Melo Villareal
With only two hours of sleep, we left Mira de Polaris Hotel early for our sandboarding activity in La Paz. Located near Paoay Lake, La Paz Sand Dunes is popularly known as the “Dubai” or “Desert of the North” and is a prime location for shooting local films.
Shoot Shoot Shoot
We arrived early in La Paz, but the 4×4 cars were not yet in the area, so we took advantage of the dramatic sunrise colors to pose, take photos, and pretty much anything in between till the sandboarding team arrived. After 30 minutes, Herencia De Paoay’s 4x4s started arriving, and without any specific instructions, we found ourselves loaded onto the same vehicle we used yesterday. Same people, same driver, but the screams got louder and louder as we started traversing the bumpy sand formation.
It was such an amazing experience. Everyone anticipated a new horizon and sand dunes after another until we reached the edge of a cliff. We really thought we would be braving the huge cliff, but as our heartbeats got faster, we breathed a sigh of relief as the driver announced that we had just reached the sandboarding area.
So what the heck is Sand Boarding? Wikipedia describes Sand Boarding as a recreational activity similar to snowboarding that takes place on sand dunes rather than snow-covered hills. For some, it involves riding across or down a dune while standing with both feet strapped to a board, while others use a board with no bindings.
Regarding safety measures, using a strapless board is not allowed in Paoay, so make sure to bring the proper gear. After a short briefing on sandboarding, a local sandboarder attempted to give us a demonstration but unfortunately failed to set a good example, as he halted and tumbled from the middle of the sand dune all the way to the bottom.
Ida Calumpang of Mabuhay Magazine volunteered first to sandboard; immediately after securing the strap, she conquered her fear and slid down the dunes smoothly like a pro. After Ida, everyone got excited to brave the mighty sand dunes and had their share of fun and an exhilarating experience. We were already running out of time, so we had to pack up and head to our next destination. While everyone waited for the vehicle to move, we wondered why we were still facing the cliff, with no sign of a change in direction.
Much to our surprise, we were indeed moving towards the cliff. The driver was unstoppable; he knew that everyone was afraid, but he kept on traversing the dunes the hardcore way. The dune bashing was indeed more than a roller coaster ride for the rest of us. It can be really scary at first, but we found ourselves laughing with excitement as the 4×4 went up and down on the amazing sand dunes. Just a warning: basic driving skills are not enough if you want to try out 4×4 driving in La Paz Sand Dunes.
What I liked about this trip is the variety of activities. Right after an adventure-packed activity, we headed to the beautiful Paoay Church. Still in Ilocos Norte, Paoay Church is considered one of the most beautiful churches in the Philippines.
The church was built from coral stone and features a mix of Gothic, Oriental, and Baroque influences. As one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites, the church will receive funding for the rehabilitation and improvement of its ceiling, according to local officials.
After touring the church, we took a group photo and then proceeded to another adventure! This time it’s an adventure for the palate. Our breakfast earlier was completely unique, if not unusual. We had a complete stop in Batac, Ilocos Norte, to experience the Batac Empanada and their famous Miki. Ilocandia has its own version of empanada, which is larger, and the ingredients are also different. I ordered the “Double Double Empanada”, unlike the regular one —the Double Double Empanada is bigger, and the longganisa and egg fillings are obviously “doubled” (LOL).
Not everyone was familiar with the food, but everyone definitely enjoyed it! Available right across the street was another set of food stalls offering Miki – a popular noodle soup in Batac. Miki is much like Lomi in appearance, but the noodles used are freshly made, and the ingredients are different too. I was not able to finish the big bowl of Miki (believe it or not); I guess the sauce’s thickness filled me up faster than I expected.
As usual, we can’t stay long in a specific destination, so we boarded the Victory Liner Bus and headed to La Union for the much-awaited surfing lessons. It took us almost four hours to reach San Juan, La Union. Upon arrival, our group was welcomed by Director Martin S. Valera, the local CVB, and the San Juan Surf Resort, which provided surfing lessons for our group.
The local tourism officials, together with Director Martin Valera, showed us a short but informative audiovisual presentation about La Union’s culture, festivals, heritage sites, and other tourism-related information. Soon after lunch was served, we were introduced to Luke Landrigan, the resident Surfing Trainer. The San Juan Surf School is being managed by Luke Landrigan – a silver medalist in the most recent Asian Beach Games held in Bali. As an accredited Surfing trainer in Australia, Luke also trained qualified surfers in La Union to assist him in conducting various surfing clinics.
While everyone was busy learning to surf, I was also busy surfing, just not in the splashing waves. I took the opportunity to update my Facebook status, answer emails, and complete all my pending tasks before we headed to Baguio City.
From the warm beach temperature, we headed up to the City of Pines to meet the people behind the Baguio Convention and Visitors Bureau. I woke up to hear everyone getting off the bus, and I just found out we were already in front of The Manor Hotel for dinner.
Amboy Guevara of BCVB gave brief welcoming remarks and gave us a hint about tomorrow’s activity, which made us even more excited. Mayor Reinaldo Bautista also welcomed us and joined us for dinner that was prepared by The Manor Hotel’s famous Chef Billy King.
I’m currently writing this post inside my room here in Microtel Baguio. I’ll give myself 10 more minutes to check all new emails, then I’ll call it a night.
Thanks to North Philippines Visitors Bureau (NPVB) for making this trip possible:)
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Read: Lakbay Norte Day 4: Adventures in Bokod Benguet and Tour of Pangasinan Capitol
