Visit and Relax in Pagudpud Ilocos Norte PhilippinesWe visited Pagudpud in Feb. 2011 and stayed in it's famous Saud Beach, Ilocos Norte in the Philippine Islands. I was pleasantly surprised because I never envisioned it to be so breathtakingly wonderful. No big time 5 star accommodations nor huge commercial tourism that cram up other beach destinations like Boracay. Just a tranquil and relaxing atmosphere in it's natural state. White sandy beach by the ocean, green Cordillera mountains inland and in between is a very pleasant municipality.
Pagudpud offers so many places to see and visit, and to enjoy them all, one has to stay for at least 4 days. I walked the white sandy beach of Saud on my first morning there and enjoyed the beach as it offered a magnificent view of Saud's landscape and you can see the Bangui Windmills from a distance as well. The water is so crystal clear it's hard to resist taking a dip, although I was able to manage not to because I intended to walk the whole stretch of the beach and needed to be back at the hotel before noon.
Aside from Saud Beach, other places to see while in Pagudpud are the Maira-Ira or Blue Lagoon beach in Pasaleng Bay on the eastern side, and Bantay Abot Cave, Kabigan Falls, Patapat Viaduct, Paraiso ni Anton, and Agua Grande. On the west are the The Bangui Windmills, Cape Bojeador Lighthouse in Burgos, and Kapurpurawan Rock Formation. Accommodation at the beach are modest with no five star amenities but this place is all about natural beauty and I for one did not come here for the hotels. Over at the Blue Lagoon area is Hannah's Resort which, in my opinion, is a semi-luxury resort with mixed reviews from tourists. If you prefer to have better food with your accommodation, there are numerous home stays around if you want a more personal service and better food that you can prepare yourself or have the host prepare it for you, all at a very affordable price.
Like any other destinations, there are also some downside in Pagudpud and the one that I noticed the most is the lack of decent dining places around town. While the accommodation in Saud Beach are relatively cheap, their dining are horribly over priced for what it's worth. Foods are not impressive at all even in the town proper of Pagudpud. Maybe cooking your own food is an excellent alternative because you can buy your own meat or fish nearby. Occasional vendors that sell a days catch from the sea roam the area, sometimes with lobsters so keep an eye on them. The most economical way of traveling to Pagudpud is by taking the air conditioned Florida Bus Line and the fare is between 500 to 600 Php depending on the season. The travel is between 11 to 12 hours from either Manila or Quezon City. The primary means of transportation within Pagudpud is a tricycle, which is okay if there are only three or less in your party. If you have more than three in your party, you'd be better off bringing your own vehicle or renting one because hiring a tricycle will cost you at least Php 600 a day during low season and much higher during peak season.
What I missed on my visit to Ilocos Norte are the city of Laoag, the Sand Dunes of Paoay, the Marcos ancestral house and perhaps a dozen more. Well, there is always next time and maybe I should arm myself with a fishing tackle when I head back to Pagudpud because the prospect seems good and then I will proceed to Santa Ana in Cagayan, a relatively undiscovered paradise, for another exciting adventure and more fishing.
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