Bolinao, Pangasinan

Exclusive resorts, private beaches and wonderful scenic view is what Bolinao, Pangasinan is known for. Historians have no exact record on the date Bolinao was created. It was presumed that the town was created by virtue of Royal Decree of Spain. Available record showed that it was the year 1575 when Spanish Captain Pedro Lombi founded the first settlement with more or less 100 settlers. The Municipal Council by virtue of its Resolution No. 104 dated September 19, 1988 adopted July 25, 1575 as the Foundation Day of Bolinao in honor of the Patron Saint of the town, St. James the Great.

Patar Beach Exclusive Resort

The word "Bolinao" may be derived from three (3) sources. Legendarily speaking, the name of the town could have been derived from the "Pamulinawen" tree which grew in abundance along the beaches during the exodus of Ilocanos to the place. The second legend can be attributed to the specie of fish which the Tagalog called "Bolinao" which were in abundance in the past. The third one is associated by the famous couple named Bolido and Anao.

The town is famous for its two lighthouses:1) The Cape Bolinao Lighthouse in Barangay Patar is the tallest in the country second to the Cape Bojeador Lighthouse in Ilocos Norte. There is also the Port Bolinao Lighthouse in Guigui-wanen in Barangay Luciente I; both structures serve as crucial warning beacons to ships against storms and treacherous reefs.

Rock Garden

The Cape Bolinao Lighthouse at Patar rises majestically 351 feet above sea level atop Punta Piedra Point, a towering hill of solid rock which is the sharp point of Cape Bolinao itself.

The lighthouse provides a panoramic view of a portion of the 1,269 hectare Cape Bolinao Dendro Thermal Ipil-Ipil Plantation
on a land area where archaeological excavations have revealed relics from the 14th to the 15th centuries.
Filipino, British and American engineers constructed the lighthouse in 1905.

According to the Bureau of Geodetic Surveys, the land elevation is 250 feet. Visibility is 20 miles at midsea towards the lighthouse in Poro Point.

Treasures of Bolinao

The winding stairway has 6 platforms with 20 steps or rungs for a total of 120 steps plus 14 more to the illumination room, or an over-all total of 134 steps.

The location of the town is very suitable for the tourism business due to its beautiful and scenic beautiful white beaches, exclusive resorts, rivers, creeks and the like.

The people are friendly and accommodating to tourists and the town has yet to be commercialized like Boracay. Yet it has all the beauty of Boracay-like whitesand and exclusive resorts.

Up to now, Bolinao remains a quaint little town where people can escape the hustle and bustle of city life and enjoy the numerous tourist spots in and around the area.

At present, it has several tourist exclusive resorts which cater to both local and foreign visitors. These tourist facilities have room accommodations available at regular prices and are located nearby the town proper.

For more information on contacting these exclusive resort, please contact me at:

There is also several other resorts concentrated in the western most tip of Bolinao in Barangay Patar where one can find the one of best white sand beaches in Pangasinan.

In addition, there is also a exclusive resort located in Santiago island. Access by land vehicle is possible via a Ferry Boat (accommodates a maximum of two vehicles aside from passengers) located in Barangay Guiguiwanen, about 10 minutes from the town proper. A ferry ride takes about 5 to 10 minutes only, traversing the Kakiputan channel about half a kilometer wide. The ferry is open daily from 7 AM to 5 PM with regular hourly trips back and forth.

Other tourist spots exclusive resorts and all inclusive resorts which have potential for development are Bolinao Falls, Cape Bolinao Lighthouse, which is the second highest lighthouse in the Philippines, Nanaytayan Cave, Bolinao National Museum, Guiguiwanen Beach, Balingasay Beach, Abrac Beach, and Fatima Hi.