Paddleboarding at Paoay Lake, Ilocos Norte

Aside from surfing, one of the activities I looked forward to doing was paddle boarding at Paoay Lake, Ilocos Norte. I wanted to try this because I’ve seen the sport in magazines and I wondered how sport was like compared to surfing.

Paddle boarding at Paoay Lake
Paoay, Ilocos Norte

lakwatsero paddleboard
Angel of Lakwatsero.com paddleboarding in Paoay Lake

I knew surfing was a tough one; heck it took me awhile before I learned to stand on the board yet I was only able to ride the wave for a couple of seconds. Then catching another wave would require more energy and a lot more strength to stay afloat. Paddleboarding, after my first attempt, turned out to be an easy one.

paddleboard paoay lake
Mike teaching the basics

This was an easy sport. The technique here is to maintain balance. The closer you are to the board, the better control you have. So if you’re a beginner, it’s great if you kneel first until you can learn how to maneuver it. Once you have control, you can stand up and paddle. You only need to bend if you feel you’re about to lose balance.

paoay lake paddleboard
Marcos of Ambot-Ah.com and Kara of Traveling-Up.com

They say that this sport helps build your core muscles. I’m not sure what it meant (I’m not a fitness expert) but it helps build abs. hehe. This was something all the Lakbay Norte 3 participants needed, with all the binge-eating we’ve been doing for the past days of our media familiarization tour.

thepinaysolobackpacker living asia channel
Gael of ThePinaySoloBackpacker.com interviewed by Living Asia Channel

Paddleboarding requires you to stay calm. Some of the bloggers and writers who tried the paddle board took some time to get used to. At times, the strong wind made it more challenging for us to control the board. But once you get the hang of it, it’s going to be a breeze. You might end up doing some exhibitions, but I didn’t dare do so in deeper water for fear of not doing it right.

headstand paddleboard
headstand on shallow water only
photo by Gael

On a side note, Angel, Gael, and I went to a side of the lake where cows were around. It was a bright and sunny day and I wanted take photos of the place when an idea hit me. I asked them if they wanted to join me in taking pictures near these animals. Gladly, they agreed.

Aside from paddleboarding, what I like about the location is that you get to enjoy the scenery of Paoay Lake.

cows meadow paoay lake
green and blue

If you want a more relaxing sport, you may want to try paddleboarding. This activity was actually more of a dry-run for us since the Ilocos Norte provincial government is looking for other options as part of their plan to boost tourism in their area.


no cows were hurt to take this shot
photo by Gael

For inquiries, contact:
ilocosnorte.mediabureau@gmail.com
ilocosnortetourism@yahoo.com
Facebook Page: facebook.com/PaoayKumakaway

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***Lakbay Norte 3 is an eight-day Media familiarization bus tour organized by the North Philippine Visitors Bureau to Rediscover the North of Luzon, Philippines.lakbay norte

Check out my other Lakbay Norte 3 adventures here:

Food & Accommodation:


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soloflightEd.com is a travel blog by Edcel Suyo. He enjoys performing headstands and crazy stunts during his trips in the Philippines, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. Now based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and working to earn a living, he takes time to enjoy the city and travel during weekends.
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For questions, advertising, and other concerns, shoot an email to ed@soloflighted.com.


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