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La Union, Philippines
Photo: Touri60, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Balaoan is a town in La Union. It has extensive beaches and a Spanish-era watchtower.
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A stout, Spanish-era watchtower meant to guard against pirates and foreign invaders from the South China Sea. The site was declared a National Cultural Treasure by the Philippine government in 2015.
Not really an island but a series of three lagoons, mangroves, tidal pools and flats with clear waters and teeming with marine life. The entire site is walkable during low tide.
Balaoan Church
Balaoan's main Roman Catholic church, built in a Baroque style during the Spanish era in 1864.
A Roman Catholic hillside shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
Balaoan is along Route 2 (Manila North Road). Buses heading to Candon, Vigan and Laoag also ply this highway. However, its coastal barangays are physically inaccessible from the inland downtown.
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