18 Degrees North Bangui, Ilocos Norte, Philippines is a cafe-diner with parking, camping, and two dedicated air-conditioned glamping units near Pagudpud in Ilocos Norte, offering panoramic views of the Bangui Windmills and coastline towards Taiwan.
18 Degrees North Bangui, Ilocos Norte, Philippines
I have visited 18 Degrees North in Ilocos Norte twice, so I am writing this from my first-hand experience. On both visits, we spent time in the cafe-diner and around the site, took photos and filmed parts of the grounds for my YouTube channel @AspieTravels. In addition, a bamboo placard the staff kindly gave me to write AspieTravels on is displayed on the shelf inside the cafe.
The site combines a cafe and diner with camping, glamping and a small viewing deck. However, it still feels more like a local roadside stop than a purpose-built tourist complex. The Bangui Windmills are visible from the site, while the West Philippine Sea stretches out in the opposite direction.
On our first visit back in 2023, we went looking for breakfast in Bangui. Then, on our second visit in 2025, we stopped off at 18 Degrees North for brunch in Bangui. The cafe serves freshly made Filipino and Ilocano food, alongside western dishes and drinks, and is one of the places to eat in Bangui that I would happily return to again. It also sits close enough to the wind farm to work naturally as a cafe near Bangui Windmills.
Although the business calls itself a cafe and diner, it also fits searches for a restaurant near Bangui Windmills. For me, though as a Westerner, the main point is that I have actually been there twice and can show you what the place is like from my own photos and video content.
So, if you are looking for somewhere to stop and park off the Pan-Philippine Highway in the Bangui or Pagudpud area of Ilocos Norte, this place, seldom visited by foreigners, is definitely worth a stop.
Jak’s Cafe Pagudpud (Permanently Closed)
Please note that while Jak’s Cafe at the Kingfisher / Saud Municipal Beach tourist rest area was a fantastic stop on my previous trips, according to Google, it is now permanently closed. I am keeping my original photos and review below as a tribute to a wonderful spot that I thoroughly enjoyed visiting.
Jak’s Cafe is a beachside coffee shop at the tourist rest area next to the Municipal Beach car park in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte. The cafe has super-friendly, English-speaking staff and takes card payments also.
Jak’s sells a variety of hot and iced coffees and teas, along with cold drinks, ice creams and food such as lasagne. It also makes a good stop for brunch in Pagudpud.
Inside Jak’s Cafe, I also found a range of locally made trinkets and souvenirs, alongside local delicacies such as roasted sweetcorn/maize and chicharrón. The latter is basically a local fried pork rind snack, rather like the older brother in size of what we call pork scratchings in the West.
Around the back of the building is a public toilet, which charges 1 peso for a number one and, almost humorously, 2 pesos for a number two. The little Ilocano ladies seem to find this amusing too and point it out on the price sign on the wall.
Access to the beach is straightforward. However, there is a small environmental fee to pay at the gazebo area, and everyone pays this token charge.
18 Degrees North Bangui Camping Area
The campsite works on an open-camp basis rather than using allocated pitches. The tent camping area is separated by a rope, and several fruit trees and other native trees grow within it.
When I visited, the price was around PHP 150–200 per person. This included the tent pitch and free car parking. There are also toilets on site.
In addition, you can buy food and drinks from 18° North Camping Cafe and Diner if you do not bring your own supplies. However, the camping area itself still feels quite informal. There is plenty of space to choose where you pitch your tent instead of following a regimented pitch layout.
Dedicated Glamping Units
There are two dedicated glamping units at 18 Degrees North Bangui, each with a bedroom, ensuite and sitting area. Both units overlook the West Philippine Sea, and each one is air-conditioned.
If sleeping in a tent is not for you, these offer the next step up in comfort for glamping in Ilocos Norte, particularly in such a relatively remote location. I only filmed the units from the outside because both were occupied during my visit, but they also feature in my video.
Parking Area
There is an extensive private car park at 18 Degrees North, with specially reserved spaces for people using the tent camping area. For anyone camping in Bangui, Ilocos Norte, having parking directly beside the site makes things straightforward. Parking is free, and although the car park sits on a shallow hillside gradient, the surface itself is largely flat.
Viewing Deck and Panoramic Views
The roof of the 18 Degrees North building has a small 360-degree panoramic viewing deck. This is accessed by a set of metal steps. If you walk around the front of the coffee shop, you will find the steps at the rear. Previous visitors have signed their names on the metal roof!. So, once you see all the graffiti tags, you know you are in the right place.
In one direction, you can see the Bangui Windmills, a large onshore wind farm that generates electricity for the region. In the other directions, the views stretch across the West Philippine Sea, and inland towards the mountains, including the area towards Adams, Ilocos Norte. Adams itself is worth a visit, if only to try the amazing pineapple wine!
Things to Do Near 18 Degrees North Bangui
- Bangui Windmills
- Malacañang of the North
- Cape Bojeador Lighthouse
- Kapurpurawan Rock Formation
- Patapat Bridge
- Saud Beach
- Pasuquin Salt Making
- Blue Lagoon
- Jak’s Cafe, Pagudpud
- Pagudpud Municipal Beach
- Kabigan Falls
Places to Stay in Bangui and Pagudpud
Looking for a place to stay in Bangui or Pagudpud?, there is a good spread of accommodation types nearby. This ranges from villas and beach resorts to beach cottages and simpler stopover options. These are the ones I would shortlist around this part of Ilocos Norte.
Luxury
Villa Naranja Pagudpud – Biondo, Pagudpud
A higher-end option with a private pool.
Ikani Surf Resort – Balaoi, Pagudpud
Modern restaurant, large outdoor pool, privacy and air-con rooms.
Midscale+
Three M’s Hotel and Restaurant, Pagudpud
A mid-range hotel with a swimming pool and restaurant.
La Jose Beach Resort, Pagudpud
Another mid-range option with a pool.
Jun and Carol Beach Cottages, Burayoc Point
Brightly coloured beachside cottages with a small pool and restaurant near Burayoc Point.
Basic
The Stopover at Bangui Windmills
Simple and very basic self-contained accommodation close to the windmills.
