Luna is a town in La Union. It has extensive beaches, a Spanish-era watchtower and a Roman Catholic pilgrimage site.
Understand
[edit]Luna is one of the oldest settlements in La Union, with Darigayos Beach having been a trading post for Chinese, Japanese, Ilocano and Cordilleran traders during the precolonial era. It was conquered by the Spanish in 1572 and was renamed Namacpacan. In 1906, it was renamed again to Luna after the brothers Antonio and Juan Luna, anti-colonial heroes who partially grew up in the area and whose mother also came from Namacpacan.
Get in
[edit]With the exception of its easternmost barangays, Luna is bypassed by Route 2 (Manila North Road), the main thoroughfare in La Union. Buses also ply this highway. Travelers heading to town usually take the Balaoan-Luna-Bacnotan Road either from its southern terminus at Bacnotan or from Balaoan. From the north, a coastal road leads to Luna from Bangar.
Get around
[edit]Tricycles are the main form of transportation in town.
See
[edit]- 1 Saint Catherine of Alexandria Parish Church (Namacpacan Church), Luna-Bangar Road corner Namacpacan Road, Victoria. Luna's main Roman Catholic church, built in the Baroque style in 1690. It houses the venerated image of Our Lady of Namacpacan, a 6 feet (1.8 m) statue of the Virgin Mary that arrived in town when the ship transporting the image to its original destination in Vigan was repeatedly forced to seek shelter in town due to storms along the South China Sea in 1871. The church was declared a national cultural treasure by the Philippine government in 2001.
- 2 Baluarte Watchtower, General Peralta Street, Victoria. 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.
- 3 Luna Pebbles, Barrientos. A stretch of beach known for its pebbled composition.
- 4 Bahay na Bato (Noble House), Nalvo Norte. Meaning "stone house", it is a beachside house and art gallery featuring local history artefacts and works by Korean sculptor Bong Kim, who also designed the house using rocks, wood and pebbles collected along the beaches of Luna.
- 5 Darigayos Beach, Darigayos. The most famous beach in Luna, featuring white sands along a cove and ideal surfing conditions.
- 6 Occalong Falls, Cabalitocan. A 10 feet (3.0 m) cascade.
- 7 USAFFE-NL Military Shrine and Park, Balaoan-Luna-Bacnotan Road, Darigayos (at the back of Darigayos Beach). A beachside memorial to the time that Darigayos Beach hosted Camp Spencer, the operational headquarters of American and Filipino forces during the Battle of Bessang Pass in 1945 during World War II.
Do
[edit]Buy
[edit]- 1 Luna Public Market, Valdez Street, Magallanes.
Eat
[edit]Drink
[edit]Sleep
[edit]Connect
[edit]Go next
[edit]| Routes through Luna |
| Vigan ← Bangar ← | N  S
|
→ Balaoan → San Fernando |