Wandering Beyond Borders: Ilocos Norte : Overnight stay @ Pannzian Beach Resort

We passed on the chance of checking out the northern destinations nor walk around the city of Laoag. Embracing the travel slowly mantra ( or again,maybe because we're getting older?), we booked a room in the cozy Pannzian Beach Resort in Pagudpud, about 40 minutes from the popular beach strip.

The resort is situated just a few meters right after Patapat Bridge. We took an ordinary bus to Claveria, Cagayan, stood through the winding roads of Pagudpud with chickens, brooms and yes, a nice yummy-looking squash in tow, and finally arrived our destination with much ardor.

Squash, boots and everything nice :)

Full house!

The facade was not as impressive though. Their lobby/dining area had wooden tables and chairs, with nice flower vases as the centerpiece. As I approached the receptionist and handed the printed form from Agoda, she carefully browsed through it and to my delight, she politely said, "Ma'am Ivy, okay lang po ba doon po kayo sa suite room? Free upgrade po ito kaya huwag po kayo mag-alala. Ipapahatid ko nalang po kayo doon." And of course, I gave her a resounding "YES" with a brimming smile( LOL!) .Talk about generosity with hospitality on the side. I didn't bother ask why. I knew they had several double rooms, well, aside from the camping area of course. Lucky! Lucky!

Queen sized bed

Loft type

More beds

We stayed in a loft type room, with 5 nice comfy beds good for I think, 10 persons. It has this spacious shared balcony,overlooking the resorts' garden and the open sea.

Dinning / lobby area at night

Too tired from our trip, we were once again off to lala land. We woke up at around 8:30pm starving but was just glad that their restaurant still served us dinner 30 minutes after closing time.
At night, the only companion we had was the guard on duty. They also had several guard dogs that roam around the premises in the evening.

The waves in Pancian was different though. The following morning, we tried swimming but failed. The strong current made it hard to maneuver through the water. Instead, we sat on the lifeguard station the whole day.

This was my view from the Lifeguard Station :)

In the afternoon, we walked towards the Pancian River. I felt nostalgic as I remembered the many trips we had several decades ago to Minanga River in my pop's hometown in Tumauini, Isabela. I remember the endless chatter with cousins and the pansit picnics we had. Fun times indeed.

Mountain view


Where the river meets the sea :)

I love it here! :))

For those looking for a quick laid-back vacation, Pannzian Beach resort is the best place to go in Ilocos Norte. Away from the crowd, where the popular Patapat Bridge can also be seen from the shore. Sit under the shade of trees fronting the sea and let your thoughts run free. Be rewarded with the serene views and breathing space you need and for once, just let all your worries go.

More photos! :))