Trip up North (Pagudpud)

[vhenok]

okey natuloy po ako sa norte pero hanggang vigan lang po 4 days lang kasi kami.

First off, thanks to Vhenok, i printed your journal and was very useful i left our house at 10PM and my wife was my navigator refering to your journal.

No problem, sir qman!

Glad to be of help to anyone here in Tsikot coz this site is of big help to me also in many other things, in fact, too many to mention. ...hehe!

Nice travel and for sure, you and your family enjoyed it.

Been planning also this summer going to Ilocos again. To avoid crowds and lots of traffic, I am taking my leave after Holy Week na, post-Lenten ika nga.

Though been there twice already, madami pa pala akong di pa napupuntahan as mentioned by other peeps dito sa thread. Now, I got lots of reasons to go back....

[margaux]

falken: yup....fave ko yun.....

[falken]

Thanks Margaux, will be sure to get some on my next trip.

[miLes]

*qman - hmm no one's surfing? is this near the surf camp area, usually pagmataas alon tadtad ng surfers dyan. how high were the waves? it was forecasted at 6-8ft at zambales yesterday (sun)

[jedi]

Im was born in dingras, maganda talaga sa pagudpud, boracay of the north talaga sya, kaya lang di pa talaga sya dinadayo ng mga tao. im from dingras at madami pang pwede puntahan sa norte. sa Batac dumaan din sana kayo para makita si Macoy, sa Solsona, may magandang River duon "Karingking", sa Dingras naman yung Ruined Church, pero nirenovate na nila. Maganda sa Norte ay mga simbahan, napakagandang magpapicture duon, and also yung mga old houses.

[qman]

*qman - hmm no one's surfing? is this near the surf camp area, usually pagmataas alon tadtad ng surfers dyan. how high were the waves? it was forecasted at 6-8ft at zambales yesterday (sun)

di ko alam miles twas my first time in that area, mataas na sa amin with my kids 5 and 1 ang 2-3 feet wave eh pero noong pagabi na siguro around 4-6 feet na. No have not seen any surfer kami lang ang occupants at that time kasi weekdays kami nagtungo.

[miLes]

*qman - no worries, ive learned not to underestimate those kind of waves just curious lang kasi i thought my next surf will be on july na at least there are still swells so its not yet late to go surfing, thanks for the info

[jim]

Im was born in dingras, maganda talaga sa pagudpud, boracay of the north talaga sya, kaya lang di pa talaga sya dinadayo ng mga tao. im from dingras at madami pang pwede puntahan sa norte. sa Batac dumaan din sana kayo para makita si Macoy, sa Solsona, may magandang River duon "Karingking", sa Dingras naman yung Ruined Church, pero nirenovate na nila. Maganda sa Norte ay mga simbahan, napakagandang magpapicture duon, and also yung mga old houses.

uy dingras!!! maganda nga doon. bata pa ako nung nakarating ako sa lugar nyo.

[x-wind]

Finally, got hold of my journal. Medyo natagalan coz naghalukay pa ko sa baul….

Am posting this baka this might be of help sa mga newbies or di familiar sa road going to the North, as in this case directions from Manila-Vigan-Laoag-Pagudpud. I have also made the same reviews when someone asked for Manila-Mindanao landtrip directions, but then again it was another story (just search for it na lang).

The whole journey takes about 12-15 hours depending on your phase and number of stopovers. To get the most of it, I suggest that you leave Manila at night.

MANILA-TARLAC City
Distance: 120 kms.
Approx. Travel Time: 2-3 hours

Now that we know that NLEX has shown great improvement, travel time now cuts short for the 86-km. nicely paved highway to 30-45 minutes. There are a couple of large gas stations to either fill-in those tanks, do some checkups, restrooms and foods are also great. Petron is between Meycauayan & Marilao Exits and Shell (which is much bigger and offers many food choices) between Bocaue and Balagtas Exits.

Enter Balintawak and run all the way up to the end of NLEX (Sta. Ines, Magalang Exit, past Dau). But then again, a significant rise in toll fees are in effect, and for Class 1 vehicles you need to shred P200 bucks as compared to P51 before the increase.


From here, its either you turn right to Mabalacat (Clark)-Bamban-Capas route or left to Magalang-Concepcion-Tarlac route. The first is not advisable during daytimes as plenty of public transport (trikes and jeeps) abound the town proper. I suggest taking the other route which offers little disturbance and expect good roads. You can also see a glimpse of the devastating lahar still visible on some portions of the field. Don’t be confused when you reached the portion with signs like “Alternate Route to Baguio”, being a newbie I suggest not to take this route cause some areas are not signposted, unless of course, you have someone knows that route.

TARLAC Province

Capas-Tarlac City

Wait till you reach the very long MacArthur Hiway when you turn around the rotunda in Capas (Caltex & McDo). This hiway can cause some delays being only single road on most portions and small public transport are plenty. Many products are sold on the roadside like some tinapa, suka/patis, pakwan and other season fruits.

A large arch welcomes you to Tarlac City. Not far is the Luisita Shopping Mall and a park adjascent to it. Traffic from here is really terrible especially on the onset of summer vacation and the whole 15-km stretch to the City Proper can cause about an hour. But then again, night travel is much preferred as this road become less traveled.

You can have a major stopover here in Tarlac as the city offers establishments much like Manila and also all large gas stations. North bound buses also have major stops here.

TARLAC City - SAN FERNANDO City, LA UNION
Distance: 130 kms.
Approx. Travel Time: 3 hours

There’s an intersection in the city which on your left goes to Camiling which is in alternate route going to Lingayen & Alaminos (Hundred Islands). Then to the right is our route to the North (just take all signs or route going to Baguio).

Tarlac-Gerona-Paniqui-Moncada-San Manuel

You start to leave the city and go to Gerona. In this town you can see the now famous Isdaan Restaurant which offers good food and outstanding amenities. Then, my hometown is next, Paniqui (an arch welcomes you where there is a large bat in the middle – Batman’s town hehe). Our humble town offers variety of roadside products like peanuts, corn, pakwan and many more.

Next towns are Moncada, and the last town of Tarlac which is San Manuel. In between the provinces of Tarlac and Pangasinan, expect some slowed traffics caused by tricycles and tractors (we call it kuliglig).

PANGASINAN Province

Villasis-Urdaneta City-Binalonan-Pozorrubio-Sison

An arch welcomes you to the province of Pangasinan. The first town is Carmen, Villasis is next and Urdaneta City, which is also prone to traffic as this is a very busy intersection. Turning left would lead you to Sta. Barbara-Calasiao-Dagupan City. Just go straight and pass by the long bridge.

Next are towns of Binalonan, Pozorrubio and Sison (last town of Pangasinan). This road is flat and widely stretched in some portions. There is a narrow bridge after Binalonan which was the remnants of the quake or heavy typhoons in the 90’s, am not sure.

LA UNION Province

Rosario-Sto. Tomas-Agoo-Aringay-Caba-Bauang-San Fernando City

Then you enter LA UNION province via Rosario.

There are portions here that are hilly and a mixture in type and quality of roads. As you go down, on your left, is the Lingayen Gulf where numerous beachside resorts and restos abound. Just before the town proper of Rosario marks the entry to Baguio City via Kennon Road (from here ignore all Baguio road signs obviously).

Next town is Sto. Tomas, then Agoo which you can find the historical Agoo Church, and also the Eagle of the North Monument. A turnoff which leads to Baguio City via the Marcos Highway (which to me is the better route to the City of Pines).

Drive towards the towns of Aringay, Caba, Bauang and finally San Fernando City. This road has many uphill climbs. The stretch of Bauang to San Fernando offers beautiful beaches and resorts. This is major stop in the province which offers major amenities. There’s also an air and sea ports (Poro Point) in this city which was left by the Americans.

Next post: San Fernando - Vigan - Laoag - Pagudpud

galing talaga nito kahit lang map makakarat5ing ka sa pagudpud

[Ebony]

I'll be going there with my family sometime this summer. Good luck sa akin! Baka ako ang driver.

Any activities you can suggest we do there (aside from swimming, of course!)?