Sand boarding in Laoag wasn’t originally part of our itinerary. We were on a budget so sand boarding was out of the question. But at the very last minute, we decided to drop the option of trying the zipline in Pagudpud and just opted for sand boarding. Turns out we’ll be spending the same amount for both! I’m quite confident that we made the right decision.
There are many groups offering sand boarding in Laoag, but our agency directed us to Laoag Sand Dunes Experience spearheaded by the Pinakbet Group. The contact details are in their Facebook page! For the three of us, we paid a total of 2,500 for a 30-minute 4×4 ride and unlimited sand boarding experience. It was worth it! I swear, it definitely tops my list of favorite things to do in Ilocos. So yes, it’s a must when you visit Laoag.
We arrived just at daybreak and we were rewarded with a spectacular view of Laoag! I think trying the experience early in the morning is a lot better than doing it in the afternoon. It wasn’t so hot and the view of the Laoag sunrise was amazing! So yes, I definitely recommend this activity.
The 4×4 ride wasn’t as easy as it seems. Actually, I didn’t expect anything since I thought we’d just be riding. But it turns out that you really have to hold on to the railing if you don’t want to get thrown off. And it hurts the chest when you don’t hold on properly! It was an excruciating 15 minutes till we learned how to actually hold the bar. Hehe.
When we got on the spot where we’d be sand boarding, another group had already started. They were slipping and falling down and it just looked so difficult! And painful! A part of me vowed to just sit down the entire time, but we realized that we’d probably be missing out quite a lot if we didn’t try standing up. And after trying standing up, we no longer want to sit down!
A thousand slips and falls later, we were still desperately trying to learn how to sandboard. An hour later, I still didn’t know how. Haha! I only succeeded once and that’s during my first try. The next tries, I was on my butt after a few seconds. I never got the hang of it simply because I don’t know how to balance. Our instructor told me to find my center but I didn’t really understand what he means?
I may not have learned how to properly sand board, but at least I knew how to properly land on my butt. My friends Eunise and Iris successfully landed face first, and I’m proud to say that it didn’t happen to me. Wahaha. When it starts to feel like I’m about to stumble, I sit down. I did not want to eat sand. Heh.
I am so tempted to upload our videos but they need further editing. I need to cover our cruel laughter whenever someone lands face first.
I had an obligatory photo with our wicked ride because it’s not everyday that I get on such truck. I do want to go back and try sand boarding again. Maybe next time I’ll actually learn how to sand board not just on luck but because I actually understand how to find my center.
Seriously, though, how the hell do you find your center?
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