The Island Explorer

We passed through Treasures of Bolinao to get to Patar Beach, but since I don't recommend that anymore, turn left at the junction at the end of the road from Cape Bolinao. Patar Beach is accessible from there. What I like about Patar Beach is its landscape. Gorgeous rock formations jut out of the sea. Rock beds form holes that seem to drain the sea. And the sun bids farewell in style, revealing a solemn hue. Patar Beach has soft coral sand, meaning the grains are not that fine. It's hard walking on dry sand, as your feet get submerged. There are a lot of cottages along Patar Beach, some of them who could rent overnight I think. It is also a pretty long beach, perfect for a sunset stroll. The water was full of sea grass, but was refreshing and clearer than in Tondol. Since it was getting dark, there was less people (the way I like it). I couldn't swim since I wasn't in swimming attire, but my shorts got wet from the splashing of waves. We spent almost an hour just taking...

We began our search for the best beach in Pangasinan at 2:30AM, without any sleep. Our office was still working at that time, so after work, we decided to skip the rest and head straight to Pangasinan. We were used to this anyway, and it was better for me to drive at night. We were supposed to leave at 4AM, but two hours didn't matter. To reach Bolinao the fastest, one must take the NLEX and SCTEX and exit at Luisita in Tarlac. Once you arrive in Tarlac City, follow the signs leading to Hundred Islands. Do not head straight to Dagupan. Take the road to Pangasinan via Camiling. That saves you 2 hours. This route however requires following the signs, and involves some one-way roads. Punta Riviera Resort has a good map on their website . The sun was peeking already at 5:00AM when we arrived in Pangasinan. That was 2.5 hours of travel so far. Not bad, though I was driving at an average speed of 100 kph. We finally reached Alaminos, home base for the Hundred Islands. Bolinao was suppose...