Welcome to San Fernando - essential information for sailors

by San Fernando Gweilo Mayor on 19 Apr 2011 The good news is that the three 'nightclubs' in the beach area are all open – Cheerleaders, Footlights and Butterfly. The ‘gay’ bar on the road by Cabaña has closed. Cheerleaders offers a happy hour 1500-1800 hrs, Footlights from 1600-1800. Butterfly has no happy hour, but it’s the same price for beer as at Footlights. Only open from 1600 (Cheerleaders 1500) until midnight.

With the closure of Finnegan’s the only aircon bar (except the girly bars) is VFW (opposite Cabaña) which offers good priced food and drink. It closes at 1800, but is open for breakfast. It is open to the public, although primarily intended for well-retired US ex-military. Green Light offers the cheapest beer at 32P, and also reasonably priced food. They have a full menu as well as the snack whiteboard on the wall.

For those travelling back to Hong Kong by air, please remember that the new highway is open and many buses now do not go via Dau (Clark), but straight to Manila. Check with the conductor before you get on if you need Dau. Clark Airport Authority has now removed the monopoly on access to the airport for taxis who used to charge about 550P from Dau bus terminal to/from the airport. They now run their own white aircon ‘stretched’ jeepney service to/from Dau bus terminal (also stops at Main Gate). From the airport catch it at end of sheltered cover on the right. At Dau it arrives/departs at a smelly toilet at the front end of a covered road on the right of bus terminal entrance. It’s immediately behind the right side of terminal for buses to Manila (buses to the North are on the left side).

For the past year or so Sta. Lucia buses now have an aircon service to San Fernando (La Union), as well as the other operators. Genesis has its base terminal in San Fernando and is the fastest as it stops less often than the others. The journey time from San Fernando to Dau is 4½ to 6+ hours and the fare 200 – 250P. The Manila traffic does not improv, so allow at least 2 hours in Manila. Even with the new road it will take 7 – 10 hours by bus/van. Most of the resorts can offer van/car transport direct to the airport, and for 4 or 5 people this makes a lot of sense, especially for Manila. The road to Dau/Manila will be overcrowded on Saturday and especially Sunday as thousands of people head back to start work on the Monday. Delays of many hours can be expected, so don’t travel on those days.

Enjoy!