Saud Beach
Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, Philippines
Saud Beach sits in Pagudpud, at the northern tip of Luzon in the Philippines, a wide stretch of powdery white sand facing the South China Sea. It's the calmer, more developed counterpart to nearby Blue Lagoon, backed by palm trees and a handful of resorts rather than open coastline.
A dependable, easy beach day with real infrastructure behind it, but its distance from Manila means it's more of a planned trip than a spontaneous one, even for people fairly nearby.
Combine the trip with the Patapat Viaduct just up the coast road, since most visitors make the long drive from Manila or Laoag worthwhile by seeing both in one day.
Resorts along the beach have their own lots for guests, and there's informal parking near the public access points. The drive from Manila runs 10 to 12 hours by bus through Laoag, so most visitors arrive already planning to stay a night or two.
Access from the road to the sand is flat and short at most points along the beach, easy for most visitors, though it's not a formal boardwalk.
The dry season from November through May brings the calmest water and sunniest days, while the wet season from June through October brings the risk of typhoons that regularly track through this part of Luzon.
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