The Philippines is known to have the best dive resorts as well as some of the top beach villas. These are just some of the amazing things this lovely destination offers. White sandy beaches and crystal clear, blue waters: you are not in Boracay, but in the coastal resort town of Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte. Pagudpud is found at the northernmost tip of Luzon Island, in the Philippines. Unlike Boracay, however, this seaside town is a bit more tranquil. Natural beaches can still be found, with minimal development for tourism.
Recently, Pagudpud gained popularity among beach-goers because it offered another beach destination option that one can reach without flying.
Wondering what to do in Pagudpud? Read on to find out about the top things to do in Pagudpud, Philippines.
Witness the beautiful landscape of Pagudpud as well as the majestic sight of the Bangui Windmills; the first wind farm in the Philippines.
There’s more to Pagudpud than its pristine beaches. Read on to find out the Top 10 things you can do in Pagudpud, Philippines.
1. Enjoy the sand, sea, and quiet at Saud Beach
For travelers weary of crowded beaches and commercialized sites, Saud Beach is the perfect place to be. Because Pagudpud is not as developed as the resort towns in the Visayas like Boracay, there are not as many people and not as many vendors peddling their wares. You can lie on the sand without anyone disturbing you. You can enjoy a dip in the clear waters without jostling for space. Saud Beach only has several beach resorts along its coast, so it is best to book with your resort of choice before going to Pagudpud. During the summer season (March to May), rooms may get booked pretty quickly.
Saud Beach Resort Hotel
Address: Barangay Saud, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte
Price: from 72 USD (double occupancy) to 120 USD (quadruple occupancy) per night
Access: From the town center of Pagudpud, you can ride a tricycle to Saud Beach Resort. You may also ask the hotel to arrange for transportation from the town center.
Contact: +63-9175195495 or inquiries@saudbeachresort.com
Traveler's tips
I went here 6 years ago when traveled to Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte. This is the place where we spent a night after an 8-hour land travel. The place has several rooms to accommodate their guests. It has a nipa hut kind of accommodation. Saud Beach Resort and Hotel is a beachfront accommodation with fine white sand and crystal clear waters. We only spent a morning to experience the beach. I will recommend Saud Beach for those of you who are planning to go to Ilocos Norte. The place is very calm and peaceful. Make sure to bring your best beach outfit and sunscreen to protect your skin.
2. Visit a "Mountain with a Hole" Bantay Abot Cave
Bantay Abot literally means “a mountain with a hole”, which exactly describes this attraction found in Barangay Balaoi, Pagudpud. You can marvel at this beautiful rock formation and wonder how the sea was able to carve out this cave in the mountain. This is the perfect spot for a shot for Photography enthusiasts, while nature-lovers can sit back and fathom the power of nature. Swimming, however, is not allowed in this area because of the strong currents.
Bantay Abot Caves
Address: Barangay Balaoi, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte
Price: no admission fee
Opening Hours: all hours, but recommended visiting hours is daytime.
Duration: around 2 hours required.
Access: You can reach Bantay Abot by taking a tricycle from the town center. It is best if you arrange with a tricycle driver for a day trip to nearby places as well.
3. Check out the Timmangtang Rock
Before you reach Bantay Abot, you will encounter another rock formation called Timmangtang Rock. This rock formation is much smaller, although not as majestic as Bantay Abot, it is its pair. According to locals, Timmangtang is the male in the pair, while Bantay Abot is the female. When one is inside Bantay Abot, you can see its lover, Timmangtang. Both formations make up what is called “Lovers’ Rock.”
4. Explore the Blue Lagoon, Malingay Cove
From the town center, you can reach Blue Lagoon beach by renting a tricycle. The pristine white beach can be found in Maira-Ira Cove. According to visitors, the crystal clear blue waters can be as calm as a pond during April. During the northeast monsoon season (November to June), the winds from the north can bring waves that are big enough for surfing. This quiet Pagudpud beach will not be as crowded as those in Boracay, perfect for a leisurely swim.
5. Go island hopping: Dos Hermanos Islands
Dos Hermanos islands is named because of the legend of two brothers who vowed to stay together no matter what. Legend has it that the brothers were lost at sea during a storm. Locals could not find a trace of them, after which the two islands “grew” out of the sea. The islands can be reached through a sandbar that appears during low tide. Visitors should explore the islands with extra care because of their rocky and slippery formations. The islands are home to very diverse sea life and according to locals, it is a good source of the seaweed “gamet,” which is the kind that is made into Japanese “nori.” Dos Hermanos is also in Maira-Ira Cove.
Casa Consuelo
Address: Barangay Balaoi, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte
Price: from 60 USD (double occupancy) to 65 USD (triple occupancy) per night
Access: From Pagudpud town, you can take a tricycle to get to Casa Consuelo.
Contact: +63 918 990 5385, or via @CasaConsuelo on Facebook
6. Take a hike and a dip at Kaibigan Falls
If you are tired of sand and sea, Kabigan Falls in Barangay Balaoi is a good alternative. The 80-foot (24.3 m) waterfall can be reached after a 30 to 45 minute trek from the main highway of Pagudpud. The trek mainly takes you through flat land but nonetheless, the scenery is amazing. About a 10 minute tricycle ride from the town center, the falls is maintained by a local group that collects a preservation fee and provides local guides. All groups are required to get a trained guide who will take care of the group during the trek as well as remind visitors to keep the trail clean. Upon reaching the falls, visitors can take a cool dip in a nearby catch basin.
Kabigan Falls
Address: Barangay Balaoi, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte
Price: 0.50 USD Preservation Fee; 2 USD for one guide
Opening Hours: Best time to visit is 10:00 a.m. onwards, and leave at 4:00 p.m.
Duration: around 3 hours required.
Access: From the town center, take a tricycle
7. The long and winding Patapat Bridge
The Patapat Bridge is actually a viaduct, or a raised bridge. Found along the highway that connects Pagudpud to the rest of Ilocos Norte and Cagayan Valley, the bridge was constructed 31 meters (101 ft) above sea level. At 1.3 kilometers (1.8 mi) long, it is said to be the fourth longest bridge in the Philippines. From one vantage point along the bridge, you can see how it snakes alongside the coast and the mountains of Pagudpud.
8. Marvel at nature: visit Kapurpurawan Rock Formation in Burgos
The name Kapurpurawan translates to white, signifying the distinct white color of these rock formations. Located in Burgos, Ilocos Norte, these rock formations were carved out of the land by the sea and the wind. Marvel at how powerful nature can be and how it can create something so smooth and beautiful out of rock. The formations can be reached on foot or on horseback. While some visitors prefer seeing it up close, photography enthusiasts would rather take photos from a distance. Burgos is a town found south of Pagudpud, about 34 kilometers (21 mi) away. This tour south of Pagudpud usually includes Burgos Lighthouse and Bangui Windmills.
Kapurpurawan Rock Formation
Address: Burgos, Ilocos Norte
Price: no admission fee; horseback ride is 2 USD
Opening Hours: 6:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Duration: around 3 hours required.
Access: From Pagudpud, arranged tour groups usually ride vans to the jump-off point, where registration is required.
9. Take in a bit of history: Burgos Lighthouse
At the height of the Spanish colonial regime, Spanish galleons or trade ships would regularly travel the route between the Philippines and Spain. The lighthouse on Cape Bojeador in Burgos served as one of the beacons of the galleons. Today, the lighthouse has been converted into a public museum. It is also a cultural heritage structure and is one of the most popular Pagudpud tourist spots. It still functions as a lighthouse for international ships that enter Philippine waters. Access to the tower is limited to a few people at a time. Visit this lighthouse after or before you visit Kapurpurawan.
Burgos Lighthouse
Address: Barangay Paayas, Burgos, Ilocos Norte
Price: no admission fee
Opening Hours: no indication of opening hours, but a lighthouse keeper is present to accommodate visitors.
Duration: around 2 hours required.
Access: For tour groups from Pagudpud, access is mainly via vans or private cars.
10. Majestic Bangui Windmills: the first wind farm in the Philippines
From Barangay Balaoi in Pagudpud, you can catch a glimpse of the huge wind turbines that line the coast of Bangui. Bangui is the first town south of Pagudpud. It is best you take this tour with the two other destinations in Burgos. The windmills at Bangui are part of the Bangui Wind Farm, the only one in the Philippines and said to be the biggest in Southeast Asia. It generates power for electricity and supplies 40% of the power needs of Ilocos Norte. Each tower is 60 meters (196.85 ft) tall and has a 6 meter (19.6 ft) diameter base. The wind farm has a substation where personnel can talk about wind energy as renewable energy.
Bangui Windmills
Address: Bangui Bay, Bangui, Ilocos Norte
Price: no admission fee
Opening Hours: If you wish to talk to substation staff, the substation is open from 8 am - 5 pm
Duration: around 2 hours required.
Access: From Maharlika Highway, follow a directional marker to Bangui Bay.
Traveler's tips
This is the first time that I ever saw windmills. Bangui Windmills is one of the famous tourist spots in Ilocos Norte. It has a marvelous view, and you will be fascinated by the windmills. I suggest that you go here either early in the morning or before sunset because when we got here around 1:00 PM in the afternoon, the sun was very hot and struck our faces. If it is your first time seeing a windmill, you will definitely love this place. Also, there are some locals that sell souvenirs such as T-shirts, magnets, and keychains that you can buy for your friends and loved ones.
11. Travel back in time with the Stingray Memorial
Editor’s Note: There’s no photo available at the time of writing
If you are a history buff visiting Pagudpud, you should definitely consider visiting the Stingray Memorial. The memorial is located in Caunayan Bay, which is surrounded by a dense forest and rushing waterfalls. It commemorates the USS Stingray, a naval submarine that was located there during the Second World War. The base played a key role in the war in the Pacific and is credited with helping the allies defeat the Japanese and end the war. You can basically travel back decades in time, as you navigate the same area as American soldiers in the 1940s.
Stingray Memorial
Address: Pagudpud, Luzon, Philippines
12. Visit the Dos Hermanos Islands
Dos Hermanos means “two brothers” in Spanish. If you are in Pagudpud, however, Dos Hermanos is not actually a pair of brothers or even people. They are two small rocky islands that are right next to each other. The name comes from the fact a popular legend. Supposedly there two brothers who loved each other greatly that perished at sea. Their desire to remain by each other’s side was so strong that after death, they were transformed into two, side-by-side, identical rocks. Visitors love to swim out to the islands and look out onto the impossibly blue water, swim, or watch the sunset.
Dos Hermanos Islands
Address: Blue Lagoon Beach, Pagudpud, Luzon, Philippines
13. Visit BergBlick Restaurant and try bagnet
You won’t truly experience Ilocos if you don’t try bagnet. While in Pagudpud, you definitely have to stop by BergBlick Restaurant and sample the dish that the region is best known for - bagnet. This delicious, double deep-fried pork belly is heavenly - it’s no wonder why it’s one of their best sellers. Enjoy a hearty meal with family, friends, or your significant other. Indulging in the specialty foods of the area is one way to learn more about the place, and after just one bite of bagnet, you’ll surely want to know more about Pagudpud, Ilocos.
BergBlick Restaurant
Address: Pan-Philippine Hwy, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, Philippines
Website: BergBlick Restaurant
Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 10am - 9pm; Sat - Sun: 8am - 10pm
14. Check out Hannah's zipline at Hannah's Beach Resort
Looking to try out something exhilarating? Why not have a go at Hannah’s Zipline at Hannah’s Beach Resort. It boasts one of the longest over-water ziplines spanning about 1.2 km (0.7 mi). See Pagudpud from a different perspective and zip past the pristine blue waters of Pagudpud. Make sure you bring a camera and record this impressive feat - it’s truly social media-worthy. In case you forget to record or bring a camera, the friendly staff also offers photo services as you reach the other end of the zipline. You’ll surely have the chance to capture this memorable experience.
Hannah's zipline at Hannah's Beach Resort
Address: Sitio Malingay, Barangay Balaoi, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, Philippines, 2919
Website: Hannah’s Beach Resort
15. Head to Tartaruga's Hotel and Restaurant to have a taste Philippine coffee
Known to be a fantastic boutique hotel in the area, Tartaruga’s Hotel and Restaurant offers great accommodation along with sumptuous food. If there’s one thing you shouldn’t miss out on though, it would be their excellent Philippine coffee. Have a restful night at the property and come down to a delicious breakfast in the morning. Pair their delightful dishes with a strong Filipino brew and you’re ready to start a busy day of adventure around Pagudpud. When in the area, don’t forget to stop by and experience some of the finest food and coffees in the north.
Tartaruga's Hotel and Restaurant
Address: Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, Philippines
Let Pagudpud take your breath away
Pagudpud has long been Luzon’s well-kept secret, but perhaps not for too much longer. The serene and tranquil waters and the soft white sand of its beaches beckon the weary traveler. Its natural wonders will leave you in awe at the beauty of nature. Visit now and experience these amazing Pagudpud activities to make the most out of your trip.
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