WikiPilipinas: Pagudpud Treat

Warm turquoise water of Pagudpud

WikiPilipinas and FilNet Team was treated by Gus Vibal, executive director of Vibal Foundation to the northernmost tip of the Philippines. It is a yearly adventure trip he gave to his staff as his token gift after the hurdles of projects he initiated for the foundation which he tagged as "knowledge sharing initiative".

PinoyExplorer was there and a witness to their merry making and island adventure in the comparatively perfect charms of Ilocandia. Gus who lived in New York for 25 years was amazed by the luxuriant hills, mountains and the very productive valleys when we're on Pagudpud. For your information, this marvelous tip of Ilocandia lies 45 miles north of Laoag City, its provincial capital and about 350 miles north of Manila -- about the equal distance between Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Cinematic sunrise of Pagudpud

From the Laoag International Airport, we drove one and a half hour last night. Immediately, after our dinner we have some sort of recreation and treating his staffs with bottomless beers and delicious pulutan while some of them have befriended other visitors and treated the night with hip-hop music.

Gus with FilNet/Wiki team

The following morning (our hut is by the beach) we are treated by the powdery-like white sand, the tranquil blue water and the beautiful sunrise landscape of blue sky-tinted with warm pinkish color. After a toast of coffee, Gus and George proceeded to the beach and hang-up with the early fisherman's catch. They curiously tickle those big fishes that I can't recall its name.

Hoping to get more clues on what's on the other side of the island, I decided to walk by the shore lines with my Canon DSLR and took some photos. Facing the northwest, I saw the famous Bangui Wind Mills aligned like aliens patrolling the beach. The scene is very unique if compared to Boracay. Along its coastline you can see the coral rock formation over a turquoise water. The scene is very dramatic that if I am a cinematographer, this particular spot would be perfect for a romantic love scene :)

Another cinematic view in Pagudpud. Perfect for relaxation.

When I came back, the staff decided to walk the southern part of the island and to take a peek of other fine beaches of Pagudpud. From there, the staff and Gus who joined us for a walk goes swimming while George and myself decided to hire a boat to take us to the other side of the island. The boatman told us about the blue lagoon which excite us. So, we fetch the team from their 2 kilometer walk and we proceeded to our next destination. The water gets rough so we decided to drop by in a nearby beach shore and and coral garden mesmerize our eyes with its clear water and live seaweeds.

A walk in the beach :)

We return to our quarters around 12 noon and eat our lunch. Serve with their house specialty- pinakbet with bagnet plus other native Ilocano foods, our stomach can no longer find its way to digest our crave. After a while, we pack our things and we headed for Laoag.

lunch time with native Ilocano foods

Pagudpud is still unspoiled and tourist like me are treating it as a place for complete relaxation. It has a wide shore lines, the place is peaceful and not yet invaded by commercial establishments. Unlike Boracay, the beach is not overcrowded and you can really enjoy the water. Its powdery-like sands are its main attraction. The water are calm even during high tides.This is my second time to reach Pagudpud and if permitted, I will be coming back here for a more extended vacation. This time, I hope, with my own family.

Next...Patapat Viaduct

Related Post

* WikiPilipinas: The Road to Ilocadia
* WikiPilipinas:Summer Getaway