Siargao surf season: best months

Surfer standing on the board with arms out

You can learn to surf in Siargao in any month. What changes is the wave and the spot.

From June to August the waves are at their smallest and softest, which makes a very first session easy. Late September to November brings the best waves of the year: clean groundswell and offshore wind, and beginners learn on the soft spots while experienced surfers get the island at its peak.

The surf year at a glance

Months	Waves	Wind	Good for
June to August	Small, often waist high or less	Light, offshore	Beginners, especially a first session
Late September to November	Shoulder high to double overhead	Offshore, from the southwest	Everyone: experienced surfers at the peak, beginners on the soft spots
December to March	Big swell	Strong northeast wind, onshore at Cloud 9	Sheltered spots. Beginners on the south side
March to May	Around shoulder high, sometimes flat	Light	Everyone, on the right day

This follows the season guide by Fat Lips, the surf shop on Tourism Road, and the statistics on surf-forecast.com. The two agree on the pattern.

June to August: the softest waves

The southwest monsoon, habagat, blows offshore on the east-facing breaks, and the swell is small. Several reef spots go flat (Stimpy’s, Rock Island, Salvacion and Ocean 9), but there are still small, clean waves to learn on at the beginner spots.

In 2026, PAGASA dated the habagat from 30 May to 5 October.

Late September to November: the best waves of the year

This is the season Siargao is famous for: clean groundswell and offshore wind, which is also why the island is at its busiest. Cloud 9, Tuason and Pacifico are at their best, and it’s prime time for experienced surfers. Beginners get good waves in these months too, on the softer spots, with a coach who picks the tide.

December to March: the northeast wind

The northeast monsoon, amihan, usually starts in the second half of October. In 2025 PAGASA declared it on 27 October. By December it blows hard and onshore at Cloud 9, while the swell stays big. Experienced surfers go to the sheltered breaks, and beginners go to the south-facing side of the island, where Guiwan stays around waist high, or to Ocean 9.

It rains, too. Siargao has no real dry season, and the wettest stretch runs roughly from November to January.

March to May: the quiet stretch

Lighter wind and waves around shoulder high, with some flat spells in between. A good time if you want an emptier lineup.

Typhoons

PAGASA puts the national peak of tropical cyclones between July and October. Siargao’s worst recent hit came later: Typhoon Odette (Rai) made landfall on 16 December 2021. Whatever month you pick, check the forecast the week before you fly.

Our take

There’s no bad month to come. For a very first session, if you can choose, the soft waves of June to August are the easiest. For Siargao at its peak, September to November, and November is good for beginners too on the softer spots. Any other month works as long as your coach knows which spot is on that day. That’s most of what a coach is for.

The month-by-month spots are on the surf spots page, and prices are on the prices page.

What is the best month to learn to surf in Siargao?

There isn't one. June to August has the softest waves for a first session, and late September to November brings the best waves of the year, with soft spots for beginners too.

Can I learn to surf in Siargao in December?

Yes. The northeast wind makes Cloud 9 messy, but beginners learn on the south-facing and sheltered spots, such as Guiwan and Ocean 9.

When is typhoon season in Siargao?

PAGASA puts the national peak between July and October, but Siargao's worst recent hit, Typhoon Odette, came on 16 December 2021. Check the forecast the week before you travel.

Sources