Surfing in the Philippines

The main source of swell in the Philippines is from the strong lows located south of Australia. These lows spin off northwards regularly providing the region with generous SE to SW groundswell from March to September. December to February is cyclone season; unpredictable cells can deliver 360-degree swell, lighting up rarely breaking reefs and points facing every direction.

The South Pacific trade winds are some of the most consistent in the world, generally coming from the east with slight seasonal variation. These winds generate regular swell, however onshore conditions can be a problem on east facing coastlines so early morning surf sessions are recommended.

In the North Pacific, the intense lows descending from Alaska deliver NE to NW swells from October to March. Rarer hurricane swell coming from Southern Mexico appears June to October. With so many energy vectors it’s hard not to find a wave in the Philippines.

This area of the South China Sea/West Pacific can be notoriously inconsistent in terms of regular swell generating weather systems. Surfing in the Philippines is generally restricted to the monsoon seasons, however the good news is that there are two monsoon seasons.

The northeast monsoon (between November and April) can produce quality swell that lights up the eastern breaks, including Cloud 9 surf spot in Siargao. While larger cells can wrap around the northern tip of Luzon on occasion. The southwest monsoon (between May and October) can generate enough swell on the north-west coast of Luzon. Although further south, the west coast is limited due to its close proximity to Borneo and other large islands.

Find surf spots here.