[PAGUDPUD NORTH AND SOUTH TOUR] Ilocos Norte

Pagudpud is one of the most accessible places to travel to in the Philippines, especially if you're within Luzon. It is a coastal resort town of Ilocos Norte, a town rich in beautiful nature spots. In fact, you can visit more than 10 spots in a day. Pagudpud's beautiful sceneries and blue water makes it haven not just for tourists but also for budget travelers.

HOW TO GO TO PAGUDPUD

From Manila, you can reach Pagudpud by bus or private transport. The travel time can be very long, 10-12 hours. If you want to save time, you can fly by plane to Laoag City and just ride a bus to Pagudpud for another two hours. Laoag City is 2 hours away from Pagudpud. Fortunately, I was able to book promo tickets to Laoag via SEAIR. I was contemplating whether to drop by Vigan or not. Due to time constraints, we've decided to just visit Pagudpud. We'll be back for Vigan next time.

We arrived at Laoag International Airport at around 4 in the afternoon. The free airport shuttle wasn't available that day so we chartered a tricycle to bring us to Laoag town proper. I was surprised to find lots of modern establishments in Laoag. We went for a short walking tour and stayed overnight at Balay da Blas Pension House.

Sinking Bell Tower

We left for Pagudpud at around 7am the next day. As instructed by our contact (Kuya Arnel), we disembarked at Mawini, a small town in Pagudpud. He was already there when we arrived. He greeted us cheerfully and headed straight for our North and South Pagudpud Tour. It's time for tricycle tour once again.

WHAT TO SEE IN PAGUDPUD

There are two tours offered by guides/drivers in Pagudpud, the Pagudpud North Tour and the Pagudpud South Tour. These two tours can be done in a day or split up in two days, depending on tourist preferences. We opted to do both tours on the same day to save more time to relax the next day.

SOUTH PAGUDPUD TOUR

We started off with visits to the places included in the Pagudpud South Tour (Bangui Windmills, Kapurpurawan Rock Formation and the Cape Bojeador Light House).

Bangui Windmills

Our first stop was Bangui Windmills. Officially known as the North Wind Bangui Bay Project, it consists of 20 wind turbines facing the South China Sea and serves as source of renewable energy in Ilocos. From a distance, those wind turbines look very small, I didn't really expected that they were that huge up-close.

Kapurpurawan Rock

Kuya Arnel transferred us to a local Burgos tour guide for the rest of Pagudpud South Tour. This is to give the local Burgos guides a chance to showcase their own place. Kuya Benj was the one who accompanied us in Kapurpurawan Rock. “Kapurpurawan” is an Ilocano term which means “white”, an adjective that best describes the bright and sparkling color of the huge limestone rock formation. Kapurpurawan really rocks.

Cape Bojeador Lighthouse

Not far from Kapurpurawan rock was the picturesque Cape Bojeador Lighthouse. It's a pretty old structure that exhibits a lot about history.

We took a short break and had some lunch at a local carinderia. After that, we continued with the second part of tour. We're back with Kuya Arnel this time.

NORTH PAGUDPUD TOUR

The North Pagudpud Tour includes Kabigan Falls, Saud Beach, Patapat Viaduct, Bantay Abot Cave, Timangtang Rock, Blue Lagoon Beach and Dos Hermanos Islands.

Saud Beach

Our first stop for the North Pagudpud tour was Saud Beach. It is dubbed as the "Boracay of the North". I find the beach very calm and serene. The water looks inviting but we still have a lot of places to visit, so swimming wasn't an option that time. I'll make sure to spend a night here next time.

Kabigan Falls

The tour continued with a 30 minute trek to Kabigan Falls. The trail to Kabigan Falls was easy but really tiring because of the scorching heat.

We reached the waterfalls within 30 minutes in a relaxed speed. But our weariness eventually disappeared when we finally reached the majestic waterfalls. The water coming from the falls was cold and refreshing.

Patapat Viaduct

Our next stop was the famous Patapat Viaduct. It's a 1.3 kilometer bridge connecting Pagudpud and Cagayan Valley. It has this snaky shape that gracefully follows the contour of Cordillera Mountains. Beautiful isn't it?

Aqua Grande

We passed through Paraiso ni Anton and Aqua Grande but didn't stayed long because there's nothing much to see. We just took some photos and headed to Bantay Abot Cave.

Walang Hanggan's Burol

Before reaching Bantay Abot Cave, Kuya Arnel took us to a hill which is said to be a location for the very popular teleserye "Walang Hanggan". We climbed up the hill like kids and stayed there for a while. I must say that this was my favorite among the spots in Pagudpud. I really enjoyed the breathtaking view of the sea and the the warm breeze on top of the hill. It was heavenly.

Timangtang Rock

great view from the hill, you can also spot Timangtang rock right there

Bantay Abot Cave

We didn't bother to stop at Timangtang Rock and just went to see Bantay Abot Cave up close. Here, we saw how the waves hit the rocks of Bantay Abot Cave. It's like a hill with an unusual hole in the middle.

Bantay Abot Cave

After the Pagudpud South tour, we headed straight to Casa Consuelo. A beautiful accommodation located in the Blue Lagoon area and near Dos Hermanos Islands.

Casa Consuelo

Dos Hermanos Islands

Pagudpud was definitely the highlight of our Ilocos trip. It was a tiring but visually satisfying nature adventure. We've visited a lot interesting places there and met some of its friendly people. Definitely one of the best places to go in the North.

[CASA CONSUELO PAGUDPUD] Home Away from Home in Ilocos Norte

Casa Consuelo is a quaint accommodation located at the end of Blue Lagoon's road.

It may not be the most popular accommodation in Pagudpud but it's definitely one of the most beautiful laid back hideaways in Ilocos. I've read some great reviews about the Casa and have decided to book it for our Pagudpud travel.

After our jam-packed Pagudpud North and South Tour, Kuya Arnel brought us to Casa Consuelo, our temporary home in the Blue Lagoon area. Going around different places in Ilocos was a lot of fun but really tiring at the same time. I was glad to have found a peaceful place where we could stay and rest our bone-tired bodies. I must say that the resort is as beautiful as it is in photographs. Very charming and well kept. The place is surrounded with tall coconut trees and breezy lounges. Perfect for some retreat and recreation.

We were welcomed by Chad (the manager) and showed us our room. The room is simple and elegantly styled with native decors. It is clean and very cozy. They also have rooms that can accommodate a family.

Casa Consuelo's location has both advantage and disadvantage. Being tucked in the Maira-ira Cove (Blue Lagoon), you can enjoy peace and solitude anytime of the day. It's just you, the unspoiled nature and the beach. You can definitely experience pure leisure. But if you don't enjoy that kind of ambiance then Casa Consuelo may not be the place for you.

If you're worrying about where and what to eat, don't fret because Casa Consuelo has its own restaurant that serves home-cooked meals. Nothing fancy but it's good enough to satisfy our gastronomic cravings. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner.

We spent the next morning strolling at the beach and taking photographs. We were able to take a dip at Casa Consuelo's beachfront but the shore is very rocky and may not be suitable for swimming. The shore is made up of mixed sand, pebbles, crushed corals and rocks. If you want to swim in a more comfortable water and fine sand, the swimmable part of Blue Lagoon is just a nice 10 minute walk down the road.

An added attraction to Casa Consuelo is the wonderful view of the Dos Hermanos Islands. These are two identical islands in the Maira-ira Cove. Literally in front of Casa Consuelo. During low tide season, I think it is possible to walk across the shore to see the islands up-close.

Casa Consuelo has very accommodating staff. They treat you like family, cater to your requests and give you your own space. One more thing that I like to commend is their good customer service. I left my 2nd pair of eyes (my eyeglasses) when we checked out from the resort (my bad). Good thing that we haven't boarded the bus to Laoag yet and they were able to send the eyeglasses back to me. It saved me the hassle of buying a new pair of spectacles and most of all from not seeing my surroundings clearly on our way home (I have a poor eyesight, if you may ask). Thanks CasaCon!

If you're planning to visit Pagudpod anytime soon, consider staying at Casa Consuelo. It is charming, serene and quiet. A perfect place for total relaxation. It has elegantly designed rooms and very attentive staff. I love the place. It's definitely my kind of secret hideaway.

Check out Casa Consuelo Rates here.