Tag: ilocos norte

Bangui Windmills

Bangui Windmill or Bangui Wind Farm is the first power-generating wind farm is the Philippines and is located at Bangui, Ilocos Norte. It is one of the itineraries of travelers having their great northern adventure.


The windmill was inaugurated in 2005 for phase 1 of the Northwind project with 15 turbines. Phase 2 of the project was completed in 2008 adding 5 more turbines. The 20 turbines are facing the West Philippine Sea and lined up gracefully along the shoreline of Bangui Bay. They were built by the Northwind Power Development Corporation as a source of renewable energy.


It is an hour and a half drive from Laoag City and is very near the boundaries of Pagudpud. You will be able to see the towering windmill from afar and you’ll know you’re on the right track. It is also just before Kapurpurawan Rock Formation. Kapurpurawan Rock Formation is a hidden gem in the town of Burgos.

Pagudpud Saud Beach

Pagudpud’s coastal area is wide and one of the notable areas is Saud Beach. Saud Beach is part of the coastal area of Bangui Bay.
A long stretch of the sand bar, which is almost 3 kilometers is seen along the Bangui Bay and you can also see on the right side the famous Bangui Windmill.

Saud Beach has many different resorts along the beachfront like Blue Lagoon, Sunset View Beach Resort and including Saud Beach Resort and Hotel. Saud Beach Resort and Hotel is a resort and a restaurant overlooking the beach.


When we were there we saw fishermen helping each other with their nets of freshly caught fishes.

The fishermen were helping each other thru their Bayanihan helped each other to pull the tent in the shore from the boat.

Another coastline is the Maira-ira Beach via the Patapat Viaduct.

Pagudpud Maira-ira Beach

Pagudpud is a town in the upper left tip of the Philippines. Pagudpud is a huge municipality in Ilocos Norte. Pagudpud has a coastal area and the shores are between Bangui Bay and Paselang Bay.
My first time in Pagudpud was a decade ago. I was traveling with three colleagues and it was the last stop of our destination. It was already late at night when we reached the town and we were advised to stay with the locals since we found resorts were all fully booked.

We stayed in an old house and it was near the town and the main road. In the morning, we went to Maira-ira Beach. The Maira-ira beach is seen from the Patapat Viaduct. The beach was crowded but we went to a place where we rented a nipa hut. The beach is overlooking the Dos Hermanos Island.

The Dos Hermanos Islands are two rock formations on the northern coast of Maira-ira Beach which are visited by tourists. It is also a highlighted landmark in Pagudpud. There are so many resorts along Maira-ira Beach and going up near Dos Hermanos Island. The famous resorts in this area are Hannah’s Beach, Punta Azul Beach Resort, Kapuluan Vista Resort, etc.

Paoay, Ilocos Norte

Paoay Church

Paoay Church or Iglesia de San Agustin de Paoay is located at Paoay, Ilocos Norte. It is one of the oldest churches in the Philippines which was completed in 1710. The baroque architecture church is declared a National Cultural Treasure in 1973 by the Philippine Government and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993 along with the other baroque churches in the Philippines.


The church is made up of coral stone and bricks. There are 24 massive buttresses on the side of the church and at the back making the structure an earthquake baroque design.


The bell tower on the right side of the church is a three-story coral stone tower. It was said the bell tower played a major part during the Katipuneros revolution serving as an observation post.

Paoay Lake National Park

Paoay Lake is the largest lake in the province of Ilocos Norte. It is a freshwater lake with different resorts around the area.


The lake was called Lago de Nanguyudan was supposed to be a barangay. The barangay was called San Juan de Sahagun that sank after an earthquake.


Another place to see in Paoay is the Malacanang of the North, a presidential museum and the residence of the family of President Ferdinand Marcos during his term. The museum is around Paoay Lake.

Currimao, Ilocos Norte

It is a town in Ilocos Norte after Badoc and before reaching Paoay. It also has different famous resorts like an interesting coastal town in front of the West Philippine Sea.

The Currimao beach is a long stretch of the sandbar. It is near the College of Fisheries of Mariano Marcos State University. From the beach, you can also see the Currimao port.
Different beaches surround the coastal town. The famous resorts are Playa Tropical Resort, Nipa Beach Resort, D Coral Beach Resort.

Fort Ilocandia, Laoag, Ilocos Norte

Fort Ilocandia is located on the coastline of Laoag City in Ilocos Norte. The only 5-star hotel in the northern Philippines in an over of 77 hectares of land in the sand dunes and pine forests. The 2-kilometer sandy beach bar is overlooking the West Philippines Sea.

There are 5 function rooms for gatherings, events, conventions and conferences. There are 5 restaurants inside: Café Ilocandia, Red and Asian Restaurant, Palms Bar, Sunset Lounge and Piano Lounge.


What are the things to do in Fort Ilocandia? Since it’s a little far from Laoag City, you could enjoy your stay here doing different things like paintball, basketball, beach volleyball driving range, horseback riding, horse-drawn carriage, archery, tennis, and others.

There are water activities like swimming, snorkeling, boating and beach bumming in the sand. A few kilometers near Fort Ilocandia is the Paoay Sand Dunes.

Laoag City, Ilocos Norte

Laoag is the capital of Ilocos Norte. It is also known as the Sunshine City. It is the gateway to Pagudpod and Bangui Windmills.

Laoag Cathedral

One of the famous landmarks in Laoag is the Laoag Cathedral located after the bridge on the right side. It is also known as Saint William Cathedral that was built by Augustinian friars in 1612 which features Italian Renaissance design.

Sinking Bell Tower

Located near the church is the sinking bell tower. The tower sinks into the ground at a rate of an inch per year and used to have a big clock on the tower’s western face. Near the tower is a park named Aurora Park.

Museo Ilocos Norte

The museum was an old Tabacalera warehouse that showcased the cultural heritage of the Ilocos Region. It is located in V. Llanes Street, one block away from Aurora Park.

La Paz Sand Dunes

Another place to see in Laoag is the La Paz Sand Dunes, the original sandboarding in Ilocos Norte with an 85 sq. km. protected sandy coastal desert and beach.