What to Do in La Union

 

Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Charity

Before going straight to the town proper, make sure to drop by this beautiful church at Agoo, La Union. From being the Shrine of Our Lady of Charity, this grand church was elevated by Pope John Paul II in 1982 to become a Basilica.

Under the gorgeous structure of the church lays a columbarium of prominent families in La Union, as well as a mini-museum that houses Class A Holy Relics from different catholic churches around the world.

 

Agoo Eco Fun World

Take out those picnic blankets, put your phone down, and enjoy the gorgeous scenery at Agoo Eco-Fun World.

Have lunch with your friends or bring the whole family to this spacious park.

The eco-fun world is near the beach, too, so you can opt to stay under the sun or take a dip in the water if you want.

 

Macho Temple

Macho Temple is a Taoist temple for the sea-goddess Mazu. The temple is facing the South China Sea and gives its visitors a breathtaking view of La Union.

According to our tour guide, the goddess Mazu will answer any questions that you ask by performing a certain ritual inside the temple using incense and kidney beans.

After following the steps, you will get your answer instantly with a YES or NO. The temple is especially scared to Taoists, so you are expected to behave well and pay your respects. Holding hands and other public displays of affection are highly prohibited in the vicinity of Macho Temple.

Macho Temple is located at the capital of the province: San Fernando, La Union. This temple is pretty accessible. You can take a jeep from San Juan to San Fernando or take a tricycle to the drop-off point, but you can also drive your car to the parking lot of the temple if you brought one.

CURMA

In the same building as El Union and right in front of 55 Tinta

CURMA or Coastal Underwater Resource Management Actions is a group of locals who protects and conserves pawikans in San Juan. I was actually surprised to learn that there are several pawikan nesting sights in San Juan and that they are doing their best to safely get the baby pawikans back to the ocean. The pawikans are known to help curb the number of jellyfish plaguing the surfing sites around the province. They have different activities and programs like beach clean-ups, fun runs, and hatchling releases.

They also have various activities like yoga in their headquarters in Ili Norte (Urbiztondo), San Juan, La Union.

 

La Union AgriTourism Center

Drop by the La Union AgriTourism Center in San Fernando to buy pasalubong for your loved ones before heading home.

They’ve got all of the goods you might need and want to bring back home, including beautifully crafted bags, t-shirts, cornick, and vinegar. Name it, they’ve probably got it.

As you can see, Elyu offers a lot of surprises that are just waiting to be discovered. What are you waiting for? Visit La Union now or wait for their Labor Day festivities this upcoming May 1-3 in San Juan or their Surf Break season in September. 

Special thanks to North Philippines Visitors Bureau (NPVB) and North Luzon Express Way Corporation (Nlex Corp.) for making this tour possible with the help of Victory Liner, PTT, Department of  Tourism, La Union Conventions and Visitors Bureau, Pangasinan’s Visitors Bureau, and the province of Pangasinan.

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