DEPARTMENT of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, Ilocos Norte Gov. Matthew Marcos Manotoc, and Pagudpud Mayor Rafael Benemerito II yesterday led the groundbreaking rites for the 7th Tourist Rest Area (TRA) in Saud Beach in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte.
Saud Beach is popularly known as the “Boracay of the North.”
“Putting up this Tourist Rest Area sends the message that, first, Ilocos Norte is open to the world for tourists and investors, and that the Marcos Administration is serious in its intention to support the province of Ilocos Norte for its plans for tourism in the next few years,” Frasco said.
The TRA in Saud aims to provide convenience to tourists, especially to those making the roadtrip to explore the vast array of tourist sites and attractions in the northernmost region of the country.
The TRA has clean and decent restrooms, tourist information and assistance, as well as pasalubong centers where local products can be showcased,
Moreover, the establishment of the TRA in Saud Beach heralds the further development and improvement of facilities of the white sand beach, which has been earning global attention in recent years.
Just last year, Saud Beach was named as among the 25 Most Beautiful Beaches in the World by Travel & Leisure (T+L) magazine last year for its white sand that “pitches gradually into the clear-as-glass water, like a real-world example of a zero-entry swimming pool.”
“We feel that this TRA perfectly compliments the master plan of your governor and of your provincial government that envisions the full development of this beach into a world-class destination,” Frasco said.
The launching of the TRA in Saud is also strategic, as it is along the road that motorbikers pass through in taking the regional motorbiking route which extends until Cagayan Valley.
Frasco pointed out that the TRA in Saud Beach marks “the beginning of the many collaborations between the DOT and the provincial government of Ilocos Norte.”
Aside from Saud Beach, Pagudpud is also home to many popular tourist destinations, including the Bantay Abot Cave, Dos Hermanos Islands, Kabigan Falls, Maira-ira Beach, Patapat Viaduct, Stingray Memorial, and the iconic Windmills of Bangui, Burgos, and Pagudpud.
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