Exploring ILOCOS: Pagudpud, Laoag and Vigan | Travel Blog 2018

Sunny days already ended two months ago and this is certainly a long overdue post! But yeah, I'm still sharing my unforgettable trip up north last April. It's gonna be quite long, but definitely worth reading, especially if you're planning a quick getaway filled with heart-racing adventures, gastronomic treats and historical encounters!

So let's go and explore ILOCOS!

PLACES

The itinerary given by the travel agency set my expectations for this 3-day tour. Of course what I'll be wearing for a day will depend on the places that we'll visit and the activities prepared for us. However, I was so sure that it won't be followed by our driver/tour guide.

Oh God, I was so right.

It's not a bad thing tho, because Sir Danny (our driver) knows Ilocos really well, he sure does know where to go first. So we went straight to Paoay, Ilocos Norte, off to try the highlight of our tour---first thing in the morning and on our first day! 

DAY 1: My first time to try sand boarding and scream my lungs out during the 4x4 ride! It was crazy yet surreal! I would love to do it again, if not for the fee..hehe! Not for the faint-hearted, because it is certainly a one wild ride!

Literally with sands on my hair, I battled the scorching heat of the sun, just to marvel at the nostalgic beauty of the Saint Augustine Church, popularly known as Paoay Church.

After an hour, we went to President Ferdinand Marcos' museum also dubbed as the "Malacañang of the North". What made the place stood out is the beautiful balcony overlooking the lake of Paoay. 

DAY 2: Visited the Cape Bojeador Lighthouse (Burgos, Ilocos Norte) early in the morning. The place is a bit scary yet so beautiful. Still standing strong after more than 100 years, while carrying a bunch of creepy stories on the side.

Of course I cannot miss the beach! But before that, we had  quick side trip at Timangtang Rock Formation and Bantay Abot Cave (Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte), also dubbed as the "Lover's Rock"

Actually, Bantay Abot Cave is a hill with a hole. It was wrecked by an earthquake, creating the 'hole' where the waves were free to flash inside its walls. 

Now I'm ready to splash! Woohoo!

Locals claim that Hannah's Beach Resort is the Boracay of the North. And yeah, very close! Though I would compare it to Baler instead, since the waves are really big---like you can actually surf :) 


It may look like I'm enjoying the sun so much, but to tell you the truth, it's burning like fire on my skin! The sun's heat felt like it's 12 noon, but actually, it's only 9 o'clock in the morning!

Time to shake off the salt and sand on my hair---of course with the help of the strong winds at Bangui Wind Farm. 

It was my first-time to see, feel and 'hug' (yeah, and they're HUGE!) true windmills! They stood tall and majestic, delivering great power in a very natural manner. And for a little trivia, did you know that this is the largest wind farm in Southeast Asia? Wow!

DAY 3: Jumped out of bed at 4 AM and hit the road at 5. We're on the last day of our tour *sniff* though with a heavy heart (because I would love to stay for a few more days..), I looked forward to cap off the trip with a handful of exciting places to visit for DAY 3!

The first side trip was at a Tobacco Plantation. Another first-time for me! I'm not a fan of the end-product, but I'm glad to see an actual tobacco plant and be surrounded by lots of them! Of course I won't miss this very "instagrammable" setting!

Our next stop was at a Pagburnayan Shop, a jar making place. Anything 'crafty' entices me, and I salute these jar makers that we met for possessing those very skillful hands---turning the clay soil into beautiful jars and pots. 

Tried making one, but I failed. So I just pretended to look cool on the picture instead! Nice background, huh :)

Another museum that we visited was the Crisologo Museum, wherein we were obliged to donate before we enter. The curator, who happens to be an old, sophisticated woman, was so strict and nosey. Well I always take my time whenever I visit places like this: I would read postings, take photos and inspect memorabilia very closely---and she doesn't like that. 

Good thing she gave up after a while...YES!

Time to grab some refreshments and cool down a bit, so we stop at the Hidden Garden in Vigan. Picture-perfect place for plant lovers! Refreshing in the eyes and also for the lungs! Breathed so much fresh air in this place that it made me sleepy. 

Now off to Ilocos Sur Governor Chavit Singson's Baluarte! This zoological park also known as the fortress of Vigan is where you'll find Chavit's very own Safari Gallery (houses taxidermed rare animals from his hunting quests), the Baluarte Zoo, and his golden mansion. 

We explored its vast area by foot, though you can opt to ride a shuttle (for 100 PHP). Animal encounters were offered too, like touch the tiger, kiss the seal, etc. (with corresponding fees of course). But the good thing here was the fact that entrance is absolutely FREE. 

But the place I really look forward to in this trip was Calle Crisologo. I cannot miss this heritage site for real! However, I was a little disappointed because the place was too crowded when we arrived (since Vigan City was the host for the National Games that time). Worried that I won't be able to take decent photos *sniff*

Still, the history embedded within the preserved walls and along the unpaved street was something that is more than the pictures that will ever be taken here. 

And that's it! The end my Ilocos adventure! Oh hello there, Bantay Church Bell Tower :)

FOOD

I guess the highlight of my 3 days and 2 nights stay in Ilocos were my gastronomic encounters! Ilocano dishes were one of the best Filipino dishes I've ever had--I swear!

Now here are some of the authentic dishes I've tried (excluding the street foods, and quick snacks we had; too hungry to even take photos of them). Serve yourself!

Ilocos Bagner with KBS (Kamatis, Bagoong and Sibuyas)

Igadu

Bagoong Rice 

Dinuguan

Poqui-Poqui

Ilocos Pakbet

Seafood Platter 

WRAP-UP

We booked the trip under NorthMaster Travel and Tours. It was a joined tour, I was with my boyfriend and a friend. Reservation costs 500.00 PHP, but it was deducted from the total cost. 

We had a comfortable road travel, together with the other 12 joiners. Our driver/tour guide, Sir Danilo Talampas or Sir Danny, is really funny and very accommodating. He's actually the best in his team! If you are interested to arrange a special/exclusive tour bound to Ilocos with him (which I would totally recommend), don't be shy to shoot me a message. 

Here's the breakdown of my expenses for this trip:

Transportation / Lodging / Entrance Fees: 

P 2,300.00

Sand dunes & 4X4: 

P 500.00

Food / Water: 

P 1,000.00

Pasalubong / Others: 

P 2,000.00

More or less, just prepare 5K-6K, and you're good to go! I bought a lot of 'pasalubong' for really good deals, like bawang and sibuyas na tagalog (native garlic and onions), Sukang Ilocos (Ilocos Vinegar), Honey, Vigan longganisa, Ilocos Bagnet, etc. The food here was really cheap, so you can definitely spoil your tummy without breaking the bank. 

Hope you enjoyed this post, as much as I did! I guess there's a need to share my skincare tips which helped me survived the heat of ILOCOS! 

Share your experiences with me as well, comment down below! I'll be happy to hear your Ilocos stories too---may it be bad or good :) 

Going places with a happy heart...

Unforgettable Summer in CALAGUAS ISLAND | Travel Blog 2017

SUMMER HAS OFFICIALLY ENDED! (Well I believe so, because everyday it rains...) Thank God I was able to snatch a few days from my busy work schedule and hit the beach before Mr. Sun bid farewell… *sniff* It was never my plan to visit an island though, because actually we are (with my travel buddies) eyeing for a tour in a northern province instead, since I’ll be on leave for almost a week. But due to unforeseen events, we were forced to look for other options…then finally settled with Calaguas.

And it was one of the happiest summer getaways I ever had! *widest smile*

So in this post, I’ll just be sharing my experience, some travel tips and a lot of pictures to make you drool over this beautiful place and visit it soon! Forget about Boracay and El Nido, experience the real island life in Calaguas!

BOOKING

We booked our Calaguas Tour with Travel Galore travel and tours for only 1, 899.00 php each (4 pax in total). It was a 2 days - 1 night island tour last May 13 to 14, 2017. We paid half of the total credit 7 days prior to the travel date, and paid full on the day itself. They gave us the details right after settling the down payment and a travel voucher two days before the said tour. All the communications were made thru Facebook messenger which made it really convenient for me. 

DEPARTURE

A van picked us up at SMEX convention center (Mall of Asia) at around 10:50PM (we actually waited for almost 2 hours since we arrived before 9PM). There were only 11 of us inside, so basically it was not congested, which is good. I just slept during the 9 hours trip (with sore butt and aching back after!) which I believe was quite long and beyond what was stated on the itinerary. Anyway, no worries though because there were a couple of stop-overs along the way so you can stretch, buy food, or use the toilet. 

ARRIVAL

We arrived at Paracale (Daet, Camarines Norte), the port to Calaguas Island pass 9AM. We had our breakfast in a carinderia (which surprisingly sells very expensive food!) and attended to our personal needs. After a couple of minutes, we were told to place our bags and other stuff inside humongous plastic bags (not for free, they sold it to us for 17.00 php each) so they won’t get wet during the boat ride. After sealing the bags, men carried each and stuffed them all in a compartment inside the boat. We all hopped-in and waited for the other group to arrive. 

We were on sail at exactly 10:30AM; sun is hot but the cool sea breeze made it tolerable. Since we’re going against the current, the waves splashed inside our boat, leaving us all drenched in sea water! It was a super fun ride but definitely a long one. We stayed floating on the sea for almost two hours, seeing nothing but the minute view of the islands and the vast water surrounding us. As the island grew closer, I was so amazed by how white and fine the sand is! The water is so clear as well! 

SETTING-UP

We need to wait for our things to get unloaded from the boat so we stayed in a cottage for a while. There were no fancy rooms nor closed cottages but only tents, and you need to pitch it on your own. It was my first time to stay inside a tent on a beach! We took our lunch and settled in a cottage for a few hours, since it was too hot to swim yet. At around 4PM, we were called for the island hopping activity. 

ISLAND HOPPING (TREKKING + SNORKELING)

Since it was not part of the package, we paid an additional 300.00php for the island hopping. First stop was a nearby island where you can go trekking. You’ll see the entire view of the marvelous place on top of the hill and it was so breath-taking! We took a lot of pictures and climbed on the large rock formations. 

After that, we went back on the boat and get ourselves ready for snorkeling. We don’t have our own snorkels though, but they provided us with life vests. So literally, it was not a snorkeling activity, but just a dip in the middle of the sea. We enjoyed it anyway, because with goggles alone, you can still take a glimpse of the wonderful sea bed! So beautiful! And as we chase the sunset, I seated on the extensions of our boat while appreciating the beautiful view. 

SWIM, SWIM, SWIM!

We spent the night immersed in the waters, enjoying the light waves and the very fine sand tingling our feet. After an hour or two, we got back to the cottage, took our supper, changed our clothes and rested inside our cozy tents.

Rise and shine for Day 2! But what to do? Oh come on, swim of course! 

We were back on sail before lunch time, set for another two-hour boat ride bound to Paracle. When we arrived there, the boat crews unloaded our things and we were fetched by our driver. We stopped in a fancy carinderia and took our lunch. They sell very affordable food which are all delicious! After the sumptuous lunch, we went to a souvenir shop and bought a few stuff for pasalubong. 

Super helpful tips!

1. Pack light. Since you’ll be travelling with a group, bringing one bag will save space inside the van. Bring only the necessary items; creating a checklist will help you on this.

2. Bring your own food and utensils. On the island, there’s only one store to cater your needs. However, they only sell canned foods and noodles (with other basic grocery items) which are surprisingly expensive. Good thing we brought disposable utensils with us and some canned sardines---saving ourselves a few bucks! 

3. Secure a waterproof bag. You cannot leave your valuables inside the tent, unless you’ll leave someone to watch over your spot. A waterproof storage for your gadgets is essential during the island hopping activity. 

4. Bring your own drinking water. They sell drinking water on the island, but a 1000ml bottle costs 50.00 php! Better bring a few gallons with you and just buy some ice (for only 5.00 php). 

5. Wear slippers instead of shoes. I know you would want to travel in style, but please skip the shoes for this travel-venture. You don’t want to bathe your fave sneakers in salt water and fine sand, don’t you? Trust me, you’ll spend most of your time bare-footed!

It was a tiring trip but definitely a memorable one. There was no signal on the island, so I had no access to my social media accounts for two days. I just spent the days enjoying the gift of nature and it was surreal. I hope I can visit more islands soon! Philippines is truly a beautiful country that we must explore!


Remember to always smile as bright as the sun even on a rainy day :)