You are now entering the stress-free zone of Baler

Ahhh, Baler. Whenever I used to think of this place, I pictured a sleepy, boring town full of hippie surfers. It has always been an underrated destination in my mind. I never cared for Baler. Mind you, I never cared about surfing, either. Both were on the bottom of my wanderlust and things to try lists.

However, sometimes life pushes you into situations which you reluctantly join with one foot out the door only to dive head and heart-first upon the first few minutes. Yes, folks--I accidentally fell in love with Baler and surfing!

My high school friends set up a last-minute end of summer trip with a van bound for Baler. Since I was on a beach-every-weekend streak for the month of May, I figured, why the hell not? A trip with the girls would be the best way to end my summer.

Baler's such a small town that everything feels like within walking distance (if you prefer to stay on the beach strip). It also has this quaint old-town laid-back charm that I haven't found elsewhere. In fact, on a scale of 1 to Puka Beach, I would say that Baler is right up there on my list of places where I want to do a la isla boheme lifestyle after my projected quarter-life crisis debacle. It's the perfect place to escape your twenty-something life, ain't it?

I love the smattering of art shops serving (presumably) awesome coffee and organic food. It's right up my hippie alley for when I leave my Manila life behind if things fall apart.

I'm also #sorrynotsorry that I fell in love with surfing, of all things. On our way to Baler, I kept telling my friends they can forget about me attempting to ride a surfboard because I would hate it if I bruised my knee or other body parts. Friends, I have never been so grateful to give in to peer pressure. There's nothing like standing up on a moving board cruising a (baby) wave to make you forget about life and its troubles.

I'll write more about my surfing shenanigans when I have the time. For the meantime, who wouldn't want to stay here? Everyone's in a flow-surf zen mode--which, incidentally, is why I enrolled myself in yoga classes! 

Sigh, Baler. I love the rustic charm of this beach town. I love the surfboards lying around everywhere. I love the locals' laid-back lifestyle. I love the lack of tourists. And yezzir, I can't wait to see this place again!