Waves and playtime | Baler, PH (Part 5)

I've shared a lot in my previous posts about my extended trip in Baler in the Province of Aurora; I've seen a historic hill, islets and rock formations, a giant Balete Tree, a huge waterfall, a hanging bridge, a lighthouse on top of a hill facing the Pacific Ocean. And just when I thought I already experienced the best of Baler, I was wrong.

I may have never mentioned this before in my previous posts about Baler as I never intended to present Baler as just another surfing destination because there's so much more to Baler than Sabang Beach, the beach where most surfers come together and catch waves all year long. I already took you on my journey around Baler and had proven this point. Now, of course, Baler wouldn't be Baler without Sabang Beach.

I'd say surfing ain't so popular in the Philippines. We might be an archipelago and with that everywhere you go bodies of water surround islands and islets, but surfing doesn't only require bodies of water, we need waves, huge or series of in order to successfully ride. I'm not an expert in this field but on my backpacking around my beautiful country, I've always included surfing in my itinerary. With this, I've surfed in the following famous surfing spots:

*San Juan, La Union
*Cloud 9, Siargao
*Gubat, Sorsogon
*Dulag, Leyte

A few have requested to share how Sabang Beach fared compared to the rest of the surfing spots I've been to, so here's my encounter with the waves in Baler.

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Afternoon Chill at Sabang Beach

It's as if I forgot about Sabang Beach and surfing altogether. At first, I tried to find a hostel right in front of Sabang as I want to wake up with the view of the Pacific but I couldn't find any cheap hostel there. I was traveling for two weeks straight and I was living on a tight budget. So I settled in Go Surfari Hostel which is only a few meters away from the beachfront.

It was late in the afternoon when I arrived there, tired and exhausted after touring Baler for the entire day. But I'm leaving the following day and I shouldn't miss Sabang. So even with the daintiest energy left in my body, I decided I should surf!

I walked in the cemented walkway they called boulevard and without even trying, I got myself a surfing instructor and a guide. If you go there, finding an instructor is the least you'd worry about. But it was barely summer, maybe that's why it wasn't hard at all. I didn't take the offer as I want to explore the entire beachfront first.

The shore is wide and long and with only a handful of tourists and locals, Sabang brought tranquility to my soul. I just sat on the sand while watching people surf, jog, and bike at the beach. Sundown was in one corner waiting for her turn to take over, so after spending a few minutes chilling, I went back to place offering surfing lessons and guide.

In no time, a young guide emerged with a huge surfboard. We reviewed a few lessons on how to ride. I told him it wasn't my first time but I haven't done surfing all by myself; a guide's always around each time. If it's your first time surfing, Baler's a perfect spot. The entire beach is covered with fine sand (although it ain't as white and fine as Boracay's), but it surely is a safe spot for beginners. If you've been to Siargao and tried surfing, the spot where they allow beginners to surf is covered with rocks; I went home with a few scratches and bruise on my skin.

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It ain't the best day to surf

I was supposed to edit my surfing videos together with this post, however, when I skimmed through my videos, I couldn't seem to find any decent ride and I realized there was no decent ride that afternoon; the waves were small and short. My instructor/guide tried to help me find the best waves but to no avail. One hour was over and I couldn't seem to enjoy the rides as much as I did in Dulag and La Union.

The guide and I parted ways but I stayed on the beach and played with the waves for the rest of the afternoon. I'm a huge fan of waves! I had nothing else to do so I made the most out of their presence. Oftentimes, I always get criticized for doing solo backpacking as people think it's boring and lonely. It ain't the case with this trip at Sabang as my playmates were all out in making me laugh and happy. This might look childish to some, but the following photos show how genuinely happy I was on this trip. And that I don't need an extravagant trip to find joy. Please excuse my funny face and all the funny poses caught on my GoPro as I tried to befriend the waves. 😂

My stomach ached from laughing every time the waves come to me. In less than an hour, I had to return to my hostel to get dry clothes, eat dinner and prepare for my departure the following morning.

It was an awesome afternoon at the beach. And although I've had countless playtime with the waves, I would go back just to do the same.

The following morning, I finally bade goodbye to Baler and headed to Nueva Ecija to continue with my Central Luzon backpacking. I'd definitely share what I visited in Nueva Ecija in my upcoming posts. Stay tuned!

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