The Philippines is an island archipelago filled with clean water, beautiful sandy beaches, and many islands. For these reasons, it is a lovely place to go sailing.
The Philippines has long been a sailors’ paradise for cruising and learning to sail a sailboat. With over 7000 islands, there are many places that you can explore within the Philippines. It can be an area that can get many typhoons, so to cruise or sail the Philippines, you need to understand the best time to go there.
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In the past, there have also been some sailors who have been kidnapped, so there are parts of the Philippines that you should avoid.
We highly recommend the Puerto Galera Yacht Club, which is located outside Manila. It is easy to get to Manila’s capital city, with beautiful beaches, coves, and water for sale.
Philippines And Sailing
The Philippines has long been where many sailors look to go sailing. The Philippines has over 7000 islands, so there are many sandy and beautiful beaches to explore as long as the weather is good.
When I went sailing in the Philippines, I loved it because of how warm the water was. It was a great place to sail around some islands, even on a dinghy, because if you fell off into the water, it was not cold but a pleasant temperature. Also, exploring the sandy beaches is a lot of fun.
The Philippines has beautiful scenery and beaches; most people know and speak some English. The Philippines is considered one of the cheapest places in the world to cruise and sail.
If you have a larger boat, there are also many good areas for anchoring your boat throughout the island.
The weather, sand, beaches, and warm wind make the Philippines an ideal place to sail many times throughout the year.
Philippines Sailing And Weather
The Philippines has two major seasons: the Northeast Monsoon, from November to April each year, and the Southwest Monson, from May to October. One of the main worries about people sailing in the Philippines is the weather.
Tropical storms can strike the Philippines anytime, so if you are sailing around the Philippines, you must understand that you may experience severe weather and be prepared for it.
The most severe typhoons will usually happen between June and November. So, if you can avoid that time of the year, you will have a higher chance of not being hit by severe weather.
Philippines Sailing And Safety Concerns
Safety has always been a concern for those sailing in the Philippines. Safety is something that the sailor should be concerned about in the Philippines, as there have been reports of several kidnappings and sailors being killed when a ransom was not paid.
When I was sailing in Puerto Galera, there was a lot of talk about four sailors – two Canadians (John Ridsdel and Robert Hall), one Norwegian (Kjartan Sekkingstad), and one Filipino woman (Marites Flor) who were kidnapped from a supposedly secure Holiday Oceanview Marina in Davao City in the Philippines on September 2015.
All four were the Puerto Galera Yacht Club members I was sailing with.
They took their boat down to Davao for some maintenance and repairs; it was supposed to be a quick trip, and then they would return to Puerto Galera again. But they were kidnapped off their boat in the middle of the night, in an area that many considered a safe harbor or area.
The sailors were taken by Abus Sayyaf, a military group based on Basilan Island in the Philippines. The group kidnapped many people, especially foreigners and sailors, to demand a ransom.
Only two of the four survived the ordeal after spending years in captivity. Both Robert Hall and John Ridsdel were beheaded.
This tragic incident highlights that if you sail around the Philippines, you must do your homework and fully understand the risks and where. Most of the Philippines is very safe and does not have these military groups operating, but there are some areas where it is not safe to sail or travel as there is a risk of being kidnapped for ransom.
Puerto Galera Yacht Club Philippines
If you are looking for a great club to join, we recommend the Puerto Galera Yacht Club in Puerto Galera outside Manila. You can get to the club by taking a bus or taxi from the airport and then doing a short boat ride to the Puerto Galera area.
I took some of their sailing classes a few years ago, which was a great experience. It was a great experience with a great club filled with many fun sailors worldwide.
Listen To Our Podcast About Lessons About Travel Safety And Sailing In The Philippines below or by clicking here.
The club also welcomes any cruising boats passing through the area to join with them.
One of the great things about the club area is that it is located in one of the world’s rarest and most beautiful natural typhoon shelters. Beautiful beaches and coves surround the club with great warm water, perfect for sailing, scuba diving, and snorkeling.
If you want to learn to sail or go sailing in the Philippines, the Puerto Galera Yacht Club is a safe and beautiful place to visit. The club has a great team of sailing instructors, some even the national Philippines sailing team.
Here are some things that the Puerto Galera Club offers and why we recommend it for sailing enthusiasts who want to learn to sail on the beautiful islands of the Phill[pppines.
- Sail Training Programs – The sail-training program is for sailors of all ages to learn the basics of sailing. The great thing is you can sail about Puerto Galera’s safe and clean waters. They offer 3-day courses at the basic, intermediate and advanced levels. These introductory courses are taught on a dingy.
- Yacht And Dinghy Combination Sailing Course – The club also offers some 2 days, 3 day, or even 5-day courses that may combine sailing with a Dinghy and Yacht. This includes all the fundamental sailing theories to more advanced techniques and learning.
- Regattas – The club has some sailing regattas—one of their most famous regattas is the Easter Regatta which takes place in April each year.
- Yacht Rentals And Courses – The club also offers some yacht rentals where you can rent a boat either per 1/2 day or full day.
I have taken sailing courses at the Puerto Galera Yacht Club in the Philippines, and I highly recommend it as a great club and venue to learn to sail. The area is breathtakingly beautiful with warm water; the club has a great group of people and individuals running and operating this sailing club.
The area offers excellent waters to learn to sail or cruise around and enjoy the Philippine islands’ sand, sea, and fun. Puerto Galera is a safe part of the Philippines to learn to sail.
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Related Questions
How Many Islands Are In The Philippines?
The Philippines has over 7600 miles within its sovereignty. The Philippines is considered an archipelago nation because so many islands are within its territory. The Philippines is divided into many islands in the north, the Visayas in the central area, and Mindanao in the south.
By clicking here, you can discover How Many Islands Are In The Philippines?.
How Much Wind Is Too Much For A Beginner Sailor?
For a beginner sailor, the wind is usually recommended to be under 10 knots. Those who are more experienced or with a larger boat can consider going up to 12 knots of wind. A knot is not the same as miles per hour or kilometer per hour but is faster than these measurements.
By clicking here, you can discover How Much Wind Is Too Much For A Beginner Sailor?
No Experience Sailing, 6 Tips To Get Started
If you are going to take up sailing, then the first thing you must do is get on a boat and find out if sailing is suitable. The best sailors can handle their boats in all kinds and types of weather. Find a class that you can join and get certified. Sailing requires knowledge and skill. Find yourself a sailing community that you can be part of.
By clicking here, you can discover No Experience Sailing, 6 Tips To Get Started.
