Punta Right
Surf guide
Written by the Koobo team from local sessions and boatman intel
Punta Right is the premier wave in Mati and the one everything else here gets measured against. It sits out at Bobon rather than tucked into the bay, and it picks up two to two and a half times the size of the breaks closer in, so a day that looks modest from Dahican can be well overhead by the time you walk out to it. It's a long right with at least three sections and a fast wall on the inside. Get the swell angle…
Ideal conditions
What to look for before you commit to the boat fare
Swell direction
Fun from 2 to 4 ft and up to head high, a monster from 5 ft. Too much north in the swell and the fast inside wall closes out.
Wind direction
Offshore on a west to east wind, or slightly west southwest. That is the common good-wind setup for the bay.
Tide
Mid to high, and the more water the better. Too shallow and it closes out with the take-off boiling over the reef. Walk out on a mid pushing high and come back in as it starts to drop.
How to get there
Punta Right sits in the Bobon section of the Mati coast on Pujada Bay, in Davao Oriental on the east side of Mindanao. There is no commercial airport in Mati, so the route is a flight into Davao City, then overland. Buses run through the day from the Davao City Overland Terminal, also called Ecoland, and take about four hours for roughly 150 km. Commuter vans are quicker at three to four hours but leave very early and go when full rather than on a timetable. A private car does it in two and a half to three hours, and it is the easiest option if you are travelling with boards. From Mati town, Dahican is about 7 km and fifteen minutes by habal-habal, the local motorcycle taxi, for around ₱40 to ₱50. Agree the fare first. If you want to check several breaks in a morning, rent a motorbike for some more flexibility. Stay on the beach at Dahican or Bobon if you are here to surf, since dawn is when these breaks are best.
Surf forecast & live wind
Where the wave breaks
Nearby spots
Other breaks within reach of the same trip
At a glance
Wave difficulty
Advanced
Upper intermediate through advanced. Manageable for a solid intermediate at 3 to 4 ft, a different wave entirely once it passes 5 ft. Not a beginner wave at any size.
Wave quality
Good
The best wave in Mati. At least three sections, two of them barrelling, with enough open face between them for turns. Needs the swell angle to cooperate or the inside wall shuts down.
Crowd factor
Empty
Usually only a few locals out. On bigger days you'll have Punta Right to yourself.