Traveling along the windy coastlines give you an exciting thrill, as you walk along the rocky beaches and having an exhilarating ride in the vast sand dunes of the north. Furthermore, walking in the windy shore with towering, white electric windmills along with the strong, blue waves add thrill to tthe adventure as you visit Ilocos Norte.
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| Revisiting the Bangui Windmills of Ilocos Norte |
As the Ilocos Norte journey continues, let's take a glimpse of the two northwestern coastal towns in the province, known for its windy weather and strong waves from the West Philippine Sea and the home of the first wind farm in the country - Bangui and Burgos. Moreover, the northwesternmost town in the mainland Luzon will be revisited through taking a walk in the Boracay of the North. Lastly, the tour's excitement can be added with a thrilling 4x4 vehicle ride in Paoay Sand Dunes.
Revisiting the Sand Dunes
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| A 4x4 jeep ride in the Paoay Sand Dunes during afternoon with a heart-shaped bamboo art. |
A day before going to these towns, I revisited the famous Paoay Sand Dunes located in the town of Paoay. Seven years ago, this tourist attraction is part of our itineraries in the company's team building. During that time, it is raining but cool experience amidst the weather condition that makes the ride more enjoyable.
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| 4x4 vehicles are waiting on an adventure ahead with their drivers. |
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| Traces of 4x4 vehicles in the vast slopes of Paoay Sand Dunes. |
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| 4x4 vehicles are waiting for tourists in the golden sunset along the sand dunes. |
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| Children are enjoying in a ruined jeepney in the sand dunes that serve as their playground. |
This summer, everything is different. We were able to take the thrilling 4x4 ride in a scorching afternoon in the Paoay Sand Dunes. The excitement remains the same with the first time I rode in this jeep, seven years ago, as the feeling is different due to summer season. Furthermore, I witnessed the sunset in the coast, followed by the sandboarding activity that I both experienced for the first time.
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| The golden Paoay Sand Dunes in a sunny afternoon. |
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| The sandy coastline of Ilocos Norte from Paoay. |
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| The sunset at the Paoay Sand Dunes overlooking the West Philippine Sea. |
The whole area spans about 88 square kilometers which was used as a location in movies including Fernando Poe Jr.'s "Ang Panday" and Nora Aunor's "Himala" where you can pass by in the bamboo art installation used in the said movie. The 88 square kilometers area
The experience was totally exhilarating yet refreshing, as a thrilling ride in a 4x4 vehicle is like a rollercoaster - going up and going down, sometimes smooth, sometimes bumpy. Furthermore, the sunset along the Paoay coast gave a new encounter in this travel.
Return to the Bangui Wind Farm
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| The giant windmills aligned in the curved coastlines of Bangui, Ilocos Norte. |
Seven years ago, Bangui is one of the most memorable towns I've visited in Ilocos Norte, despite of the rainy weather where I enjoyed the stroll along the windmills and dipping in the shallow waters of the sea. In my second visit, I appreciated the walk in the Bangui Windmills, as blue skies along with the turquoise waters and waves hit the white beach in the Ilocos Norte coastline.
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| The tall white windmills of Bangui teemed with the view of mountains of Caraballo facing the West Philippine Sea. |
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| Strong waves hitting the shore while tourists enjoying the stroll along the Bangui Wind Farm. |
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| Another set of windmills in the elevated coastline in Bangui. |
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| Stalls and huts are located along the shoreline as they sell souvenirs and native products. |
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| Presence of cactus along the sandy shores of Bangui. |
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| Mini windmills as souvenirs which can be sold along the coastlines of Bangui and Pagudpud. |
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| Windmills are scattered and extended along the coastlines of Bangui, Burgos, and Pagudpud. |
Bangui Wind Farm started on 2005 which considered as the first wind farm in Southeast Asia and part of the NorthWind Bangui Bay Project. The wind turbines facing the sea which makes its location ideal due to the presence of monsoons in the country. In the following years, wind farms are also installed in Burgos and Pagudpud which make these towns as a "Wind Farm Belt".
The second visit in Bangui is such a reminiscing experience. Nothing changed with the ambiance and the establishments are still here, but few renovations are made for various turbines. I appreciated it more because of the sunny weather yet windy feeling, along with the strong waves from the blue waters of the sea.
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| The giant windmills of the North facing the western sea, hitting the waves in the white sandy shore. |
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| Ilocos Norte is the home of wind farms, the major source of wind energy in the province. |
Traveling in the windy coastlines as I leave the wind farm will take me to another adventure, an experience that I've missed during my first visit - seeing the aquamarine waters, walking the northern viaduct, and trekking to the white rock formations. See you Pagudpud and Burgos!
Date of Travel: April 25 & 26, 2025
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