Ilocos Norte: Beautiful Sunset in Saud

Tired from the whole day of touring the famous tourist attractions in Pagudpud, Malou and I chilled out by frolicking in the blue waters of Saud Beach. We took advantage of the strong waves and enjoyed body surfing in the uncrowded portion of beach. As the dusk was about to set in, we rested on a driftwood lying on the sands and gazed at the sun slowly setting down in the horizon.

It was a beautiful sunset we witnessed in Saud. We were mesmerized by the view of the setting sun as it painted the northern skies with fiery bright colors.

Beaches of Summer: Saud Beach in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte

Saud Beach in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte is probably the most popular beach destination in the northern part of Luzon. It is often dubbed as the "Boracay of the North". It has a long stretch of fine, powdery sands dotted with coconut trees which give the beach a tropical feel. Saud is nearer to Pagudupud town center compared to Blue Lagoon beach. It has a very scenic view and is often visited not just by local tourists but foreigners as well. 

After the day-long Pagudpud North Tour, Arnel, the tricycle driver who served as our guide, took us to Polaris Beach House in Saud Beach. It is where we booked our accommodation and after settling down our backpacks in our room we hurriedly went down to the beach. From Polaris, Saud Beach is only about 50 meters away.

Bukidnon: Saturday Hike in Musuan Peak

Musuan Peak is located in Musuan, Dologon, Maramag, Bukidnon. It is also known as Mount Musuan and Mount Calayo and is one of the active volcanoes in the Philippines. It has an elevation of 646 meters ASL and a base diameter of 3 kilometers. It's accessibility and proximity from the national highway made Musuan Peak a favorite hiking destination in Bukidnon.

With nothing much to do on a sizzling hot Saturday morning, me and my friends Leonilo, Vanessa and James went for  a road trip on the southern part of our home province.  Aboard Leonilo's Ford Trekker, we left Malaybalay City at around 9 AM. The plan was to climb the peak of Mount Musuan in the morning then chill out in Lake Apo in Valencia at lunch time. 

Beaches of Summer: Blue Lagoon in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte

The beautiful cove named Maira-ira Beach lies in Maira-ira Point, the northern tip of Pagudpud. This beach is more popularly known as Blue Lagoon and is one of the many attractions that the Province of Ilocos Norte has to offer. It has a long stretch of white sands kissed by clear, turquoise blue water. It  is one of the destinations usually included in the North Tour Package offered in Pagudpud.

From Bantay Abot Cave, we went straight to Blue Lagoon shortly before noon. But before descending down to the beach, the tricycle made a stop at an overlooking spot where we viewed the stunning beauty of the beach.

Bukidnon: Food Tripping in Lorega

Nowhere Diner and Cafe is probably the best off-the-radar food destination in Bukidnon. Located in  Barangay Lorega , which is part of the Municipality of Kitaotao, this restaurant is still unknown to most residents of the province because of its far and away location. Since it is nearer to Davao City, most of its customers are Davaoñeos who are willing to travel one-and-a-half to two hours just to have their fill of Nowhere Cafe's mouthwatering dishes. Located about two hundred meters from Bukidnon-Davao (Buda) highway, Nowhere Cafe fronts the Wildberry Gardens and Camping Grounds where my wife and I spent two days and one night of the recent Lenten Season.

Bukidnon's Best Kept Secret Hideaway: Wildberry Gardens and Camping Grounds in Lorega

Wildberry Gardens and Camping Grounds is located in Lorega, Kitaotao, Bukidnon. Lorega is a highland barangay situated along the Bukidnon-Davao Highway. It is elevated at about 4,000 feet ASL and temperature could drop as low as 12 degrees Celsius, making it an ideal summer getaway for lowlanders. In fact, rich families from Davao City and other places already built vacation homes in this scenic barangay.

Wildberry Gardens is located about a hundred meters from Lorega Barangay Hall. This unassuming place has its own restaurant called Nowhere Diner and Cafe which is often frequented by Davaoeños because of  its mouthwatering dishes.

Beaches of Summer: Claveria Beach in Cagayan Province

Situated in the far northern tip of mainland Luzon is a long stretch of gray sand beach simply called Claveria Beach. It is more than 600 kilometers away from urban Manila and sees only a few tourists most of the time. Its raw and un-touristy feel makes it ideal for those seeking solitude away from the maddening crowd. 

To get here, one must endure a 12-hour bus ride from Manila straight to the quaint town of Claveria which is already part of Cagayan Province. Along the way you will pass by the provinces of Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte. The fastest way to get to Claveria is to take a flight from Manila to Laoag City then ride a bus or van in going to Claveria.