Baler's Famous Five "S"

There is no letter "S" in Baler, an enticing little town in Aurora. But remarkably, five of its major attractions starts with the letter "S". Suman, santan, sabutan, surfing and sunset.

Suman
Suman is a native treat made of steamed sticky rice wrapped in either banana or coconut leaves. It is perfect partner for hot coffee or native chocolate and it can be eaten "as is" or dipped on a refined sugar. Suman in Baler is so famous that most of them are gone by late mornings. A Suman Festival is held every February.

Santan
Santan or Cocojam is made-up of sugarcane juice mixed with coconut milk. Baler has lots of coconut fields so it isn't a wonder that cocojam is one of their pride products. This is a favorite "pasalubong" item in town.

Sabutan
Sabutan refers to weaving craft that relies on the use of indigenous plants for distinctive weaving materials. The forests of Baler offers numerous flora as a source of fiber that are used for products such as hats, mats, decorative and souvenir items.

Surfing
And of course, Baler's most famous "S" stands for Surfing. Surfing is an imported term and activity and considered by afficionados as the best surfing place in Luzon. There are waves all year round but the peak period for consistent good quality waves are from October to February.

More Surfing
Surfing in Baler has gained international prominence because of mid 1970s production of "Apocalypse Now" directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It was said that the crew left their surfing boards in the area and the locals learned the craft. Now, the surfers of Baler are among the best in the country.

Surfed
The surfing photos above were taken in Sabang Beach considered to be the best place for first time surfers and those who want to learn how to surf. Other surfing areas in Baler include the Cemento Reef, Charlie's Point and Lindy's Point.

Sunset at Sabang Beach
Of all the "S" that Baler offers, this one is my favorite. Sunset or sunrise depending on the time of day. There is nothing more relaxing than sitting on the beach and watching the sun go down or waking-up early in the morning watching the sun rise from the horizons. Although thick clouds cover the sun that time, still, the orange hues of rays enveloping the scenic beach with an island backdrop is just so fascinating. Ahh, what a wonderful place.

More of Baler on my next posts.