My Ilocos Region (Philippines) Weekend Getaway - Things to Do and Places to Visit in Ilocos

We left Manila at around 11 pm on a Friday. Contrary to what I was expecting, the trip was not at all bumpy. The roads are well-paved and well-maintained, so my friends and I enjoyed a smooth, boisterous, and fun ride. From Tarlac to La Union, we talked and talked, teased one another, and were just too excited to reach our destination.

"Let's go to Pagudpud!" I remember one of my friends saying a couple of months ago. I was ecstatic I said yes right away, and when our other friends also beamed with delight upon hearing Pagudpud, I knew I was eventually going to cross one item off my bucket list. Grandpa, here I come.

"Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?" Not a moment went by that we did not mimic Donkey of the movie, Shrek. We were just too anxious to get to Pagudpud and bask under the sun.

At around 4 am, we finally reached Ilocos Sur. I don't remember what town we arrived at first, but when we saw the welcome sign, it was hysteria! And when we passed by Narvacan, my grandpa's hometown, I was moved to tears. I felt like the place embraced me so tight I couldn't breathe with happiness. I finally achieved my childhood dream.

We kept driving.

And driving.

And driving.

Until we reached this bridge (see below). Again, it was hysteria! I think at this point, we were officially in Ilocos Norte. The sight was beautiful we just had to stop and take pictures.

I think we drove for about one and a half hours before I heard someone say, "I'm hungry." It was around 7:30 am, and at the time, we were in Laoag, Ilocos Norte's capital. I heard many things about Laoag, especially from my sister who has been there many times, and based on her account, I pictured the place as hot, humid, and not interesting. Of course, I was wrong.

We had to stop by a place where they sell empanada, (see picture below) a delicacy similar to a pie. Empanadas made from Ilocos have a distinct taste, that's why many tourists make it a point to eat at least one empanada while in the region. As for us, we were not only able to eat these tasty treats, but we were also lucky to witness how they make them.

Here are some of the pictures we took.

The last town before Pagudpud is Bangui, home to the region's wind farm. The windmills, or wind turbines as they are now called (Thanks gypsyman27!), look really beautiful from afar, so we couldn't resist the temptation of going to where they are.

When we were standing in front of these windmills, one of my friends said they scared her, and in a jest, I said, "No wonder Don Quixote attacked the windmills. They're scary. Now you know."

After a few minutes of windmill fun, it was time to go. Although we knew we were going to arrive in Pagudpud very soon, we felt that there was nothing we could do to make time go faster. Luckily, we were driving on well-paved roads, so at least we could opt to go faster.

And then, when we saw the arch (see below), we looked at one another and shrieked! Yes, we were like little boys and girls in a candy store. We have arrived, at long last!

Right after checking in at a cheap hotel, we decided to check out the beach. We took some pictures before basking in the sun and swimming a little, then head back to the hotel to get drunk and then back to the beach again. I'm not a beach person, but I think Pagudpud has a nice beach. There were only a few people, so it felt like we were on a private island.

After less than 18 hours in Pagudpud, we had to say goodbye to the place and head back home. But one of my friends said a trip to Ilocos would not be complete without a visit to Vigan, so we packed and then drove as fast as we could to make time for the city.

But we figured we still had time for the lighthouse of Cape Bojeador, so we drove up to the lighthouse and spent around 30 minutes taking pictures.

The moment we set foot in Vigan, we immediately got out of the car and walked to where Calle Crisologo was. We didn't know where it was, but we just continued and enjoyed walking; and when we realized we were walking on a street parallel to Calle Crisologo, one of my friends said, "Guys, hold on. Is -- that --what -- I think it is?" urging us to look to our left. When we realized it was indeed Calle Crisologo, it was -- again -- hysteria as we hurried toward the end of the street to make sure we start and end the tour right.

Upon seeing those well-preserved colonial houses, we got nostalgic, as if we were there once. It actually felt weird, to be honest, but in a magical and good way.

"I only see this place in postcards. Now, I'm IN the postcard," I said.

We arrived in Vigan around 11 am, so when we got to the end of Calle Crisologo, we were hungry, so we looked for a decent resto that serves native dishes. We found one with a cozy ambience, but I felt we could have picked a better one had we scoured the city well.

I don't know about you, but many times, when I expect to relish a place's ethnicity or enjoy a local delicacy, I end up being immersed in a situation or place where everything is reminiscent of the things I enjoy back home. If you don't understand what I mean, picture this. You purposely go to a place because you want to eat a popular delicacy but end up eating burgers at McDonald's.

So, when we entered the restaurant, I admired the coziness, but to be honest, I was nervous about the menu and the authenticity of the dishes.

Luckily, when our food came, I had to stop worrying and just indulge in Ilokano flavors. See for yourself!

The coffee was great, too!

If you notice, in the picture below there's a twirly light brown thing beside my cup of coffee. It is actually unrefined sugar. I forgot what it's called, but if you love sweets, you will find that it's really tasty. Put it in your coffee, and watch it sizzle.

After lunch, my friends and I decided to take a tour around the city by a horse-drawn carriage. When the driver said we can experience making pots, I got really excited. Another item off my bucket list!

I asked our driver why some pots are red and the others are gray. He explained that red pots are sun-dried, while the grey ones are oven-baked. He added that sun-dried pots can easily break while oven-baked pots are strong and sturdy.

I was actually having second thoughts about going to the Hidden Garden, but since there was no entrance fee, my friends and I agreed we should check out the place. As expected, there was nothing spectacular about the place -- just maybe the idea of finding a botanical garden you don't really expect to see in a city, like maybe a Vigan version of the Secret Garden?

Of course, the trip would not be complete without a visit to Chavit Singson's (current governor of Ilocos Sur) Baluarte. It was HUGE! When we were looking at the animals and the whole estate, I couldn't stop marveling at Mr. Singson's wealth. I thought maybe if he wants a white Siberian tiger, he can have one (or a dozen, really!) anytime. He's even constructing a gold tower with a giant bonsai on top.

(It's ironic how they term it "giant bonsai." Like a giant dwarf? Wink!)

We spent almost three hours for the tour, so we decided it was time to go to the marketplace for some yummy bagnet (see picture below), or deep-fried pork belly, before we head home.

Yum, right?

On our way home, as we passed by my grandpa's hometown, I thought about him. Silently, I thanked him for everything. And then I thought about the things I should have done before he died. But what can I do now?

"Are we there yet?" I asked.

"Not yet," someone replied.