The sport of surfing is still relatively new throughout most of the coastlines of Asia, as international surfers did not really start exploring the area until 1980s. In recent years, however, the surfing world has positively exploded in certain pockets of the continent where the breaks have been discovered that offer some of the finest waves on the planet. The two hottest spots for surfing in Asia at the moment are Indonesia and the Philippines.
Indonesia
Indonesia is easily the epicenter of the surfing world in Asia, and it is also one of the most affordable international destinations for a surfer to travel to on the globe. With over 100 well established surfing spots in the country, surfers can take their pick of whatever area suits their skills and styles the best, and the weather in this region makes for comfortable surfing all year round. The most popular breaks in Indonesia are located at Padang Padang, where powerful waves break into the coast at over 12 feet. The surfing in this area is no joke, so make sure that you know what you’re doing before you get out there. There are usually around thirty surfers waiting for a wave at any given time as well, so watch you manners.
Philippines
In the Philippines, a surfer can take advantage of some new territory during monsoon season, which offers the best swells of the year in this corner of the world. Although some of the best breaks in the Philippines probably have yet to be discovered, the best place to start is at Cloud 9, and the locals there can point you in the direction of some other spots if you feel up to doing some exploring. Be aware of the fact that there is still not too much of a surfing industry at Cloud 9 yet, so it is important to remember to pack everything that you are going to need in terms of surfing supplies ahead of time.