TRAVEL & ADVENTURE
“ worked” here for a month right after I graduated from Ateneo – it was a perfect excuse to live the beach life and surf every single day!
My Tips For You: Respect the beach and make sure that you don’ t leave any trash behind. If there is anyone directly affected by what happens to the sea or the ocean – it’ s the surfers. More and more people come here every year now, which is good for business but also bad for the ocean. So we should all take part in maintaining the cleanliness of our playground. The locals have clean ups every morning and afternoon and this is something we should learn from. We wouldn’ t want to be surfing next to plastic bags now, do we? Also make sure that you know where you are surfing, what goes on around the spot( rips, tides, currents), and proper surf etiquette because not only does it make sure that you have fun and keep you safe, but it’ ll also keep others safe.
Favorite Surf Spot Number 2: SIARGAO
( Above) Luke Miendra Surfing the La Union waves and the La Union sunset.
Why I Like It: Siargao is surfing paradise. Think of Boracay 30 years ago plus waves. It’ s an island in northern Mindanao that has not yet been inundated with commercial businesses. Surfers and other water sports enthusiasts( bodyboard, etc.) from all around the world come here to experience the barrelling waves in Cloud 9 and other spots. The entire island is full of coconut trees, waves are what surfers call“ perfect,” not all roads are paved yet, and you can still see the fireflies at night. Waves here are world class and every year, an international competition is held. There are rock pools, caves, lagoons and other islands to go to. One of my favorite activities, besides all the surfing of course, was going to the Sohoton caves and swimming with hundreds of stingless jellyfish in crystal clear blue water. I am usually freaked out by jellyfish, but this time, it was magic.
Type of Surf: The waves and the reef here are for more experienced surfers. Shortboards are the staple, although you can get lessons and use longboards from locals in other spots.
Place To Stay At: SAGANA. The owners Gerry and Susan are from Australia but have integrated so well with the Filipinos in the island
Sagana Resort that they’ re as good as locals themselves. They are very friendly and make you feel right at home. The food is to die for and Susan even bakes her famous lasagna once in a while – and I was very lucky to have tasted it! The rooms are cottages and really make you feel relaxed and feel the island vibe right after a day of surfing.
My Tip For You: I honestly think that Siargao is not for the faint of heart. Girls, if you’ re out here to just get a tan, you can but you’ re honestly going to miss out on a lot of things! Get out there, move around, pretend you own an island, drink and eat from a freshly picked coconut and meet other people besides the ones in your group. Be prepared to be scratched or bruised, so bring your own first-aid kit because the nearest hospital is on another island. Being in Siargao feels like being in an adventure movie, where anything is possible and memories – both in and out of the water – are made every single day.
Go ahead! Try it and explore one of the places I’ ve mentioned or one of the other islands. I may be writing more about it in this magazine. Discover the beauty of our islands. Have an adventure. Catch a wave. Fall insanely in love with surfing. I know I did. •
Elaine Abonal is a surfer, freelance photographer, writer and English, French and Spanish language instructor. E-mail her at elaineabonal @ yahoo. com
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