Dagupan Bangus

Bangus - milkfish - is the national fish of the Philippines, farmed in brackish ponds along the coasts, and Dagupan in Pangasinan has the reputation: the mix of fresh water from the rivers and salt from the Lingayen Gulf in the ponds around the city is credited with producing fish of noticeably better flavour, and Dagupan bangus commands a premium in Manila markets. It is eaten grilled whole over charcoal, stuffed with tomato, onion and ginger and wrapped in banana leaf - inihaw na bangus - or deboned and fried, or as daing, split and marinated in vinegar and garlic for breakfast, or in sinigang. The bones are the famous problem: a milkfish has a great many fine intramuscular bones, and deboned fillets exist entirely because of it. The city runs a Bangus Festival across April and May with a street parade, a grilling event and the usual competitions.

What you actually see

• The fish ponds - brackish farms around the city.
• The charcoal grilling - whole fish stuffed and wrapped in leaf.
• The market stalls - bangus sold by weight, fresh and deboned.
• The Bangus Festival - the April and May street events.

When to go

Year-round; the Bangus Festival falls across April and May. Markets are best in the morning.

Honest expectations

Milkfish is full of fine bones - buy deboned fillets if that matters, and expect to work at a whole grilled fish. Dagupan is four to five hours from Manila. The premium over ordinary bangus is real but subtle.

Nearby

Manaoag's basilica is half an hour away; the Hundred Islands at Alaminos and Bolinao's coast are west.