Sand boarding at the La Paz Sand Dunes has been long overdue in my “to do” list of adventures. Aside from visiting Paoay Church, this is one of the main reasons I’ve been dying to visit Ilocos Norte.
The La Paz Sand Dunes is an 85 sq. km. of protected sandy coastal desert located in the capital city of Laoag. It is part of the Ilocos Norte Sand Dunes which stretches from the town of Currimao all the way to the town of Pasuquin, north of Laoag City. As a distinct land formation, it was declared as a National Geological Monument by the National Committee on Geological Sciences in 1993.
The sand dunes were said to be created by the interaction of wind, sea and river, causing erosion and deposition. Bordered by the South China Sea at the west and a mountain range on the other side, this natural wonder is really an awesome sight to behold.
When I first heard about sand boarding in Ilocos Norte, the adventurista in me was delighted. I kept a promise that when I get the chance to visit this far north province, I will definitely give it a try.
It is not just a popular location for great Filipino movies such as Himala, Pedro Penduko and Panday, it has also become a favorite site for sand boarding enthusiasts.
So, while planning for this trip, I searched the net and contacted Sir Glenn Guererro to provide me sand boarding lessons. I bargained for a special rate since I will just be alone. I’m glad he agreed! Di naman cya mahirap kausap eh! Thank you Sir!
As agreed, Sir Glen fetched me in Texicano Hotel at 6:00 in the morning on my 2nd day in Laoag. I asked him that we do it early in the morning to enjoy the place without being sunburned, aside from the fact that the sand gets hot when the sun is already high.
The sand dunes is located outside the city proper of Laoag, just a few minutes drive or if you don’t have a car, you can ride a tricycle to go there. Since he brought his 4×4 jeep, it only took us 15 minutes to get to the sand dunes. I was at awe when I first saw the sand dunes. It’s sand and hills everywhere! Truly amazing!!!
Although it’s not my first time riding a 4×4 jeep, it was still an experience riding the jeep through the sand dunes. It was fun and bumpy. Sir Glen drove his car up and down the sandy hills. Thrilling, exciting and nerve wracking. That alone is already a heart pounding adventure.
He parked the jeep when we reached the area for the sand boarding. He prepared the boards and instructed me what to do. I told him that I’ve tried surfboarding, so it won’t be hard for me to learn it. Hahaha!!! Yabang lang… Pampa-lakas ng loob! Haha!
And there you go! I’m now ready to ride the board. Wahhhhh!!!
Balancing on the board is hard. You certainly need good balancing skills to perfectly slide down the sandy hills. I tried it standing up and sitting down, the latter is definitely easier. Hahaha!!!
If balancing on the board is hard, going back at the starting point is even harder! Hahaha!!! It’s so hard to climb on sand and to pull yourself up towards the top of the hill.
Don’t miss this “must-do activity” when visiting Ilocos Norte. It only costs 2,500 pesos per 1-hour of sand boarding lessons, good for four persons. The package also includes the 4×4 jeepney transportation to and from the sand dunes.
I highly recommend this activity and assure you, it’s definitely a thrilling adventurista experience!
You may contact Sir Glen Guererro at:
Mobile Number: 0908-8853669
Thank you also to his companion for taking the pictures! It’s my pleasure meeting both of you.
| Happened last May 6-8, 2011, here is a series of posts on my 3D/2N Adventure in Ilocos Norte, Philippines. This is my 3rd solo trip and 26th province on my list. | |
 Map By: Wikipedia |
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