Ilocos Norte: Maira-ira Cove (Blue Lagoon)

We still haven’t moved on with the panorama beauty of Patapat Viaduct, here comes another main tourist spot of Ilocos Norte aka Blue Lagoon.

This beach is known for its uniquely half moon shape, crystal clear water, off white grainy sand and the serene ambience it offers that will keep tourist from the city’s hustle and bustle life.

Since it was a Holy Week, the local government took advantage of the expected number of visitors that will come to see and experience this hidden beach, wherein they asked for a twenty pesos entrance fee for each person whether resort guests or just a typical tourist that will just take some moment in this pristine beach. The fee wasn’t really bad; proceeds will go to the development and construction of the road from highway to the main resorts since at that time it is was still rocky.

We totally fell in love with Blue Lagoon, the view and atmosphere was spectacular! It was just too bad that even three months ago we couldn’t get cheap accommodation that is good for our family. Yes, resorts here, like the Hannah’s Resort and Kapuluan Vista Resort, are more expensive than the ones in Saud Beach. And so after taking some time in Blue Lagoon, we headed off to the more touristy beach of Saud.

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In choosing between Saud Beach or Blue Lagoon, if you like crowds then Saud is the best choice but if you prefer to stay away from noise and want some privacy well Blue Lagoon is the excellent choice. Also, I noticed that there were more water activities in Blue Lagoon, like surf boards, kayaks, jetski, and banana boats.

Pagudpud is 3 hours from Tuguegarao City Cagayan, 1 and half hour from Laoag, Ilocos Norte, three hours from Vigan, Ilocos Sur and is 9-12 hours away from Manila.


How to get there:

a. From Tuguegarao, ride a GMW or Florida Liner bus to Laoag, Vigan, or Abra, and drop off at Pagudpud's Baduang Market.

b. From UST Manila, ride a Florida Liner or RCJ bus to Pagudpud or to Cagayan via Pagudpud, and drop off at the Pagudpud's Baduang Market.

Ilocos Norte: Patapat Viaduct

Patapat Viaduct, the fourth to the longest bridge here in the Philippines, was our landmark that we have already left Cagayan Valley and finally arrived at the charming region of Ilocos.

This 1.3 kilometer bridge that connects the Maharlika Highway from Laoag, Ilocos Norte to the Cordillera Mountain Range of Cagayan was mainly built last 1975 to minimize the landslides occurrences in the province; yet years passed it has been remarked to be one of the main tourist spots in Ilocos.

Lots of cars, buses and as well as tricycles – rented by the commuting travelers were found stopping by the edges to take some good photos of this bridge and its spectacular view of the Pasaleng Bay.

Just a few meters after the picturesque Patapat Viaduct is the abandoned Korean Vessel that is threatened to spill off its hundred tons of crude oil to the unspoiled beaches of Pagudpud. We were really saddened by this especially when we noticed that lots of political ads were posted in this spot yet no one’s making an action to remove this wrecked ship.

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Patapat Viaduct is 3 hours from Tuguegarao City Cagayan, 1 and half hour from Laoag, Ilocos Norte, three hours from Vigan, Ilocos Surn and is 9-12 hours away from Manila. Note that from Laoag it is farther than the famous Blue Lagoon.

How to get there:

a. From Tuguegarao, ride a GMW or Florida Liner bus to Laoag, Vigan, or Abra, and drop off at Pagudpud's Baduang Market.

b. From UST Manila, ride a Florida Liner or RCJ bus to Pagudpud or to Cagayan via Pagudpud, and drop off at the Pagudpud's Baduang Market.

Cagayan: The Waterfarm and Cagayan River

Just before we leave the beautiful land of Cagayan, we passed by some churches and some remarkable spots in the town. In the middle of our trip, just the perfect and the most scenic time to watch the picturesque sunrise in the mountains of Sierra Madre, we found ourselves stopping by the well known restaurant named The Waterfarm, found along the road to Ilocos Norte.

This eatery is not just a typical hang out place for it features unique theme from its exterior to its interior design. We were astonished with its motif for its store filled with antiques and vintage memorabilia from its ceiling down to its floor. The view from the rear side of the store is an outsized fish pond where you can ride a mini Bangka to go around the lake-look-a-like man-made pond of the Waterfarm restaurant.

Likewise, the food served, like my tapsilog, was delecatably yummy! We were told that the meat of tapa is neither pork nor beef. It was surprisingly a meat of carabao sliced into thin cuts then marinated in their own secret recipe. It was really delicious and worth recommending.

What’s more exciting on our trip to Ilocos is that we were able to see the Cagayan River which is undoubtedly the longest and largest river here in the Philippines. We stopped by a bridge that crosses the river, and gladly took some pictures on it. The water level of the river was said to be shallow since it was highly affected by the severe drought caused by El Nino in the province