philippines-siargao
#5. Siargao, Philippines: From obscure beginnings as a last refuge for Maui surfer, visionary and drug dealer Mike Boyum, Siargao Island in the Philippines has become one of the most popular surfing destinations in Asia. The international media exposure of the first media trip to Cloud 9 in 1992 and the support of the local government of Surigao del Norte Province to stage a very popular competition each year has kept the island on the radar of surf travelers worldwide. Despite chronic overcrowding at "Crowd 9", the island and the hollow right barrels of the most famous wave in the Philippines continue to be popular with Filipino and foreign surfers alike and the completion of a long-awaited airport for easier access will ensure continued popularity. Image: Callahan/surfEXPLORE
Surf is everywhere. It rolls past our coastlines, whipped up by storms off shore, held up by offshore winds, and can go from playful to terrifying the blink of an eye. Sometimes it’s blue, sometimes green, sometimes gray. Whatever it looks like, it’s always beautiful. Islands have some of the best waves, and this gallery shows twenty of the world’s best surfing islands. From India to Indonesia, there’s a wave for everyone.