Aringay is a coastal municipality in La Union with deep historical and cultural roots. Originally a thriving fishing village situated at the mouth of the Aringay River, it was formally established as a municipality in 1741 under the province of Pangasinan, and later became one of the founding towns of La Union in 1850.

According to local lore, the name "Aringay" originated from a tale of Aring, a datu's daughter, who was rescued from drowning as her lover cried out, "Aring, ay!", a call that later inspired the town's name.

Today, Aringay balances its rich coastal livelihood, marked by extensive milkfish and oyster farming in villages like Dulao, Alaska, and Samara, with fertile upland farms that produce rice, tobacco, and vegetables.

The Municipality of Aringay is located along the national highway, north of Agoo and south of Caba. Approximately 244 kilometers from Manila, it requires about five hours of driving to reach this thriving municipality. It also has tricycles stationed in front of the Public Market which are ready any time of the day to serve visitors especially for those going to the coastal barangays where most of the resorts are located.

The 500 meter La Union Centennial Tunnel also known as Sallapak Tunnel is located within the municipality. Intended for trains of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) bound for Baguio City, it was later abandoned by the Commonwealth Government because of the then impending Second World War. According to locals, the tunnel already exists during the Spanish era, it was only in the American occupation that it was developed and fortified, thus making it officially more than a century year old. During the Japanese occupation, the tunnel was used as headquarters of the Japanese Imperial Army because of its durability against US bombings, rising speculations that hidden treasures were buried in the area.