Part 18 of a series
DAY 3
One of the downsides of a place being “undeveloped” is lack of maintenance and so, even though the scenery was so picturesque, we weren’t able to soak and enjoy the Blue Lagoon waters too much as sea moss was all over the place. Soaking in the waters with tons of sea moss around may be a not-so-pleasurable experience.
For that, we hoped for better conditions in Blue Lagoon’s better-known neighbor, Saud Beach. From Blue Lagoon, we went back to the National Highway and drived back to the general direction of the west. As with Blue Lagoon, Saud Beach also can not be directly accessed from the main highway but it is hard to miss. One will just have to look out for the Saud Clam-Shell Monument and then turn right (or left if you’re from the South) and go straight all the way to Saud Beach.
12:00pm. At exactly noontime, we arrived at what is dubbed as the “Boracay of the North”, the Saud White Beach in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte.
Overexposed. Boo!
The sand in Saud is not as white and as fine as Blue Lagoon’s, but it is still smooth, so you can walk barefoot without worrying about your feet. On high noon though, it is advisable to wear some footwear as the sand can be so hot!
I was quite amazed by the waves in Saud since they’re not the usual ones I see. It seems like they’re vacuumed first before they are unleashed, lol. If you’re looking to wrestle with the waves, they’re actually better than the artifical waves in Splash Island.
By the way, I must laud the person behind the idea of requiring all kids to wear life jackets before they can take a dip in the beach. The waves in Saud (or the whole Ilocos, in general) are really quite dangerous. They suck you and spit you out, literally, so moms can be more assured of the safety of their kids now. (But my mom wasn’t haha. She didn’t blink an eye while watching over my younger brothers at the beach.)
Saud Beach is the most popular destination in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte but I was surprised that it is still relatively untouched so for those looking for a secluded, peaceful and quiet beach, then Saud is the place for you. Do not expect for a vibrant nightlife in Saud though. There’s nightlife in Saud but it’s life with the wind and the waves.
The fifteen windmills of Bangui can actually be seen in the distance from Saud Beach as both Bangui and Pagudpud surround the Bangui Bay.
Pagudpud prides itself as among the places with the longest stretch of contiguous white sand beaches.
Reminder: You should never leave the beach without a taste of the staple, fresh buko juice! I was still about to have mine when the photo below was taken.
I heart Saud!
(…to be continued)
