Exploring Bolinao’s Best Kept Secrets
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| Patar Rock Beach in Bolinao |
Bolinao’s Best Kept Secrets
Located at the westernmost tip of Pangasinan is the town of Bolinao. It is famous for its mangoes, Patar Beach, and the Bolinao Lighthouse. For all the local and foreign tourists who go there, it does not have the tourist-y look of most tourist destinations. There are a lot of cheap lodgings, and if you are lucky enough to know a local, it is easy to get an invite to crash or stay overnight as a guest. Getting to Bolinao is a four- to five-hour ride by bus from Cubao.
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| Rocky Beach in Bolinao Public Domain, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9000255 |
Here are the Top Spots to Visit in Bolinao:
Bolinao Museum
This is located along the highway,
just before reaching the Town Proper, and across from Cape Bolinao High School.
Exhibits include archeological finds from the late ice age.
Long Beach Resort
Isolated beach resort located at Long
Beach. The beach itself is rocky, but the water is shallow. The resort is
privately owned and you would need to reserve in advance. You would be renting
a cottage, no maximum occupants, and you have free rein of the kitchen. Buy
fresh fish in the market and you can have your own picnic on the grounds.
The Fish Market (Pantalan)
Go there early as the fish are
brought in straight from the motor outrigger fishing boats. Follow the main
highway straight past the town hall and the plaza. You would be surprised at
the variety and the size of the fishes on sale. If you have a ken for bagoong,
follow the scent and you would end up at a store which sells all kinds of
bagoong.
Picocobuan
This is the jump off point to
Santiago Island, and the fish pens beyond the island. There’s a breakwater and
a wharf along the mainly reclaimed area.
Sundowner Resto and Resort
Accessible from Picocobuan is
Sundowner Resort. It is a bed and breakfast type of resort with a pool and
restaurant. Easier access would be with a vehicle turning right going to the UP
Marine Institute. Sundowner is on the left after the Municipal Cemetary.
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| Inside Bolinao Church |
St. James Church
The church sustained heavy damage from 2009’s Typhoon Emong. A large section of the roof was swept away by the typhoon’s strong winds. In the ensuing repair, St. James Church major renovation was also undertaken.
Bolinao Lighthouse
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| Cape Bolinao Lighthouse By Beltugade (talk) (Uploads) – Own work, Public Domain, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11065759 |
Located at Patar, the lighthouse stands more than 300 feet high. The grounds are open, but climbing the lighthouse is no longer allowed. You would need to get to know the lighthouse keeper if you want to climb and take pictures.
Patar Beach
Patar is a barangay on western Bolinao. The beach itself is mainly a high white sand dune leading to the waters. The waters are shallow, with a barrier about a hundred meters from the beach.
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| Patar Beach in Bolinao by Jho VD of Mountainsnbeyond.com |
Bolinao Falls 1 and 2
These are small falls which are relatively hard to reach (takes at least 30 minutes of driving over rough road, and at least 10 minutes of walking).
Caves
Bolinao sits on top a major limestone deposit, hence the various caves in the area. Going to Patar, there are at least two caves located on private property. These both have pools of fresh water where visitors dive into for a swim.
Sungayan Grill
Located on the Balingasay River, the Sungayan Grill is a riverside restaurant which offers fresh seafood.
Balingasay River
You can rent kayaks and paddle upstream of the Balingasay River.
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