Northern adventure

The long Holy Week break provided a peaceful opportunity for millions of stressed Metro Manila residents to abandon the city and drive north. With the help of navigation apps like Waze, search engines and the extended NLEX-SCTEX-TPLEX route, it’s easier to find adventure on your own. Once you get to the end of TPLEX in Pozorrubio, you just have to cross Sison town and a long bridge, and you’re in La Union. The junction to Baguio and Ilocos region is a few minutes away. All told, the heart of La Union is just an easy four-hour drive.

In La Union, the zenith of the vacation experience is the sprawling, luxurious Thunderbird Resort in Poro Point, San Fernando, patterned after the romantic, cliff-hugging homes in Santorini, Greece. Thunderbird covers both ends of the spectrum of sporting leisure. If you’re an early riser, you can get in nine holes at the Cliffs Golf Club, surrounded by spectacular views of the surf and salt air to clear your lungs, and still have time to take a swim in the new infinity pool before the sun gets too hot. And if you’re a night owl, the casino offers plenty of diversion. Shuttles get you anywhere you want in the complex. 

The Italian food at Olives is an attraction in itself, with pastas and standard pizzas as a centerpiece. The Pizza Ilocano is a best-seller, combining the best of the trademark cured meats of the region. If you don’t own a home or membership there, there are dozens of new rooms with balconies giving you a great view of multi-hued sunsets over the water. Of course, the service is top-notch. 

If you prefer something along the main highway near public transportation, Villa Estrella Beach Resort on MacArthur Highway in Bauang is a quaint, intimate, relaxing place to shake the dust off your feet after a long trip. The rooms surround a grass volleyball court for groups who don’t want to venture out, and the lobby faces the sea. Needless to say, the sunsets are likewise breathtaking. Villa Estrella also has heated covered pools for when the seawater’s too cold, perfect for teaching children how to swim and overcome their fears. The adult pool is just three to five feet deep, while the small children’s pool is even shallower. Several flotation devices make it more palatable for beginners. The rooms are decent and comfortable if you’re on a budget, with provisions for extra beds. The accommodations are far enough from the highway to be very peaceful.

Mommy Lu’s along the national highway in Barangay Carlatan in San Fernando has consistently been one of the best places to have a filling, home-cooked meal. The menu ranges from the local staples of fish, squid and sizzling dishes to steaks and kilawing kambing (goat meat in vinegar, onions and spices). Once you get to the northernmost parts of Pangasinan and beyond, every town has eateries offering goat every few blocks. 

For surfers, Blue Surfer’s Lounge at The Little Surfmaid Resort is where a lot of the action is, the barometer for how good a day’s waves will be. Surfers get there before sunrise when preparing for competitions or just to stay in shape. The rooms are clean and simple, with a view of the water, and the food exceptional, especially their version of the ubiquitous bagnet. But be warned, the restaurant is often packed, particularly on nights when local bands play. All in all, the atmosphere is very relaxing. It won’t take long for you to settle down.

What was most impressive was the very high profile presence of the Philippine National Police at every major intersection, busy downtown, marketplace and tourist spot. And in large numbers, too. The cops were a big help in maintaining the flow of traffic throughout the northern corridor, save for a few junctions where the sheer volume of vehicles was overwhelming.

It was also the first time this writer saw large groups of bikers at every stop. What was impressive was the discipline with which they rode, single file, and always signaled to other motorists to let them pass. Generally all dressed in black with reflective vests, they maintained formation even when parking at favorite photo spots like all the arches announcing the next town. 

What provides some amusement along the longer stretches of gray highway is the diversity of vehicles and people heading to the beaches. The highways were also filled with families packed into pick-up truck beds, tricycle side cars, or jeepneys, unmindful of the heat or dust. Anything to get out of town.

And we hadn’t even gotten to Ilocos yet.