No arguments needed, BORACAY is indeed one of the most famous white beaches in the world and no doubt the most favorite resort of most people nowadays. It's fine, powdery, silky pure white sand, pristine clear water and moderate calmness of its wave really makes people want to go there and have a relaxing weekend, at least.
 |
| my son enjoying the sun, sand, and the boat |
 |
| boracay beach shoreline |
 |
| see the moderate calmness of it wave behind my hubby and son |
But with the commercialization of Boracay, it has become congested already as the shops, hotels, bars and the crowd of people sometimes make you want to look for other beaches that are also white sand and less crowded. I have some suggestion you might consider which I personally visited. Here is my PERSONAL top 10 list of White Beaches other than Boracay.
10. LA LUZ BEACH RESORT, LAIYA, BATANGAS
I have visited this resort because of a company outing. The resort is in Barangay Hugom, San Juan, Batangas. Activities includes banana boat ride, kayaking, boating, beach volleyball and badminton, jetski, snorkling, yatch and they also have designated place for bonfire.
 |
| the beachfront (photo credit to the owner ) |
 |
| prepared games and activity for our summer outing |
 |
| my friend sun bathing (photo credits to Nerison Manuel) |
 |
| closer look of the sand (photo credits to Nerison Manuel) |
9. KWEBANG LAMPAS, PADRE BURGOS - PAGBILAO, QUEZON
Kwebang lampas as per my research is part of a group of white beaches in Pagbilao Grande Island, wherein it also include the Puting Buhangin campsite and the Puting Buhangin Sandbar. Personally, I haven't experience a day here in Kwebang Lampas, but when my colleagues from office went to Borawan Island (also part of Pagbilao Grande Island) we passed by this Island and just took a sneak peak of it. But some of my friends, did camp in this beach, where according to them you can pitch a tent (for a fee of course) and stay there overnight.
 |
| the beachfront of kwebang lampas (photo credits to Joy Cagampang) |
 |
| white sand beach and calm sea (photo credits to Joy Cagampang) |
 |
| early morning view of campers at kwebang lampas (photo credits to Joy Cagampang) |
SIDETRIP: PUTING BUHANGIN SANDBAR - after passing by Kwebang Lampas, my friends and I headed to our real destination for the day, the Puting Buhangin Sandbar. Although we were not very lucky to see the sandbar without the water, cause we its high tide when we reach the place, we still had fun time in a below knee to knee length water level and we even had picnic in the boat while it is dock on the sand bar. Just imagine us eating, standing in the sandbar, food inside the boat, while the wave makes the boat move sideways or front and back (Isn't it exciting?!?)
 |
with the girls in the middle of the sea, actually we were on the sandbar
on a high tide |
 |
see the white sand underneath the water?...
that's Puting Buhangin Sandbar
(photo credits to Riyalin Lucas) |
8. TAMBOBONG BEACH, DASOL, PANGASINAN
My family have visited Tambobong Beach as a Sidetrip from our Villa Balinmanok trip. It is located in western part of Pangasinan. The beach is public type and a lot of fishing boat will be seen dock on the shoreline. It is very uncommercialized during the time we visited the beach as only small open nipa huts by the locals are seen in the beach that serves as shade if you want to eat or take a rest from the sun. The sand is very fine and the water is very clear, I remember my son got a big starfish here and took a photo of it. People who visit this beach are mostly locals as it is still quite difficult to reach the place due to very rough road going the area.
 |
| Tambobong Beach from afar |
 |
| fishing boats of locals but still you can appreciate the clear water and white sand of the beach |
 |
the beach is a bit crowded at this time cause it was Black Saturday during
our time of visit, but if you will imagine, this is not as crowded
compared to our beaches specially during holy week |
 |
| my son and hubby enjoying the beach |
7. BORAWAN BEACH, PAGBILAO, QUEZON
I came to this beach together with my CBP-Altegra Health Family. We were all girls then and we really had a great time as we also visited kwebang lampas and puting buhangin sandbar. The beach is also a part of Pagbilao Grande Island. They say that the name of Borawan came from two popular destination in the Philippines Boracay and Palawan, because of the fine white sand and the high lime stone that surrounds the Island. But just to inform you, Borawan is not a cheap Island / beach destination as you have pay fee for everything you do here. Just stepping out from the banca that you are riding, the guard/personnel will charge you of entrance fee 150, either your staying there or just want to take pictures in the area, so when we dropped by the island, we opted to stay for a while and swim a bit in the beach. There is another not so good side of this beach, there are quite a lot jellyfish in the area that's why the management of the beach put designated area to swim and put some net to lessen the invasion of jelly fishes near the beach shore. But since this beach is not really in an open sea like West Philippine Sea or Pacific Ocean, the waves are calmer and is more conducive for swimming.
 |
| Borawan Shoreline |
 |
| huge limestone formation behind just below it is the beach shoreline |
 |
| groupie with my CBP girls |
 |
| hiding from the scorching heat of the sun in this gigantic limestone |
6. VILLA DEL MAR, PAGUDPUD, ILOCOS NORTE
My Pagudpud trip was the longest land trip that I have experience so far. It took us around 11-12 hours drive from Aguilar, Pangasinan, but of course there's a lot of stop overs with that. But the long drive is really worth it, as the sand are as fine, as white as boracay and the water is as pristine as well, only that in Villa de Mar Resort where we checked-in, the wave are stronger than Boracay. Children must be supervised at all time, as the was can be really rough or is it because we came there early December where the cold Easterly winds are present. Villa del Mar is a quiet, serene and peaceful resort were you can really relax and be with nature. They also cater food services and have free wifi in their dining area, but there are no noisy night life or partying. Just you, nature and serenity.
 |
| Villa del Mar beachfront |
 |
| waves are still a bit calm |
 |
Can u see the windmills? Those are the famous Bagui windmills.
Notice here that the waves that touches the shore are stronger than the previous picture?
|
 |
| Behind my daughter is the area best for swimming as it is shallow and waves are smaller |
5. VILLA BALINMANOK, DASOL, PANGASINAN
Dasol Pangasinan is a small town in western part of Pangasinan which is surrounded by unexplored and less inhabited. It is actually a fishing village and is popular for commercial salt production. Villa Balinmanok is a private beach resort along the beach of Dasol Pangasinan. Its white sand and crystal clear water invites anyone to take a dip on it. The resort has cottages and accommodation you can rent, but you can also bring your own tent to pitch it like what we did. From here, you can ask local boatmen to take you around islands nearby for minimal fee. The resort also has a small sari-sari store that has the basic needs to people camping or staying for vacation. Since Villa Balinmanok is a private beach resort, is is advisable that you call them first before going there for reservation. I am hoping that they haven't change their contact information, you can call or text them at 0915-2092010.
 |
| Villa Balinmanok's beachfront and shoreline |
 |
| calm sea and crystal clear water |
 |
| fine powdery white sand |
 |
| small banca docked on the shore |
 |
| Chinese Ship Wrecked Vessel |
4. POTIPOT ISLAND, CANDELARIA, ZAMBALES
Potipot Island is located in Barangay Uacon, Candelaria, Zambales. To reach the island, you can pass by resorts near the mainland, for our case we dropped by at Sun Bloom Resort. The island is a 5-10 minutes boat ride from Sun Bloom and is perfect way to experience being castaway as the island does not have electricity. Although, some say that the management of the island now already installed generators, but this is just for lights during the night for overnight campers. The island however got a small sari-sari store for basic needs of the campers. Children are safe to swim with its coastline as the waves are very calm.
 |
| Potipot Island view from Sun Bloom Resort |
 |
| clear water and fine white sand of potipot |
 |
| best for making sand castle and sand figures |
 |
| calm waves best for children swimming |
3. HANNAH BEACH RESORT (BLUE LAGOON), PAGUDPUD, ILOCOS NORTE
Another white sand beach resort that I have visited in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte is Hannah's Beach Resort, some locals called it as blue lagoon because of the it color and look from a distance. There are some other resort beaches that is called also as blue lagoon which is in the stretch of this beach. The sand is ivory, chalky and milky white in color that compensate the blue to aquamarine color of the ocean. Just the sound of the waves as it kiss the shore will made you feel the the tranquility and peace that you've wanted to make you feel relaxed. This beach is another pride of the Northern Luzon and also called Boracay of the North.
 |
| blue to aquamarine ocean with the milky white sand |
 |
| can't help but to take photo with the beach |
 |
the white sand almost saturated the background of my photo,
but it just really shows the pureness of the beach |
 |
| with the mountain / hill behind the ocean |
 |
| distance shot of the blue lagoon |
 |
got this photo in the internet which has a better quality of photo that I have
(credits to the owner of this photo) |
2. PATAR WHITE BEACH, BOLINAO, PANGASINAN
One of my most visited beaches of all is the Patar White Beach of Bolinao, Pangasinan. Aside that this is just an hour and a half drive from my husband's ancestral house in Aguilar, it really never fail to give us the great feeling of enjoyment and relaxation everytime we visit the beach. Its sand is not as white as boracay, but a mixture of white to beige to sometimes pinkish color depending on the sun's direction. The crystal clear water and the moderate roughness of the waves will really entice you to swim or just even get close to its beauty. You can find a lot of established resort already in Barangay Patar nowadays, but even if you just go to the public beach managed by their local governement, you will still experience the same kind of beach that privately owned beaches have, of course minus the swimming pool and high end hotel service. You can rent nipa hut and pitch in your tent for minimal amount and they already have clean shower rooms and comfort rooms nowadays.
 |
| my kids enjoying the clear water and fine sand of Patar beach |
 |
| notice how clear and pristine the water |
 |
remind you, we are in a public beach... the background catches one of the privately
owned beach resort. |
 |
| Patar White Beach |
1. COLIBRA ISLAND, DASOL, PANGASINAN
Colibra Island or Culebra Island is also known as snake island. According to the local it is called so as tales said that there's a sizable sea snake that inhabited the island but I did not spot any during our visit here. The island has a lot of stone formation, a few shrubs and few coconut trees. It is uninhabited and they say fishermen use this island to take a break while they are fishing. You can reach this island via Tambobong Beach, but in our case since we are checked-in at Villa Balinmanok during that time, we hired a boatman from that resort. It took us about 25-30 minutes boat ride to reach the it. Colibra Island has a very powdery white to off-white sand and really clear water that when I saw it I forgot that I have my hand phone inside my pocket, luckily I put it inside a small plastic bag. The island doesn't have enough trees to serve as a shade against the sun and also since it is uninhabited there were no stores, or toilet around, all you can find is nature, sea, sun and the sand. While others do camp here overnight, we only had a day trip here as we have children with us.
 |
| Colibra Island shot from the boat as we reached the shore |
 |
| fine, powdery white to beige sand of colibra island |
 |
| crystal clear water of the island |
 |
| rock formation behind us where we try to hide from the heat of the sun |
I know there are a lot more of white beaches in Philippines that I have not mentioned here, but just what I said, these are my personal list. But I hope this blog post will help some who are interested to visit these beaches that I have featured here. Enjoy the sun, sand and the sea!
