Philippines : A Premier Surfing Haven

 The campaign of the Department of Tourism (DoT) to make the country a premier surfing destination is beginning to get recognition.

With a coastline twice as long as the United States, the Philippines is slowly but surely securing a place in the surfing world.

“In cooperation with Department of Tourism, Onboard Philippines hopes to grow the local surfing industry, explore the numerous opportunities that it presents for Philippine tourism as well as empower and support the country’s growing community of local surfers,” says Freddy Gonzalez of Aloha Board Sports Inc.

“With each discovery, however, one realizes that we have barely plumbed the extraordinary depths of our country’s surf culture –a facet of the Philippines that can potentially secure our place on the international tourism map,” he adds.

Gonzalez, along with the Aloha Boardsports Surf Team, plans to surf across the country’s most notable surfing destinations, which include Badoc Island in Ilocos Norte, Baler in Aurora, Catanduanes, Daet in Camarinas Norte, La Union, Pagudpud, Samar, Siargao Island, Cabugao in Ilocos Sur and Zambales.

These are only a few examples of the country’s notable surf-spots, where tales of monster swells and majestic waves are the primary lure.

The campaign will be supported by DoT Secretary Ace Durano, also an honorary Aloha Boardsports Surf Team member.

The move hopes to explore the country’s top tourism and surfing destination.

Flanked by beach-breaks powered by a living and breathing ocean, it was only a matter of time before the Philippines left its legendary mark on international surf-lore.

“This is a whole new tourism wave that will bring a different segment of tourists to Philippine shores,” Gonzales says.

“The Philippines is already a unique tourist destination unto itself—surfing is an opportunity to broaden its inherent potential to be recognized by a rising new global tourism sub-culture,” he adds.

Photo Credits : Kage Gozun