Road Trip Guide: Wind Farms in the Philippines

Aside from being a source of clean energy, wind farms around the Philippines have become tourist attractions. There’s really something about these scenic spots that appeal to travelers. They just have that air of romance about them. Maybe it’s the sense of solitude brought about by their remote locations. Or maybe it’s the sheer size of the turbines dwarfing all those who visit that never fails to amaze visitors.

The Philippines has the potential to be one of the largest wind power generators in the ASEAN region. According to a 2017 report published by the ASEAN Centre for Energy cited by Asian Power, a website focused on power generation news, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam were found to have the largest wind power capacity among 10 ASEAN member states. However, while the Philippines has significant onshore and offshore wind potential, wind energy has remained largely untapped.

While many people use the term windmill and wind turbine interchangeably, they’re actually different. Windmills help pump water and grind grain very similar to a water wheel. Wind energy uses turbines to capture kinetic energy from air flows occurring naturally in the earth’s atmosphere to create electricity.

Wind Farms are usually built on existing farms, ranches or remote spots in rural areas that are hard to get to by public transport. The roads getting there aren’t always the best, so visiting them has that added appeal to motorcycle riders and cyclists. There’s usually no entrance fee to visit.

I’ve had the chance to visit most of these while traveling around the Philippines. While wind farms don’t really offer much recreational activities beyond sightseeing, they do make good road trip destinations and are notable landmarks worth visiting if you’re passing through the area. For reference, here’s a guide to some of the wind farms you can find around the country.

Bangui Wind Farm, Ilocos Norte

Mention Ilocos Norte and images of wind turbines immediately come to mind. It’s become part of the ingrained identity of Ilocos Norte and local tourism campaigns often use images of turbines in their advertising materials and commercials.

The Bangui Wind Farm in Ilocos Norte at the north-west tip of Luzon island is the country’s oldest wind farm and the first power-generating wind farm in Southeast Asia. The turbines are arranged in a single row stretching along a nine-kilometer shoreline off Bangui Bay.

The wind farm has boosted small businesses in the area. Visitors can find local farmers selling garlic and onions in stalls along the road. Wooden replicas of windmills, mini-keychains and pinwheels are popular souvenirs.

How to get to Bangui Wind Farm:

• The nearest airport to Bangui is in Laoag, Ilocos Norte.
• The town of Bangui is about 438 km from Manila. For those bringing private vehicles, it takes roughly 11-14 hours drive to get there from Metro Manila, depending on stopovers and traffic.
• For private vehicles, from Laoag, just follow the Maharlika Highway. You will pass through towns of Bacarra, Pasuquin and Burgos. After reaching Burgos, watch out for directional signs on the left side going to the site.
  Travel time from Laoag to Bangui is about 1.5 hrs via jeepney or bus bound for Pagudpud or Cagayan. Shorter for private vehicles.
  Drive towards the wind turbines, which are relatively visible from the highway.
• Coming from Laoag City, you can take the bus going to Bangui or Pagudpud from the Bangui and Pagudpud bus terminals.
• Get off at Bangui town proper. From there, you can hire a tricycle, as there are no jeepneys going directly to the Bangui windmills.

Burgos Wind Farm, Ilocos Norte

While the Bangui Bay Wind Power is the most accessible and commonly visited wind farm in Ilocos Norte, there are two other wind farms in this northern province.

The 150-MW Burgos Wind Farm is currently the largest wind farm in the country and in Southeast Asia, with 50 wind turbines covering 600 hectares and three barangays of Burgos, namely Saoit, Poblacion and Nagsurot.

If you’re visiting the Kapurpurawan Rock Formation, you can spot the windmills along the access road going in. It’s best to combine a trip to the Burgos Wind Farm with visits to other nearby attractions like Cape Bojeador Lighthouse and the rock formations.

How to get to Burgos Wind Farm:

• Make your way to Laoag, Ilocos Norte.
• From Laoag, catch or van going to Burgos or Pagudpud and ask the driver or the conductor to drop you off at the access road to Kapurpurawan near Burgos Town proper.
• Travel time from Laoag is around 1.5 hours and fare is around P60.
• Tricycle tours are available with a rate of P300 for a group of three.

Caparispisan Wind Farm, Ilocos Norte

Meanwhile, the Caparispisan Wind Farm in Pagudpud has 27 individual wind turbines occupying a 625-hectare land area. If you’re passing any of these towns in Ilocos, the scenic wind farms are definitely worth a stop.

Pililla Wind Farm, Rizal

For those coming from Metro Manila, the Pililla Wind Farm in Rizal, operated by Alternergy Wind One Corporation, is the most easily accessible wind farm you can visit.

It’s just 1.5-2 hours away from the city, depending on the traffic and your route. The farm currently has 27 wind turbines, generating 54-MW of clean energy, visible from various vantage points along Marilaque and Manila East Road.

Since it started construction in 2015, the wind farm has become a popular spot for cyclists, motorcycle riders, and road trippers who come to enjoy the breeze and view during weekends. Even the welcome arch of Pilillia now features small windmills.

This has become one of our go-to spots for group rides and for test riding various motorcycles and photoshoots. A tourist information center has been constructed in the area, providing more information on the project and several view decks that provide various vantage points for photo ops.

Noting the increase in tourist arrivals, vendors have set up stalls and eateries selling snacks and windmill-related souvenirs. Tourists can now find lots of souvenirs including ref magnets, keychains, patches, stickers, pinwheels and mini-windmills made of wood.

How to get to Pililla Wind Farm:

• From Manila, follow the Manila East Road all the way to Pilillla. You will pass through the towns of Taytay, Angono, Binangonan, Cardona, Morong, Baras and Tanay before Pililla.
• From Quezon City, you can pass through Antipolo via Sumulong Highway to get to Manila East Road.
• Alternatively, you can also connect to Manila East Road via Marilaque, by turning right on the intersection towards Daranak Falls instead of going straight.
• When you reach a fork in the road, take the left fork going towards Mabitac, Famy & Real, not towards Jala-Jala.
• This is an uphill road. When you reach the overlooking point of Laguna Lake, you’re relatively near. You’ll pass a power plant.
• Turn left along the highway when you see a wide gravel area leading up to the windmill’s major construction site.
• There’ll be a short stretch of mostly rough road. This is accessible to all types of vehicles including cars, tricycles, motorcycles and bicycles. Watch out for construction trucks.
• There’s also a shortcut through backroads in Sampaloc, which is longer but more scenic but roads are a bit rough.

San Lorenzo Wind Farm, Guimaras

The 54-MW San Lorenzo Wind Farm, operated by Trans-Asia Renewable Energy Corporation, provides electricity to the majority of the island-province of Guimaras, making it energy self-sufficient. The wind farm has 27 wind turbines that stand approximately 123 meters tall.

While the wind farm is located in a remote area, far from the main town proper, the farm is often included as a photo op stop in Guimaras land tours because of the picturesque atmosphere. For those exploring on their own, the wind farm offers a great destination for cyclists and motorcycle riders circling the island. I just found it a bit difficult to take photos here because the turbines are not as concentrated together. You might want to bring a wide lens to capture the sheer size.

How to get to San Lorenzo Wind Farm:

• Guimaras is accessible by boat travel from either Iloilo or Bacolod.
• From Iloilo, go to Ortiz or Parola Wharf to ride a pumpboat to Guimaras. Travel time is 15 minutes.
• After arriving at Guimaras Port, drop by the Tourist Assistance Office to register and get a guide and transportation getting around.
• For those with their own transport, just follow the Guimaras circumferential road going to San Lorenzo until you reach the junction going to the viewpoints.
• From Bacolod’s Silay airport, ride a shuttle going to Libertad public market. Then ride a jeep going to Pulupandan (there is a jeep going to Pulupandan) and get down at Pulupandan Wharf.
• Ride a RoRo to Guimaras. The RoRo boat usually goes to Guimaras only once a day.
• After arriving at the San Sebaste Wharf in Guimaras, ride a tricycle going to San Lorenzo Wind Farm.

Nabas Wind Farm, Aklan

The Nabas Wind Power Project, operated by PetroWind Energy Inc., is another worthy stop for those traveling by land around the province of Aklan. Situated in Barangay Pawa, about 25 kilometers from world-renowned Boracay beaches, the Nabas Wind Farm now regularly supplies clean and renewable power to the Western Visayas (WV) grid. The farm currently consists of 18 turbines supplying 36 MW of clean energy while increasing the tourism potential of the once-sleepy town.

How to get to Nabas Wind Farm:

• The closest airport and port to Nabas is Caticlan, the gateway to Boracay.
• From the Caticlan Jetty Port or airport, drive along the Aklan West Road or take a tricycle, for about 20 minutes.
• Turn right on the Unidos bridge junction and follow the road all the way to the top.
• For those commuting, you can hire a habal-habal (P70 one-way, 15 mins) from the junction to take you to the top.

The Nabas Wind Farm aims to provide new ecotourism and livelihood opportunities for the local government units and host barangays, as it continues to attract tourists, especially those coming from Boracay.

Puerto Galera Wind Farm, Mindoro

Though not yet commercially operational, there’s also a wind farm being built in Puerto Galera on the island of Mindoro by Philippine Hybrid Energy Systems, Inc. I haven’t been up close yet, but I spotted eight towers on a mountain from the boat while crossing from Batangas to Abra de Ilog in Occidental Mindoro.

The wind farm is located in the highland village of Mt. Paitan, Barangay Tabinay, roughly 900 meters or 2,700 feet above sea level. The location of wind tower generators is within the Mangyan ancestral domain. The site overlooks the coves within the Verde Island Passage. You can learn more about this project here.

Which of these wind farms around the Philippines have you been to?