Philippines Baler

Philippines Baler

Surf in Luzon: ride the wave of Apocalypse Now! The Philippines is famous for the long and arduous journeys out of the coastal villages, where excellent reefs are just waiting for the right typhonic swell to light up. Despite being positioned in the main land of Luzon, the city of Baler isn’t an exception, taking adventurers to the rolling Sierra Madre mountain range in the province of Aurora. This tinkly road is a place that you shouldn’t miss as it passes through waterfalls, rivers and a lush blanket of tropical forest full of biodiversity. The surf scene in Apocalypse Now was filmed in Baler, specifically in Charlie’s Point. Locals surf with passion and it is no surprise that Edmund Mendoza, the first national surfing champion, was born in Baler, the birthplace of Filipino surfing. It isn’t a crowded place, but there are around 50 surfers and only 20 surfboards. The quality is marginally better than what is shown in the film. You can’t miss this chance to surf in Luzon! A lot of quality spots lie in the north of Baler but, if there has been heavy rain, they are hard to access. Diarabasin is a lively left reebreak 45km north of Baler. Dalugen Reef is a fast left that breaks over reefs and adjacent beachbreaks for the less experienced surfers. A spot which has been recently discovered, and is only a 15-minute walk from the Bay Inn, is Lindie’s Point, where the waves were built “artificially” when local government engineers opened the mouth of the estuary to prevent flooding during the rainy season. On the rivermouth left and right sandbars are not formed but the currents are strong. A few steps from Baler there is Charlie’s Point , the Apocalypse Now spot where medium quality peaks break lazily on the bottom made of sand and gravel. Baler is located at the south end of a 10km long beach, where a rocky peninsula merges with the sea. In many places the beaches are a little too steep and the waves tend to close quickly. In this long stretch of beach with gray sand there are many resorts such as Angara’s Beach House, Bay’s Inn Resort or MIA surf and Sports. The most popular spot is Sabang Beach, right at Bay’s Inn, which is a perfect beachbreak for beginners. The best spot around is undoubtedly Cemento, a right over a sharp reef, a 40m walk from Sabang or just 10 min by boat. There is an exciting wave as it delivers breathtaking take-offs, but the ride is short. This is also known as “The Cobra Reef”, because the wave resembles the shape of a cobra about to strike. White sand, shells and chopped coral cover the stretch of Cemento Beach, a popular heaven for lobsters and other marine species. Though it is quite a secret place, you will hear about Dicasalarin Cove, a white-sand beach with no facilities. Getting there takes a heavy 45min boat trip, and the waves aren’t all that good. A bit of a trek to the south brings you to Dingaland, a very expansive southeast-facing beach with bland and random peaks, but there’s also NE wind protection and the premise of an empty spot.

The best period for this holiday is from October to March