Mercedes Bay

Bulabog Beach on Boracay is undoubtedly the Philippines’ best-known spot as the tour operators deliver guests to the schools, hire centres, beach-bars and waterfront lodgings. The setting couldn’t be more relaxed: a 1km x 3km turquoise lagoon lies beside a white sandy beach that receives the cross-onshore NE Monsoon in season. At low tide it’s standing depth, there’s some chop at high water and even little stunt-ramps on the reef. On the other side of the island, just 700m across at this point, is Boracay’s honeymoon paradise. At 3.5km, White Beach is half as long as the whole island. Winter’s offshore wind is mostly useless, but the rainy season’s prevailing SW works. Puka Beach is a lonely launch on the north coast, about a 10-minute trike ride away. It’s as beautiful as in the brochures, and the chest-high waves should help you forget that divers come here for close encounters with sharks. When Bulabog gets too busy, head to the beach in front of the Golf Course – unless you happen to be staying there, it means a long walk or a boat ride. Carabao Island remains undeveloped and is just visited for day trips. The east coast offers similar conditions to Bulabog, or there’s a 10km downwinder to Boracay. The 400m crescent-shaped sandbank in open sea at Seco Island is just awesome! Sail around it or jump over it – one side’s mirror-flat while little waves break on the other. Hangin Kiteboard Centre on Boracay organise two-day trips – either camping or bunking onboard overnight. If you fancy venturing further south-west, try the Cuyo Islands – a group of dream islets 8 hours from Boracay by boat and officially in Palawan province. Book your passage with the schools on Bulabog Beach or fly down: SEAIR flies to Cuyo every Tuesday, unfortunately with three stopovers. It’s much less hassle to just hop over to Panay, Boracay’s enormous southern neighbour. There’s lovely flat water inside the estuary of Ibajay and a decent windswell from the 150km fetch outside. Another rarely sailed spot is the Roxas city town beach, next to the public BBQ area. The province’s capital with its colonial Spanish architecture harbours the local fishing fleet so is extremely rich in seafood. Outlying Luzón’s Pacific-facing coast obviously has greater swell potential then the 'inner’ islands, but unfortunately typhoon swell arrives at the wrong time of year so Bagabas City is mainly ridden with mid-sized windswell. Nearly 2km of beach is flanked by two estuary lagoons, offering flat water: to the north the standing-depth Pandawan Lagune and south of the airport, Mercedes Bay. A real highlight is a day-trip of about 20km by boat to the distant Calaguas Islands. Just a few fishermen live here with absolutely no infrastructure – it’s like a land before time, blessed with unreal beaches and exposed to the region’s finest waves.