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565 kms to the northern tip of Luzon -1
Source: Manila Bulletin
Author: Pinky Concha-Colmenares
Date: 0000-11-26
 
While most of these visitors come from nearby Cagayan province, some come from Metro Manila, but those are the die-hard beach lovers or motor travelers who do not groan at the first mention of 565 kilometers.

We – Anjo Perez, Aris Ilagan, Johannes Chua and myself – were of the latter variety. As card-carrying members of a still-to-be-organized motor travelers group, we read maps like those were shopping brochures.

The October Road Series took a long drive challenge – the Manila to Pagudpud and back road which covers a total distance of 1,230 kms. with the Kia Carnival and Rio. This is our road adventure which we hope can help you do this drive at least once in your life.

Day one: Quezon City to Balaoan in La Union

This was going to be a long, long drive, so we all wanted to have enough sleep.

This time, we started at a comfortable time, meeting at McDonald’s in front of Sulo Hotel in Diliman, Quezon City at nine. Before 10 a.m., we were driving the Kia Carnival and the Rio through the Balintawak toll booth and into the North Luzon Expressway.

Traffic was predictably heavy along Tarlac municipalities. It thins out in Rosario town in Pagasinan especially after you make the left turn towards Agoo. (The right turn leads to Baguio.) Even if you’ve been there before, visit the Basilica in Agoo. Say a prayer, take a break, or enjoy the garden. If you are hungry at this point, look for a restaurant or follow a sign to a resort. There won’t be anywhere to eat or stop for restrooms until about an hour away in Santiago town, just before Bauang.

Our first stop was the private beach resort of Architects Tony and Cristina Turalba of the Active Group in Barangay Paraoir in Balaoan town, La Union. I had many good memories in that secluded paradise (near the Bacnotan cement factory). The Turalba couple built it, first as a family hideaway (they are all divers and attached to the sea); and later as a seminar place for the many companies that comprise the Active Group.

The Turalba property covers two lots straddling the main road. The one along the coast has the family house, two guesthouses, with two rooms and toilets each, and the main structure which houses the dining, kitchen and a conference room at the mezzanine floor. Across the street are four sprawling nipa structures with four large rooms.

Despite the absence of regular visitors, the property has blooming ornamental plants, its flowers providing a cheerful background that welcomes guests. This is not surprising. The lady of the house, Architect Tina Valera-Turalba, is a well-known environmentalist. Tony and Tina are both development planners. (Tina’s works in environmental planning was featured in the 100 Women book by Joy Buensalido and Abe Florendo.)

Years ago, Tony had talked about the tourism potentials of this place but the problem was the six-hour road travel from Manila. For me, though, six hours is all worth the grand sunset that plays in this part of the island every evening.

You don’t have to know anyone else with a beach house to enjoy such spectacular sunsets. There are many resorts – offering diving and surfing facilities – from Agoo to Caba to Bauang. Follow the signs: All those resort face the same China Sea which shares those sunsets.

Day two: Balaoan, La Union to Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte – 305 kms

Vigan is about two hours from Turalba’s beach house (150 kms); Laoag would be another two; and Pagudpud, about an hour and a half. We planned breakfast in Vigan to enjoy the famous Vigan longganiza but Aris and Anjo got too hungry on the way, we stopped in Candon, Ilocos Sur, to settle for Mister Donuts.

The view of the coast will entertain you until you reach Laoag. The Candon Beach can be when the tide comes in, be ready to swim back to shore.

As you drive deeper into Ilocos Sur, the road signs can direct you to more beaches and coves. A common sense measure of rating which place to stop would be the quality of the signboards of the resorts. In Sinait, midway between Vigan and Laoag, is the Teppeng Cove which was highly recommended to us by a fellow Bulletin staff member.

We were in Laoag, capital of Ilocos Norte by 12:30 p.m. We were hungry and wanted to sample some regional delicacy. We stepped into a nice looking resto which was clean and cool but the food was served in petite portions, so unlike countryside cooking.

We were on the road again by two, following a sign which said Pagudpud is 72 kms away. For Aris and Anjo, that would be enough time to take a siesta. That left me completely on my own on the wheel of the Carnival.

The next two hours was my dream drive. I had my treasured CD playing – a collection of traditional Pilipino tunes under the Magandang Bituin collection which was a Christmas gift from Nissan Motors years ago.

Somewhere near the junction where you turn right to go to the Cape Bojeador Lighthouse, I had to stop just before the hill dipped and wake up the guys. The scene in front of me was Wuthering Heights-quality. A cove, rocky shores slapped by the waves, a mountain cliff green with forest except for a strip of concrete road, and a dilapidated mansion under coconut tress on the far left.

Next to that, the Cape Bojeador Lighthouse was another stop that made us forget how far we had to drive to see the coast. In the country’s oldest lighthouse, established in 1892 to guide galleons, you will remember the words of the Barbra Streisand’s song: “On a clear day, you can see forever…”

After those magnificent views, Pagudpud and its famous beaches were not as spectacular. Yes, they were beautiful and significant: the beach marked the tip of Luzon island.

But the beach only started to give off the magical view when the sun started to set, coloring the white sand and the blue waters with yearning yellow, old orange, raging red, and gloomy gray.

With a sunset like that, the whole beachfront almost stood still: the swimmers allowed the waves to caress their bodies; the campers took a break from pitching tents. And with the music of my Discman playing a magnificent melody, I watched the day end.

Day three: Pagudpud to Vigan to Balaoan, La Union (305 kms)

After an extraordinary night of friendly talk, beer and night swimming at Villa del Mar Hotel, where no phones could reach us (there are no cell sites in Pagudpud), we all woke up on time for the 350-km drive back to La Union.

But first, we wanted to trace the tip of Luzon about 20-kms farther to the north. We wanted to see the 1.5-km Patapat Bridge, a well-known engineering marvel which “hugs” the mountainside nearest to the cliff and the sea. The bridge is worth a visit and will give you many photo sessions. But there won’t be time to contemplate the scene because the bridge is a major highway between Cagayan and Ilocos Norte.

Our original itinerary was to sleep in Vigan so we could take more pictures of the coastal towns. But as usual, we got restless about staying away form the cars too long. After an hour of walking around looking for “good buys” (which Joe and I did find), we drove to La Union.

Along the way, we stopped twice to buy what we will cook for our dinner at Turalba’s beach house. A mystery guest we brought along to be an extra driver, unleashed his cooking talents. He whipped up a superb bangus kinilaw with coconut milk, even before we could clear the car of the day’s litter!

Day four: Balaoan, La Union to Manila

The drive home to Manila was relaxing only until we entered the North Luzon Expressway. We drove out of Turalba’s beach house at 7:30 a.m.; stopped for breakfast in San Fernando; then drove on, stopping many times to buy local food stuff.

[ Cape Bojeador Lighthouse Wiki Wiki | Candon Beach Wiki ]
 

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