Northern Luzon - The Rough Guide to the Philippines - page 132

of rooms from a/c doubles to family villas (P13,420).
Facilities include two pools, basketb all and tennis courts,
a golf range, playground and stables. P4160

as doubles a stone's throw away from the sea. They can
also arrange trips to limestone caves near Santa Cruz, the
old hilltop gold-m ining town of Acoe or nearby Mount
Binoclutan. P1695

SAN NARCISO
Crystal Beach Resort T 02 941 9004, W crystalbeach
.com.ph. Set on a pine tree-lined beach, this surfers'
hangout is a large place with a few tiki huts and native
houses along the sand, as well as a variety of neat a/c rooms,
mostly built with native materials. The vibe is laidback, with
hammocks slung between the trees and live acoustic bands
playing by the bonfire on weekend nights. Surf lessons
(P400/hr) and board rental (P200/hr or P500/half day),
too. Budget travellers can opt fo r a do rm bed, o r pitch their
own tent (P150/person). Dorms P300 ; doubles P1000

IBA
Palmera Garden Beach Resort T 0908 503 1416,
W palmeragarden.com. This shaded beachfront resort,
around 2km north of Iba, has a selection of tiled rooms set
around a leafy pool with an open-fronted thatched restaurant;
all have fridge, a/c and private bath. The free wi-fi, fi, availa ble in
the public areas, reaches some of the bedrooms. P2200

CANDELARIA
Dawal Brgy Uacón T 0920 665 1577, W dawal.com.ph.
Large concrete-block resort offering clean, good-value
poolside accommodation; some of the rooms at the back
are a bit dated. There's a barbecue area for guests, and a
live band and disco (8pm-2am) on Sat nights. The resort
arranges trips to Potipot (P400 for up to si x people) but has
no snorkelling equipment for rent. P1800

3

BOTOLAN
Kawayan Farm Resort Brgy Santiago T 0921 442
8573, E [e-mail]. Run by a friendly
British-Filipino couple, this welcoming place has inexpen-
sive bamboo huts (P700) and a handful of chintzy rooms -
three are set around a fishpond, each with a balcony from
where you can fish directly into the pond (the owners can
provide rods). There's an i inviting swimming pool, as well as
videoke and a pool table. P1800
Rama International Beach Resort Km 189, National
Road, Brgy Binoclutan T 0918 910 1280, W ramabeach
.com. This Aussie-run resort, with a nice stretch of beach
right at the doorstep and a fishpond and chirping birds in
the leafy grounds, has a selection of family rooms as well

SANTA CRUZ
SeaSun Beach Resort T 0921 641 8783, W seasun
.com.ph. Most of the rooms here have pretty blue tiles,
private bath and a/c, while the five simple nipa rooms
have fan and shared bath. There's a cluster of shaded open-
fronted huts to while away the afternoon, an indoor bar
with pool t able a nd a coral reef perfect for snorkelling just
50m away. P600

The Lingayen Gulf
Much of the western stretch of the Lingayen Gulf , between Bolinao and Dagupan, is
taken up by working beaches where people fish in the gulf 's rich waters and mend their
nets. The sand is generally grey and unappealing and the water likewise; much of the
coral has been destroyed by dynamite and cyanide fishing. It isn't all bad news though.
The gulf 's primary attraction, the Hundred Islands National Park is home to some lovely
beaches, while at the western end of the gulf around Bolinao you'll find wild stretches
of coast and good snorkelling . At the northeastern end of the gulf the capital of
La Union province, San Fernando , provides access to more beaches and resorts as well
as opportunities for trekking and climbing. There is also excellent surfing if you time it
right, with surfers congregating in the resorts of San Juan .

Hundred Islands National Park
The tiny islands of Hundred Islands National Park - there are actually 123, but that
doesn't have quite the same ring to it - cover almost twenty square kilometres. Some
islands have beaches, but many are no more than coral outcrops crowned by scrub.
Sadly, much of the underwater coral in the park has been damaged by a devastating
combination of cyanide and dynamite fishing, typhoons and the El Niño weather
phenomenon. The authorities are, however, going all out to protect what coral is left
and help it regenerate, meaning you can only snorkel in approved areas.