
Try your hand at a rafting or kayaking trip up the Chico River, past the north's majestic
green vistas. Raft Sagada is an excellent outfit that's run by an American expat who invests
tourism dollars back into the local community. The best time to go is between September
and December.
URBIZTONDO
Surfing
Surfers, look no further. Urbiztondo in San Juan, an unassuming beach village 6km north
of San Fernando, gets the country's most consistent waves from November to March. Dur-
ing the season a legion of bronzed instructors offer beginners some of the world's cheapest
surf lessons on the perfect learners' waves that stroke the shore.
TUGUEGARAO
Kayaking
Take a kayaking trip on the Pinacanauan, where clean green waters cut through the lime-
stone cliffs. The experience involves taking a bangka (wooden boat) 5km upstream, then
navigating the return trip in no-flip kayaks over light rapids.
WHALE SHARKS
Snorkelling
Swimming with these huge, blue-grey, silver-spotted creatures is a truly exhilarating exper-
ience - but you do need to be a decent snorkeller to give it a try. During the peak months of
March and April, the question isn't whether you will see a shark, but how many you'll see.
MAJESTICS
Surfing
A reef break 200m off shore, Majestics is no beginner's wave. When it's working, it's per-
fect. But Majestics usually only works when there is a typhoon lurking somewhere off
shore during the
habagat
(southwest monsoon). This is most likely to occur between
August and October. In the calmer March to May period, local surfers run cheap one-to-one
surf sessions.
