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10 Aquatic Activities and Where to Try Them in the Philippines
Try these 10 Aquatic Activities in The Philippines, and you won’t feel like a fish out of water in no time!
By: Patricia Marie Prado | April 06, 2018
As a people living in an archipelagic country surrounded by gorgeous bodies of water, it’s almost a must for us Filipinos to hit the beach whenever the temperature rises. But aside from lounging on the sand or going for a casual swim, we can do other more exciting things in our country’s open waters—and water sports are at the top of the list.
Aquatic Activities or Water sports are a growing trend in the country, with more and more types emerging on our coasts. If you want to sign up for a thrilling summer, check out the different aquatic activities in the Philippines that you can do, even if you’re a beginner and the best spots where you can try them!
1. Wakeboarding in Camarines Sur
Address: Provincial Capitol Complex Cadlan, Pili, Camarines Sur
Price range: PhP180 to PhP1,690
Get off your skateboard and try wakeboarding for a change!
Image: CWC CamSurWatersports Complex Facebook Page
One of the aquatic activities that is growing in popularity right now is wakeboarding. Similar to snowboarding, wakeboarding also uses a wakeboard, a single board with bindings for each foot to hold the rider. The thrill comes once the motorboat or cable system tows and pulls the rider around the water’s surface.
One place to try wakeboarding in the country is at CamSur Watersports Complex (CWC). Suppose you’re not yet ready to wakeboard in open water. In that case, CWC has its own indoor complex with overhead cables to do the towing instead of actual motorboats or speedboats CWC also offers other aquatic activities like kneeboarding, waterskiing, and wakeskating.
2. Sailing In Iloilo
Address: Oton, Iloilo
Sailing also has plenty of physical and mental benefits.
Image: Iloilo Sailing Club Facebook Page
Sailing is the art of controlling a sailing ship or sailboat while being propelled by winds across a body of water. Although more and more people are enjoying it as a recreational activity, this one of the 10 Aquatic Activities In The Philippines is also a great workout as it develops muscle endurance, improves agility, and helps concentration.
If you want to try this aquatic activity in the Philippines, you can start at Iloilo. You can get in touch with Iloilo Sailing Club as they offer sailing courses for beginners and also lend sailing equipment if you need one for these aquatic activities. The club calls Oton, Iloilo home, but they also sail around the beautiful beaches of Panay and Guimaras.
3. Skim Boarding in Davao Oriental
Address: Dahican Beach, Mati City, Davao Oriental
Price range: Starts at PhP100 per hour
Want to try surfing? You can start with skimboarding first!
Image: Soy Sows
Another fun and challenging water sport is skimboarding. Skimboarding is similar to surfing, but unlike the latter, you start at the shore and glide through the water’s surface until you meet an incoming wave, which you ride back to the beach. The skimboard used is also similar to a surfboard, only smaller and without fins.
If you’re looking for aquatic activities, particularly skimboarding , try Dahican Beach in Davao Oriental. Many call it the Skimboarding Capital of the Philippines since its seven-kilometer shoreline became the perfect breeding ground for the sport. For lessons, you can contact the Amihan Surf and Skim Team, which is the group that started the sport in the province.
4. White Water Rafting in Cagayan De Oro
Address: Corrales Avenue, Corner Rivera St., Cagayan de Oro City
Price range: PhP1,200 to PhP2,000
See which among you will fall first when you try whitewater rafting.
Whitewater rafting is the way to go if you’re looking for aquatic activity in the Philippines with your friends. Usually consisting of a group of six people or more, this aquatic activity is done on whitewater or rivers with rapid movements using an inflatable raft or boat. The boat then rides with the river’s tide in an exciting and exhilarating adventure.
Cagayan de Oro is famous for offering one of the 10 Aquatic Activities In The Philippines, the whitewater rafting activity along the Cagayan River, which offers different levels of challenges. You can contact Kagay Whitewater Rafting if you want to try the activity. They offer transportation services, equipment, and guides that you will need for the adventure.
5. Diving in Coron
Address: Coron, Palawan
Price range: Starts at PhP2,500
Explore the marine world and learn diving this year.
Many people shy away from diving as it is an expensive hobby, but the experience of this aquatic activity makes it worth the investment. Recreational diving is an underwater activity that requires the use of a self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA). This aquatic activity in the Philippines allows you to go underwater for a more extended period of time, so you have more time to discover the marine world and interact with various sea creatures.
One place you can try diving is Coron, Palawan. The province is known for the numerous sunken Japanese shipwrecks below its waters, which became a favorite site of many divers. Suppose you want to be certified as a diver. In that case, you can reach out to Coron Divers (also known as Pabelonio Dive Shop), as they offer various aquatic activities and diving courses providing the equipment you’ll need.
6. Surfing in La Union
Address: Urbiztondo, San Juan, La Union
Price range: PhP200 to PhP400
Glide and slide through waves when you surf in La Union.
Image: @ jill.zaldivar
Surfing is one of the 10 Aquatic Activities In The Philippines and the most popular. It refers to the act of riding waves through a board while staying in an upright position. You can do this aquatic activity in the open seas or even in rivers, but the waves make all the difference. You can ride waves as small as two feet and also conquer ones as high as 10 feet.
One of the most popular spots for this aquatic activity in the Philippines is La Union. The place is teeming with surfers, but if you’re a beginner, you can contact San Juan Surf School. They offer surf lessons for first-timers and also offer board rentals. The season for this aquatic activity in La Union is all year round, but waves can go as high as 10 feet from October to March.
7. Water Skiing in Romblon
Address: Sitio Lusod, Barangay Lonos, Romblon Town, Romblon
Level up your wakeboarding experience with water skiing.
Image: Anchor Bay Water Sports Facebook Page
Like wakeboarding, waterskiing is also a surface sport in which a motorboat or cable system tows the rider. The only difference is in the boards they use: waterskiing requires a slimmer and longer board. Riders can also use either two skis for each foot or just one ski with the dominant foot in front of the other.
One place to give you this Aquatic Activity In The Philippines is in Romblon. The province is quite hard to get to, but its picturesque beaches and open waters make all the difference in giving you a tremendous aquatic activity experience. Anchor Bay Water Sports is based in Barangay Lonos, Romblon, and offers accommodation and various watersports activities.
Check out our list of surfing, skiing, and wakeboarding spots in Boracay and Panay Island or browse the Travel & Transportation category of the ShoppersGuide Directory.
8. Standup Paddleboarding in Taal, Batangas
Address: Taal Lake, Balete, Batangas
Price range: PhP3,000
Enjoy a more serene water activity with standup paddle boarding.
Image: Filisup Facebook Page
If you prefer a calmer activity, standup paddle boarding is appealing. Although you use a surfboard, you only have to stand up and use a paddle to move about in the water. It’s a great way to appreciate your surroundings, may you be on a calm ocean, river, or lake.
Taal Lake in Batangas is one spot that’s perfect for this aquatic activity. You can spend an afternoon appreciating the lake’s calm waters and see Taal Volcano from a different perspective. The group Filisup offers standup paddle boarding lessons plus a tour of Taal Lake.
9. Kitesurfing in Pagudpud
Address: Sitio Aprot, Barangay Caparispisan, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte
Price range: PhP200 to PhP19,000
Kitesurfing is a combination of various aquatic activities in the Philippines, like wakeboarding, windsurfing, and sailing rolled into one. In kitesurfing, the rider is pulled by a power kite propelled by winds while riding a board similar to wakeboarding. The combination of multiple water sports disciplines makes it one of the most challenging aquatic activities.
To kitesurf in a spot with excellent wind power and beautiful open seas, you can head to Pagudpud in Ilocos. One popular place mainly known for its kitesurfing activities is Kingfisher Beach Resort. Situated away from the town proper, the resort is a quiet place to escape into and try various water activities.
10. Canyoneering in Cebu
Address: Badian, Cebu
Price range: PhP1,650 to PhP3,600
Challenge yourself in Cebu’s famous canyoneering adventure.
Image: @harl.saw
For an action-packed adventure, make sure to add canyoneering to your itinerary this summer. Canyoneering is basically travelling in canyons or gorges through a variety of activities like walking, climbing, rappelling, and swimming.
One place that is almost synonymous with canyoneering here in the country is Cebu. South Cebu especially became famous for this aquatic activity in the Philippines in Badian, where adventurers will swim through sky-blue waters and jump off cliffs as high as 20 feet. Once you finish the three-to-six-hour activity, you’ll be rewarded by the beauty of Kawasan Falls.
Whether you’re a beginner in water sports or looking for new ways to make this summer more exhilarating, you’ll find something for you! These aquatic activities all over the country are exciting to try, so let us know in the comment section which are on your to-do list!
Make sure to check out our list of Water sports gear outlets in Metro Manila or browse the Sports and Fitness category of the Yoorekka Directory.
About Patricia Marie Prado
Patricia came from the field of business and accounting but is now pursuing her dreams of being a writer. She is a self-confessed introvert and is passionate about reading, travelling, writing, movies, coffee and God. When she's not writing, she loves discovering new coffee shops/cafe and doing TV-series marathons.
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