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Major city · Philippines

San Juan, La UnionSan Juan

Go for 2–3 nights if you want to learn to surf: base in Urbiztondo, ride the Nov–Apr swell, and skip the town centre.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
PHP
Best months
Nov–Apr for surf; Dec–May for dry weather
avoid Jul–Oct (rain and typhoon season), weekends if you want an uncrowded line-up
Airports
MNL · CRK
Nights
2–3
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 5Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore…
  • Southeast Asia ↗Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Brunei and Myanmar; never carry a bag or parcel for anyone.
  • Southeast Asia ↗Carry a passport valid for at least six months from entry with two blank pages; airlines refuse boarding on less.
  • Philippines ↗Complete the free eTravel registration on the official government site within 72 hours before arrival; ignore lookalike sites that charge.
  • Philippines ↗Typhoon season runs roughly June to November: flights and boats are cancelled at short notice; buy flexible tickets and keep a spare day.
  • Philippines ↗Carry pesos in small notes; many stalls, jeepneys and taxis are cash-only.

San Juan is the Philippines' main learn-to-surf town on the north Luzon coast, about 5–6 hours by bus from Manila. Almost everything a visitor wants sits in two beach strips outside the town centre: Urbiztondo, with the surf schools, hostels and bars, and quieter Montemar to the north. Two to three nights covers a beginner course and a rest day; the town itself has little beyond a church, a watchtower and a market.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about San Juan, La Union, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee₱80–180 (≈ US$2–4)
  • Street or quick mealNoodle or rice meal at a beach restaurant₱150–350 (≈ US$3–7)
  • Beerbottle at a bar / can at a sari-sari store₱80–150 (≈ US$2–3)₱50–80 (≈ US$1–2)
  • Budget bedHostel dorm bed, a night, per person₱350 (≈ US$7)
  • Mid-range bedBeach resort double room, a night, per room₱2,500 (≈ US$45)
  • High-end bedBeach resort double room, a night, per room₱6,000 (≈ US$110)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget ₱1,500 (≈ US$30) · Mid ₱3,000 (≈ US$55) · High ₱6,000 (≈ US$110)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Beginner surf breaks at UrbiztondoSurf season November to AprilDanggayan Festival in MayBeach hostels and surf schools
Airports
MNL Manila Ninoy Aquino International (Then a 5–6 h bus north to San Juan; no airport in La Union.) · CRK Clark International (Closer to the north Luzon expressway; bus connections to La Union are thinner, so check before booking.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

San Juan, La Union: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

30°C

22°C

2 rd

Feb

31°C

22°C

2 rd

Mar

32°C

23°C

3 rd

Apr

33°C

24°C

4 rd

May

33°C

25°C

10 rd

Jun

32°C

25°C

15 rd

Jul

31°C

25°C

19 rd

Aug

30°C

25°C

21 rd

Sep

31°C

25°C

18 rd

Oct

31°C

24°C

12 rd

Nov

31°C

23°C

6 rd

Dec

30°C

22°C

3 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

Tricycles are the main public transport between the town centre, Urbiztondo and Montemar; agree the fare before you get in. Most visitors walk within their own beach strip and take a tricycle for the 10–15 minute hop between strips.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

San Fernando, La Union

go

Door to door: About 45 min

Bus or jeepney south along Route 2, about 20–30 min

Provincial capital with the main bus terminals, market and food stops.

Bauang

go

Door to door: About 40 min

Bus or jeepney south along Route 2, about 20 min

Quieter beaches and grape farms; easy half-day.

Bacnotan

go

Door to door: About 40 min

Bus or jeepney north along Route 2, about 20 min

Coastal barangays and a riverside stop on the way to Vigan.

Agoo

caution

Door to door: About 1 h

Bus north along Route 2, about 45 min

Worth it mainly for the basilica and market; check bus times back.

Luna

caution

Door to door: 1.5–2 h

Bus north to Balaoan or Agoo, then tricycle

Longer run; better as an overnight than a return day trip.

Balaoan

skip

Door to door: About 1 h 15 min

Bus north along Route 2, about 50 min

No standout sight for a short trip; pass through on the way north.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Urbiztondo

The surf hub: hostels, surf schools, restaurants and bars within walking distance of the break. Noisiest and busiest at weekends.

Montemar

A few kilometres north; fewer resorts, cheaper rooms, own board or a resort that rents one. No surf lessons here.

San Juan town centre (Ili Sur)

Church, watchtower and public market only. Fine for a local errand, not for a beach stay.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
₱1,500–2,500 (≈ US$30–45) excl. bed
Mid
₱2,500–4,500 (≈ US$45–80) excl. bed
High
₱4,500 (≈ US$80)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Beach resort double room1 × 3 nights × ₱2,500₱7,500
Food, local transport, entries2 × 3 days × ₱3,000₱18,000
eSIM, about a week of data2 × ₱500₱1,000
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge₱2,650
Trip total≈ ₱4,860 per person per day, bed included₱29,150≈ US$550

2026 estimate in pesos; flights and long-distance buses excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee₱80–180 (≈ US$2–4)
Noodle or rice meal at a beach restaurant₱150–350 (≈ US$3–7)
Beer: bottle at a bar / can at a sari-sari store₱80–150 (≈ US$2–3) / ₱50–80 (≈ US$1–2)
Bus Manila → San Juan, one way₱600–900 (≈ US$11–16)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Beach-town safe for tourists; the real risks are rip currents, crowded weekend line-ups, sunburn and typhoon-season travel disruption. Keep valuables in a dry bag, not on the sand.
  • Weekend line-ups at Urbiztondo get crowded; go early on a weekday if you can.
  • Surf season runs Nov–Apr, but reliable swell mostly holds to late January; later weeks can go flat.
  • Typhoon season Jun–Oct can close roads and cancel buses; check forecasts before travelling.
  • Bring cash: smaller resorts and surf schools may not take cards.

Emergency numbers

National emergency
911

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

San Juan, La UnionSan Juan

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

Dito po, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • National emergency911

Embassy

No embassies in San Juan; the US embassy and most others are in Manila. Consular help for La Union runs through Manila.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Bus Manila → San Juan (Urbiztondo or Montemar drop-off): about ₱600–900 (≈ US$11–16), 5–6 h

Say or show

  • Salamat — Thank you (sa-LA-mat)
  • Magkano? — How much is it? (mag-KA-no)
  • Nasaan ang beach? — Where is the beach? (na-SA-an ang beach)
  • Gusto kong mag-rent ng surfboard — I would like to rent a surfboard (gus-TO kong mag-rent ng surfboard)
  • Pwede bang mag-card? — Can I pay by card? (PWE-de bang mag-card)
  • Nasaan ang banyo? — Where is the toilet? (na-SA-an ang BAN-yo)

Tricycle fares and surf prices are quoted per hour or per ride; agree before you start.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for San Juan, La Union. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Nov–Apr for surf; Dec–May for dry weather · avoid Jul–Oct (rain and typhoon season), weekends if you want an uncrowded line-up · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 6 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for MNL and CRK: last bus departures, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Walking clusters with rescue anchors: Urbiztondo beach strip, Montemar, San Juan town centre.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (watchtower, church, public market) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Surf-school and board-rental fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to Philippines

Sources