Samar surfing a closely guarded secret?

Where is Samar surfing?

Samar is an island in the Eastern Visayas, on the eastern side of the Philippine archipelago. It is wedged between the island of Luzon to the north and the island of Leyte to the south.

The San Bernardino Strait and the San Juanico Strait separate Samar from Luzon and Leyte respectively.

To the east lies the Pacific Ocean and to the west is the Samar Sea.

How do I get to Samar?

You can get to Samar by flying or road and ferry, depending on which direction you are coming from.

If you are coming from Manila, your quickest way of arriving is by plane. Asian Spirit flies four times a week to Cataman, on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. All flights leave at 06:00am. Asian Spirit also flies to Calbayog three times a week on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

Have a look here for more information on Asian Airlines.

Buses service the entire island so getting around is not particularly difficult. You can also travel by bus and then ferry to Samar from Manila. The bus trip from Manila can take up to twelve hours to Matnog in southern Luzon. From Matnog catch a ferry to Allen on Samar it will take about 1 ½ to 2 hours.

You can catch a ferry from Manila to Catbalogan have a look at Philippine Ferries for more information.

Arriving from Leyte is a simple matter of crossing the San Juanico Bridge, buses ply the highway so access is not limited by any stretch of the imagination.

Surfing

Samar surfing is located along the eastern shoreline which is exposed to the Pacific Ocean. The Pacific Ocean is the critical element in determining the waves.

The Samar surfing season is generally accepted as being from September to March, the larger and more consistent waves arrive during the North East Monsoon or if there is a typhoon off the coast it will really push the swell up.

If you want to explore and surf some locations that perhaps have never been surfed before, then Samar surfing is the place for you. All you need to bring with you is a bit of time and adventure and you may find your very own idyllic break with no one to drop in on you and annoy you. Why don’t you try and find your own paradise by the surf.

If you want to see what the surfing is like at Samar, have a look here at this video.

The better known sites in Samar are centered around Borongan which is situated toward the south of the east coast of Samar. Surfing sites include:

Pirates Cove
It has been named Pirates Cove as the site is located directly in front of the Pirates Cove Resort, so you shouldn’t have to many problems locating it. The break itself is a left hander and is mainly from experienced surfers as it sucks up on to a coral reef.

The Boulevard
The Boulevard is a beach break north of Borongan.

Guiuan
Guiuan is a small town at the southern most tip of Samar. Can be quite a challenging reef break and really only for the adventurous and experienced.

Where do I stay?

Accommodation in eastern Samar is not that difficult to find. There are a number of resorts littering the coast and closer to the larger towns some affordable and clean Pension houses. It depends on you budget. Either way you will not break the bank!