Siargao

This teardrop-shaped island in the province of Surigao del Norte province is known as “The Surfing Capital of the Philippines” because of the famous Cloud 9, one of the best-known surfing waves in the world. The excellent surfing conditions is Siargao is caused by the very deep offshore waters that surround the area. The island’s reefs, which face the Pacific Ocean, are located on the edge of the Philippine Trench. The powerful ocean swells made the Cloud 9 possible in this part of the country.

Siargao gained worldwide fame when John Callahan, a photographer from the U.S., featured Siargao Island in the March 1993 issue of Surfer magazine. His amazing pictures atracted traveling surfers, who were always on the lookout for the best waves in thr world. Because of the powerful waves and relatively cheap accommodations, Siargao became one of the most famous surfing destinations in the world. This led to the creation of Siargao Cup, an annual surfing competition for both locals and foreigners. Surfing is best from August to November, during the monsoon season.

Aside from great surfing, Siargao boasts of abundant natural beauty. The island has some of the biggest mangrove forest reserves in the Mindanao region, as well as long stretches of wetlands. The beaches are dotted with mighty coconut trees swaying in the breeze. There is a 200-meter long white sandbar and massive coral reefs in the crystal waters. This makes Siargao perfect not only for surfing, but also for other activities such as island hopping and snorkeling.

There are many ways to get to Siargao, either by air, sea or land. All the domestic air carriers offer trips to Cebu or Butuan City. From there you will take another ride to Surigao City, and from there, you can take a van, motorcycle or jeepney to get to Siargao Island.