Eduardo H Zobel paints a stunning picture of his personal experiences in Siargao, an idyllic paradise where surfers ride the waves and life is, literally, a beach
The surf is what attracted me to Siargao in the first place. I’d been researching about the surf scene in the Philippines and the first thing that came up on my search engine was a breathtaking image of Cloud 9, Siargao’s most iconic wave.
I was around 20 years old and was attending university in California. At the time, I was spending my weekends and vacation days working at my friend’s hotel in Costa Rica. When I wasn’t at work, I was surfing in nearby waters. Thus, my addiction to the sport began to grow stronger by the second.
When my family in the Philippines asked me to visit one summer, I asked for one thing in exchange for giving up my vacation time and flying home—for the family to spend some time in Siargao.
So, the trip was planned, and before I knew it, I was waking up at sunrise at the Sagana Resort (recently renamed Alon Resort) right in front of a then crowd-free beach and a barrelling Cloud 9!
CAPTIVATED BY UNSPOILT NATURE AND INTERESTING PEOPLE
When I first arrived, I loved how raw and organic the island felt. It was still a wild and remote surfing destination that had not fallen victim to the “fast-food tourism” paradigm that has diluted the beauty of other islands.
It was obviously not a money-making enterprise: the only people who found their way there were hardcore surfers and travellers seeking a more natural environment. At the time, Siargao was inhabited by a mix of locals and Australian surfers who were bringing surf culture into the island. There was a very happy and symbiotic relationship between them: the Aussies loved the surf; the locals loved the riding culture; and the girls loved the travellers.
There was a beautiful energy being harnessed on the island by this fusion of cultures, and it felt like everyone involved was very aware of the magic of the place. It was definitely not a tourist destination—it was a travellers’ paradise