In the northern parts of this country, there is a place that I stumbled upon which I consider the black sheep when compared to all the popular tourist spots known in the Philippines. Covering thousands of hectares, this place plays host to the largest stretch of sand in the whole nation. The sand is coarse, dry and reflects a warm golden brown color as sunlight bounces off of it. During my stay there, the horizon would shimmer and dance under the haze of the intense noontime heat as I dared to trek through it during its most challenging conditions. Occasionally, I would stumble upon patches of foliage that stick out like a sore thumb against a backdrop of thirst and dryness. It was an environment that I had never encountered in all my years of exploring the Philippines. This place that I have found, is the desert of the north, found only in Ilocos.
As difficult as it was to explore the desert, I was simply fascinated by the fact that it existed. From all the travel guides and blogs that I have read, I had never come across one that featured this uncommon destination. I didn’t even know we had a desert! What struck me the most was when I compared it to other trademark destinations in the Philippines such as Boracay and Palawan. Instead of boasting of clear blue waters and five-star resorts, it dares you to find beauty in its tragically bare and extreme environment. The sun is unrelenting and you will find no relief from the heat as bodies of water are located far from the center of the desert. It is a barren wasteland compared to the lush, white sand beaches that other provinces have to offer. There aren’t any rest rooms, food stalls or drinking stations for miles. Getting lost in the middle of the day can even prove to be fatal if you come in unprepared. Basically, it is the complete alter ego of what a stereotypical tourist spot in this country should be — harsh, inhospitable and unforgiving.
But, don’t look away just yet because it is in its vast solitude that serves as its most appealing quality! There is something eerily mesmerizing when you stare into the horizon as the sun lights up the golden brown sand covering every inch of earth that your eyes can see. It’s a scene straight out of a postcard and it’s definitely not something you would see every day. Just knowing that kind of makes it worthwhile. At the same time, leave it to the Filipinos to make something out of nothing as there are a couple of interesting activities that you could try out.
The first is called sandboarding. For all those who have dreamed of gliding down through a hill of snow, this is the next best thing. With some dunes going as high as 50 feet, you skate down slopes so steep that it feels like a miracle you aren’t falling off. It took awhile for me to build up the nerves to finally jump the slope but once you’re on it, there is most definitely an adrenaline rush like no other. You free fall down a slope on your slippery board, against the scorching heat of the sun, gliding and weaving through the patches of weeds sticking, feeling like an extreme sports superstar then BAM! Your balance goes off and you tumble over, unattractively rolling down to the bottom of the dune with not one bit of poise. Sandboarding is definitely fun, but staying up and not falling over was never a guaranteed part of the deal. It took awhile for me to finally get a hang of it and slide down the slope unscathed but it was worth every second. However, I still ended the day looking like a sandball, body aching yet still smiling.
Aside from sandboarding, there is the daunting 4x4 off road experience. Being a car aficionado, I was extremely pumped up to take a ride on these metal beasts of the desert. The rush of jumping through the hills, sharply turning through the desert plains and kicking up clouds of sand or the sudden feeling like the truck just might tip over because the driver over did it a little bit was just my kind of high. It was a mix of speed and the fear that the truck just might give way of spin out that made it so exciting. Plus, riding at the back, head sticking out and cruising through a long and flat stretch of sand makes you feel like you are the king of the desert.
Currently, those are the most popular activities to do around that area but my personal favorite is the one that appeals more to the romantic in me. As the sun sets on the desert, the golden brown sand slowly turns into a burning orange and sets the perfect background for an inihaw picnic. Loading up the 4x4s with food, grillers, lamps and all things fun, this desert can be a great place to kick back, drink up, and enjoy a good feast with friends. It’s a surreal moment to watch the sun set against the majestic sand dunes of Ilocos. Add the company of great people and it becomes an unforgettable memory that you probably won’t get every day.
The Ilocos desert is so unlike any other place in the Philippines, being so unrefined and extreme. But sometimes, it’s those kind of qualities that really bring out the curiosity in people. At the moment, its popularity is slowly rising, and once people start to see the beauty in the few things it has to offer, it will surely become a hit.