Why Choose La Union? The Gem of the Surfing Capital of the Philippines

 

BACKGROUND

La Union, which translates to “The Union”, was formed in 1850 by merging towns from the neighboring Provinces of Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan, and Benguet. Today, La Union asserts its position as the “Heart of Agri-Tourism in Northern Luzon by 2025” because of its major potentials in the fields of Agriculture and Tourism. The province of La Union was formed in 1850 when the Spanish colonial government of Governor-General Antonio Maria Blanco merged the southern towns of Ilocos Sur, the northern towns of Pangasinan, and the western towns of Benguet to the east.

SURFING CAPITAL OF THE PHILIPPINES

San Juan La Union is considered the Surfing Capital of the Northern Philippines. It is one of the perfect getaways for surfing enthusiasts and also the best place to relax and feel-good vibes. San Juan La Union is on the west part of La Union Province and it's also a second class municipality in the province of La Union.  One of the main reasons why people go here is to surf. La Union has waves that can reach 8 to 10ft on a good swell. The best month to go here is from May to March as the good waves last up to 10 months.

FOOD CULTURE

La Union is very known for its richness in agricultural products, As I've witnessed in some documentaries that I've watched, they are particular in their food because it represents their culture. Apart from this, the rich heritage and culture cloak its society, thus, diversifying your tourism experience. What are inseparable are the gastronomic experiences La Union would offer. Since the tourism boom, food hubs and restaurants mushroomed. They offer different varieties of cuisines and desserts, but through my research, there's one thing that captures my curiosity, It is the Halo-Halo de Iloko of La Union.

HALO HALO DE ILOKO

Halo halo de Iloko is one of the famous desserts in La union. Maybe you're all wondering about the difference between halo halo de iloko to the normal halo halo we have.  Halo Halo de Iloko came from the culture of the people in La Union. Rosario, La Union is very rich in Carabao's Milk so they consider this as the main ingredient of their halo halo. Mr. Xavier Mercado owner of the most famous halo halo store in region 1 which is the Halo-Halo de Iloko said that the identity of their Halo-Halo is based on their own place that is rich in agricultural products. The most interesting part here, some of the ingredients of halo halo de iloko came from the different places in La Union.