Just about anyone can find happiness in surfing’s liquid dance. It doesn’t require a young body, steel gut, or footloose and fancy-free lifestyle—all it asks for is an open heart and a pair of itchy feet. Lui Tortuya, owner of surf-shop Fiveforty Surf Co., gives us the keys to paradise.

By Lui Tortuya
Photos by Kage Gozun

For some of us the journey starts on a Thursday or a Friday night with a seemingly ill-timed cup of coffee, used to pry open sleep-filled eyes. The time is one or two in the morning, when the rest of the city is just starting to tap their feet or sway their hips at a local gig or electro superclub. In this corner of the city, though, all is quiet, as the laptop clicks on under the opaque aroma and the brew is sipped. On the screen pops up a satellite map of the Philippines, with arrows and colors superimposed over the map, showing wave size, activity, and direction. Saved at the bottom of the map is a list of favorite surf destinations, and this list varies from surfer to surfer.

San Juan, La Union, is at the top of that list for most of us here in Manila who set off every weekend to chase the Philippine Surf. Most weekends the forecasts would say 2-4 foot perfectly rolling waves—which translates as fun for any level of surfer. Because of its geographical position, La Union—or LU to its weekend regulars—is located in the path of really good waves, but it’s also a perfect distance from most weather systems coming from either the north or the south, allowing for very sunny-happy surfing sessions at Mona Lisa point as well as along the beach break.

The drive takes on average five hours on fully paved road—doing it during the twilight hours will get you there in under four hours. The locals here are well-experienced with both local and international tourists, which means three things: first that they’ll be quick and happy to show you around and teach you how to surf, two, they won’t ogle your bikini if you’re a girl (at least too obviously) and three, these locals know how to party. As much fun as you’ll have in the water, a lot of good times in LU get started when the sun sets.

For those looking for a quieter and, in many ways, more serious surf weekend, Baler, Aurora, would be on the top of the list. On most weekends the forecast is green-yellow—which in surfer’s terms means 4-6 foot with an occasional monster set that could devour your house. In truth this happens rarely, but if you ask most of your surfer friends they will swear to having seen at least one almost every weekend.

Tucked into the side of a mountain range, Baler has managed to stay pristine and peaceful, and its residents happy and very polite, though well-accustomed to visiting surfers, since Baler is actually one of the oldest surf spots in the Philippines, first discovered in the ‘70s by the production crew of the film, Apocalypse, Now! who happened to be surf enthusiasts as well. I’m sure they were as stoked as today’s surfers are to be able to surf perfect, powerful waves against the backdrop of verdant forests and majestic mountains.

In Baler you will find Cemento, which is also referred to as Cobra Reef because it doesn’t pop up like normal waves, but rises calmly and dangerous like a cobra ready to strike. If we handed out badges in this sport, many young Manila scouts would get their badge of courage at Cemento. Those less crazy in the head, however, tend to stay and surf along the Sabang beach break, where the beach stretches for miles and the surf is friendly to all levels of surfers. Along Sabang beach there are a few surf schools that provide lessons and can set you up with good instructors.

To get to Baler you head east over the stunning Sierra Madre through the beautiful lakeside town, Pantabangan. The drive takes anywhere from five to seven hours and is usually done at night to beat the traffic—but if you like beautiful scenery with your drive, the breathtaking view overlooking the lake is definitely worth the slightly longer travel time of a daytime excursion.

Making up the top three on the list is Zambales. The closest surf spot to Manila, taking a little under three hours to get to most of the popular surf spots, this surf destination earns as many clicks as the other two. If you plan your day correctly, you can surf for the day and be back for dinner. The forecast here ranges from sunny 1-3 footers perfect for learning during the Amihan months (the “Ber” months and dry season) to out-of-control monster waves with unpredictable winds and storms coming from the southwest during the Habagat season (rainy season). Magic Left in San Antonio is a great place for longboarding enthusiasts, while a quick boat ride away exposes numerous, more challenging breaks for the more adventurous surfer.

The coastline of Zambales is vast and has much to offer the urban surfer, but the trick is to know exactly where to go when the waves pick up. For surf lessons in Zambales you can go directly to Crystal Beach Resort, as they have the oldest established surf school in the area. Depending on the season, you can also head to Barangay Pundaquit for surf lessons with the local boys. And, of course, a great bonus to surfing Zambales (or Zamba as we like to call it) is that you can always make a pit stop at Subic for a post-surf feast before getting back on the road home.

No matter where you choose to surf in the Philippines, you’re never really trekking the beaten track; at the end of the day, the golden sun sets along the backdrop of pristine rolling waves—and the relatively few, adventurous, sun-kissed souls who have discovered the beauty of this lifestyle. You can find it on almost all of our coasts, and, while it has taken root in the popular destinations, there exist thousands of still-undiscovered waves. That is the real magic that is Philippine surfing: the sheer possibility and promise of a real, honest-to-goodness adventure.

Recently I was sitting on my board in the line-up (surf lingo for a break’s take-off area, where surfers catch waves) waiting for a wave with some good friends of mine; everything was quiet except for the gentle crashing of the white water. The session was a bit intense: 4-6 foot waves, no wind (which to surfers spells perfectly shaped waves), and a bright sun shining overhead. The reef was glittering underneath the clear, blue water, as the next set of waves hit and everyone scrambled to position themselves for the take-off. After we got our waves we all paddled back out to wait for the next set and, breaking the silence, my friend turned to me and asked, “Aren’t you glad we discovered surfing”? I didn’t really have an answer as I smiled ear-to-ear and turned to position myself for the next wave.

Surf-vival Tips:

Some tried-and-tested advice and inside information about the different surf locales from a veteran surfer, to get you on your first wave—happy and safe—in no time.

For the first-timers (a.k.a. kooks)
If you’re taking the bus, whatever the destination, I have two words for you: bundle up. Bring a jacket, pack a blanket, a pillow, whatever, the buses tend to be cold, as in below zero.

If you’re on a budget, a fun and wallet-friendly alternative to depending on restaurants for your daily sustenance is to cook your own food. Bring food from home like cereal, sandwiches, and fruit, and you can always head over to a nearby market for some fresh fish to grill up for dinner.
Like the song goes, always wear sunscreen. Always. Aloe Gator and Bronzinc are a couple of surf-friendly brands that’ll last all-day.
It’s a good idea to bring a rashguard for your first and succeeding surf sessions. For boys this’ll save you from nipple rash (it hurts as much as it sounds) and for girls, it’ll save you from an accidental Girls-Gone-Wild moment. If you cringe at the imported surf-brand price tag, you can always opt for a t-shirt or tank top, the lighter and more tight-fitting the better.

La Union

-The Partas bus line sends out hourly trips from its Cubao station that cost a little under Php400 one-way. It’ll take four to six hours depending on what time you go. It’s best to leave by on or after midnight: you can sleep on the bus and be in La Union in time for a morning surf session.

-An intro to surfing goes for Php350-400 per hour: Php200 for the board rental and another P200 to pay the instructor for a 1½-hour lesson.

-Good accommodations all along the beach and a variety of places to eat.

-If you don’t like karaoke, watch out: the whole beach is filled with the sounds of drunken singing by dinnertime. Then again, if karaoke isn’t your thing, this may be the wrong country for you.

Baler

-Baler is a beautiful, untouched place that takes a bit more planning to get to. It’s hard to get to on a bus but take Genesis bus line (which only leaves at three or four in the morning, so plan your schedule right) and a tricycle from the terminal and you’ll get to Baler in 6-8 hours.

-If you’re driving it’s better to take a bigger car, because, even with the major road improvements going on along the Pantabangan route, there’s still about 1½ hours of bumpy road.

-Bays Inn and Bahia are good places to stay at Php600-2000 per night. Good food places to eat along the beach or in town.

-Baler is definitely for the quiet-seeker. There are beautiful places to go boating and sightseeing. Some swear to having seen whales and dolphins while surfing.

Zambales

-Zambales is perfect for sneaking in a quick day trip of surfing. Taking your car to Zambales will have you out in the water in three hours tops, especially if you take the super-smooth SCTEX.

-But if you’re going to bus it you’ll have to do a bit of hop-on-hop-off: take Victory Liner going to IBA and that will pass all of the popular surf locations, such as San Antonio and San Narciso. Once in the town, you will need to take a tricycle to reach the beach.

-Most resorts are a bit expensive and not very well set-up to cater to surfers. Best places to stay are Crystal Beach in San Narciso, as well as Megan’s and Capones vista resort, both in Barangay Pundaquit, San Antonio.