Cemetery
Surf guide
Cemetery, also known as Pesangan, is a 500 meter stretch of reef hosting about five left-handed peaks with the occasional right on offer. Regular footers might prefer to surf on the other side of the channel at Cemetery Right, which can be a fantastic wave on its day, but watch for strong currents pushing inside during bigger swells and full moon tides. Cemetery holds its shape in big swells, pushing huge mountains of water onto the reef, and it can handle a decent crowd due to the variety of peaks on offer. It’s best at low tide but can be surfed at high tide as well, though its exposed location means the quality is heavily affected by the wind. Anything but light or offshore winds can completely blow out the waves, making them very difficult to read and catch. On smaller days, this is a great wave for beginners and longboarders due to its forgiving takeoff, and can be a challenge for shortboarders to generate speed on the fat sections. On overhead+ days it can change so much depending on the swell direction and wind, but beginners should consider finding somewhere else to surf since it can a challenge to paddle out through the waves.
Ideal conditions
Swell direction
4-10 ft Northeast swells.
Wind direction
Southwest or no wind.
Tide
Cemetery can be surfed at any tide but the waves are best around low tide.
Wave difficulty
Intermediate
Suitable for beginners in summer months, and best suited to intermediate and advanced surfers over 5ft.
Wave quality
Good
Cemetery can be epic on its day, but a lot of variables significantly influence wave quality
Crowd factor
Moderate
A lot of surfers flock to Cemetery in the summer months. To avoid the crowds, consider surfing early in the morning, around lunchtime or at high tide.
How to get there
To reach Cemetery, take the dirt path next to Derecho, directly across from Siargao Corner Cafe on Tourism Road. Follow the path until you reach General Luna Cemetery, where you should find some parked bikes and local boatmen waiting for surfers. From there it's a 5 minute boat ride that will set you back 150 PHP per person for a round trip. You can leave belongings on the boat, but leave valuables at home as boatmen make multiple trips while you're surfing. Always note your boat color and name to avoid confusion when paddling back in. Alternatively you can walk to the break around an hour before and after low tide, or paddle at any time if you're up for it. Taking the boat is recommended to support the local economy and avoid hazards like sea urchins and coral cuts.
Surf forecast & live wind
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