Requirements You Need to Know for Traveling to La Union | Travel Cost + Experience

School is over and we want to get out of town. La Union is our chosen destination for our family vacation. I don't think I have been to La Union in the past so this trip is a first for me and my family. With the COVID-19 pandemic, the provincial government of La Union is strictly implementing guidelines for visiting tourist to follow. 

Plan Your Trip to Elyu | DOT-accredited Travel Agencies

After inquiring directly with our chosen beach resort, hubby was given a list of DOT-accredited travel agencies or tour operators to assist us in our booking and planning our trip. We learned that hotels and resorts in La Union are not accepting direct booking as of the moment... sad. On the bright side, booking with the agency saved us at least PHP1,000 as compared to directly booking with the resort (inclusive of the agency's PhP500 assistance fee). 

We booked with F.A.S.T. Travel and Tours. We paid 50% reservation fee via bank transfer. A proof of payment was sent via email. We paid the remaining balance a week before our scheduled trip. 

Updated Guide to La Union | PRC Saliva RT-PCR Test

Tourists coming to La Union, regardless if fully vaccinated, are required to have negative RT-PCR test results within 72 hours (3days) prior to arrival. Please note that saliva-based RT-PCR test result issued by Philippine Red Cross is accepted as an alternative to Nasopharyngeal Swab RT-PCR. You can book a Saliva Test via Red Cross here. Each saliva test costs PhP2,000.

 

We booked our RT-PCR test a week prior to our trip but most of the slots were already full. We could not find a schedule that can accommodate the 3 of us in one time slot. In the end, we booked three consecutive time slots. The allotted time for each slot is just 10 minutes. It's drive-thru so we will all be waiting inside the car while one of us is getting tested. 

If you want to read about our Philippine Red Cross Saliva RT-PCR Test experience + guideline and cost in Araneta Center saliva collection site, visit a detailed review here. 

Tara Na! | La Union + Pangasinan + Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur

Apply for a Travel Request prior to travel in the Tara Na! Visita (Tourist Pass) System here. You need at least a minimum of 5 working days prior to travel. In my experience, we received initial approval within 3 days. I say initial because the final approval will be given after submitting a copy (pdf file) negative RT-PCR test result on their website. Tara Na! Tourist Pass is free of charge.

We uploaded our negative RT-PCR test result to Tara Na! website as soon as we received them in our email. The next day, our application for a Tourist Pass was approved. 

Aside from a negative RT-PCR result, you will have to submit a Government-issued ID. The travel agency will also have to submit a proposed itinerary for your approval. A Tara Na! QR Code will be emailed to you upon registration. Please note that all traveling companions including children are needed to apply for a Tourist Pass Application. Your individual Tara Na! QR code will be emailed directly to your account. Your child needs to have his/her own email address. 

Prior to leaving, you must fill out the Health Declaration found in Tara Na! website. We can't wait to be in La Union... weeeeee!