With the Philippines’ 7,107 islands, you can surely get away from it all — and have fun while getting lost.
CALICOAN
Guiuan, Eastern Samar
If you prefer tranquility and soul-searching over all-night partying, consider this your paradise. Life here is quiet, but it has its surprises. They come in the form of huge crustacean packages. The lobsters are plentiful and cheap; you can have them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And if you love to surf, you’ll find that the call of Calicoan lies in its waves. www.calicoansurfcamp.com
REAL, Quezon – Most people would think that the best thing about
surfing is riding on top of the wave. But for me, it’s also being inside
it.
I had seen the nth wave approach and instinctively, felt myself dive under. It is quiet under a wave. You forget you have deadlines, forget you have a phone, and remember to go out of town more.
I was on a “surfari” organized by the Philippine Surfing Academy (PSA). Our group was a curious mix of experienced surfers, poi dancers, Frisbee players, and Korean exchange students.
We were in Real (reh-YAHL), Quezon, a 2.5-hour drive away from Manila. Among 25 known surf spots in the Philippines, what makes Real distinct is that it’s beginner-friendly. Here, the waves don’t break into scratchy coral reefs but instead, soft sandy bottoms.
Before hitting the ocean, we were all briefed on the basics — how to paddle out to the waves, get on the board, stand on it, and of course, recover from a wipe out.
They say if you want to know someone’s character, travel with them. I say, take a shortcut and surf with them.
Within an hour, some people took to surfing right away. Some liked the security of being with an instructor. But there was this one girl who was just enjoying it. She was wearing pants, her stance was wobbly, but the grin on her face made her look like she had just won the lotto.
Later on, I found out the girl didn’t even know how to swim! The PSA guys say they can teach you how to surf even if you can’t swim. You just have to like the waves.
Getting There
You can take a car or bus or join PSA’s organized trips to Real, Quezon, 2.5 hours away from Manila.
For more information, visit www.philippinesurfingacademy.com.
Here in the Philippines, the beach is only half of your island vacation. The water is just as inviting too.
From the gentle, clear water of Boracay to the gigantic surf breaks of Siargao; you’ll find the island, the beach, the shore that’s just perfect for you.
Go from beginner to advanced as you go from La Union to Aurora, chasing surf breaks. Or take a side trip for some wakeboarding, kitesurfing, parasailing or sailing.
We have so much water, it’s an aquatic playground for any water sport.
Love the mysteries of this planet’s underwater kingdom? You’ve come to the right place.
Those who choose to snorkel can enjoy simply hovering above glistening corals, inches from the hull of World War II shipwrecks.
Pros may prefer to dive directly into the darker caverns of these sunken vessels and uncover history hatch by hatch.
“Tubbataha Reef should be on the bucket list of every serious diver,” says author and underwater photographer Robert Yin. To get there, you would have to book a live-aboard trip. Worth it, for hundreds of feet of visibility, and sharks and other pelagics at every turn.
Some amazing reefs though —like those in Anilao, Calamianes and Cebu islands—are just a shore entry away. Sit down to lunch as soon as you strip off your wetsuit!
Just a dip proves that our seas are home to the planet’s most diverse marine life—from the largest to the tiniest — and some of the strangest ocean species known to man.
The Philippines is at the center OF the center of the world’s marine biodiversity. And we invite you to jump into the very heart of it.
CALICOAN
Guiuan, Eastern Samar
If you prefer tranquility and soul-searching over all-night partying, consider this your paradise. Life here is quiet, but it has its surprises. They come in the form of huge crustacean packages. The lobsters are plentiful and cheap; you can have them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And if you love to surf, you’ll find that the call of Calicoan lies in its waves. www.calicoansurfcamp.com
I had seen the nth wave approach and instinctively, felt myself dive under. It is quiet under a wave. You forget you have deadlines, forget you have a phone, and remember to go out of town more.
I was on a “surfari” organized by the Philippine Surfing Academy (PSA). Our group was a curious mix of experienced surfers, poi dancers, Frisbee players, and Korean exchange students.
We were in Real (reh-YAHL), Quezon, a 2.5-hour drive away from Manila. Among 25 known surf spots in the Philippines, what makes Real distinct is that it’s beginner-friendly. Here, the waves don’t break into scratchy coral reefs but instead, soft sandy bottoms.
Before hitting the ocean, we were all briefed on the basics — how to paddle out to the waves, get on the board, stand on it, and of course, recover from a wipe out.
They say if you want to know someone’s character, travel with them. I say, take a shortcut and surf with them.
Within an hour, some people took to surfing right away. Some liked the security of being with an instructor. But there was this one girl who was just enjoying it. She was wearing pants, her stance was wobbly, but the grin on her face made her look like she had just won the lotto.
Later on, I found out the girl didn’t even know how to swim! The PSA guys say they can teach you how to surf even if you can’t swim. You just have to like the waves.
Getting There
You can take a car or bus or join PSA’s organized trips to Real, Quezon, 2.5 hours away from Manila.
For more information, visit www.philippinesurfingacademy.com.
Here in the Philippines, the beach is only half of your island vacation. The water is just as inviting too.
From the gentle, clear water of Boracay to the gigantic surf breaks of Siargao; you’ll find the island, the beach, the shore that’s just perfect for you.
Go from beginner to advanced as you go from La Union to Aurora, chasing surf breaks. Or take a side trip for some wakeboarding, kitesurfing, parasailing or sailing.
We have so much water, it’s an aquatic playground for any water sport.
Love the mysteries of this planet’s underwater kingdom? You’ve come to the right place.
Those who choose to snorkel can enjoy simply hovering above glistening corals, inches from the hull of World War II shipwrecks.
Pros may prefer to dive directly into the darker caverns of these sunken vessels and uncover history hatch by hatch.
“Tubbataha Reef should be on the bucket list of every serious diver,” says author and underwater photographer Robert Yin. To get there, you would have to book a live-aboard trip. Worth it, for hundreds of feet of visibility, and sharks and other pelagics at every turn.
Some amazing reefs though —like those in Anilao, Calamianes and Cebu islands—are just a shore entry away. Sit down to lunch as soon as you strip off your wetsuit!
Just a dip proves that our seas are home to the planet’s most diverse marine life—from the largest to the tiniest — and some of the strangest ocean species known to man.
The Philippines is at the center OF the center of the world’s marine biodiversity. And we invite you to jump into the very heart of it.
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