Surfing in La Union

La Union is a beautiful province located between Pangasinan and Ilocos Norte. Roughly four hours away from Manila, La Union is the common stopover for people visiting Baguio or Vigan. But La Union is also popular for something else: surfing!

La Union has the fifth-longest coastline in the planet, and the surf is consistent throughout the year. But if you prefer high, challenging waves, the best time to visit is from October to February. La Union has a dozen surf spots – the best place to start with is Barangay Urbiztondo, where you can simply get off the highway, walk a few meters, and find plenty of resorts and surf schools right beside the sea. You can get good beachfront accommodations suited for any budget – there are cheap backpacker hostels like Flotsam Jetsam, as well as fancy villas and hotels such as Kahuna Resort.

Learning to surf in La Union is very inexpensive. The waves here are good for both beginners and pros. All surf schools follow a fixed rate, and so surfing lessons cost P400 per hour everywhere in the area. By the end of the day, any beginner will surely be able to stand on a board and glide happily along the waves. If you already know how to surf, board rentals will set you back P200 per hour. You can also rent boards for half a day for only P400. If you pick your surf school right, you might even get tutorials from famous surfers such as Luke Landrigan or Lemon “Surfstar” Dines. Try the San Juan Surf School or Lemon Surf Shop.

Aside from surfing, another nice attraction in La Union is the people. Surfers here are generally laid-back and sociable. You will surely make good friends during your visit!

Photos and article by Jess Jacutan