Saturday, April 16, 2011

Ilocos Norte Expedition (Pagudpud and Nearby Towns)

self-organized budget diy backpacking dedicated for my office friends
august 20-23, 2010 friday-monday


objective: to visit the best tourist spots that fits my taste and budget accordingly.
additional tasks: to experience all kinds of road trip across ilocandia region.

important note (ilocos norte):
Ilocos Norte is noted for being the birthplace of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, who led an authoritarian rule over the country during the latter half of his incumbency. The Marcoses enjoy a modicum of popularity in the province. Ilocos Norte is also known as a northern tourist destination, being the location of Fort Ilocandia, an upper class hotel and beach resort famous among expatriates, and Pagudpud.
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilocos_Norte

kapurpurawan white rock

cape bojeador

This was my 1st time organizing a journey excusively for my dear friends in office to ease the mocking of i did not invite them when i'm on the road. started on an informal planning when having lunch during breakime sometime in june 2010, became reality as the days of august passes by. originally over 10 headcounts invited but only 4 confirmed due to personal and work-related issues.

we went first to the bus terminal in sampaloc town days before the start of event to buy our tickets to ensure the reservation. at the night of the planned date, adventure beginned in by pouring drizzles as we crosses the taft avenue going to baclaran station going to tayuman station. then, as expected for a heavy traffic, we started to walk from lrt to the roads of sampaloc, by-passing UST then the bus terminal while lifting our heavy backpacks. a whooping 10-11 hours travel time awaits us so around 11pm we departed manila.

going to kapurpurawan white rock

going to kapurpurawan white rock

bangui windmill

overlooking bangui windmill

DAY ONE:
ILOCOS NORTE (pagudpud and nearby towns)

while the bus was moving towards laoag, i was simultaneously calling our guide how will we accommodate my plans to somehow manage to complete the tourist spots in one day. so we agreed to meet in the town of bangui for the lighthouse. around 9am we started our ilocos norte day tour with the tricycle we have rented and a driver/tour guide. to accommodate those awesome spots in a day, we have to arrange them in order;

1. cape bojeador - this lighthouse is located in burgos, a town before pagudpud. dont go to your preferred guesthouse yet. ask your guide to meet you up to corner of the main road and the road going here.
2. bangui windmill - ask 1st your guide to drop in the viewing deck of for the panoramic view of all the windmills. there a lot of cheap souvenir windmills there, i highly recommend to suppor them.
3. Kapurpurawan White Rock - this one was one of my favorite, it looks like it is somewhere in middle east. and also one of the most hard to visit due to its very off-road access especially when it rains.

bantay-abot cave

kabigan falls

maira-ira beach

We went up to ate cathy's guesthouse for lunch and change clothing for some water splashing activities.

4. kabigan falls - trekking of almost a kilometer away, we bathed for few minutes and some photo-ops
5. patapat via duct - along the road going to north
6. agua grande - picnic area beside the sea
7. timangtang rock - huge rock on the sea
8. bantay abot cave - cave infront of the sea
9. maira-ira beach - also known as blue lagoon. waves sometimes ideal for surfing.

then we went home around 5pm. while waiting for our dinner to serve, we spent some time in saud beach which is also only meters away to our guesthouse. after dinner, skin-dipping again, drinking session and lights-off..




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