The Magnificent Tondol Beach in Pangasinan

Planning a trip? Those who love to travel know the essence of all travel is about you and your enjoyment. Travelers know that the destination is a major part in planning a trip, experiencing and delving deeper into an unfamiliar places, people and culture is paramount.

Expand your horizons and set your sight to the Philippines, an off the beaten path travel site! An undiscovered paradise made of thousands of islands and white sand beaches all around! A tiny dot in the map of the world, and yet a haven for travelers, backpackers, retirees and even passersby.

It offers awesome tourist attractions, magnificent beaches, hot spring resorts, colorful festivals, hundreds of scenic spots and world-class hotels and facilities. Not to mention the tropical climate, the affordable prices as well as the friendly and hospitable, English-speaking people! You will be glad you came, and we’re sure, you WILL come back for more FUN in the Philippines!

TONDOL BEACH

Photo from: asensopangasinan.com

Photo from: philippine-travel-guide.blogspot.com

Photo from: pinaytraveljunkie.com

Tondol Beach is definitely the best beach in Pangasinan and perfect when the tide is low. The last time I visited the beach, the tide was a bit high. So it wasn’t a really great view. So I made sure to come back again when the tide was lower.

It’s a five to six hour drive from Manila to Anda, Pangasinan. You’ll go through Camiling and pass by Lingayen and through Alaminos (stopover at the Hundred Islands anyone?). It’s on the way to Bolinao, right after the town of Bani.

What I like about Tondol is the powder ivory white sand. In fact, there is an island one kilometer from the shore which you could walk or wade to. And it’s powder white sand all the way. When the tide is low, you can pick a spot in the middle of the water and just sit down there the whole day. So if there is any beach that can claim to be the Boracay of the North, it’s Tondol! But why even claim such a thing? Why are we always content with being a copy of the original when each beach is unique. – ivanhenares.com

Photo from: pangasinan.org

Photo from: pusangkalye.net

Photo from: pinaytraveljunkie.com

Tondol Beach is located at the northern tip of Anda, an island municipality that used to be accessible only by boat across the narrow Catubig Channel. In the early 1990’s a bridge across the channel was constructed to connect the island with mainland Pangasinan. After beach bumming in Patar, Bolinao, we drove to Anda, then loitered around the town proper for early dinner and to chat with the locals. The drive to Tondol Beach from town took around 30 minutes and was mostly on concreted roads until the final kilometer or so. We ended up staying at JCT Beach Resort which is closer to the eastern end of the beach.

Morning revealed Tondol Beach at low tide with the fine, white sand exposed. However, the sun hid behind some clouds for most of the morning and afternoon – a bit of a disappointment for Leo since it prevented him from taking what otherwise might have been some really dramatic shots of the beach. There was also a lot of sea grass all over.

What makes Tondol unique is its long, shallow nature. There is an island – Tanduyong – almost a kilometer away which can be reached on foot during low tide. There is a considerable amount of marine life besides the starfish and crabs on the shallow beach. Nina’s nephew observed a school of small fish swirling around him in shallow water on the way to Tanduyong Island. That same morning we were able to buy fresh fish (some of them were still alive) from Tondol’s fishermen and have them grilled for lunch by our kind and very accommodating hosts at the resort. The catch included a parrot fish that from our previous experience was not so tasty but we were pleasantly surprised that this one tasted pretty good. Nothing like fresh fish for a truly satisfying lunch.

Travel Tips

It’s best to visit Tondol during the summer or dry months when the skies are blue, the beach is cleaner and does not have as much debris (most of it biodegradable anyway) as during the rainy months. As bloggers have repeatedly pointed out, Tondol is also best enjoyed during low tide. The tides can vary from week to week so it’s safer to stay for one whole day at Tondol so you don’t miss the best viewing and swimming times. Also make sure you are there early in the morning when low tide usually comes in.

How to get there:

Head to Alaminos first. If you’re coming from Metro Manila, take the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and continue on to Tarlac via the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX). From Tarlac City take the road to Camiling and on to Alaminos. From Alaminos, continue on the road going to Bolinao pass the town of Bani. There is a fork on the road after Bani that goes on to Anda.

We haven’t tried going to Tondol via public utility vehicle but we’re assuming the best way is to get a bus that passes by Alaminos (Victory, Five Star and the like). From Alaminos one can get a mini bus to Anda town proper and then a trike to Tondol Beach. –shoestringtravelers.com

Photo from: asensopangasinan.com