Patar White Beach, Bolinao Pangasinan
By altumviditur on April 25, 2009
Visiting the Enchanted Cave in Bolinao last January, the caretaker of the cave, who’s a local, told us that there’s a white sand beach below Cape Bolinao. He said the locals call it their own “Little Boracay”. Coming back two months later, me and my friends did not settle for Bolinao’s calm beach, where we were lodged. After 15 minutes of walking in the shallow Bolinao beach (that stretches from Brgy. Ilog Malino where Puerto del Sol is, and Brgy. Patar where Bing’s Beach Resort is), we decided to go back to the road and wait for a tricycle and go down to this so-called Little Boracay.
Bolinao's Little Boracay
Tricycles were pretty scarce, good thing there’s someone from Bing’s Beach Resort who has a trike and was willing to drive us. The fare (two way) is Php 250.00 per trike. There were six of us so that’s only around Php 42.00 per head. Which was pretty cheap, considering that the white beach is around 15-20 minutes away, by up and down hills of dirt road.
It is Patar White Beach. It is a public beach just like Saud and Blue Lagoon in Pagudpud. Patar White Beach was full of people that Black Saturday afternoon. I think it’s the “happening” place in the area. It’s got Videoke stations, sari-sari (mini convenience) stores that sell chips, sodas and alcohol, eateries, and open cottages one after the other. There’s even a tricycle line waiting for guests leaving the area. It looked like there was no available lodging in the area. But it’s okay to camp in by tent.
the sea
The beach is not visible from the entrance (no entrance fee, by the way). And just like Saud and Blue Lagoon, the beach has a steep slope (unlike Boracay), so once the view of the beach huts and stores clear, you will see the beach. It’s pretty good, actually. Sand’s texture is like that of Station 3, cream/yellowish in color, and really soft. I am hoping that it’s soft because the beach has low foot traffic that compacts the sand. The water is ok, but we were there around 530 PM, so I think it’s clearer under brighter sunlight. There are few rocks under water, but over all, you can walk and swim on it barefoot.
my feet in my pink aqua shoes
The 500ml Red Horse beer goes for only Php 30.00. Tortang talong (eggplant cooked with egg), that we ate for our Bolinao dinner, goes for Php 10.00.
looking for a spot
Since we started beach bumming late, we stayed in the beach until around 8PM. It gets kinda breezy and cold while the night fell, and it got really dark on some parts of the beach, because there’s only light around the area with open cottages. But it’s amazing watching the stars appear in the sky. And the sunset’s even more breathtaking. One of Lingayen Gulf’s claims is its beautiful sunset.
sunset
Kuya Arman, our driver, left us on the beach and fetched us again at 8PM. Globe Telecom’s signal in the area is weak, so better bring a Smart sim card. Or make sure that your service will be there on the time that you will be leaving. I asked the lady in the eatery if she could lend me her phone so I can send Kuya Arman a text message. Though she only had Php 6.00 worth of load, she was kind enough to let me use her phone. I offered to pay her for the text message that I sent, but she refused. There’s a stronger signal for Globe near the gate.
Kuya Arman (tricycle service): 09197806217
