travel destinations | Ola Nina

Ocean-loving beauty, Elaine Abonal is living proof that great things can happen if you set your mind to it.
The inspiring yet humble 29-year-old was born and bred in the Philippines and has been surfing for about 10 years. Elaine was first introduced to the sport when she was 18 and studying in the US.
“I pretty much just got obsessed with it and wanted to do it as often as I could,” she said.
“I love everything about the ocean. I love that I feel at home when I’m in it.
“I love that it teaches me things like courage, perseverance, appreciation of the simple things, beauty and how everything in life is connected.”
Elaine has been lucky enough to turn her love of it into one the best jobs around.
With the support from two pioneer surfers from the Philippines, Elaine launched her own surf company early last year.

From years of surfing and staying at the San Juan Surf Resort in La Union, Philippines, Elaine got to know the owner Brian Landrigan and professional surfer Luke Landrigan.
When Elaine told Brian and Luke about her dream to own and operate a surf tour company in the Philippines, they gave their full support and encouraged her to turn it into a reality.
“They’ve seen me spread the word about surfing and bring my friends and friends of friends on surf trips,” Elaine said.
“On one international trip with them, they told me that I could always do surfing for fun but that it’s also something I can do as my own business.
“ They know that I have the resources, support, and talent so I thought about it and realised that they were right.
“They helped me and I told my friends and family about it.
“I feel very lucky and blessed to of had their encouragement.”

Elaine now operates Surfista Travels Philippines – a surf tour company that helps surfers and travellers from around the world, men and women, arrange trips such as accommodation, transport, surf lessons and more.
For most people heading to the country to surf, Manila is the starting point to get to surfing destinations like La Union and Baler.
Elaine said despite Manila being a big city with no beach close by, a lot of Filipino’s have taken up surfing.
“Manila’s not next to a beach with waves so it’s definitely the concrete jungle,” she said.
“But ALOT of people from Manila, especially the younger crowd, are getting into surfing because many have the resources and money to travel to the surf areas.

“We’re still a long way compared to other countries when it comes to surf culture, but it’s getting more popular every year.
“Many of my Surfista trips are mostly made up of girls, which is pretty cool to see.
“Surfing here used to be an underground culture but now it’s the “cool” thing to do. I’d say it’s much mellow and friendlier in the water compared to other countries.

“It’s so much better to surf here – the locals are friendly, the water is warm, the location is beautiful and it’s fun.”
Elaine says she doesn’t want to label herself as anything she just hopes to promote the Philippines as a beautiful destination to the rest of the world and inspire other like-minded women.
“I don’t really want to name myself as anything, but I do want to be an ambassador for surfing in the Philippines and show the rest of the world that we live in a beautiful country with beautiful people,” she said.

“I also want to be an ambassador for women to show that we chicks CAN surf, we CAN travel and that we CAN do whatever we dream to do.”

Ola Nina recently chatted with co-author and pioneer surf conservationalist Brad Farmer about his and professor Andy Short’s latest book, 101 Best Australian Beaches.

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The two men travelled to every one of Australia’s 11,761 beaches over a 14 year period to decipher what beaches would make the cut.

To develop a final list, the authors had to step away from their surfing souls and incorporate a list of beaches that everyone could relate to.

After years of research, Brad and Andy accumulated a collection of intellectual and social engagement with Australian communities which allowed them to look at and judge each beach in an entirely different way.

Brad describes the research as a long process but one that has been a worthwhile exercise.

“At the end of the day you can’t please everyone,” Mr Farmer said.

“We had to separate ourselves from our surfing souls and look at them through everyone’s point of view. “For example, we even looked at beaches and swimming holes in the Northern Territory and how Aboriginal communities engaged with beaches up there and in other parts of the country.

“We looked at beaches as not just a surf zone but a place where people like to walk the dog, have a swim, meditate, find solace, bird watch or engage with marine activities.”

Brad describes the book as a “smorgasbord of beaches” for Australians and visitors, which encompasses 101 alphabetically listed beaches, with detailed information and beautiful photos.

One interesting aspect of the book is that Crescent Head’s beach was the only beach named as a personal favourite by both authors in their top 10 lists.

“Does it make it Australia’s best beach? Well based on the fact that two authors who went into separate rooms and came out agreeing on only one, I’ll leave it up to you,” Brad said.

“To me, Crescent is like an artist has painted a canvas of the perfect visual.

“It just embodies everything an Australian beach should be and it retains its magic because the locals continue to look after it.”

Professor Short has dedicated his life to the study of coastal geomorphology and is considered a beach expert, while Mr Farmer’s life has been shaped by the surfing industry, as the co-writer of the first Surfing Guide to Australia (1985) and the founder of the Australian Surfrider Foundation as well as National Ocean Care Day.

Mr Farmer said the idea for the book came about after both authors realised they had come up with a gimmick.

“There was nothing like it out there and we thought it was time in the development of this nation that we have a national conversation of what beaches mean to us,” he said.“We felt that we were the two most authoritative people to come up with a list, we’ve travelled the Australian coastline since the 1960s.”