Baler is the capital of Aurora province on the east coast of Luzon, facing the Pacific Ocean. It is best known as the birthplace of Philippine surfing — the waves at Sabang Beach drew the first surfers in the 1970s, and the town has since become the most popular surf destination in the country. The break works best from October to March, when the northeast monsoon pushes consistent swells onto the coast.
Beyond surfing, Baler has a striking setting: the town sits in a bay backed by the Sierra Madre mountains, and the surrounding countryside is lush and largely undeveloped. Ditumabo Falls, a powerful cascade in the forest about an hour's drive inland, is worth the muddy trek. The history here is also unexpectedly rich — the Museo de Baler tells the story of the 337-day Siege of Baler in 1898, when a Spanish garrison refused to surrender even after Spain had ceded the Philippines to the United States.
Getting here from Manila takes about five hours by bus over mountain roads — scenic but not for the easily carsick.