La Union
Hi there! 👋 I’m @benjtupas and welcome to another Travel PH82 Guide 🇵🇭 where I write DIY and budget-friendly guides for group and solo travelers on how to visit all 82 provinces of the Philippines!
For today’s guide, let’s virtually explore La Union.
Summary:
La Union is a popular beach getaway near Metro Manila that's famous for surfing, one of the most beautiful sunsets, and a vibrant nightlife for cool kids like me. 😆
Day 1: 🚌 5-hour bus ride to La Union 🥄 Lunch: Tagpuan 🏖️ San Juan Beach 🥄 Dinner: Arcy's Diner Day 2: ☕ Breakfast: El Union Coffee 💦 Tangadan Falls 🗼 Baluarte Watch Tower 🛖 Bahay na Bato + Pebble Beach 🗿 Bato de Luna 🌳 Almeida Man-Made Forest 🥄 Dinner: La Gringa 🍺 Flotsam & Jetsam Day 3: ☕ Breakfast: Masa 🏄 Surf at San Juan Beach 🥄 Lunch: Kabsat 🏖️ Urbiztondo Beach 🥄 Dinner: Fatwave Surf Resort 🍺 Tavern by the Sea Day 4: ☕ Breakfast: The Coffee Library 🥄 Lunch: Clean Beach 🥄 Seabuds 🚌 5-hour bus ride to Metro Manila More food trips I've tried: 🥄 Mad Monkeys 🥄 Elyu Inasal 🥄 Silong 🥄 El Chapos 🥄 El Navi 🥄 Kabrito's Grill and Restaurant
This was a continuation of our Ilocos road trip. Since you'll pass by La Union if you're traveling from Metro Manila to Ilocos, I decided to continue the journey for 7 days with close to no plan and just discovered La Union on the fly.
Allow me to share what I've learned and the itinerary I've built if I were to visit again in the future.
How to Get There?
🚌 Ride the Partas bus from either Pasay or Cubao
Just search "Partas Pasay" or "Partas Cubao" via Grab
You can book directly with Klook to reserve seats on your preferred schedules as La Union is a popular destination. Buses get filled fast especially if you're traveling on a weekend.
📍 The popular drop-off is at 711 in San Juan (the tourist area of La Union) so you don't have to pay for a tricycle.
It will cost you around P200 for a tricycle from the terminal to San Juan.
🔁 However, on the way back, it might be hard to get a decent seat if you wait at 711 especially if you're traveling as a group.
I suggest going to the terminal.
Just search for "Partas La Union"
You can also book in advance with Klook
🏠 Accommodation
I won't recommend the hotel I booked. 😆 Since this was an impulsive trip and I only booked the room while we were in Ilocos, most of the nice places were fully booked or too pricey.
Just search for "San Juan La Union" in Agoda or Booking.com and you'll get a lot of recommendations with reviews from these apps.
Day 1:
🚌 5-hour bus ride from Metro Manila to 711 in San Juan 🥄 Lunch Here are some options: 1. Tagpuan - popular budget food in La Union. I recommend their lechon kawali rice bowl. 2. Mad Monkeys - they serve solid burgers. 3. Elyu Inasal - chicken inasal + unli rice. Mang Inasal is shaking! 😆 4. Silong - budget sizzlers. I tried their sisig and calamansi juice. - All of them are just in front of 711 San Juan and also beside each other. - I tried all of them on different days - My recommendation is to try Tagpuan first. 🏖️ San Juan Beach Swim and sunset viewing
🥄 Dinner at Arcy's Diner - They are located at the beachfront. - I met one of the owners and he recommended their burger steak with rice and milkshake. I loved both! - They serve alcoholic drinks also.
Don't party yet. 😆 Just chill for the day tour tomorrow so you can start early and with energy. 💪
Day 2: Day Tour
For the guide, I recommend Marlon (+639071188812). He offered me the best price because he does everything. He's a tricycle and habal driver, guide, lifeguard on the falls, and a good photographer. All in one. You don't need to hire separately. 😆 Unfortunately, you need to ride the habal going up Tangadan Falls coz some roads are almost vertical. It feels like you're on a rollercoaster ride. It was fun nonetheless. 😂
If Marlon is not available, you can also contact these guides: - Ricky 1: +639053433229 - Ricky 2: +639501107560 - Alex: +639305521424
I met them while roaming around La Union as my tricycle drivers as they take turns in taking passengers at 711.
(Tip: Ask for a lot of offers and compare them first before deciding. Ask about the hidden fees like entrance fees.)
Ask your guide to fetch you at El Union Coffee.
☕ Breakfast at El Union Coffee
- One of the best and most popular coffee shops in La Union. - I recommend you try their grilled cheese. - The place is aesthetic too. My photos don't do justice so here's one from the internet. 😆
📍 Tangadan Falls
🎥 Experience Tangadan Falls in 10 Seconds
📍 Baluarte Watch Tower
You can eat lunch here
I recommend you hire the very talented local kids in this area to take your photos. They use panorama to capture the entire watch tower. So cool! I learned something new from them.
You can pay them any amount but don't forget to be generous. 😆
I love the bell shadow lucky shot in the first photo and the watch tower hole in the second photo below.
📍 Bahay na Bato + Pebble Beach 📍 Bato de Luna - These 2 are just beside each other. - It was my first time seeing a beach made of 100% pebbles. 😱 - The sound of stones clacking on every step was so relaxing and a unique experience for me. 🚶 - Bahay na Bato (House of Stone) displays great artwork made of mostly stones 🖼️ - Lastly, I bet you like the last photo 😉
📍 Almeida Man-Made Forest
ENJOY THE NIGHTLIFE!
🥄 Dinner Choose between these 2 Mexican places near Flotsam and Jetsam: 1. La Gringa - delicious Mexican place. I saw the famous actress, Mylene Dizon, here. 2. El Chapos - one of the best tacos I’ve tried! Try their El Clasico so you’ll get to try 1 of each meat. 🍺 Flotsam & Jetsam - La Union trip won’t be complete without dining and/or partying here. - Don't forget to take photos with the iconic lanterns. - Just make sure to go really early on a Friday and Saturday. The line can go as far as 3 streets and they have a limit. Your effort will end up being useless if you don't make the cut. 😆
Day 3: Surf and Party Again! 😆
☕ Breakfast: Masa 🏖️ San Juan Beach (Swim or Surf) 🎥 Experience La Union's Surf Scene in 20 Seconds 🥄 Lunch at Kabsat You can stay here until the afternoon, chill with drinks, swim at the beachfront, and enjoy the sunset view.
🥄 Dinner at Fatwave Surf Resort A great competitor to Flotsam and Jetsam and is not too crowded. 🍺 Drinks at Tavern by the Sea They have really good acoustic bands playing here.
🎥 Watch the Kabsat, Fatwave, and Tavern by the Sea videos here (Just scroll through the slides)
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Day 4: Go Home
☕ Breakfast 🥄 Lunch You need to eat coz it's a 5-hour bus ride to go home. Here are some options: 1. Clean Beach - work-friendly, good environment, and beachfront coffee shop 2. Masa - try their Shakshouka and Special Latte 3. Seabuds - try their delicious smoothie bowls if you're on a diet 4. The Coffee Library - work-friendly and good environment. They serve Pinoy breakfast. 5. El Navi - work-friendly, good environment, near the beach. They serve Pinoy breakfast.
Say goodbye to La Union. 👋 Just reverse the "How to Get There" to go home.
Celebrities and Youtubers
I saw famous celebrities: Mylene Dizon and Awra, and famous Youtubers DarShe Goes To! 😍
That's it! I just spent the remaining 3 days eating on the alternative recommendations above, working on my venture, and mostly drinking at Flotsam and Jetsam. 😆
Thanks for reaching this far!
👋 Say hi on Instagram @benjtupas if you have any questions about the trip.
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Travel Dates: November 27 to December 04, 2022
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