Blue Lagoon Maira-ira

Maira-ira Point curls out from the northern Ilocos coast and shelters a cove that the tourist board rebranded, accurately enough, as the Blue Lagoon: a compact bay of white sand with water that runs pale green in the shallows and deep turquoise past the sandbar, framed by headlands and a hill of coconut and grass. It is calmer than the open coast either side, which makes it good for swimming, and the reef edge and river mouth combine to produce a soft beginner wave that has quietly turned the cove into northern Luzon's surf-school beach - boards and lessons come from the shacks along the sand. A handful of resorts sit above the beach, ranging from bamboo cottages to the large hotel at the eastern end, and boats run out to the Blue Lagoon's islets and around the headland. The approach itself is memorable: the road descends in a single steep sweep with the whole cove laid out below.

What you actually see

• The cove - white sand between headlands, turquoise water.
• The beginner surf - soft waves and board rental on the sand.
• The approach road - the descent with the bay in full view.
• The headland walks - grass slopes above the point.

When to go

November to May for dry days; the amihan season from December brings the surf. Weekends and Holy Week fill the cove with domestic visitors.

Honest expectations

The beach is small and gets busy in season - early morning is the quiet version. Currents strengthen at the cove's edges. Services are simple and mostly cash.

Nearby

Saud Beach, Kabigan Falls, Bantay Abot Cave and the Patapat viaduct all lie within twenty minutes.