My Birthday Weekend Getaway At Lingayen Beach

LOL that suppose to be 011213 😛
I used to dream about holding hands with my significant other while walking on the beach.   I thought walking alone on a place with such beautiful scenery is a very sad situation to be in.  It never occurred to me that I will love walking on the beach on my own, just me, myself and I.   It is a very relaxing, empowering and energizing experience .  Have I  actually grown to embrace my single blessedness?

Half of my 35th birthday was celebrated in a bus as I commute to Lingayen, Pangasinan.   But reaching my destination, the time spent on the bus was all worth it.   Being a  city girl all my life, having to inhaling clean and  fresh ocean breeze is such a luxury.

I love how time stops when in the province.   Nobody is in a hurry.  Everything is in their relaxed  phase.  Everything is calm and peaceful.  You can get you head cleared in here in less than a day.

When I arrived at 5PM I head straight to the church to thank the Lord for a safe trip and for giving me another year of my life to enjoy!   After that I went straight to the beach , where the Razalan Beach Hut is located.  It is right in front of the beach line!  I did not waste my time but went straight to the beach after putting my bags down my hut.   I sat there for an hour marveling at the scenic sunset view with the roaring sea waves as my background.     Right there and then my energy is restored .  I am happy to be here!

Arriving at Lingayen, I had to drop by the church first and Thank God for a safe trip and for another year to my life!  It was already sunset when I arrived which is a good thing the view was just amazing! 

My lovely host for the night was Ms. Vanj Padilla, she is also a blogger and a social media consultant for the governor of Pangasinan.  She is the chief operating officer of the Razalan Beach Hut, which is still on its development stage.  I think I’m the first official guest of it’s soft opening for public.   I am excited for her resort, as there is so much potential in it.

With my “tour” guide and new found fried Vanj Padilla, she is so kind to let me intrude her weekend with my unplanned visit! Cheers to a lasting friendship!Ms. Vanj and I had a nice talk over dinner.  She prepared a special meal for my birthday.  Super sweet.   Too bad I forgot to take photos!  I guess because  I wasn’t there as a blogger but as a “tourist” so I did not have that urge to take photos of everything! Haha!  I was there to relax, work, home, lovelife, problems (if any) was out of my system.  I was there to be me, myself and I.

We called it a night by 9MP.   I went in my hut and took a long shower!   I did not go outside the night as it was too dark.  Yes, the place was very virgin and very provicial, night ends very early unlike in the city!  But I have no complaints, my plan was to wake very early in the morning before sunrise and take a photo walk!

But since it was my birthday, text messages, private messages from Facebook and Twitter and inbox are pouring and I am not complaining.  I fell asleep past midnight but I woke every hour because  was excited to go out.  I can hear the waves from my bed.  I wanna sit by the bay and just take everything in!  But I waited until the roosters called the sun out!

By 5am I was out of my hut.  I went out for a walk on the beach alone!

I fell in love with the scenery of the sunrise.  I seldom see it in the city as I often sleep late nights or even until the dawn breaks.  Sunrise before 6am shots!

I settled in an area and stood where my feet can get wet of the waves but not my cam.    I went trigger happy as the view of the sunrise crawling in the horizon was just breathtaking.  From pitch black skies, it turned to dark gray, then dark pink, red orange, orange, to yellow.  It was just beautiful!  The reflection of the sunrise on the beach was also gorgeous.  It was like it sprinkled gold dust everywhere!  When the sun was finally up  I went for a stroll, a photo walk where I snapped  at pretty little things I cam across to.   From crabs who was upside down, to a live hermit crab, pretty sea shells by the sea shore, to dead jelly fish taken by the waves and drift wood.   I even doodled on the pure gray sand!

Here is a video clip of the beach, it was a bit wavy that day but the sky was clear and the water was lukewarm.

I love my time in the beach, I didn’t notice it was already past 8AM when I got back to my hut. I walked more than 3 hours which is amazing! It is already equal to an hour crossfit traing you get at Boot Camps Scottsdale.

When I arrived Vanj was not there but her helper was there and brought me breakfast.  A few minutes later Vanj arrived from church and she took me for a tour at the Lingayen Capitol.   Another spur-of-the-moment tour ! Yay!

The Lingayen Capitol is one of the prettiest , if not the best municipality I’ve been.  The architecture is amazing, landscape is so lovely, people are so friendly and the place is super clean!    She took me to the Capitol Park, to the Governors Residence, to the Lingayen City Hall, to the Sison Auditorial.  We had a boat ride and ate brunch at the Capitol Resort Hotel, a government owned hotel at capitol area with just Php1,100.00 per night!

After our brunch we went back to our hut.   The I took another walk by the beach, that was past 11am.  I did not bring my phone or camera at the beach then.   They needed to be charged.

That walk took about more than an hour.   Surprisingly I did not get tired from my walks in fact it was invigorating .

It was a very windy when I reached the hut, when I got inside it drizzled, and then a minor sand storm.  I took a long shower again and got ready for home.

I promised my host and myself that I will go back to this place this time with my family and friends.   This place is worth the visit.  It’s one of the nicest beach I’ve been, far more better than Anawangin Cove (I really don’t know the hype about it, its not that pretty).    Vanj said that beach was not even the best of Pangasinan.  If I stayed a bit longer she would have taken me to one of their best beach in town, they call it their little Boracay as it has white sands and coral shores.  I can’t wait to see it.   But for now I am very much satisfied with this beach and I recommend everyone to go see Lingayen Beach in one of your weekend trips, it is definitely worth it!

Tips To Enjoy A Getaway To Lingayen Beach in Pangasinan 

How to  get  there?

From EDSA Cubao, Victory Liner Terminal, take the bus going to Lingayen,  ask how many stops the bus you are riding will take as there is a long way and a shorter way.  The longer way will take about more than 6 hours and have 5 stop-over.  The short way will only take  2 stops and will take about more than 4 hours.   Fare is just Php350.00 one way.

Or you can go there by air. Take any airline who goes to Lingayen Airport . It will only take about an hour one-way.

Where to stay?

I stayed at Razalan Beach Hut , you can rent their Nipa Hut house for Php1,500.00 a night,  It has two bedrooms and a bathroom.  Or you can stay at the Capitol Resorts Hotel  the room rate starts at Php1,100.00 good for 2 adults and 1 child .   From the Lingayen, Pangasinan Victory bus terminal  you can take a tricycle to take you to Razalan if you are staying there you can just ask Ms. Vanj for pickup.  You can also take a tricyce to the Capitol resorts.  Both won’t take longer than a 5 minute tricycle ride wit Php25.00 fare.

Where to eat?

Ms. Vanj highly recommend the Capitol Resorts Hotel restaurant as they serve very good and authentic Filipino dishes, they also serve other dishes other than Pinoy dish.   There is a restaurant bar by the Capitol area by the boating area.   It is privately owned and operated .  Operating hours is up to 2am.   I haven’t tried eating there though but we did take a boat ride.  All four of us for Php90.00 only including the rower.

If you are planning a beach getaway, instead of going to the already crowded popular beaches in the South and North why not try to visit Pangasinan. This beach area I went to was not the best of Pangasinan there are far more better beach nearby and I can’t wait to scout them all on my next visit!

How about you, have you been to Lingayen Beach? Do you also have special tradition or gift for yourself on your birthday?

Stay gorgeous everyone!

You may want to read about the 2013 Pangasinan Pistay Dagat here (click)