Siargao: A Surfing Paradise
The unspoiled teardrop shaped island called Siargao is a Shangri-la for adventurers and nature lovers. It is the surfing capital of the Philippines. This surfing haven is located 800 kilometers Southeast of Manila. Siargao is now one of the world’s great frontiers for surf exploration. Its most popular break is “Cloud Nine.” Surfing is best from July to November when strong waves are in constant motion. The powerful wave-off “Cloud 9” has been hailed as one of the world’s five toughest breaks and has been frequently compared to the famous surf of Hawaii and Australia.
Siargao’s “Cloud Nine“, a powerful hollow right hander, featured in “Surf Magazine” as one of the ten best waves in the world. East of Siargao Islands lies the Philippine Deep that rises from over 34,000 ft to a belt of reefs. This Oceanic trench is the reason for the excellent surf in Siargao; because it is so deep and the continental shelf narrow, the waves break with juice straight out of deep water and focus the wave energy straight at the beach. This area is set to become Asia’s next hot surfing destination and is truly one of the worlds’ last great frontiers for surf exploration.
Siargao Island is Surigao Del Norte’s “last frontier” facing the Pacific Ocean. The island boasts of quite a number of untapped natural resources that tourists marvel. Aside from the white beaches that abound, the seas of Siargao are the fishermen’s choice to catch fish and other marine products. This year, under the administration of Gov. Robert Lyndon Barbers, Siargao’s infrastructure development got the much needed “shot in the arm” with its people seeing and feeling the improvements where during the previous provincial leaderships, “it was only but a dream,” so they said.
Are you ready for Island Hopping? There are islets where you’ll find fine white sand beaches and crystal clear waters comparable to Boracay Paradise. The three favorites – Guyam, Daku and Naked Island are close to General Luna and can be visited by renting your own banca for only P1,000.00. Traveling around the town makes easier with habal-habal, a motorcycle that can load up to 7 passengers to that will bring you to different destinations in town.
The Siargao Success Story
Back in the early 80’s surf pioneers ventured into this isolated and rugged territory and discovered excellent waves. The surfers were Steve Jones, an Australian and Tony Arroza, a Hispanic-American. Then there was this mysterious tourist by the name of “Max Walker” who settled in a solitary hut on the palm-fringed shores of Tuason Point, Catangnan, within a small distance from a perfect reef break, now popularly known as Cloud Nine. He was probably the first to surf Cloud Nine and was also credited for discovering Grajagan or G-Land surf spot in Java, Indonesia. But this man was acting so strange that former town mayor Jaime Rusillon called him “Mad Max”. Looking back, I remember this strange tourist who starved himself until he died on the 44th day of his fast, which happened to be his birthday. He was buried in Tuason Point, fronting Cloud Nine. Eventually, it was known that he was the legendary Hawaiian surf traveler John Michael “Mike” Boyum who was sought after by Hawaiian authorities for drug trafficking. He escaped and settled in General Luna for its remote location and excellent surf. Only upon Boyum’s death did the former mayor realize that his fans and friends in the surfing world were tracking his treks. Eventually, those who followed Boyum’s Philippine adventure and took pictures that landed in various international magazines blew the tight lid off Siargao.
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