Situated at the mouth of Baler Bay which opens up to the Pacific Ocean, waves in Baler tower up to 9 feet during high season. When we surveyed the waters the first time we stepped up Sabang Beach, all we could say was... wild. Waves were coming in from all directions, and almost each one that came in had enough power and momentum to carry you straight to the shoreline. We immediately dumped our stuff at the resort, picked out our boards for the day and paddled out to sea. Waiting for the big waves wasn't a problem at all, they kept coming one after the other and we had to rest and just float around every so often to catch our breath. We struggled paddling out with the never-ending barrage of waves coming at us, which proved to be quite a workout that left us reaching for meds later that day. Had some memorable wipeouts too, which induced cinematic visions of a frail body being washed out to the Pacific Ocean. Of course, the long rides on top of huge waves made it all bearable and worth it.
There are a lot of other side trips available around Baler. Venture into town to visit the Museo de Baler, view historical relics and not so historical movie props. Ermita Hill provides a scenic view of the town and the beach. Balete Park is home to supposedly the largest Banyan Tree in Asia, 60 meters high and said to be more than 300 years old. There are a couple of water falls worth visiting as well - Diguisit and Ditumabo falls are just a short tricycle ride and hike away from town. Woke up early as well the next morning to catch the sunrise (this is the eastern coastline of the Philippines!), which was an awesome way to start the day. Early morning joggers swarmed the beach as soon as daybreak settled, with a couple of brave surfers already jumping in with their boards. We definitely did not find ourselves bored with nothing to do. For a small & sleepy town, there quite a handful of activities to do in Baler.
Hopefully, the highway leading up to Baler will be finished as scheduled within this year. They say it will cut travel time from Manila by almost half, which will make the waves of Baler ever more accessible.
There are 2 popular surf shops on Sabang Beach: Maddox Surf Shop and Aliyah Surf Camp. Both charge P200 per hour for board rentals, and P300 per hour for surf lessons (inclusive of board rental). Both have good instructors, make sure you reserve a board early especially during peak seasons. YOU GOTTA TRY IT ONCE!!!
WHERE TO STAY
Bay's Inn - central beachfront location. Fan rooms start at P500/night, while aircon rooms start at P900/night
http://baysinnbaler.multiply.com
(0907) 7005734 / (0918) 9266697 / (042) 2094312
baysinn_baler@yahoo.com
Bahia de Baler - newer hotel 5mins from Bay's Inn. Rooms start at P1,200/night
http://bahiadebaler.com
(042) 2094276 / (0920) 9040177 / (0920) 5550451
