White Sands of the North Philippines

San Juan Waves

2012-01-25T06:27:00.000-08:00

The San Juan beach in La Union may not be as beautiful as the beaches in Bolinao and in Luna, but it is famous because of its big waves - it is in fact, known as the Surfing Capital of the North!

San Juan Surfing Break

San Juan Surfing Break is a beach party organized annually during the month of October while "semestral break" is normally ongoing. The event lasts from 3 to 5 days with beach activities in the morning that usually includes photography, sports, and of course, surfing...up to the evening bikini pageants and beach parties with live bands!

Sneak Peek of Live Big Waves

San Juan beach is not comparable to Bolinao's and Luna's. But I can consider this rocky area as the best place to witness how big waves are enjoyed by many surfers!

Surfboards in Yabes Resort

Yabes is one of the resorts found around the beach, and it's where I've seen the comedy actress Tuesday Vargas having her meal with some colleagues... Oh, well... San Juan beach is also Jericho Rosales' favorite to surf!

Rock Garden Zoo

2012-01-20T10:37:00.000-08:00

One of the main attractions of Bolinao Rock Garden Resort is its "zoo" - so I chose to make a separate post, to exclusively feature the animals that are housed in it and being taken care of.

Different types of Birds

In Rock Garden Zoo, the cutest and most attractive birds down to the ugliest and awful looking species can be found.

Eagles and Parrots

The white parrot above can actually speak some Tagalog words, but the most commonly pronounced is the word "panget" (it means "ugly" in English). I remember speaking with the oldest living white parrot in the zoo, that can pronounce lots of local Ilocano and Tagalog words. The more it hears, the more it imitates, the more it speaks. It just saddens me that its voice became very husky as it aged.

Love Birds, Monkey, Peacock, Head Over Heels

The kissing birds, female peacock, the vampire monkey, and the upside down birdie! Where did I get all these names? Here, let me explain... FACTS: The budgerigar, a.k.a. love birds are fond of kissing their partners. They are known to be the most in-love specie of birds. Only female peacocks have colorful feathers - male ones have brown. Female peacocks open their colorful tail feathers to attract males. But how about the vampire monkey and the upside down birdie? Well, it goes like this - when I got near the monkey, it showed its sharp teeth, seemingly ready to bite my neck! Lastly, I named it the upside down birdie because it typically positions itself like a bat - yeah, really thought they're bats!

Rock Garden Resort

2012-01-20T09:05:00.000-08:00

The Rock Garden Resort located in Brgy. Arnedo, Bolinao, Pangasinan is where I had my very first stay. It's a big resort that has restaurant, cottages, rooms, event center, function hall, sheds, pool, chapel and surprisingly, a zoo!

Inside the resort, overlooking the sea!

This area is the best spot to take pictures because the quality and color of the sand is good to the eyes, and the angle gives a better image of the entire place.

The Rock Garden Chapel

It's a good idea that Rock Garden has a built chapel within its vicinity - a place to uplift your spirituality.

Rock Garden's Private Pool

I was supposed to have a full access to the entire place so I wanted to go to the pool area. But as you can see, the door's locked and nobody around was there to open it for me - it was still early. I didn't waste my time waiting, of course, because there's a lot more that awaits me!

The Bridge to Rock Garden Chapel

All visitors wishing to see the Chapel must pass this bridge.

Luna Beach

2012-01-20T03:33:00.000-08:00

The beauty of La Union beaches are often overlooked by many, because it's not white that travelers often see... Now, I'm bringing you to a new perspective of its sea!

The Hidden White Beach of La Union

Brgy. Darigayos, Luna, La Union is one of the most unknown places in La Union, that's showered with nature's richness. This picture of a live splash of waves was taken at the shoreline where very fine pebbles are seen.

The Unique "Pebble" Beach of Darigayos, Luna

Yes, it's not a white sand beach, but a so called pebble beach! The beach is really one-of-a-kind. But I hope that its area is wider, and more accessible this time. If the presence of good hotels, restaurants, and at least decent clean comfort rooms and cottages is there, this place would possibly become a famous tourist spot in La Union.

Camp Spencer, Darigayos, Luna, La Union

The Camp Spencer in Brgy. Darigayos, Luna has left a mark in Philippine History. The villagers said that during the World War II, the American troops once made the place their wharf and secret hideout.

Bolinao Beach

2012-01-19T06:34:00.000-08:00

The finest beaches in Northern Philippines can be found in Pangasinan...

The rocky shore of Arnedo, Bolinao Beach

This picture was originally taken by me, using a mere phone cam. The clear water of the beach is as clear as it shows that visitors should be careful because the rocks have sharp edges and may give them some cuts. If you are looking for a beach to do some sports activities, this surely isn't the best choice.

The still water of Arnedo Beach

It's a great experience to be lying on the salty, quiet and calm water of the Arnedo beach. The beach has a very shallow and very still water with very little tiny splashes of waves. Kids, under proper supervision, can be assured of their safety because the stillness of the water makes waves almost unnoticeable. It's like giving them a company while watching them play at a wide range swimming pool area.

The Arnedo's White Sand

Brgy. Arnedo is just one of the many places in Bolinao, Pangasinan, where white sand beach can be enjoyed! There still are lots of different natural views, sunset beauties, sand textures, and beach qualities that can be seen in other places in Bolinao, Pangasinan and in other parts of Northern Luzon as well, that can surely uplift your spirit with a sense of relaxation and appreciation of what nature can offer. Having a glimpse on one of the wonders of nature brings me a very soothing experience...it gives me a feeling of I'm kinda so close to its Creator.