Ilocos Norte

La Paz Sand Dunes: Dune Bashing & Sandboarding in Laoag City

Posted on April 16, 2018

A desert would be one of the landscapes you’d least expect to see in the tropical archipelago of the Philippines, but along the northernmost province on Luzon island there are, indeed, sand dunes! The La Paz Sand Dunes cover 85 square kilometers of sandy coastal desert and beach in Laoag City, the provincial capital of Ilocos Norte. The coastal desert stretches from the towns of Currimao to Pasuquin. The undulating sandy landscape makes for beautiful sceneries, but visitors may alsoRead More→

Currimao, Ilocos Norte: Pangil Coral Rock Gardens, Tabacalera Ruins & Spanish Watchtower Ruins

Posted on May 8, 2012

Pangil Coral Rock Gardens – a series of tidal pools and coralline rock formations stretching for more than two kilometers. Despite its exotic name, Currimao remains to be one of Ilocos Norte’s less-visited towns, just like neighboring Badoc. Actually, the town’s name carries a lot of history. During the Spanish period, when Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade was still flourishing, Muslim pirates frequented the coast of the West Philippine Sea. Watchtowers were built at two strategic points, one at Arboledan Point and theRead More→

Badoc, Ilocos Norte: Juan Luna Shrine, La Virgen Milagrosa de Badoc & Saud Sand Dunes

Posted on May 5, 2012

The Badoc Church houses a 400-year-old miraculous statue of the Virgin Mary La Virgen Milagrosa de Badoc Upon the spontaneous invitation of a friend who saw my Vigan posts on Facebook, I hopped on a bus to her hometown of Badoc, a little over an hour north of the World Heritage city. Being the southernmost town of Ilocos Norte, Badoc is the gateway to the province; however, most travelers bypass it and head straight to the tourist hotspots further north, suchRead More→

Bangui & Burgos: Coastal Wonders

Posted on June 25, 2011

The giant windmills of Bangui Known for their impressive coastal tourist spots, the neighboring municipalities of Bangui and Burgos were my next stops after Pagudpud. First up: Bangui Windmills. To my surprise, these much-photographed structures were far larger than I imagined! Out of place amidst bucolic surroundings, the white sentinels – all 19 of them in a single row – loomed 23 stories high above a sandy beach and verdant pastures along Ilocos Norte’s northern end. Since their inauguration inRead More→

Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte: Seascape Escape

Posted on June 21, 2011

Postcard-pretty Saud Beach Pagudpud in Ilocos Norte along the northernmost coast of Luzon has been on my bucket list for years. I finally got to explore this coastal resort town over the weekend, and I must say it exceeded my expectations. Despite an incoming tropical storm, the main stretch of Saud Beach managed to whip up a postcard-pretty union of sun, sand and surf, accented by equally bright blue outrigger boats. Across the sweeping bay, the mammoth Bangui windmills lookedRead More→

Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte: Seascape Escape

Posted on June 21, 2011

Postcard-pretty Saud Beach Pagudpud in Ilocos Norte along the northernmost coast of Luzon has been on my bucket list for years. I finally got to explore this coastal resort town over the weekend, and I must say it exceeded my expectations. Despite an incoming tropical storm, the main stretch of Saud Beach managed to whip up a postcard-pretty union of sun, sand and surf, accented by equally bright blue outrigger boats. Across the sweeping bay, the mammoth Bangui windmills lookedRead More→