Agoda.com offers hotel deals at prime surfing spot in Philippines

SINGAPORE – Agoda.com, Asia’s leading hotel booking site and part of Nasdaq-listed Priceline Group (Nasdaq: PCLN), is providing hotel deals in the Philippine province of Surigao del Norte, a popular tourist destination offering constant balmy temperatures, swaying palm trees, and the famed Siargao Island, one of the world’s best surfing locations.

Recently included on list of destinations to watch in 2013 by Conde Nast Traveller magazine, Siargao Island’s reputation is well-deserved due to its warm breezes and uninterrupted currents that surge up the Philippine Trench from far out in the Pacific Ocean. It was not always this way though – before the mid 1980s the island’s excellent waves were known only by locals and some of the more intrepid surf nomads who went to great lengths to find unknown spots to test their skills. However, the publication of several high-profile magazine articles changed all that when they featured the island’s now-famous “Cloud 9” reef wave, among others, which put the spot on the map, as did the establishment of the annual Siargao Cup surfing competition. The high-profile event celebrated its 18th year in September, 2012 and was won by local athlete Edito “Piso” Alcala.

But beyond the surfing, long sandy beaches, and endless palm trees that border the many islands in the province, Surigao del Norte remains a great place to visit even for non-surfers. Resorts offer a variety of watersports, from snorkeling to paddle boarding, while the surrounding islands provide some fantastic jungle trekking amid an incredible variety of tropical plants and animals, some of the largest mangrove forest reserves in the Philippines, and even some pretty impressive cave systems! Enjoy fresh seafood at every meal or hire boats to visit some of the surrounding islands – everything from bare sandbars a few inches above the water to clusters of palm trees seemingly sticking straight up out of the ocean.

To help celebrate the start of 2013, Agoda.com is providing some great hotel deals in Surigao del Norte. No matter if it’s to escape the winter chill on a sandy beach or carve a path down some of the planet’s best waves, it’s a great time to visit the Philippines.

Getting to Siargao Island takes some planning. If coming from Manila, a trip to Cebu is necessary. Cebu Pacific Air operates the only flight between Cebu and Siargao’s tiny landing strip, four times weekly (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday), so coordinate carefully. The flight takes about 45 minutes and is subject to weather problems especially during the rainier months (June-September). If the flight is cancelled, it’s necessary to spend two nights in Cebu or else figure out how to take the ferry, which takes about 4 hours and is definitely not a luxury trip. Either way, it takes an extra day of traveling. Getting to Siargao is part of the adventure, so it’s best to have a bit of extra time on hand, remain flexible, and double-check everything in advance, as things often change last minute. But keep in mind – visitors who have faced obstacles getting to Siargao always say it was well worth it.

Club Tara Resort 5*
Enjoy a 35% discount on your stay. Valid until October 31, 2013.

White Sands Paradise Beach Resort 2*
Enjoy a 25% discount on your stay. Valid until March 31, 2013.

La Luna Island Resort 3.5*
Enjoy a 10% discount on your stay. Valid until May 31, 2013.

Sailfish Bay Surf & Big Game Fishing Lodge 2*
Enjoy Agoda’s everyday Best Price Guarantee.

Buddha’s Surf Resort
Enjoy Agoda.com’s everyday Best Price Guarantee.

Hidden Island Resort 2*
Enjoy Agoda.com’s everyday Best Price Guarantee.

Almont Beach Resort 3*
Enjoy Agoda.com’s everyday Best Price Guarantee.

Romantic Beach Villas 3*
Enjoy Agoda.com’s everyday Best Price Guarantee.

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