It is always the beach that one runs to when one thinks about getting relaxed and refreshed. After a busy month, I felt so drained I needed to get away before going back to work. Far-off Pangasinan was a perfect place, but I wasn’t prepared for how far off Bolinao was.

A drive to Pangasinan usually takes five hours, but it all depends on which route you take and what town you are heading for. The western municipalities of the province are known for Dagupan’s bangus fishponds and the seafood that abound in the Lingayen Gulf. It is also known for its beautiful beaches that stretch from San Fabian near Manaoag to Labrador and Bolinao.

Arriving at Puerto del Sol in Brgy. Ilog-Malino, the sight alone made the long trip worth it. The wide expanse of the beach revealed an open sea made safe only by a breakwater. Accompanied by a glaring sun, the sea breeze brought with it clean, fresh air in spite of the saltiness. I saw assorted shells and corals mingling with live seaweed that had floated unto the shore. There was even a seabird foraging along the mocha-colored sandbar exposed by the midday low tide. Little holes that punctured the sand signalled crabs were there. At this end of the Philippines, the sea is still brimming with life. Maybe that’s why there is a UP Marine Sanctuary nearby.

We enjoyed a sumptuous late lunch at La Playa, the restaurant which looked out into the sea. This was where meals were usually served. But on extremely windy days, guests may eat in the indoor restaurant which was decorated with traditional Ilocano furniture. Its walls were heavily painted in yellow and the linings were mahogany brown. Post-modern paintings played harmoniously in the room, exuding a grand, yet old and musty aura. An old piano sat in a corner; its ivory was already turning yellow and some keys no longer played. Heavy wooden cabinets, tables and chairs adorned the rest of the space.

A pond outside not only had some fish, but actual red-eared turtles that regularly sunbathed on the rocks. That would certainly keep the kids entertained while they waited for their food. There was also a playground nearby that had swings, a slide, monkey bars and see-saws. A little way off near the gardens, there was another pond over which a small wooden bridge was built. Kids would have loved to play on it had it not been overgrown with vines, and had a suspicious black spider and his giant cobweb as resident.

The gardens were quite something too. These can actually give Sonya’s Garden and the La Mesa Ecopark a run for their money in terms of plants and flowers. Ornamentals were planted all over – giant gumemelas in red, yellow, and peach, santan, as well as white and yellow oleanders. Just don't be surprised with the statuaries honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Francis here. The owners are probably devout Catholics.

As we were being shown to our deluxe lodging in the Mansion Villas, I noticed that the walkway had a trellis covered with flowering bougainevillas. Besides keeping out the sun, these white and fuchsia flowers would greet your mornings as you look out from your room. With piped-in music being played all around the resort, the atmosphere was a complete spa-like ambience.

In the Indonesian-inspired huts around the pool area, you can have your full-body massages, and manicures/pedicures. Lounging in the jacuzzi one morning, I looked up to see native swallows nesting on the cogon-thatched roof. Talk about communing with nature! As for other resort facilities, there was also a Game Room where adults can play billiards, pool, table tennis and darts. I was told videoke is also available and can be arranged by the resort.

Sunrise comes late to this westernmost part of Luzon and on my first morning there, I woke up at dawn to walk the beach. As I had hoped, the sea left many gifts by the shore. Besides seashells and corals, I even came across a live sea urchin before it was swept away by the waves. It was a good thing because people would soon come out to swim and woe to him/her who steps on the spines of that poor sea urchin.

For three days and two nights, I had my fill of swimming in the sea and the pool. So on the second morning of my stay, I decided to do as kids did and tried building a sandcastle. The soft, wet sand was perfect. But the tide was coming in and I had to work fast. I realized that what made sandcastle-building efficient during my youth was because I had my siblings with me. With no sisters around to get seawater and regularly douse my sandy fortress or pick the best corals and shells to reinforce my grainy towers, my work of art was constantly in danger of crumbling. I finished it in time before the waves filled-in my miniature moat. Despite its rundown appearance, some guests liked it and even took photos of it to the delight of resort personnel.

While my tired body enjoyed the adult pleasures of a massage, the jacuzzi, airconditioning and cable TV, the child in me was awakened by the simple joys of swimming, beachcombing, and even sandcastle building.

Since resort personnel were also locals, they boasted of other attractions in this distant gem of a place. Besides their white sand beaches that were powdery-soft, unpolluted and still teeming with marine life, they had coral mountains that housed beautiful caves. At the popular Enchanted Cave (site of Marian Rivera’s “Dyesebel”), fossilized coral lined the hillside before revealing a magical underground cave that reminded me of Bohol. Before descending the steep stairs, we chanced upon the halves of giant clams said to be millions of years old. These were clear evidence that many parts of the Philippines were really underwater many eons ago. Besides Enchanted Cave, there were also the Wonderful Cave and Cindy’s Cave, which similarly had cool freshwater to swim in.

On the way to see the famous Bolinao Lighthouse, we passed by Brgy. Patar’s rolling sand dunes and white sand beaches as magnificent as Boracay. With no protective breakwaters, and rock formations reminiscent of Currimao, Ilocos Norte rising like islets in the sea, these beaches had powerful waves crashing unto them. I was willing to bet the area also had some pretty strong undertows on bad days.

In Bolinao town proper, there’s the St. James the Great church. Reminiscent of our colonial past, it was built in 1607 and is considered one of the oldest churches in the Philippines. Made from the classic materials of egg yolk and molasses mixed with sand and coral stone, it must have survived numerous earthquakes in the past. Likewise, there was the Bolinao Museum, which proudly displayed geological and biological finds, as well as historical and archeological artifacts such as Chinese coins and pottery from a 14th century burial site.

All in all, there were a lot to see and enjoy in Bolinao that made the long drive worthwhile.

Germaine Trittle Leonin is a lawyer, LGBT rights activist, and government employee. It's impressive that she finds time to write and travel.

Photos used with permission from Germaine Trittle Leonin.