Commute Guide To Bacarra Church & Pagudpod Ilocos Norte

This blog entry explains how to get to Pagudpud from Laoag and back. It tells you important things to remember in going to Pagudpud like costs, bus fare, where to ride in going back to Laoag, availability of bus, etc and recommends a good beach to frolic in budget. If you're a backpacker or a DO-IT-YOURSELF traveler heading out to Pagudpud, you will definitely get some pointers from this article. So, read on.

On my fourth day in Ilocos Region which is January 6, 2012, I decided to go to Bacarra Church in the morning and afterwards headed out to Pagudpod. Before I give you the commuting directions to these important destinations from Laoag City, I wanna share some photographs I have taken of them. If you want to read the posts that preceded this entry so as to learn some guides and directions to places in Ilocos, please go to the following articles: First post, To Laoag From Manila In 52 Minutes. Second post, Getting To Ilocos Norte's Important Attractions. Third post, How To Commute To Vigan's Tourist Spots From Laoag.

Coconut trees as seen from Saud in Pagudpod

Beach in Municipal Park of Saud Pagudpod

Tourists swimming in Saud

Pristine beauty of Saud in Pagudpod

In going to Bacarra Church, just go to the terminal of jeepneys with signage that reads "Bacarra". The jeepney terminal is located at the corner of Gov Primo Lazaro Street and Gov Julio Agcaoili Street and opposite GMW Bus Terminal. From the frontage of Ilocos Norte Provincial Capitol Building, go to the street at the back of the building which is Gen Antonio Luna Street. Agcaoli Street is next to Lagasca Street along Gen Antonio Luna and near to Ilocos Norte Museum. Walk along Gov Agcaoli towards the other corner which is Primo Lazaro where the terminal is located. From Isabel Suites, just walk from the corner in which Jollibee is located, that's Primo Lazaro and Gen Segundo Ave. On the third street, you will see the terminal just opposite bus terminal of GMW Bus Lines. From Tiffany Hotel, walk towards Jollibee, then walk along Primo Lazaro up to third street which is Agcaoili where the terminal is located to your left.

Jeepney fare from Laoag to Bacarra is Php 14 as of this time. On that day, I boarded the jeep at 10:04 am, at 10:20 am, the jeepney left the terminal. I asked the driver to drop me off at Bacarra Church. It's near. At 10:36 am, I was already at the location of Bacarra Church, took some photos of the Domeless Belfry of Asia, and then...

Domeless Bell Tower of Bacarra Church

At 11:21 am, I was on the waiting shed for jeepney going back to Laoag. At 11:24 am I rode a jeepney and at 11:40 am I was back at the terminal in Laoag.

I was looking for a place to have lunch when I saw the terminal of buses with Pagudpod sign in the front. The bus was about to leave so I decided to go. The terminal is right along Gov Agcaoili itself. You would be seeing it on your way to the terminal of jeepney bound for Bacarra if you get there from Ilocos Norte Provincial Capitol.

The bus left at 11:53 am and at exactly 2 pm I got off the bus in front of Pagudpud Public Market Building where I had my lunch. Fare from Laoag to Pagudpud is Php 60.

Traveling by bus from Laoag to Pagudpod is a long and wobbling ride along the winding and rocky headlands of the northwest tip of Luzon. The sense of adventure that I was already feeling that very moment stepped up a notch because of the cool ocean breeze that kept coming in the open-air mini-bus.

My Latitude App at work

As you can see in this photo of my Latitude App on my smartphone which I have taken en route to Pagudpud, the road traverses the edge of Luzon Island. The Latitude App increased the adrenalin I felt along the way even more. It's only here in Ilocos that I got to use it and it amazed me. For one thing, it triangulates your current location, and in my case here, on moving bus, then, you get to know what town you're already in even if you're not familiar and there's no signage on the road yet. In a way, the impatience brought about by long travel is loosen up.

Before you get to Pagudpud, you get to pass by a part of Ilocos Norte called Banqui along which the windmills lined up the shores. Then, there's also this part and I am not sure if that area was the place called Capurpuraoan where rock formation is so magnificently chiseled along the long stretch of the shores. It's a sight to behold. And when I saw this huge rock cliff that seemed to have been instrument for some suicide acts, I was paradoxically fascinated by its beauty. The view is cinematic, I think I've seen it in one of the movie scenes.

After having lunch, it's time to head to the beach. Now this information I'm going to share is very handy for those who are in budget. Resorts in Pagudpod are expensive. The best place to fit meager finances while enjoying time in the sun is the place called Saud. I had talk to the old woman who owned the eatery I've had my lunch at. That's how I got the information.

So, when I hired a motorized tricycle with its terminal just across the street, the driver immediately knew where to take me after I uttered the word "Saud". You can also ask driver to take you to Municipal Beach Park located in Saud. See photo. Tricycle fare costs Php 60 from its terminal to Saud.

Municipal Beach Park in Saud Pagudpud

Rent of cabana in this area costs Php 150 good for daytime use only up to 8 hours. If you plan to extend your stay overnight, the fee is Php 300. That includes the usage of all facilities available for customers in a regular beach resort. If you don't want to rent a cottage, you can just pay entrance fee of Php 20 for adult, Php 10 for children and Php 16 for students. You can bring in food which you either take with you or bought just outside the gate. As per policy of the management, swimming is until 10 pm only, although you can be in the water early in the morning. The cabana you might get is either open or enclosed cottage. Whichever you take, they cost the same.

Things to remember in commuting out of Pagudpud and back to Laoag. Last trip of the bus from the terminal near Public Market in Pagudpud bound for Laoag City is 3 pm only. By 4 pm, you need to get to loading area for Florida Bus Lines which is walking distance from Public Market, locals will easily tell you the location if you just ask. If by any means, you found yourself late in the afternoon and you need to get back to Laoag, then ask a driver of motorized tricycle to take you to highway where you can wait for a bus coming from various locations bound for Laoag City, e.g., Cagayan.

I myself had made sure to be back in Laoag City before dusk. After taking some photographs of the beach, I walked back to the area where the tricycle I'd ridden was parked. As in other locations I've been to in Ilocos region, I made an arrangement with the driver to wait up. Nonetheless, there are lots of motorized tricycles that ply the route to Pagudpud Public Market from Saud and vice versa.

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