Philippines' recent addition to its welter of discoveries is Siargao. As the country's surfing capital, this pizza-shaped island has placed the archipelago on the maps of surfers worldwide. True-blooded surfers and visitors flock to Siargao and rave about the heart-pumping experience the place offers. Some love it so much that they settle on the island for good. Who can blame them when the bucolic isle teems with lush green forests, crashing waves, and year-round tropical weather?
Siargao's crowning glory is the highly celebrated wave called Cloud 9, a raging hollow tube of rushing water. The American photographer John Callahan captured it on film in the early ‘90s, and when its pictures were published in a surfing magazine, wave-rippers descended on the island. Siargao's town proper which offers cheap lodging and great food easily makes it as one of the cheapest and accessible surfing destinations in the world.
Those who want a more serene holiday can strap their diving gear and explore Siargao underwater. A contrast to the chaotic waves above the surface, the island's neighboring coral gardens exude a peaceful atmosphere, with the swaying kelps and the gliding fishes. Watching the wide variety of marine life is such a breathtaking experience that divers would find themselves waking from a dream when they surface.