Things to do in Pangasinan

Posted by Ian Galliguez in To Do | 0 comments

Pangasinan is undoubtedly one of the biggest provinces in the country. Also known as the “Land of salt”, Pangasinan has become more than just the country’s largest producer and maker of salt. It is a land filled with the bounty of the sea, the beauty of nature and warm people who are more than welcoming when you come to visit.

Pangasinan also has its fair share of significant literary, historical and artistic contributions. Princess Urduja, the brave Ibaloi princess warrior is from Pangasinan and in fact, has a building in the region’s capital named after her; the country’s first Protestant president is from Pangasinan (Fidel V. Ramos) and the king of Philippine movies, FPJ was also from Pangasinan.

But it’s not just about bagoong, bangus and beaches in Pangasinan. If you’re there to visit, take this list of things to do with you and you’ll surely have a great ole time!

1. Visit the beaches – Pangasinan used to be known to be the connecting port to Southeast Asian maritime trading. Because of this, Pangasinan is home to numerous beaches. You can literally take your pick or go beach-hopping.

We recommend that you visit the beaches in Bolinao, Lingayen, San Fabian, Sual, Dasol, Anda and of course, the Hundred Islands. (And no, they’re not really exactly 100 islands. ) Each beach is a great find. Some of them are quite tourist-y but others, like Patar Beach is such a discovery it’s like you have stumbled back in time and found yourself in an isolated island.

2. Fall in love with nature – Beaches are not the only thing Pangasinan has to offer. While you’re there, why don’t you drive on over to Mabini and spelunk at the Cacupangan caves? These caves boast of beautiful rock formations as well as large stalactites and stalagmites. In Bolinao, there’s the famous Cindy’s cave as well. If caves aren’t your thing, why don’t you hike up Mt. Balungao in Balungao, Pangasinan and stand in awe of Mother Nature’s creations.

If you’re looking for a different kind of water experience, Sison and Bolinao also has waterfalls. The Tara falls in Bolinao and the Antong falls in Sison are famous for the cool clear waters as well as serving as a perfect backdrop for photos. It is a “must do” on your list of things to do while in Pangasinan.

3. Be a tourist – Walk the tourist path and fill your memory card with photos of the different landmarks and places in Pangasinan. Visit the lighthouses in Brgy Patar and Brgy Luciente in Port Bolinao.

You can see the Urduja house in Lingayen and while you’re there, go ahead and visit the Lingayen Gulf War Museum. It’s great Facebook photo material – being able to sit atop an old military tank or the famed “tora-tora”.

4. Harvest Bangus or gather salt – As you have probably surmised, Pangasinan was named as such because it is the country’s leading salt producer. Pangasinanses (or the people from Pangasinan) are often called “the People from the Land of Salt”

Pangasinan is also famous for the bangus! Although there are bangus pretty much in every palengke in Pangasinan, the best bangus comes from Bonoan in Dagupan. This year’s Bangus festival will start on April 1st and will last for an entire month, ending on the Pista’y Dayat (Beach Fiesta) of Lingayen on the 1st of May.

Take home some authentic sea salt or rock salt as well! This organic and all natural salt is not just used in cooking but also for a body scrub. Although you can practically find them in most places in Pangasinan, the biggest salt beds can be found in Dasol.

5. EAT! – Pangasinan cuisine may not be for everyone but they’re still a must try. The food is pretty much a reflection of the Pangasinanses as a culture and as a people. They (or rather, we) make sure that nothing is wasted from the animal that they’re going to cook and try to cook them in tasty dishes.

We suggest that you eat at the roadside karinderyas or the food stalls in the plaza or near the market. You can then be assured of authentic Pangasinanse dishes. Try the Bagisen or the Pangasinanses’ version of dinuguan, aka Dinuguan blanca. Igado is also a very popular dish but the best for me, and it’s such a rarity nowadays, is the inetekan (pig brain with some pig face). I remember my great grandmother cooking that for us and I just loved it with a cup of steaming hot plain rice.

If you’re not that adventurous, there are still some Pangasinanse food you can try, which is mostly desserts and rice cakes. You can’t go wrong with tupig, Puto Calasiao, kutchinta and bineguey (puto cooked inside a bamboo).

HOW TO GET THERE

If you’re driving to Pangasinan in your own vehicle, take note of these directions using SCTEx.

There are a lot of Bus lines that will take you to Pangasinan. Call them up to find out their schedule:

• Dagupan Bus Line (Quezon City to Dagupan) New York St., Cubao, QC Tel No. (02)929-6123, 7272330
• Victory Liner (Quezon City to Dagupan & Alaminos) Cubao, QC Tel No. (02) 727-4688, 727-4534
• Five Star Bus Line (Pasay City to Dagupan & Bolinao) Tel No. (02) 833-8339, 833-3009
• Philippine Rabbit (Quezon City to Dagupan & Bolinao) EDSA, QC Tel No. (02) 734-9838, 734-9836

WHERE TO STAY

There are a lot of hotels and inns all around Pangasinan but we highly recommend the following:

1. Value Star Inn (Dagupan) – Their rooms are clean and affordable. They also have family rooms and free WiFi. It’s just weird to see some rooms with the AC protruding from the walls and buckets lined up to catch the water precipitation. Value Star Inn is located at A. B. Fernandez Avenue, Intramuros District, Dagupan City, PANGASINAN 2400. Call them up at (075) 5228381 to 85 for inquiries and reservations.

2. Puerto Del Sol – Although quite expensive than most hotels found in the area, Puerto Del Sol does have a lot to offer vacationers. They have outdoor activities and amenities (kayaking, canoe, star gazing, boat tours and biking) as well as indoor activities (Videoke, pool, billards, hockey and board games) for every single family member to enjoy. You can also take a relaxing day off by going to their spa and spoiling yourself with one of their signature massages. Check out their amenities and rates by visiting their website.

3. The Hundred Islands Resort Hotel – Located in Lucap, Alaminos – the jump off point for The Hundred Islands, this resort hotel is convenient for those who are going to the islands for a day trip.  It has cable TV and a cafe and a restaurant and a mini gym but the WiFi access is a bit iffy. It is very affordable though and we suggest this place if you are a big group. For details and contact information, check out their website.