It was the second time I beheld the swirling white behemoths of the north and the awe that goes along with it was the same as the first. The blades of the windmills of Ilocos Norte heavily cut the air above, swishing and swooshing their endless rotations.

The once blue sky we witnessed at Laoag City was being invaded by thick clouds as we ventured closer to the shores of Bangui.

For beach bums, Bangui is not the most ideal place. The sand is very course and on some parts composed of midsized pebbles. Then there’s the waves which angrily crashes through the shoreline every other second. Tourists visit the place for the windmills, which are the first in the Philippines and the largest in Southeast Asia.

There are a total of twenty wind turbines arching nine kilometers along Bangui Bay. These things are so huge you can even see them from Saud Beach in Pagudpud.

You’d be surprised how far each one is to one another--almost a quarter of a kilometer--the pillar’s size probably making them appear closer than they really are. Try walking from one to another and you’d be surprised just how long it would take you to reach the next one.

The waves were really slamming it up as we went down the beach. And in no time, it caught me, shoes and all. With my socks all wet, I thought, what the heck; I ventured further out into the water to get the photograph I have in my mind.

The clouds were soon racing and the rain poured. Good thing there were souvenir stands near the beach where we took shelter. These huts were new to my eyes; it had been years since I last visited the windfarms of Ilocos Norte.

The weather still undecided, the rain stopped but the sky darkened further. I ventured out and took a few more snaps before the rain poured again. This trip is gonna be the end of me, I thought as I sluggishly ran through the sand, clutching my tripod with my camera screwed on top.

About half an hour later, I saw some blues creep through the clouds. The sun broke through and made everyone happy. I half-ran to the hills above the beach and took the opportunity to hit some infrared photos. The heat was becoming unbearable and I was sweating bullets.

Undaunted, I pressed on ‘til there’s nowhere to go but back. A river was blocking my path and it doesn’t look shallow at all. The carabaos bathing across the other bank looked far too small from my vantage; no way would I be able to cross that. With no other choice, I contented myself with shooting the exotic birds looking really miniscule in relation to the mills.

The original plan really was to arrive at Bangui Windmills at dawn and shoot it during sunrise. Well, we arrived three hours late, but just to give you a preview how beautiful the Windfarm of Ilocos is during the golden hour, here’s a closing picture from my first encounter with the swirling giants.

Bangui WindMills
Address: Barangay Baruyen
Bangui, Ilocos Norte

GPS Coordinates: 18.528099,120.717105
Google Maps Location: Click Here