Uncover the many awesome and breathtaking naturescapes well hidden amidst the more than 7000 islands basking in the glorious archipelago that is the Philippines. It is in this country where you can see a far-reaching coastline, three-layered virgin forests, white sand beaches, luxuriant pastoral lands and deep-blue crystal waters teeming with rich aquatic and marine life. All of these are found – only in the Philippines.
For those who enjoy road trips, the best destination is Pagudpud in Ilocos Norte. This is a tourist’s haven complete with inspiring landscapes and seascapes. The place is an enormous place to visit and one would need a few days to be able to enjoy the place to the fullest. It is located on the northwest tip of Ilocos Norte and where the South China Sea lies to the west and north.
Places of Interest
How can anyone not enjoy the beauty of Pagudpud? The place has a lot to offer – lavish hills and mountains, agricultural-rich valleys, powder-white sand beaches, creeks, streams and waterfalls all spilling into the South China Sea.
You haven’t seen their Bangui windmills which will take you to a seemingly different distant place outside the country because of its semblance to wind farms of the US or Germany. These windmills were constructed by NorthWind Power Development Corporation as the country’s minute effort in reducing the emission of harmful greenhouse gases which is known to contribute to global warming and as a boost to the local government’s electrification program. The wind farm consists of 15 wind turbines built on-shore in a single row. This imagery will not leave your mind for quite some time as the beautiful picture comes back again and again.
Pagudpud has three vast beaches known to locals as Saud Beach – which is most often referred to as Pagudpud Beach, Maira-ira also known as Blue Lagoon and Pansian beach which is farther near the border of Cagayan Province. Saud Beach is the more popular beach destination known for its powdery-white sand and hard-to-tell blue skies or blue waters. Coconut palm trees line up as backdrop of the endless shorelines which vanish into the forest. Blue Lagoon’s white sands are far more impressive than Saud Beach but the warm cove embrace will never fail to take your breath away.
Bantay Abot Cave looks more like a mountain with a hole. This popular place of interest is just a few minutes away from Blue Lagoon or Maira-ira Beach. The cave has a lush green vegetation covering its top and a door-like hole or opening around the middle section of the mountain. Inside the cave, one will hear the majestic command of the waves hitting the rock walls of the mountain. Rare in its form, Abot Bantay Cave is a sight to behold.
The Patapat viaduct is an elevated concrete highway built along the winding and rocky headlands in Ilocos Norte. This viaduct gives way to an enthralling scenic view of the sea making your road trip less exhausting and more inspiring.
Getting there
A roadtrip will be recommended for those who want to enjoy the sceneries while travelling. This would also allow for some good stopovers where one can discover yet another interesting place. It’s about eight hours or less for those hitting the road to get to the place. You will be passing by Vigan, another historic place in the North where a short stop will give you interesting impressions about the place. Driving your way to Pagudpud will give you an experience of getting close to nature as you get nearer the place. You will definitely know you are in Ilocos Norte because of the shifting landscape and naturescape. Once you reach the Welcome Arch of Pagudpud, you are well on your way to your best nature trip ever.
