The Philippines is one of Asia’s most beautiful and still-uncrowded surf frontiers: 7,000-plus islands, 36,000 kilometres of coastline and some of the most sugar-white beaches on Earth. It doesn’t get Indonesia’s clockwork swell, but its Pacific-facing east coast lights up on autumn typhoon systems, while the northwest catches winter monsoon windswell, so somewhere is usually working. Palm-fringed Siargao leads the way, its tubular Cloud 9 a genuine rival to anything on Bali’s Bukit, backed by historic Baler, the winter walls of La Union and the far-flung barrels of Catanduanes. Add warm water year-round and rock-bottom prices, and you have a surf-and-island-adventure trip like few others. It sits high on our guide to the world’s best places to surf. Here’s the Philippines, region by region, plus when to go and what to pack.
Which Philippine wave fits you?
From the thick barrels of Cloud 9 to the mellow reef of Jacking Horse and the winter walls of La Union, answer three quick questions and we'll match you with two Philippine waves.
Quick surf guide to the Philippines
- Best season: August to November for the Pacific east coast (Siargao, Baler, Catanduanes); December to March for the northwest (La Union, Zambales); somewhere is usually on
- Best for beginners: Jacking Horse (Siargao), Sabang Beach (Baler), San Juan (La Union), Dahican
- Best for advanced: Cloud 9, Puraran (Majestics), Cemento Reef, The Peak (Zambales)
- Water temp: warm year-round, 26 to 29°C (boardshorts, a rash vest and reef booties)
- Getting around: the surf is spread across islands, so expect an internal flight (Siargao) or a drive from Manila (Luzon spots)
- Gateways: Manila (MNL) and Cebu (CEB); Sayak/Siargao (IAO) for Cloud 9
- Budget: very affordable, $25 to $50 a day
Where to surf in the Philippines
Philippine surf is scattered across a vast archipelago, but it clusters into a handful of regions: the winter-season northwest of Luzon (La Union and Zambales), the Pacific-facing east coast at Baler, the far-flung Bicol island of Catanduanes, the surf capital of Siargao, and a couple of low-key spots on the Mindanao mainland. Tap a marker to preview a spot, then click its name to jump straight to it.
The northwest: La Union and Zambales
Facing the South China Sea, the northwest of Luzon comes alive in the winter northeast monsoon. La Union is the surfing capital of the north, an easy few hours from Manila, while nearby Zambales offers mellow beaches and one heavy expert wave.
San Juan
The beating heart of northern Philippine surf, San Juan’s Urbiztondo beach is an ultra-consistent, crumbly beach break that has made La Union the surfing capital of the north, an easy few hours’ drive from Manila. It’s a friendly learners’ wave lined with surf schools, hostels and cafes, busiest at weekends with city surfers. A relaxed, sociable base for the northwest, best in the winter monsoon.
Monaliza Point
Just up the beach from Urbiztondo, Monaliza Point is La Union’s quality wave: a peeling right-hand point that fires off lovely, long walls when the winter NW windswell is up, a clear step up from the town beach break. It draws the better local surfers on the bigger days and offers proper down-the-line rides. The pick of the north when it’s on.
Crystal Beach
A mellow, sandy beach break at a pine-backed resort in Zambales, Crystal Beach serves up small, forgiving ankle-to-waist-high waves that are ideal for a first surf, and it’s an easy weekend escape from Manila. It picks up summer south swells as well as the winter monsoon, so there’s often something gentle to ride. Chilled, family-friendly and undemanding.
The Peak
Zambales’ serious wave, The Peak at Liwliwa is a powerful, swell-magnet A-frame that turns on hollow, punchy peaks when a solid NW windswell arrives in winter, a genuine expert spot amid the region’s mellow beaches. It handles size and rewards confident surfing. The rest of Liwliwa is a laid-back, arty beach town that’s grown into a cool alternative to busy La Union.
Baler and the Aurora coast
On Luzon’s Pacific-facing east coast, Baler is the birthplace of Philippine surfing, made famous by a certain 1970s film shoot. Today it’s a chilled, affordable surf town with waves for every level, catching the same typhoon swells that light up Siargao.
Sabang Beach
The main beach in Baler, Sabang is a long, forgiving beach break that is the town’s learners’ hub, with gentle rolling peaks, surf schools and board hire right on the sand. It works much of the year and is at its best on the autumn typhoon swells. Cheap, chilled and welcoming, it’s a lovely place to learn on the quieter east coast, a world away from the Siargao crowds.
Cemento Reef
Baler’s best wave, Cemento Reef is a wedgy, hollow A-frame that breaks over a reef at the south end of the bay, throwing fun, punchy walls for hotdoggers and the odd barrel when the swell is up. It’s a clear step up from Sabang and one of the few Luzon waves that can rival Siargao’s quality. Reef-bottom and for confident surfers, but rarely crowded.
Charlies Point
The rivermouth wave immortalised as the surf break in Apocalypse Now (filmed here in 1976), Charlies Point peels a fun left off the sand and rivermouth just north of Baler town. It’s a mellower, historic spot with a good wall on the right swell and a slice of cinema legend. A must-surf for the story alone, and a solid intermediate wave when it lines up.
Catanduanes: Puraran
Far out in the Pacific off Bicol, the island of Catanduanes hides one of the country’s finest waves: Puraran, better known as Majestics, a right-hand reef barrel for those willing to make the journey.
Puraran
Known as Majestics, Puraran on remote Catanduanes is a powerful, barrelling right-hand reef break that reels along a coral shelf when the Pacific typhoon swells arrive, a world-class wave that has long lured intrepid surfers to this far-flung island. It’s shallow, hollow and heavy at size, framed by palms and near-empty line-ups. A committed mission, but a barrel-hunter’s reward.
Siargao
Palm-fringed Siargao is the undisputed capital of Philippine surf and one of Asia’s finest destinations, home to the tubular Cloud 9 plus a spread of reef and boat-access breaks for every level, all wrapped in postcard island scenery.
Cloud 9
The wave that put the Philippines on the surf map, Cloud 9 is a thick, hollow right-hand barrel that detonates over a shallow reef on the southeast of Siargao, a genuine world-class tube that rivals anything in Indonesia when the autumn typhoon swells land. Famous for its viewing boardwalk and its international contest, it draws a crowd and demands respect: shallow, powerful and for advanced surfers. The island’s crown jewel.
Quiksilver
Right next door to Cloud 9, Quiksilver is a faster, shorter right that breaks over the same reef system and offers a punchy, high-performance alternative when the main peak is packed. It’s every bit as shallow and serious, rewarding quick, committed surfing. A good place to escape the Cloud 9 line-up on a busy swell, for experienced reef surfers only.
Jacking Horse
Siargao’s beginner wave, Jacking Horse is a soft, forgiving reef break near Cloud 9 that breaks over deeper water on the smaller days, making it the go-to for first-timers and improvers and the base for the island’s many surf schools. It’s the friendly counterpoint to the heavy reefs nearby, best at higher tides. A perfect place to find your feet before eyeing the bigger stuff.
Stimpys
One of the best of Siargao’s outer reefs, Stimpys is a fun, quality wave to the north of the island, often surfed on a boat trip and offering a mix of walling and hollow sections with fewer people than Cloud 9. It’s part of the island’s rich spread of reef passes that reward exploration by banca boat. A great option for intermediates and up looking to spread out.
Daku Island
Beyond the main breaks, Siargao’s offshore islands and sandbars (Daku, Guyam and the boat spots) offer fun, uncrowded waves reached by a short banca ride, some mellow enough for improvers and all set against impossibly pretty white-sand cays. Combining a surf with island-hopping and snorkelling is part of the Siargao magic. A relaxed, scenic day on the water.
The Mindanao mainland
On the Mindanao mainland, a couple of low-key spots reward the adventurous: the consistent, all-level beach break of Dahican near Mati, and the mushy reef and rich marine life of the fishing village of Lanuza.
Dahican
A long, curving beach on Pujada Bay near Mati, Dahican catches consistent Pacific swell through the Mayo Bay opening, so there’s almost always something surfable, from gentle rollers to punchier peaks. It lacks the reef quality of Siargao but makes up for it with an easy, uncrowded, all-level beach break and a famous skimboarding scene. A chilled, off-the-map corner of the surf coast.
Lanuza
A tiny fishing village in Surigao del Sur, long known for its biodiverse reefs, Lanuza has a modest surf scene built around mushy reef-top waves that peel both left and right, plus one decent right-hander. The quality doesn’t match Siargao a few hours south, but the warm welcome, the diving and the total lack of crowds make it a rewarding detour for the curious. Community-run camps and real local flavour.
When to surf in the Philippines
Shoulder (quieter, occasional swell)
West-coast season (December to March, NE monsoon: La Union, Zambales)
The Philippines has two distinct surf seasons that hit opposite coasts at opposite times, so somewhere is usually working. The marquee window is August to November, when Pacific typhoon swells march into the east-facing coast, lighting up Siargao’s Cloud 9, Baler’s reefs and remote Puraran, with September to November the peak. This is when the famous barrels turn on, warm and often offshore, and it’s the season most surf trips are built around, mindful of the typhoon risk itself.
From December to March, the northeast monsoon (Amihan) sends NW windswell into the South China Sea coast, putting La Union and Zambales in their prime with the biggest waves of the year in the northwest. April to July is the quietest stretch, though the swell is famously unpredictable here and Siargao can see peaks well into spring. The water is warm year-round, so it’s boardshorts and a rash vest whenever you go, plus reef booties for the coral.
What are the best surf camps in the Philippines?
The Philippines is a friendly, budget-friendly place to learn or chase barrels, and its surf-camp scene is concentrated on Siargao, where dozens of camps and schools cluster around Cloud 9 and beginner-friendly Jacking Horse, offering lessons, board hire and island-hopping. Baler and La Union on Luzon have their own relaxed schools and surf-stays, easily reached from Manila, while Mindanao’s Dahican has a couple of community camps. Expect boho beach cottages and yoga-surf retreats rather than resorts, at a fraction of the cost of Bali or Fiji. Learn at Jacking Horse or San Juan, then work up to the reefs. It pairs with wider Southeast Asian surf like Indonesia.
Compare surf camps in the Philippines on BookSurfCamps
What to pack for the Philippines
Warm water, shallow reef and island-hopping travel set the packing list. Your Philippines checklist:
- Boardshorts and a rash vest: the water is warm all year, so you can leave the wetsuit at home
- Reef booties for the shallow coral (Cloud 9, Puraran, Cemento)
- Strong, reef-safe SPF and a surf hat: the tropical sun is fierce
- A surf watch to track the tides, since the reefs are tide-dependent
- The right boards: a shortboard or step-up for the reef barrels, a longboard or midlength for the beach breaks; see our best beginner surfboards and check your board volume
- Spares of everything (fins, leashes, ding kit): island surf shops are limited
- A dry bag for the banca boat trips and island-hopping
- Your best outfit from your favourite surf brand: see our best surf clothing brands
Getting to the Philippines
Most surfers fly into Manila (MNL) or Cebu (CEB), then connect to the waves. For Siargao, frequent prop planes run from both to Sayak airport (IAO), a short ride from Cloud 9. The Luzon spots are drivable from Manila: La Union is around four to six hours northwest, Baler a similar run east over the Sierra Madre, and Zambales three to four hours west. Catanduanes and Mindanao’s Dahican need a further flight and transfer. Because the surf is spread across islands, plan around one or two regions rather than trying to see it all, and check which coast is in season. It pairs with wider Southeast Asian surf like Indonesia. Respect the reef, the tides and the typhoon forecasts.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to surf in the Philippines?
There are two seasons. August to November is prime for the Pacific east coast, when typhoon swells light up Siargao’s Cloud 9, Baler and Puraran (September to November is the peak). December to March suits the northwest, with NW windswell powering La Union and Zambales. Water is warm year-round.
Is the Philippines good for beginners?
Yes. Jacking Horse on Siargao, Sabang Beach in Baler, San Juan in La Union and Dahican are gentle, forgiving waves with plenty of cheap surf schools. Save the shallow reefs (Cloud 9, Puraran, Cemento) for once you have solid reef experience.
How good is Cloud 9?
World-class. Cloud 9 is a thick, hollow right-hand reef barrel on Siargao that rivals Indonesia’s best when the autumn typhoon swells arrive, and it hosts international contests. It’s shallow, powerful and often crowded, firmly a wave for advanced surfers, but it’s the reason many make the trip.
Do I need a wetsuit in the Philippines?
No. The water is warm all year (26 to 29 degrees Celsius), so boardshorts and a rash vest are all you need. Reef booties are the more important item for the shallow coral at the reef breaks.
Where should I go for my first Philippine surf trip?
Siargao is the classic choice: the best variety of waves, a beginner reef in Jacking Horse, world-class Cloud 9 to aspire to, and a stunning island vibe. If you’re coming from Manila and short on time, La Union (winter) or Baler (autumn) are easy, cheaper alternatives.
Is it easy to travel around the Philippines for surf?
It takes planning. The surf is scattered across a 7,000-island archipelago, so most trips involve an internal flight (to Siargao) or a long drive (to the Luzon spots). It’s best to focus on one region per trip and check that its coast is in season, rather than trying to island-hop everywhere.
The Philippines is Asia’s stunning, still-uncrowded surf frontier: the thick barrels of Cloud 9, the historic waves of Baler, the winter walls of La Union and the far-flung perfection of Puraran, all warm, cheap and framed by sugar-white sand. Pick your island, chase the right season, and soak up the laid-back Pinoy welcome between sessions. See you in the line-up.
