Siargao
Cloud 9 Is One Of The World'S Recognised Right Hand Reef Breaks And Typhoon Odette Flattened The Island In December 2021 · General Luna, Surigao del Norte
SIARGAO IS A SURF ISLAND FIRST AND EVERYTHING ELSE SECOND, and visitors who do not know that arrive expecting a beach holiday and find reef. CLOUD 9 IS A FAST, HOLLOW RIGHT-HANDER BREAKING OVER SHALLOW CORAL, one of the recognised world-class waves and the reason international competitions came here; the wooden boardwalk and viewing tower over the break are the island's landmark. THE SWELL SEASON RUNS ROUGHLY AUGUST TO NOVEMBER - WHICH IS ALSO TYPHOON SEASON, and those are the same months for a reason. IN DECEMBER 2021 TYPHOON ODETTE DESTROYED THE ISLAND: the boardwalk, most of the resorts and a huge proportion of the coconut palms that gave Siargao its name as the coconut island. Rebuilding took years and is not finished. WHAT IS LEFT IS RECOVERING FAST AND DEVELOPING FASTER, and that tension is the honest story of the place now. Learn at Jacking Horse if you are new - Cloud 9 breaks shallow over live coral and cuts.
Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte, General Luna, Surigao del Norte, Philippines
SIARGAO IS REACHED BY AIR INTO SAYAK AIRPORT AT DEL CARMEN from Manila, Cebu and Davao - about forty-five minutes by road to GENERAL LUNA, where almost everyone stays - or by FERRY FROM SURIGAO CITY, which takes a few hours and is weather-dependent. THERE IS NO GATE ANYWHERE; the island is covered by hired motorbike, tricycle or van. AN ENVIRONMENTAL FEE is collected on arrival. CLOUD 9 IS A REEF BREAK AND IS NOT A BEGINNERS' WAVE - lessons run at JACKING HORSE, which is gentler. BOAT TRIPS TO DAKU, GUYAM AND NAKED ISLAND leave in the morning; SUGBA LAGOON IS A SEPARATE TRIP FROM DEL CARMEN; MAGPUPUNGKO ROCK POOLS ARE ONLY THERE AT LOW TIDE, so check the tide table before going. Swell runs roughly August to November, which is also typhoon season.