Last updated: Sun Feb 3 16:05:51 PHT 2008
La Union has a long time been a favorite tourist destination - yet thanks to many human factors - La Union, specially the beach from Bauang to San Fernando with its many established beach resorts is now a dieing tourist area run down by incapable resort managers and lack of high level tourist support by local government. If planning to go to La Union for a vacation - reorient yourself toward new destinations and new resorts and avoid the dieing and disappearing Bauang beach area. There are many much better places available in the Philippines than La Union.
"Age doesn't matter" is an often heard saying here in the Philippines - and many who came for a visit stayed here or came back for good or made the Philippines a second home away form home.
Click on any picture to see its full size
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The clean beach with brown sand from San Fernando LU to Bauang expands about 10 km long ... |
and invites to extensive beach walks in day time |
... or during the many magnificent sunset sceneries |
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All rooms are surrounded by or facing lush tropical bushes, .. |
flowers and green |
All around the large property of the Resort |
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Amidst all this beauty - you also find cottages with kitchen for an entire family vacation |
a few resorts here may have a 24 hrs restaurant - however in La Union gourmet food is totally unknown - be prepared for most basic food-quality like average in the Philippines. if gourmet food is important during your vacation, then you may prefer to go to Boracay Island with dozens of resorts at all price-categories and also dozens of excellent gourmet restaurants with a wide variety of different food-nationalities. The only positive exception for food in La Union is the Swiss owned and managed Schweizer Garten ( Swiss garden ) Inn, Romas Rd., Paringao, Bauang and its beach outlet Seaman's Canteen - Paringao, Bauang. The Seaman's Canteen directly beach front next to Paringao School. |
some of the resorts have swimming pool - if the possible mermaids in the warm tropical ocean appear too dangerous to you ;-) |
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During rainy season from mid/end May until November - sometimes for a few days the beach is a little stormy - fun for active people and a reason to go surfing in nearby San Juan |
wishing to go shopping ... the local transportation of choice is a Jeepney |
about 100 meter from the beach is the highway with Jeepneys and tricycles going the 5 km to ... |
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San Fernando Plaza - with shops and all facilities, ATM, banks, etc |
and the old market - next the the flower, fruit and vegetable market ... |
With all goods you may need for a pleasant and enjoyable long time stay here. |
Various Beach Resorts or cottages available along the beach are suitable for a stay from a few weeks to several months.
Another of my preferred areas i love to be creative and productive is Mindoro Island - the area of Puerto Galera with its most beautiful landscape and wild tropical jungle covered mountains and clean water. Mindoro is the place i often spend a few months in summer time.
Here some additional information on how to get here or to my other locations.
If you love to stay here in the Philippines - particularly in Bauang / San Fernando La Union area - for many months - then you will find it easy to get a very reasonable prices for ocean front rentals - houses or cottages with 2-4 rooms directly on the beach or within less than 200 meters from the beach, with or without garden. Prices usually range form approximately 150 - 250 US $ per months plus water, electricity, ... for a stay for 2-3 months or longer.
Fully furnished cottages or houses including cleaning, electricity, kitchen, fridge, cable TV, ... etc within Resort Hotels as well as privately owned are available here in La Union or on other islands of the Philippines usually are around US $ 400 - 700.- on a monthly rate. If a Hotel Resort is more than 200 - 500 meter away from the Beach, then prices may be as low as 200-300 us $ per months - for a stay of a month or longer - also depending on season. November until Mal is peak season - with prices sometimes up to 50 % higher - May until November is low season, also rainy season. If you stay many months - repeatedly - if you are retiree, then prices may be negotiable depending on hotel.
The easiest way to find such ocean front rentals is to come here - stay in one of the beach front hotels and walk along to beautiful beach to look out for the sign "for rent" or ask some local residents and let them know you are interested in renting a house or cottage for a while.
In the mean time you may enjoy the hospitality of local beach resorts - and find out - if you love to be spoiled and or work here - they too offer very competitive monthly rates for all those staying several months - and they care for all the administrative and paper work stuff to make sure your stay here is for pleasure or relaxation only.
Philippines very easily can conquer your heart and make you feel at home here - away from home - HERE !!!
like in so many other places - you may have to set priorities and according to your priorities select the type of resorts best meeting your requirements.
If getting drunk 24/7 or having food day and night is most important to you - if telephone in the room, cable TV or Internet access in the rooms or at least in your hotel / resort is most important for you for professional or other reasons - then you may have no other choice but to select one of the greater and "famous" beach resorts along the beach of Bauang.
Of course these larger resorts seldom offer the courtesy and personal attention a private small hotel or resort can offer where a husband wife team caters directly to the personal needs of customers.
The beach of Bauang and San Fernando La Union offers a variety of small, smallest and larger resorts meeting all needs depending on your priorities.
In general you can expect much better food in smaller places - prepared by owners who care personally for you in the kitchen and know you preferences.