So many inquiries in the past on the nearest beach resort to Manila and suggested beach resorts for company summer outing or team building activities but as always, Tutubi does not recommend specific beach resorts as he has no favorites nor even hidden affiliations. You can opt not to do the usual company outing ocular inspection to check beach quality, food tasting, amenities, and overnight room accommodations, just take note of these tips and suggestions.

UPDATED: March 2014

Herewith is only a general recommendation per area though there may be pockets of beaches that don't fit per Tutubi's description with estimated travel time out of Metro Manila and only land travel is considered i.e. no islands nor boat/ferry rides much more airplane rides (for those rich and generous companies)
Beach resorts in Cavite: travel time around 2 hours (even less due to Cavitex)

Tutubi visited Lido Beach Resort in Noveleta, Cavite without much expectation and he's right. The beach there is dirty as it's part of Manila Bay, you can even fish garbage out of the water. The sand is black and usually turns-off most city dwellers looking for a white beach in Cavite. The best beaches in Cavite are those at the southernmost tip of Cavite province with several high-end resorts like Puerto Azul (visited by Tutubi sometime in 1998), Caylabne Bay Resort, Boracay de Cavite

Beach Resorts in Bulacan: Travel Time: around 2-3 hours

not much is known about beach resorts in Bulacan due to it's also part of Manila Bay so if you can find them, expect them to be dirty and unfit for swimming. Bulacan though boasts of several nice resorts with wave pools.

Bataan Beach Resorts: travel time around 3 hours via NLEX

The beaches of Morong Bataan is inside Manila Bay, not that dirty as quite far already from Manila but the sand is fine gray. Reason why it's not that famous. The beaches of Bagac town (where Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar the resort of old houses is located), on the other side of Bataan Peninsula has white sand and good enough for human activities.

Batangas Beach Resorts: travel time varies from 3 hours to 5 hours

In Batangas province you have so many choices from Nasugbu (the nearest to Metro Manila via Tagaytay) but doesn't have real nice beaches and shoreline for swimming.

The much hyped Laiya Beach in San Juan is quite nice but not quite as raved by other people. On one end of the beach is fine sand bit murky and on the other end is the so-called La Luz point, a rocky part where it's nice to snorkel. In between the two is a short strip of fine white sand. Tutubi visited this in 2005 when the popular and pricey Acuatico Beach Resort with it's nice infinity pool is not yet built.

the nice part of the white beach of Laiya, San Juan, Batangas

Lobo Beach resorts, visited by Tutubi in summer of 2012 (unposted yet) does not offer very good beach too as the beach is full of pebbles (but not the same as those in Luna, La Union). They offer great diving experience though as you can see Isla verde from a distance, said to be one of the best dive sites in the country. Calatagan has also has nice beaches while Anilao town has mostly dive resorts catering to scuba divers.

The once famous Matabungkay beach in town deteriorated with too many balsa (bamboo rafts) parked on the shore that make swimming difficult and sometimes dangerous

munting buhangin beach with munting visitors

Nasugbu beaches hold promise with fine sand of Munting Buhangin Beach and nearby beaches where you can see Munting Buhangin Beach Resort, Punta Fuego, Canyon Cove and others.

Quezon Beach Resorts: travel time 4-5 hours

Parts of the beaches of Quezon Tutubi has visited include Sariaya (his first beach experience in "19forgotten" has dark gray sand but the area is good for swimming. Same in Atimonan town but the waves may be a bit dangerous. Up north in the towns of Real and Infanta, the beaches are gray sand, sometimes rocky, and with huge waves as they're facing the Pacific Ocean. The town of Pagbilao has nice white sand beaches though but there may not be enough beach resorts rooms and overnight accommodations for large companies.

Quezon has many islands too with fine white sand beaches that many bloggers hype to be like Boracay (usually exaggerated accounts) and also the southern towns are unexplored by Tutubi.

Zambales Beach Resorts: 3 to 5 hours travel time via NLEX-SCTEx

not so crowded and tourist-infested, the beach of Pundaquit, San Antonio, Zambales

Here you have lots of choices though may be quite far already for some companies. Subic Bay has nice resorts including the once popular White Rock and the pricey Marina Lighthouse Resort. Most of Zambales shoreline has black sand or fine gray sand like those in Pundaquit, San Antonio (where you can have nice yet pricey resorts like Punta de Uian)Pundaquit is the gateway to Anawangin Cove and Capones Island.

Pangasinan Beach Resorts: travel time 4 to 6 hours via NLEX, SCTEx

the backpacker-friendly Patar beach in Bolinao, Pangasinan

Pangasinan is a large province. there are many towns with pockets of nice white sand beaches sandwiched between those with gray sand. Western Pangasinan boasts of nice beaches of Anda, and Bolinao and Tambobong White Beach in Dasol town. In Bolinao beaches you can choose Ilog Malino for safe beach for family outings and the backpacker-friendly Patar beach has fine slightly brownish red sand. Pangasinan also has historic beaches in Mangaldan and Lingayen (where resorts like El Puerto Marina can be found) which played silent witness during the liberation of World War II. The Hundred Islands in Alaminos boasts of several beach resorts for overnight accommodations, some with cheap room rates, even dormitory-type rooms for the budget conscious (but usually without official websites nor any published telephone contact numbers)

Lingayen beach is typical Pangasinan and Zambales: fine gray sand with waves suitable for surfing school

La Union Beach Resorts: Travel time of 5 hours or more via NLEX, SCTEx (but expect this to shorten once TPLEx is completed)

La Union boasts of nice white sand beaches but they're actually popular for one thing: surfing. You can find beach resorts in the towns of Bauan and San Fernando (where the expensive Thunderbird Poro Point is located)

Further up north, lies Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte (where Pagudpud resorts await) that are too far away for most Manila-based companies to consider for summer outing. Not much nice white sand beaches in Ilocos Sur except Sabangan Beach in Santiago, Ilocos Sur (as Tutubi was able to scour most of seaside towns of Ilocos Sur) and probably other towns north of Vigan (unexplored by Tutubi)

Santiago Cove: a hidden treasure of Ilocos Sur, a white sand beach without the crowds

Lastly, if our company summer outing came too late for summer and into the rainy season, you can check out Pansol hotspring resorts in Calamba, Laguna where you can swim to your hearts content without getting out of the hot water due to freezing cold when out of it. :)

This is not a definitive list as Tutubi has yet to fully explore all of them. He may have left out some nice places or gave comments that don't agree with your own.

Labels: Bataan, Batangas, Beaches, Bulacan, Hotels and Resorts, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Luzon, Quezon, Zambales

The location shoot venue of the popular movie "No Other Woman" starring Derek Ramsey, Anne Curtis and Christine Reyes sporting blue and white motif set on the beachfront of Poro Point, San Fernando, La Union.

Tutubi was able to briefly visit this luxurious resort with pricey rates to "inquire" and order clubhouse sandwich, green mango shake and just enjoy the view of one of the playgrounds of the rich and famous in the north.

Pictures of Thunderbird Resorts Poro Point, San Fernando, La Union:

the signature white and blue motif of Thunderbird Resorts symbolizes the colors of the sea

the spacious lobby and viewdeck with giant "sun shield"


the empty swimming pool of Thunderbird Resorts at around lunch time

clubhouse sandwich

green mango shake, anyone?


Tutubi's lunch actually was at a frugal roadside restaurant somewhere in Bauang with sinanglao and bulalo :P

Information on Thunderbird Resorts Poro Point, San Fernando, La Union:

No Entrance Fee in Thunderbird Resorts, no information though on the Thunderbird resorts day tour rate to include use of swimming pool. An order of clubhouse sandwich, 2 green mango shakes and a can of soda costs PhP750 just to give you an idea of sample menu prices. the bar is open with a 32 inch LCD TV showing an English Premiere League football match between Chelsea and Fulham FC. Not too many people around lunch, though there are people having lunch. Noone's using the swimming pool at this time of day.

Labels: Hotels and Resorts, Ilocos Region, La Union, la Union Resorts

Several baluartes (watchtowers) can be found on the coast of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur and La Union built by the Spanish authorities to guard and warn coastal communities of any suspicious ship coming to shore and thus warn people of impending danger from marauders, usually Moro or Chinese pirates slave traders, snatching young girls and women during summer. The watchtowers were mostly constructed about 400 years ago, made of adobe blocks and coral stones joined by lime and egg whites, typical construction styles of Spanish churches.

Watchtowers: the sentinels of the sea against marauding pirates and unwelcome visitors

Tutubi already visited and posted several of the watchtowers and this one, located in the town of Luna, La Union (formerly called Namacpacan and now named after one of the towns famous sons, Gen. Antonio Luna (brother of Juan Luna)) is no different but in such sad and forlorn state, just waiting for a strong typhoon, tsunami or apathetic humans to topple it down to oblivion. The watchtowers foundation is already eroded probably due to seepage of seawater making it look like the leaning Luna watchtower that urgently needs restoration, if there are still people out there who appreciate heritage.


the ruins of the Luna Watchtower sits on a pebble beach, where people make a living of gathering pebbles to be sold to traders and exporters of white, gray or sometimes colored pebbles for use in landscaping, construction and aquariums here in abroad

the leaning watchtower, held in check by crude wooden planks, children nearby add scale to the photograph

the watchtower has been split in two due to cracked foundation and a tree further poses risking damage to the heritage structure

Other baluartes in La Union province can be found in Carlatan, San Fernando (a small town formerly known as Pindangan), Balaoan, Bacnotan and San Juan, all yet to be visited by Tutubi.

---

Luna Watchtower,
Barangay Victoria, Luna, La Union
GPS Coordinates: N16 51 24.8 E120 22 22.0

Related Posts:
Bateria Watchtower
Santa Watchtower
La Union Beach Resorts

Labels: Ilocos Region, La Union, Watchtowers

Along the way in every trip, you'll always encounter something unusual, something that captures your fancy by just looking at road signs and establishment names.

One sign caught Tutubi's attention with the sign that proudly say "babalu's bulalo" somewhere in Tarlac and another in Bauang, La Union with a restaurant serving steaming hot bulalo (beef marrow soup) along the highway and where you can see lots of parked cars, meaning it must be good, cheap or both.

But since seeing Babalu's Bulalo and not yet time for lunch, Tutubi and his driver drove on and just looked for a place to eat out at 12 noon along the bypass road of San Fernando, Union, a place called Sisters Restaurant with a signage advertising bulalo on their menu.

the simple menu of the simple roadside eatery in San Fernando, La Union says: bagisen, papaitan, sinanglao, cowballs (soup #5?)

Without thinking, Tutubi ordered bulalo plus "bistek" for his companion to satiate his craving for his favorite comfort food. But to his dismay, he got this: bulalong pata ng baboy, more like nilagang baboy.

bulalo...err...nilagang pata ng baboy

Was Tutubi misled by the bulalo sign outside or he's totally clueless that in La Union, bulalo means pork knuckle soup?

On his return trip to Sta. Cruz, Ilocos Sur, he again passed by the same road, saw the same restaurant with the unforgettable "bulalo" but no longer duped and instead was able to mark the real Babalu's Bulalo in his GPS so as not to miss it. The result:

Babalu's Bulalo branch in Bauang, La Union (an order costs PhP50.00 single serving)

Besides finally sampling Babalu's Bulalo, he was also able to find out if the "long-chin" actor was behind the road side bulalo eatery but he got the answer that Babalu was really not behind the restaurant, it's just a marketing ploy, some sort of name recall that even Tutubi was fooled.

Babalu's Bulalo falls into the Frugal Food Find category, bulalo was not really good but also not bad at a price of PhP50.00. It seems the marrowy goodness of beef tendons got drowned out by the generous serving of soup but still it's something to satiate once craving for hot bulalo, particularly for the ultra-hungry on rainy days.

Labels: Filipino Cuisine, Frugal Food Find, La Union

Whether going to La Union to beach bum, surfing lessons or a veteran surfer yourself, La Union offers fine white sand beaches with surf breaks from the South China Sea.

herewith is a list of beach resorts in La Union for your information on your next vacation or company outing:

Beach Resorts in Aringay, La Union

Marimar Beach
Email: samara@dagupan.com
Official Website: http://www.dagupan.com/samara/

Beach Resorts in Bauang, La Union

Bali Hai Beach Resort,
Paringao, Bauang
Tel. 63-72-2425679

Bali Hai East
Paringao, Bauang
Tel. +63.72.242.0531
Fax: +63.72.242.0528
Official Website: http://www.balihai.com.ph

Blue Nile Beach Resort & Beach Club
(Formerly Southern Palms Beach Resort and Stiletto's Nightclub)
Pagdalagan Sur, Bauang
Tel. No.:+63.72.888.5384
Fax: +63.72.888.5529
Official Website: http://www.southernpalms.com.ph

Cabaña Beach Resort
Paringao, Bauang
Tel. No.: +63.72.242.5585
Fax: +63.72.242.3107

Cesmin Beach Cottages
Pagdalagan Sur, Bauang
Tel. No.:+63.72.888.2884

China Sea Beach Resort
Paringao, Bauang
Tel. +63.72.242.6101
Fax: +63.72.242.0822

Coconut Grove Beach Resort (Coco Grove)
Km 263 National Highway, Paringao, Bauang
Email address: resort@coco.com.ph
Telephone Number: +63.72.607.6604
Fax: +63.72.607.6621
Official Website: http://www.coco.com.ph

Long Beach Resort Hotel
Address: Paringao, Bauang
Tel. nos.: +63.72.242.0609; +63.72.705.0904
Official Website: http://www.longbeachresorthotel.com

North Pals Beach Resort
Paringao, Bauang, La Union

Ocean Breeze Resort Hotel
Paringao, Bauang
Tel. No.:+63.72.888.3530

Schweizergarten Resort
Paringao, Bauang
Tel. No.:+63.72.705.2300

Villa Estrella Beach Resort
Paringao, Bauang
Tel. No.:+63.72.2425644
Fax: +63.72.242.0652

Beach Resorts in Caba, la Union

EL CASERON Beach Resort
Santiago Norte, Caba, La Union
Tel. No.: +63.72.708.0078; +63.2.715.7146
Fax: +63.2.713.4705

Beach Resorts in San Fernando, La Union

Acapulco Beach Resort
Telephone: +63.72.242.5696

Blue Lagoon Resort
Canaoay, San Fernando City, La Union
Telephone: +63.72.888.2531

California Beach Resort
Barangay Pagudpud, San Fernando City, La Union
Tel. No.: +63.72.700.1375; +63.72.700.4950

Clarissa Jade Village Resort
Barangay Parian, San Fernando City, La Union
Tel. No.: +63.72.242.7550

Green Palm Beach Apartelle
Barangay Pagudpud, San Fernando City, La Union

La Mer Resort
Barangay Carlatan, San Fernando City, La Union

Meridian Beach Cottages
Barangay Pagudpud, San Fernando City, La Union
Tel. No.: +6372.888.5401
Tel. No.: +63.72.242.0962

Miramonte Beach Resort
Navy Road, Barangay Poro, San Fernando City, La Union

Naps Resort Hotel
Pennsylvania Avenue, Barangay Poro, San Fernando City, La Union
Tel. No.: +63.72.700.0053; +63.72.888.0053

Oasis Country Resort
National Highway, Barangay Sevilla, San Fernando City
Tel. No.: +63.72.242.5631; +63.72.242.5621; +63.72.242.5610

Ramon & Delfina Beach Resort
Barangay Pagudpud, San Fernando City
Tel. No.: +63.72.700.0589

Salangas Beach Cottages
Barangay Pagudpud, San Fernando City, La Union
Tel. No.: +63.72.888.3802

Sea Park Beach Resort & Restaurant
Barangay San Francisco, San Fernando City, La Union
Telephone: +63.72.888.2369
Official website: http://www.shipsideinc.com/seapark.html
Email: ssi_sflu@digitelone.com

Sunset Bay Beach Resort
Tel. No.: +63.72.607.5970
Official Website: http://sunsetbayphilippines.com
Email: sunsetbayresort@yahoo.com
Official Website: http://www.sunsetbayphilippines.com
Remarks: with infinity pool

West Meridian Beach
Barangay Pagudpud, San Fernando City, La Union
Tel. No.:+63.72.242.6438

Wil Jam Beach Cottages
Barangay Pagudpud, San Fernando City, La Union
Tel. No.: +63.72.700.0671

Beach Resorts in San Juan, La Union

Monaliza Resort
Urbiztondo, San Juan

San Juan Surf Resort
Urbiztondo, San Juan
Email: admin@sanjuansurfresort.com
Phone +63.72.720.0340
Official Website: http://www.sanjuansurfresort.com

Sebay Surf Resort & Entertainment Center
Urbiztondo, San Juan, La Union
Tel. No.: +63.72.888.4075
Fax. +63.72.700.0849
Email: sebayresort@yahoo.com.ph
Official Website: http://www.sflu.com/yabes/sebay/sebay.htm

Las Villas Resort
Montemar Village, Ili Norte, San Juan
Tel. No.:+63.72.242.3770
Fax: +63.72.242.3769

Little Surf Maid Resort
70 Urbiztondo, San Juan, La Union
Tel. No.: +63.72.888.5528; +63.72.888.5538

Sunset German Beach Resort
Montemar Village, Ili Norte, San Juan
TeleFax: +63.72.888.4719

Puerto de San Juan Resort Hotel,
Ili sur, San Juan
Tel No.:+63.72.607.4328; +63.72.607.4355; +63.72.607.4377; +63.72.242.5471; +63.72.720.0185; +63.72.720.0255 to 56
TeleFax: +63.72.720.0184
Email: psj@puertodesanjuan.com
Official Website: http://www.puertodesanjuan.com

Note: Please contact the resort directly using official websites or published contact numbers for cheapest rates, inquiries, room rates and cheap accommodations.


How to get to La Union:

Directions to La Union from Manila:
La Union via SCTEx is about 5 hours with NLEX Dau exit then entering SCTEx then Tarlac, Pangasinan via MacArthur Highway. In Rosario, La Union, turn left on a fork (where the right fork leads to Baguio via Kennon Road)

La Union from Baguio is just an hour via Naguillian Road

How to commute to La Union by bus:

From Manila, board bus bound for Laoag (Ilocos Norte), Vigan (Ilocos sur), Abra, La Union, Benguet, or Ilocos Sur and drop off in La Union (request the conductor to drop you off near the town or resort). Bus lines operating bus routes passing by La Union are Dominion Bus Lines, Philippine Rabbit, Partas Transit, Maria De Leon, Viron Transit, and Panther. No updated information on bus fares to La Union.

UPDATED: April 5, 2009

Labels: Hotels and Resorts, Ilocos Region, La Union