Immuki Island Travel Guide – Lagoons, Tides & Fees in Balaoan, La Union

Immuki Island is a small, low islet off Barangay Paraoir in Balaoan, in the north of La Union. Don't come expecting a beach. People come for its three natural lagoons, clear, still pools ringed by rock and coral, where you can float, swim and jump in from the rocks.

Prices, fees and schedules in this guide were checked in October 2026. They change often, so use them as a guide and confirm with the operator or venue before you go.

The tide decides how you get there. At low tide you walk across the exposed flats from the shore, and at high tide the channel fills and a guide pulls you across on a bamboo raft. Check a tide chart the night before, because it changes the whole visit (see How to Get There).

Photo: Redgrey08, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Immuki is a protected area run by the barangay. You register at the hall, pay a small fee and follow a few rules. That's a big part of why it's in better shape than busier spots. It's an easy half-day trip from San Juan, and it pairs well with Luna, a little further north.

Immuki is for swimmers who want calm, clear water instead of surf, families with older kids, and anyone in San Juan who wants a break from Urbiztondo. Non-swimmers can still enjoy the lagoons with a life vest, which you can rent on site.

Skip it with toddlers or anyone unsteady on their feet. The path across the flats and around the lagoons is uneven coral and rock, and a slip can mean a nasty cut. There are no restaurants or shops on the island either, so don't expect facilities.

From San Juan or San Fernando

Take a jeepney or tricycle heading north towards Luna, and ask to be dropped at the Barangay Paraoir hall in Balaoan. Jeepneys for Luna leave from near the San Juan municipal hall. From the barangay hall, follow the signs to the island.

From Manila

Take a bus bound for Vigan, Laoag or Abra and get off in Bacnotan, then continue by jeepney towards Luna and drop off at Paraoir. If you're staying in San Juan, it's easier to go from there.

By car

Search for Immuki Island in a maps app. There's parking near the barangay hall, and it has been free, though the attendants appreciate a small tip.

Low tide versus high tide

At low tide you can walk the 50 metres or so across the flats for free. At high tide the channel is too deep, so you hire a bamboo raft pulled by a guide, ₱250 for about an hour and a half, shared between four or five people. Accounts disagree on when the tide is usually high, so check a tide chart for Balaoan or La Union for your day.

The island is small and you'll be on foot. The three lagoons are close together, but the coral and rock paths between them aren't marked and are easy to misjudge.

Hire a guide at the barangay on a first visit, which costs about ₱150. They'll find the lagoons, steer you around the sharp sections and know which lagoon is best on the day's tide.

Most visitors stay in San Juan and make Immuki a half-day trip. That gives you the best choice of places to stay, food and surf.

If you'd rather stay closer and quieter, Balaoan and neighbouring Luna have a handful of small resorts and homestays along the coast. They suit a slower trip in the north of the province.

There's no restaurant on the island, and drinking and smoking aren't allowed on it. Visitors have also reported that food isn't allowed, though some have seen picnics at the cottages near the shore, so ask at the barangay hall when you register.

Eat before you go, in San Juan or at a roadside eatery in Balaoan, and bring water for the walk. Keep anything you bring with you and take your rubbish home.

Swim in the lagoons

The main reason to come. The three lagoons are sheltered pools of clear, calm water, nothing like the surf beaches further south. Guides usually take you to the first lagoon, and the others are reached over rock.

Cliff jumping

There are rocks to jump from into the lagoons. Check the depth with your guide first, and don't jump anywhere you can't clearly see the bottom.

Snorkelling

The lagoons are clear enough to snorkel. Bring your own mask, since rental gear isn't always available.

Raft across the channel

At high tide, the bamboo raft ride across the channel is part of the fun. The guide pulls it while you sit.

Watch the sunset

The island faces west, and an afternoon trip can finish with sunset over the flats. Just be back across before closing time at 6pm, and before the tide comes in if you walked over.

Check the tide first

More than the month, the tide decides your visit. Low tide means you walk across and the flats are exposed, while high tide means a raft and deeper lagoons. Neither is better, but know which one you're getting.

Dry months

November to May brings the calmest weather and clearest water. The rainy season from about June to October can make the water murky and the trip less pleasant.

Weekdays

Weekends are noticeably busier, mostly with day-trippers from San Juan. Go on a weekday and you'll have far more space in the lagoons.

Water shoes are essential

This is the single most important thing. The coral and rock will cut bare feet and slip out from under flip-flops, and the barangay may turn you away without proper footwear. Wear aqua shoes or sandals with a back strap and grip.

Bring exact cash

There's no ATM near Barangay Paraoir. Entrance is ₱20, or ₱10 for students, seniors and PWDs with ID. Add cash for the raft (₱250), a guide (about ₱150) and life vests (₱50).

Register first

Everyone signs in at the Barangay Paraoir hall before heading out to the island. It only takes a few minutes.

Opening hours

Recent reports give 6am to 6pm daily, so plan to be back on the mainland by 6pm. On weekends, an early start beats the San Juan day-trippers.

Leave it as you found it

Immuki is a protected area. No littering, smoking, vaping or drinking, and don't take shells or coral. Stay off the mangrove planting area, which is fenced and signed.

Where is Immuki Island?

Off Barangay Paraoir in Balaoan, in the north of La Union, an easy half-day trip from San Juan.

How much is the Immuki Island entrance fee?

₱20 for adults and ₱10 for students, seniors and PWDs. Raft hire at high tide is ₱250 for four or five people. Bring exact cash, as there's no ATM nearby.

Can you walk to Immuki Island?

Yes, at low tide, across about 50 metres of exposed flats. At high tide you need the bamboo raft.

What should I bring to Immuki Island?

Water shoes, cash, water, sun protection and a snorkel mask if you have one. Check whether food is allowed when you register.

Is Immuki Island good for kids?

For older children who can manage uneven, sharp ground, yes, with life vests. It's not one for toddlers because of the coral paths.

Is it worth visiting at high tide?

Yes. The raft ride replaces the walk, and the lagoons are deeper. Just budget for the raft fee.

Luna, just north, has pebble beaches and the Baluarte watchtower, and it's easy to do both in one day. Bacnotan is on the way back south, with quieter surf.

Most people stay in San Juan. For the wider province, start with the La Union travel guide, or see the La Union itinerary for how Immuki fits into a trip.