Escapades in Ilocos Region, Philippines


ILOCOS, PHILIPPINES
Backpacking Ilocos Norte & Ilocos Sur

This is Part Two of my Christmas vacation. Part one being the quick visit in Cebu & Bohol. In that previous post, I shared that I went straight from Singapore to Cebu. And then from Cebu, I went straight to Manila to meet my high school friends, the same group of friends who visited me in Singapore, and to take the bus going to Vigan.
I also mentioned that my parents did not know that I was already in the Philippines at that time.
Side story: Usually, when I get rebellious that I do not ask or tell my parents where I am - I inform my brother. So that in an emergency, someone knows where to find me.

ILOCOS SUR

We arrived late night in Vigan and went straight away to our friend's relative's place where we stayed during our entire stay in Vigan.

We were welcomed by a freshly cooked and crispy bagnet!
Who can resist this sinfully delicious food?!

We rested for the night. As for the next day, we made our way to Baluarte ni Chavit, which is a zoological park owned by Chavit Singson.


After that, we tried pottery making, which was a lot of fun! It looked easy but it definitely needed the right skill and steady hands to make one.

From there, we visited the Vigan Cathedral and took the opportunity to try the famous Vigan empanada!

We also passed by the town market.

Before sundown, we proceeded to Bantayan Bell Tower, which was the perfect time to go!

To cap the night off, we passed Calle Crisologo that is known for its preserved Spanish colonial and Asian architecture and where we also brought some souvenirs.

ILOCOS NORTE

On the next day, we took a van going to Pagudpud.

We stayed at Kapuluan Vista Resort where we enjoyed swimming and tried to surf. Unfortunately, since it was December, winds were so strong that we did not manage to be able to surf.

We ended up having a drinking session instead. Oh, we love JaCoke!

Following that day, we drove to Bangui Windmills to see the giant electric fans (wind turbines). Since it was extremely windy, we felt the sand hitting our legs and caused us annoying pain. It was still fun tho!

Afterwards, we visited the Kapurpurawan Rock Formation - a remarkable geological formation by the beach, accessible by hiking or horseback riding.

From there, we visited Malacañang of the North that is a presidential museum.

We also popped in Paoay Church, historical church is famous for its distinct architecture and also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Here's the highlight our tour:

THE EPIC 4x4 ride and sandboarding in La Paz Sand Dunes!!

It was a crazy ride! We were there for a thrilling off-road joyride across the sand dunes.

We didn't have the time to a video because we were so holding to whatever we can get as a support.

But here's the sandboarding I did -

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That was also our last day. We had an early dinner before we took the bus going back to Manila.

Agyama nak, Ilocos!
See you on our next destination 👋😎



Jo Alix

A Filipino currently living and working as a corporate warrior in Singapore, aiming to share experiences with the people who have the same interests. The goal is to be traveling one country at a time while keeping sustainability in mind, so hoping to inspire other travel junkies too!

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