This summer, travel to Bolinao and catch a picturesque sunset in Patar beach

A summer destination

Patar beach in Bolinao, Pangasinan is a popular destination for beachgoers especially during summer. Patar beach is actually in Brgy. Patar, which is just one of several baranggays near a coastal area in Bolinao.

How to get to Patar beach

Bolinao is about a 6-hour drive from Manila. You can take the NLEX-SCTEX-TPLEX network and exit to Urdaneta, Pangasinan. From there, it is a matter of looking at Google Maps or using Waze to find your way to Bolinao.

We recently went on a road trip to Patar for a much-needed break. We did not take the Manila to Bolinao route, but instead went to Sta. Rosa, Nueva Ecija first before going to Bolinao.

The best route going to Bolinao from Sta. Rosa, Nueva Ecija will take you to a network of roads traversing several towns in Tarlac province, including Tarlac City, Camiling, Gerona and San Clemente, before arriving at Mangatarem, the first town in Pangasinan that you will see.

The trip was about 5 hours. It was a smooth ride all the way because the roads from Tarlac to Pangasinan are all very well maintained. 

Patar beach accommodations

Visitors will notice that there are now numerous inns and small hotels lining up the beachfront or near the beach. This is good, because travelers now have more choices to suit their budgets when it comes to accommodations.

The summer season brings in a lot of visitors to Patar, and as expected, there was quite a crowd when we got there. Fortunately, we already booked our accommodations prior to arriving. The rooms we got were just a few meters away from the beach. 

You will have a lot of choices when it comes to accommodations. If budget is not a concern, it would be better if you stay in a pricier place, say a hotel or an inn with its own compound and access to the beach.

For the budget conscious, there are many rooms for rent near the beach. The only downside is that some rooms are all clustered or concentrated in one area. If you do not mind hearing beachgoers belt some songs in a nearby karaoke machine, then you'll be okay.

Our rooms

The rooms we got were decent, although for the price, one might expect to get a bit more. However, the complimentary nipa hut shed we used to grill our food and eat our lunch in was a nice touch. 

A picturesque sunset

The most interesting part of the trip for me was watching a picturesque sunset at Patar beach with family and friends. The sunset was made even more picturesque by a sandbar on the southern end of Patar which rises when the tide is low. The orange glow of the setting sun and the silhouette of beachgoers walking along the sandbar makes for a great sunset photo.

An amazing way to spend Holy Week in Vigan

Holy Week

Holy Week is an anticipated holiday in the Philippines, a mostly Catholic country. The holidays usually start on Holy Thursday and Good Friday, and end on Easter Sunday.

For most Filipinos, the long holidays is a chance to travel and go on vacation. For devout Catholics, Holy Thursday and Good Friday are often spent visiting churches or praying and contemplating in silence. The revelry usually starts on Black Saturday and Easter Sunday, where most go to the beach and celebrate.

Going to Vigan

For our family, Vigan, Ilocos Sur, was the destination of choice. Coming from Sta. Rosa, Nueva Ecija, we took the SCTEX-TPLEX loop, which was still the fastest way to traverse the provinces of Pangasinan and La Union.

By car, the route is pretty direct. Traverse the Sta-Rosa-Tarlac Road until you reach the TPLEX-Tarlac Exit, which will be on your left. Traverse TPLEX and exit at Pozzorubio in Pangasinan. From there, follow the road to La Union province, until you reach Vigan in Ilocos Sur.

Traffic

However, our decision to leave on a Holy Thursday was a big mistake, with the usual 7-hour travel time stretching all the way to 12 hours because of traffic. The sheer number of motorists all going up north made bottlenecks of the many towns and municipalities along the way. The typical 2-lane roads of these towns were no longer able to support the volume of incoming--and outgoing--traffic. Good thing we already had a place to stay once we arrived in Vigan.

Going to Calle Crisologo

Vigan, too, was pretty crowded. But despite the crowd, we had an amazing time visiting a few interesting places, like the St. Augustine Church in Bantay, and the Bantay Bell Tower. We took the customary walk at Calle Crisologo, and visited St. Paul Cathedral.

One highlight of our visit to Calle Crisologo was witnessing the "Semana Santa" parade of numerous religious images depicting the suffering and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Despite our little misadventure on the road, visiting Vigan was an enjoyable, as far as spending time with loved ones is concerned.