Baler, Aurora — WHEN ONE DAY you suddenly feel the need to break away from your daily routine, think of Baler in the province of Aurora.

The waves of its many beaches and its majestic waterfalls await every weary soul in need of rest, or an adventure. Whichever you prefer.

Just before summer officially ended, and with storms about to hit the Philippines, we found ourselves enjoying this part of Central Luzon, thoroughly enchanted by its rural beauty. Not that rural living is new to me — I’m a native of Palawan province before settling in Metro Manila — but Baler still gave me a refreshing feeling. Its charm was enough to keep anyone excited throughout their stay, I’d say. It certainly had my heart beating faster, my adrenaline rushing, and my jaw dropping.

Baler is practically synonymous with ‘surfing,’ and every surfer knows it. Beyond that, it gives every visitor exactly what they need: waves to ride, waterfalls to shower under, or simply a place to rest for a day or two — if not settle for good. We’ve heard stories of visitors who, after a taste of this town, decided to sell their properties in the metro to live a simpler, humbler life here. Who could blame them?

Baler is enchanting. This is the view of Dicasalarin Cove, one of the beautiful scenes enjoyed by tourists and locals alike when in this town. – Photo by Carlo Jose Garcia

Surfing in Baler

Baler is definitely a surfers’ haven, if not heaven. It’s among the top three places to go if you love riding waves in the Philippines. The other two popular surfing destinations are La Union in the Ilocos Region and Siargao in Surigao del Norte.

Read also: Surfin’ It Hot: 7 Awesome Surfing Spots in the Philippines

So if you ask anyone what Baler’s main attraction is, don’t be surprised if the answer is “waves.” Nine-foot waves, to be exact.

Surfing is best experienced here between September and February, when the shores welcome the big waves generously supplied by the Pacific Ocean. During these months, tourists flock to town with one thing in mind: to surf. Local and international surfers also visit Baler for the Aurora Surfing Cup, an annual tradition since 1997.

Our visit wasn’t during surfing season, but Baler didn’t disappoint. Aside from the waves along Baler Bay, there are actually plenty of alternative spots to surf when in Aurora — just make sure to befriend the locals. They’ll be your heroes.

Whether you are a pro or not, Baler welcomes you to try surfing by its shore with the help of the locals. Just be ready to be enchanted. You’ve been warned. – Photo by Ely Valendez

We were lucky enough to be invited by a few friends from The Circle Hostel to join them in search of bigger waves. A few kilometers from town is Lipit Beach, which served as our surfing spot for the day. We didn’t expect the weather to cooperate, but the sun was up, the skies were clear, and the sea played along nicely, rolling decent waves throughout our session. For newbies, an hour of surfing lessons in Baler costs P350.

It wasn’t my first time surfing, but I still made the most of the lesson from Louie, a local surfer who guided me as I caught waves for almost an hour under the scorching afternoon sun. Afterward, we capped the day with a sumptuous boodle fight on a surfboard alongside our newfound surfer friends. If surfing has taught me one lesson, it’s that it’s not about playing with the waves but becoming one with them, letting them wash away every unnecessary particle of life.

How to go to Baler? From Metro Manila, ride a bus (Genesis/Joybus) from Cubao. It takes 4-6 hours to Baler. Fare is between P450-P750 depending on your choice of bus. We took the De Luxe (Sleeper Bus) and it took us less than 5 hours of non-stop bus ride to Baler. Fare was at P750 with free water and light snacks. [Featured photo from islandsofthephilippines.com].