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Ilocos
is divided into two regions; the Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte. The province
offers a numerous tourist attractions both for local and foreign. During summer seasons, visitors travel to the
beaches, historical landmarks with the welcoming lovely people of Ilocos. There
are few dishes that I highly recommend to try before leaving Ilocos are; (pinakbet, igado,dinakdakan,
poqui-poqui, deep-fried pork belly called bagnet and the native
sausage, longganisa).
Ilocos
Norte is noted for being the birthplace of former President Ferdinand E.
Marcos, who led an authoritarian rule over the country. There are numerous environmentally
power plants projects that include the 25Megawatt wind
farm for its energy usage. One of the benefits of the power plant is Fort
Ilocandia, an upper class hotel and beach resorts, and Pagudpud. Its
capital is Laoag City and is located at the northwest corner
of Luzon Island, bordering Cagayan and Apayao to the ewqast,
and Abra and Ilocos Sur to the south. Ilocos Norte faces
the South China Sea to the west and the Luzon Strait to the
north.
While
Ilocos Sur Province, it is popularly known for its heritage village of the
Philippines which is located in Vigan. The historic city of Vigan was inscribed
in UNESCO’s World Heritage List in November 1999. Vigan is the best
preserved example of a planned Spanish colonial town in Asia. Viva Vigan Arts
and Industry Festival is held every first week of May featuring painting and
product exhibits, a Calesa parade, and other cultural activities. Its capital also
is Vigan City and is bordered by Ilocos Norte and Abra to the north, Mountain
Province to the east, La Union and Benguet to the south, and the South China
Sea to the west.
Activities
and attractions must see in Ilocos.
Destination:
Introducing Ilocos!
How to get there:
There are a lot of tour
packages available going to Ilocos.
Mostly the package offers “Laoag, Vigan, Pagudpud Tour for 3 Days and 2 Nights”
with hotels and resorts information; also a sample itinerary that you can
customized in your tour details. The minimum cost is 3,200 pesos per person.
By air
The nearest airport is the Laoag International Airport, in the nearby province of Ilocos Norte. The airport caters to both international and domestic flights. The national carrier, Philippines Airlines, have four flights each week to Laoag. It’s a 45-minute flight from Manila to Laoag City, Ilocos Norte. A bus trip from the airport to Ilocos Sur would take more than an hour.
Sample Package Inclusions:
Excluded:
By land
Going to Ilocos from Manila by van normally takes 10-12 hours away drive. Buses like Rabbit, Partas, and Dominion may take longer trips depending on the stop-overs. The bus one way fare is around 700 pesos. The bus terminals are located in Cubao and Pasay.
By air
The nearest airport is the Laoag International Airport, in the nearby province of Ilocos Norte. The airport caters to both international and domestic flights. The national carrier, Philippines Airlines, have four flights each week to Laoag. It’s a 45-minute flight from Manila to Laoag City, Ilocos Norte. A bus trip from the airport to Ilocos Sur would take more than an hour.
Sample Package Inclusions:
o 2 days/ 1 night Standard aircon room accommodation in Laoag
– Budget/ Standard/ Highend
o 2 days/ 1 night Standard aircon room accommodation in
Pagudpud – Budget/ Standard/ Highend
o Daily set breakfast ( starting on Day 2)
o Complete Ilocandia Tours (Laoag, Vigan, Pagudpud)
o Roundtrip private aircon van transportation ( Airport –
Laoag/ Pagudpud/ Vigan – Airport)
o Driver
o Entrance fees
Excluded:
o Roundtrip Airfare
o Other meals that are not stated above
o Tour guide ( upon request / P1,500 per guide per day)
By land
Going to Ilocos from Manila by van normally takes 10-12 hours away drive. Buses like Rabbit, Partas, and Dominion may take longer trips depending on the stop-overs. The bus one way fare is around 700 pesos. The bus terminals are located in Cubao and Pasay.
Here
is usual sample list of group tour package that you can choose from:
- 3200 per pax for a group of 13
- 3300 per pax for a group of 12
- 3400 per pax for a group of 11
- 3500 per pax for a group of 10
Sample Inclusions
- 3 Days and 2 Nights Ilocos tour
(Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte); meals not included
- Resort accommodations at
Pagudpod Klasik or Cathy’s Beach Resort (6 pax in a room)
- Van transfers (Brand New
15-seater Toyota Hiace Commuter) Manila-Ilocos-Manila
- Entrance Fees
- Local Guide Fees
- Taxes and surcharge
- Gas, Toll Fees, Driver’s Meals
and Accommodation
- Taxes and Surcharges
I.
Ilocos Sur Tour
1.
National Museum / Padre Burgos House
It
has the collection of the memorabilia of martyred priest Jose Burgos and its local
history, Ilocano and Tinggian archeological and ethnographic displays; a hall
of fame for the heroes and achievers of Ilocos. However, the museum is
temporarily closed to the public as of April 2015.
2.
Archbishop’s Palace
Located
next to the Vigan Cathedral, the Archbishop's Palace of the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia is the oldest continually inhabited Archbishop's residence
in the Philippines, with the building itself dating to the 16th century. It was
completed in 1793 after a span of 7 years. It features sliding capiz windows
and cut-out decorations with floral motifs. It has a back entrance that leads
to the nearby Govantes Dike, which was once a docking port for water craft. The
palace has a collection of priceless ecclesiastical artifacts and relics from
other Ilocos churches.
3.
Bantay Church and Bell Tower
4.
Pagburnayan (Jar Making Factory)
It
is where the famous Ilocano jar called burnay,used for storing locally
made vinegar, local wine (called basi), and fish sauce (bagoong); and as
decorative ware, is produced. Tourists can see these factories making the burnay using
pre-historic methods of production, using carabaos (water buffalos) to knead
the clay, and foot-powered potter's wheels to turn the clay into burnay jars.
5.
Crisologo Museum
The
residence of the Crisologo family in Vigan was converted into a museum. It
houses the memorabilia of the Crisologos and original furnishings of a typical
Vigan ancestral house.
6. Calle
Crisologo/Heritage Village
It
is what Vigan City is known for—streets lined with Spanish Era ancestral houses
(with ancient tile roofs, massive hardwood floorings, balustrades and azoteas
in varying Spanish, Mexican, and Chinese architectural styles) and
cobble-stoned streets, which led to Vigan's inscription in the list of UNESCO
World Heritage Sites. Tourists can buy souvenirs or even ride a calesa
(horse-drawn buggy). This street is also known as 'Vigan Heritage Village.'
7. Baluarte
Mini Zoo
It
is located in Salindeg where visitors can see a variety of animals (including
tigers and ostriches). It is also a popular venue for special events such as
seminars and conferences. The owner of Baluarte is former Ilocos Sur
Governor Chavit Singson.
8.
Plaza Burgos
It
is dedicated to the memory of Father Jose Burgos. It is located beside the
Vigan Cathedral. Depending on the weather, the streets surrounding it (except
for the street adjacent to the Empanadaan) is closed off to motorized traffic
every Saturday and Sunday to allow people to walk the streets freely.
9.
Leona Florentino House
This
ancestral home houses the Provincial Tourism Center, the Vigan Heritage
Commission and Café Leona, a favorite culinary destination. Here local and
foreign visitors can get information from the friendly staff of the center
regarding the best places to visit, things to buy and do, as well as how to get
around. They’ll equip you with maps and brochures to arm you for your Vigan
adventure.
10.
Mira Hills Municipal Ecological Park
Mira
Hills is a favorite picnic spot because it is filled with trees and is home to
some species of birds kept in an aviary. There is also a swimming pool and
amphitheater at the park to tempt visitors to take more than just a walk and a
quiet sit under a tree. It houses the water reservoir that has supplied the
city’s water needs.
II.
Ilocos Norte
1.
Fort Ilocandia Resort Hotel
The
sandy beach spans 2 kilometers. It also offers the only 5-star hotel in
northern Philippines sprawling over 77 hectares of land. It is located in Laoag
City and is a 10-minutes’ drive from the Laoag International Airport.
2.
Paoay Church
Completed
in 1710, the church is famous for its distinct architecture highlighted by the
enormous buttresses on the sides and back of the building. It is
declared as a National Cultural Treasure by the Philippine government
in 1973 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the collective group
of Baroque Churches of the Philippines in 1993.
3.
Marcos Mausoleum and Museum
The
museum shows both memorabilia storage and the current resting place
of Ferdinand Edralin Marcos. The large and solemn mausoleum contains the
glass-encased coffin in which Marcos' embalmed body has been on public display
since shortly after his remains were brought home in 1993.
4.
St. William's Cathedral & Sinking Bell Tower
The
church is known for its Italian Renaissance design and it’s Sinking
Bell Tower, which sinks into the ground at a rate of an inch a year. It also
has an unusual two-storey façade, supported by two pairs
of columns on each side of the arched entrance. The top of the façade
holds a recessed niche that showcases the image of the
city's patron saint, San Guillermo el Ermitaño. It has windows made
from capiz with wrought iron screens. It is popularly known
for its Sinking Bell Tower.
5.
Museo Ilocos Norte
The
museum is nicknamed, “Gameng,” from the Iloco word meaning treasure. It
symbolizes the wealth of Ilocos Norte. By imbuing the Ilocanos with pride in
their local culture, it showcases the varied ethnicity and multi-faceted
cultural heritage of a sturdy, hardworking people known for their industry,
resourcefulness and loyalty. There is also a souvenir shop that offers native
products and handicraft of Ilocos Norte, and a few books and other publications
written about the province.
6.
Bacarra Church & Bell Tower Ruins
7. Salt Making in Pasuquin
Salt
making is also part of their livelihood. There are roadside stalls selling bags
of salt and there are provincial buses that often stop at these stalls to
purchase salt. The salt water is pumped and filtered by pipes from the beach to
the burning furnace. The saltwater is cooked up until the the liquid is gone
with only the salt crystals left. The crystals are poured over salt beds and
left to dry by exposure to the sun.
8.
La Virgin Milagrosa Shrine of Badoc
Badoc
houses the Sanctuary of the Miraculous Statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the
La Virgen Milagrosa. History traces the life-sized statue to Nagasaki,
Japan. It was sent floating in the sea by missionaries operating in
secret in Japan (for fear of persecution during the Tokugawa
Regime), along with the Miraculous Statue of the Black Nazarene (Sinait's Santo Cristo Milagroso). It was first
found by local fishermen in the shores of Barangay Dadalaquiten, on the
boundary between Sinait and Badoc, in the year 1620. Only fishermen from Sinait
were able to move the Statue of the Black Nazarene. The fishermen from Badoc,
unable to move the Black Nazarene, were able to move the La Virgen Milagrosa
that came with it--which was, in turn, unable to be moved by the fishermen from
Sinait. They took the statues to their respective towns, hence becoming their
patron saints. Today The La Virgen Milagrosa is enshrined at the Badoc Church.
9.
Cape Bojeador Lighthouse
10.
Bangui Windmills
12. Sarrat's Sta. Monica Church
The parish church of Sta. Monica is renowned as the largest church in the whole Ilocos Norte province, most especially the length of the nave. The church is made from red bricks built in Earthquake Baroque and Neoclassical architecture. Inside the sanctuary, the ceiling is a magnificent framework of wooden roof trusses, which number to around 480 logs of hardwood molave, 75% of which dates back to the 18th century.
12. Kapurpurawan Rock Formation
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