For those seeking the rush and adventure along the coast Lanuza, Surigao del Sur

Amped? Stoked? Raring to hang-ten on a massive tube of seawater?

Hardly.

As someone who considers shopping a legitimate cardio building exercise, it was particularly hard to haul myself out of bed on that hot, sunny weekend to go surfing. Yet there I was at the domestic airport, packed and ready to board Asian Spirit’s 9 am flight to Surigao del Sur.

It was a small group, a little over ten, and all of them, with cameras and backpacks in tow, looked keyed up for an adventure—appropriate considering we were flying on an adventure airline.

We were headed to a small town called Lanuza—a rough and bumpy, four-hour drive from the city where our plane landed. But that was only a testament to what an intrepid few have known about Lanuza for years: the lure of world-class surfbreaks was well worth the trip. This was probably the reason why our hosts, the Aloha Boardsports Team Riders, chose it as the first stop for their Onboard Philippines initiative. The campaign was basically geared towards elevating Philippine tourism through surfing, and there was no better place to start than the undiscovered shores of Surigao del Sur.

Driving around, we were given a slice of the quaint, rural way of life that reveals how thoroughly the island is steeped in natural wonder and history. Lanuza in particular is a lush province, home to the Magkawas Falls and Green Paradise, the Campamento Cave as well as the Lanuza Marine Park and Sanctuary. And far from the swarm of sunbathers and sem-break debauchery, it was quiet, secluded and outlined by an impressive coastline that, for the most part, proved to be reason enough to visit.

"It gets busier during November, when we have our annual surf festival," explained Mayor Geri Irizari as he welcomed and promptly advised us to get lots of rest in time to catch the best early morning breaks.

By 5 am the next morning, we were all raring to catch a wave, and it was a particularly pleasant surprise to realize that the ocean was no more than a 10-minute stroll from our bed & breakfast.

The waves were glassy and gentle that morning, and our lesson began with a short lecture: other than basic swimming skills, hopeful surfers should be patient and show huge willingness to get tossed around in the water; pop up quickly, bend your knees, and keep your weight over the center of the board. This was followed by an indoctrination on surf jargon, wave classifications, and surfing etiquette. By the time we paddled out into the sea 20 minutes later, we were a font of surfing wisdom and good manners.

Waves broke constantly and the undertow was notably strong that day, (as we had been warned) but apparently, the lesson stuck. After numerous ungraceful wipeouts—where I realized that I scream shamefully like a 10 year-old girl—I was able to stand up. Yes, I was wobbly and hunched over, but it didn’t matter. As soon as the wave crumbled and I clumsily fell off the board, I was already paddling back—my face an open book of elation (I surfed!) and shock (I actually like surfing!). I guess it’s true what they say, there’s no other feeling like it. And during those few seconds that I was actually surfing, all attendant clichés about being one with the elements applied.

Over lunch several hours later, I watched the monstrous waves swell up from the deeper end of the ocean from the Sanctuary Café where our waterlogged group chatted animatedly over a buffet of home-cooked local fare. By the end of our meal, some of us had decided to make the most out of our last evening in Lanuza.  Nearly delirious with exhaustion, I found myself agreeing to stay up until we had to leave at 4 am to catch the sunrise at the baywalk across our bed & breakfast.

I wasn’t able to, of course. My shoulders were sore from paddling, my back ached from being tossed around a fair bit, my eyes were watery from the salt, and as soon as my head hit the pillow, sleep came easily. The next thing I knew, it was already time to go.

But if you asked me again—after I grudgingly pulled myself out of bed two days ago, a million wipeouts later and after eating my weight in sand: Amped? Stoked?

Yes, actually. Very.