by Edgar Alan Zeta-Yap
Saud Beach in Pagudpud
Long hailed by travel pundits to be the “Boracay of the North”, Pagudpud has (rather fortunately) managed to preserve its laid back appeal. The coastal resort town along the northernmost coast of Luzon has been on my travel checklist for years. So, racing against an imminent tropical storm to take advantage of the long weekend, I hopped onto an 11-hour overnight bus to explore this coastal resort town. Incredibly, the main stretch of Saud Beach managed to whip up a postcard-pretty union of sun, sand and surf, accented by bancas as brightly hued as the sea. Across the sweeping bay, the white behemoths of Bangui looked no larger than toy pinwheels.
Villagers fishing in the aquamarine waters of Blue Lagoon
After taking a stroll down Saud, I took a tricycle to Maira-ira Beach, a secluded eastward-facing cove of aquamarine waters, which give it its other name, Blue Lagoon. (Sorry, no Brooke Shields here.) The cove is characterized by two craggy islets called Dos Hermanos. In true bayanihan spirit, I came across a dozen or so villagers casting an enormous fishing net across the cove. They pulled the net back onto beach, revealing a bounty of anchovies and squid. Instead of taking the tricycle, I walked back to the highway, dropping by two more interesting seascapes popular with tourists: Bantay Abot Cave (actually a sea arch, reminiscent of a Polo mint candy) and Timmangtang Rock, where some cheerful children showed me how to fish at the tidal pools.
Bantay Abot Cave
Assorted finds in Saud Beach
Along the highway towards the provincial border with Cagayan province is the Patapat Viaduct, a 1.3 km long concrete coastal bridge snaking along mountain cliffs that drop into the churning ocean. It reminded me of Cebu City’s SRP against a dramatic shoreline. I walked the entire stretch of the viaduct before hailing a bus back to Saud Beach, where a blue marlin dinner completed an incredible Saturday by the sea.
Patapat Viaduct
HOW TO GET THERE: Florida Bus (+63 2 7815894) runs direct trips (PHP 700, 10 to 12 hours) to Pagudpud from Sampaloc, Manila everyday at 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM. From Pagudpud to Manila, buses leave at 8:00 PM. Alternatively, one can take a bus to Laoag, then transfer to Pagudpud. From the town plaza, tricycles to Saud Beach cost PHP 50, 1 to 3 pax.
Tricyles offer northbound day tours for PHP 600, 1 to 3 pax. This includes Maira-ira Beach (Blue Lagoon), Bantay Abot Cave, Patapat Viaduct and Kabigan Falls. A friendly and reliable driver is Gerald, mobile: +63 9056266861. For solo travelers, taking the tour is costly, so I recommend DIY by taking tricycles to and from the national highway (PHP 40 to 50) and hopping on passing buses or minivans (PHP 20 to 50) that ply between Cagayan and Ilocos Norte.
WHERE TO STAY: Beachfront resorts at Saud Beach are pricey. The cheapest accommodations are homestays a few minutes walk from the beach. I stayed at Vangie’s Homestay (+63 9285393184) – 50 meters or so from the beachfront – where an AC room for six persons costs only PHP 1000 (off-peak rate)! Single and double occupancy at PHP 500.
