The tourist magnet that is La Union

Today is a holiday to commemorate Araw ng Kagitingan. It’s also the last day of an especially long weekend which began on Maundy Thursday. I expect hundreds of thousands of Pinoys took advantage of the long weekend to travel abroad, or to visit the many wonderful destinations our country has to offer.

One such tourist magnet is La Union, which has become a popular spot for today’s generation because of its surf waves, nightlife and food. My 21-year-old daughter, Gabbie, was not immune to its charms. Though she had never been to the Surfing Capital of the North, she finally got to spend a weekend there a few weeks ago with friends from college. Since I, too, have never been to La Union, I asked Gabbie to write about her trip, and she gamely obliged. Here is Gabbie’s narration about her weekend in La Union, more commonly known as “Elyu” to younger generations.

“My friends and I hit the road at around six in the morning one Saturday. While it was a pleasant drive, it was quite a long trip that took about five hours. And so, by the time we made it to San Juan, La Union, we were all in dire need of food and coffee.

“For our first stop, we decided to go to The Great Northwest, which is a viewing deck filled with quite a few restaurants and shops. Our very first meal was at a restaurant called Sabong, where we ordered Honey Bagoong and Korean Soy Fried Chicken, which were super flavorful!

People learn to surf in ‘Elyu,’ as La Union is more commonly known to younger generations.

“As one who appreciates a good cup of coffee because I need a dose of caffeine to function properly, I was delighted that El Union did not disappoint. El Union is most famous for its Horchata drinks, which is spiced toasted rice milk. I chose the Dirty Horchata because it had coffee mixed in, and the drink definitely exceeded my expectations. Afterwards, we went to a spot called Clean Beach. This quickly became a favorite place because we got to enjoy ice-cold beers right by the beach.

“La Union is known for its gorgeous sunsets, and I was, of course, eager to see one. My friends and I trooped to the main beach and made it a point to watch the sun go down and take photos from a choice spot. The sunset was extremely vibrant and incredibly dreamy.

“After the sun disappeared from view, we went to Kermit for dinner and drinks. Kermit is a cool place with great music and vibes. My favorite cocktail was the Great North West Side, which had gin, peach, and mint. To cap off our Saturday night, we hoped to dance the night away at Flotsam & Jetsam. Unfortunately, the line was ultra-mega long and the place was packed. So instead, we went for takeout to OnlyPans Taqueria, one of our favorite taco places that now has a La Union branch. We unanimously agreed to attempt visiting Flotsam & Jetsam the next night.

“The following day, Sunday, we had brunch at Masa Bakehouse. We enjoyed everything we ordered, especially the Shakshouka, which is two eggs poached in tomato sauce, cheese, kangkong, eggplant, sambal, and cilantro. Meant as a dip and served with sourdough bread, we simply could not get enough of it!

“Another reason why I wanted to visit La Union was just to unwind, which is what my friends and I did that entire Sunday afternoon. Swimming, reading by the beach, soaking in the sun, and watching the sunset on this Sunday — these activities are what completed my trip.

“We lost track of time and so had to scramble for a late dinner. Kabsat is a well-known Filipino restaurant in La Union that usually has a long waiting list, but we were lucky to get a table when we got there at 8 p.m. Our favorite dishes were the Sisig and Buttered Chicken! Afterwards, we punctuated our last night in Elyu with drinks at Flotsam & Jetsam.

“Of course, a trip to the Surfing Capital of the North isn’t complete without a surfing session! Before heading back to Manila, we all squeezed in a surf lesson at around 8:30 a.m. For P500, we got to surf the famous La Union waves. It was definitely an experience I will never forget and will return to real soon.

“After surfing, I wanted a pick-me-up drink and so hit El Union coffee again. This time around, I got an iced Chai Latte with oat milk, and it was probably the best chai I’ve ever had. It was so good that I even got another one for the drive home. For our very last meal in Elyu, we had delicious Bagnet Kare-Kare at Naknak, a pretty famous carinderia-type restaurant.”

All in all, Gabbie’s first trip to La Union was unforgettable, filled with great food, great energy, and awesome memories! Truly a short but fun weekend for all!