Exploring Anda by island hopping

Out of all the beaches I’ve been to in Pangasinan, Tondol White Sand Beach is so far the most fascinating. Its shallow water is a feature hard to miss. 

Delivering my spiel on the shore.

This cool beach is located in Anda, the lone island municipality in Pangasinan. Using public transport, you can reach Anda by taking a mini bus bound for Anda from Dagupan, or from any point along the route, then ride on a tricycle cab from the town proper. From Manila, you can take a Victory Liner or 5 Star bus bound for Anda.

You can be sure that a fun and exciting activity waits in your destination. And that’s exactly what we featured on Traveldotcom.

Well, that time, island hopping wasn’t officially offered yet because of the necessary arrangements still being underway. But, since we were doing a feature for a show, we experienced it exclusively.

As we set foot on Tondol White Sand Beach, I immediately noticed the shallow water which was really enticing. My estimate is even if you’re 50 feet away from the shore, the water will only be waist-deep. A nice plunge into the clear water on a sunny day would really be a great treat, but I had work to do.

The clear shallow water of Tondol White Sand Beach.

Entrance fee to the beach is P5. That’s very affordable considering that you can stay there all day.

Cottages lining up the shore can be rented for P300 each. During the peak season, however, prices go as high as P500 per cottage. Peak season starts every December and continues all the way through summer time.

There are also resorts offering rooms which can be rented overnight. A room for two costs P700-P1,500. For a group, rooms can be rented for P3,000-P5,000. Affordable, right?

Itinerary

Three islands are included in the itinerary. Our first stop was Pannacalan Island 15 minutes away from Tondol Beach. It is a sand bar which is considered special because of its amazing feature—it changes locaton every time. It’s not magic though. It happens because of the varying heights of the tide. Hence, the hut in the middle of the island changes location, too.

The sand bar--Pannacalan Island.

According to the tourism officer, Dennis, when they visited the island a few days back, the hut was on the right side of the island. When we were there, it was on the left. Snorkeling on the fish sanctuary near Pannacalan Island will also be offered soon.

Next on our itinerary is Tanduyong Island. From afar, it looks like either a slipper or a toothbrush depending on your position on the sea. It’s a bushy island filled with plants with thorns (I didn’t ask what they are called), so you have to be careful when moving around the island. There isn’t much to see though.  But, the local government is set to develop Tanduyong as part of their plan to boost Anda’s tourism industry.

The last island we visited was Cory Island. It’s a huge heap of corals of various sizes. Obviously, that’s how it got its name. Just be sure to wear your slippers on the island because the corals will surely hurt your feet. And indeed, it was difficult to walk around the island barefoot.

Setting foot on Cory Island.

It's a huge heap of Corals of various sizes. Some even come with colors.

We didn’t stay long on Cory Island because it was getting dark. We, then, headed back to Tondol Beach where we wrapped up the day’s adventure.

Absolutely, it was an exciting day. Experiencing fun and delight while hopping from island to island is really unforgettable. Nature’s wonders never fail to satisfy my eyes and  soul. I’ll definitely be back in Anda and that time around, it’ll be more fun!