Welcome to My Home Town- Pagudpud!

July 05 is Pagudpud Day so let me tour you around my hometown- Pagudpud, on its special day.

Pagudpud is a 4th class municipality in the province of Ilocos Norte, Philippines. It is the northernmost settlement on Luzon Island and a popular tourist destination because of its resorts and beaches.

Our town is well-known because of its white-sand beaches and other glamorous natural wonders. It is rich in mountains, hills, valleys, and flat seaside land. This is why even if it takes hours to get to our place, tourists are still willing to travel here and have a vacation.

I am a proud Pagudpudenian so let me give you a virtual tour of my hometown and the 6 reasons why I am proud to live in this place. (I actually wrote this poem last year for the poem-writing event. I just want to include it here. Lols 😹)

One, Pagudpud has been our home for the last 67 years,

Our great-grandfather, Julio Garvida Malapit, is one of the pioneers,

When he moved to this town and chose to live here,

From the past to the present, it is our destiny to grow up here.

Our family clan is one of the first descendants of this town and it is with great pride to belong to this family. Our great-grandfather originally comes from the neighboring municipality (Bangui), but when a group of men decided to move here and establish a new municipality, he was one of them.

So buckle up, ladies and gentlemen! This is your tour guide, Florie Mae, speaking. You are now entering the municipality of Pagudpud.

As you step foot in our stunning municipality, the first spot that will welcome you is the Pagudpud Arch.

You can take as many photos as you want to feature the arch with the greeny mountains and blue sky as your background. You can also take an extra walk to capture the amazing view of the Carammuangen bridge that connects Bangui and Pagudpud.

Two, this town is the province's top tourist destination,

Its aesthetic sceneries are what makes it an exception,

Saud White Beach and Blue lagoon, these can satisfy your imagination,

Boracay? Palawan? Batanes? Pagudpud can exceed your expectation.

Well, Well, Welcome to my favorite place on Earth, The Saud White Beach of Pagudpud. It is claimed as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world this 2021 according to an international magazine. There is no doubt to that because this crown jewel features a long stretch of creamy white-sand beach, blue waters, coconut trees, and tickling waves.

Don't you just love to lay down the sand and appreciate the scenery or enjoy swimming all day, all night? This is also the best place to watch the sunset.

Three, Pagudpudenians are known for their hospitality,

They serve with love, care, and the best quality,

Making sure that their guests will have fun,

So that they will come back here to this town.

Can't get enough of Saud White Beach? Worry not because our next destination is The Blue Lagoon of Pagudpud. This is the home of the popular Hanah's Beach Resort with the longest zipline above water, and many home-stays and restaurants surround the area.

It is an incredible place to chill out for the day, especially if you are peeping for some white sand and the sun. You can go out surfing and catch those gigantic waves or just swim in the gentle sea.

While you're at the lagoon, make sure to travel an extra distance to get a glimpse of The Dos Hermanos Islands. These two rock formations are often visited by adventurous tourists wanting to see what's in these twin islands.

There are also other spots you can take photos with such as the Stairway to Heaven just near the islands, Bantay Abot Cave, and the Timmangtang Rock.

Four, enjoyable experiences, Pagudpud has them all,

From trekking to see Kabigan waterfall,

To riding the longest zipline above water,

Pagudpud is on the bucket list of an adventure-seeker.

Make sure to load up enough energy as you are going to hike for 20-30 minutes to reach the Kabigan Falls of Pagudpud.

Are you craving to take a natural shower or have a thrilling swim in the freshwater? If yes, then this 87-feet high waterfall lying down in the middle of the forest will solve your cravings.

Five, this place is blessed with sumptuous food abundantly,

From the fresh weeds and foods coming from the sea,

To vegetables, and fruits of different trees,

This is a must-visit town for all the "foodies".

You're probably a little tired after hiking back to our meeting place so let's drop off at the Agua Grande Picnic Park to eat the delicious foods you ordered at the nearby restaurant.

After which, you can submerge your body in the stream of very cold, crystal clear running water from the mountains that leads to the sea. This is the best place where the sea meets the river.

Six, one can feel honored when being called a "Pagudpudenian",

Especially now with a leader who puts his "umili ti number one",

We feel proud of the act of kindness that he possesses,

With him, Pagudpud can and will surely be great again.

(Lols 🤣 Well the poem-writing event was conducted by the municipality so I had to include this. But seriously, our current mayor is doing his best for its citizens tho. Great job, yorme! 😹)

As you go back, don't forget to stop by at the 4th longest bridge in the Philippines, the Patapat Viaduct. This is only 15 minutes away from Agua Grande.

This snake-like bridge located between the mountain and the sea connects Ilocos Norte to its neighboring province, Cagayan Valley.

Don't forget to flash your biggest smile as you capture selfies or groupies with the blue sea, green mountains, and the longest bridge in town. Smile!

And this ends our virtual tour. There are still a lot of underrated marvelous destinations here in our town just waiting for the public to be discovered.

I hope when the pandemic ends and you get to travel again, make sure to pay our town a visit and it will give you an adventure like no other! 😉