This summer, we hit the road for a long trip to Western Luzon–Pangasinan. Original plan was to visit Patar Beach in Bolinao but later changed to Burgos, also in Pangasinan, to wrap up the summer season. Bolinao is known for its very own Patar Beach, which is rich in mocha-color sand and amazing rock formations. But unknown to many, well, at least for now, that other than Bolinao, Pangasinan also has Burgos—a fourth class municipality located at the westernmost point of the province. If Bolinao is rich in beautiful beaches, Burgos has its own share of worthy beach destinations.
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Cabongaoan Beach is Burgos’ pride. A decent beach with fewer crowds compared to Patar Beach in Bolinao. This perhaps is the reason why we chose Burgos—to avoid the noise and have a quiet time. The beach is still virgin. It has yet to be explored. In fact, the road to Cabongaoan is quite rough. It took us a four-hour drive from Carmen to Burgos’ town proper, then an additional 45 minutes to reach the beach area. But the long and winding road is all worth it. The moment we reached our destination, I immediately ran to the shore and was amazed with the view and the crystal-clear waters of the ocean.
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A 30 minute walk away from the resort we stayed in is where the so-called “Death Pool” is. The death pool is a deep tidal pool beside the sea. I am not sure why is it called that way, though. But according to locals, it is a term to describe the natural swimming pool that forms near the beach whenever the tide comes in and fills it with saltwater. It’s pretty scary so I didn’t go closer to take photos of it. Yet, a lot of other beach-goers seemed to enjoy it.
Other than the Death Pool, there are a number of rock formations and sea cliffs in Cabongaon Beach that are also guaranteed Instagram-worthy sites. So I took as many photos as I could. And I was able to witness a beautiful sunset by the beach, too.
We stayed overnight at Puerto del Baher where we rented a small bungalow house with three air-conditioned rooms for PHP 7,000. Since the resort is not fully-developed yet and the place is quite remote, there are no available restaurants or stores where you can buy food and eat during your stay at the beach. Prior to our trip to Cabongaoan, we had to buy our food from the town’s marketplace and cook at the resort. You may visit Puerto del Baher’s Facebook page for more information at www.facebook.com/Mhargee.puertodelbaherresort/
Traveling to Burgos from Manila may take so much time, but I assure you the long drive will be worth it. The “death pool” is a must-see attraction. And the beach? You’ll definitely fall in-love with it.
Here’s a short guide on how to reach Cabongaoan Beach when commuting.
- Take buses going to Alaminos, Pangasinan
- Bus lines: Five Star, Victory Liner, Solid North, Dagupan Bus (from Cubao or Pasay)
- Take another bus from Alaminos going to Burgos
- From Burgos, charter a tricycle to take you to Cabongoan Beach (approximately PHP300/one way)
- I suggest to get the contact number of the tricycle driver so he can pick you up from the resort the next day
Do you know of other lesser known spots in Pangasinan? Tell us in the comments!
