My
college adventure friends and I have already explored quite many of the prized
destinations in the South, so we thought we should start moving up North to see
what lies ahead. We decided to go for Ilocos Norte and Sur for the total North
experience.
ILOCOS NORTE
Day
1
Paoay
Church
The
first order of business after more or less 13 hours of travel time from Cubao
was Paoay Church. This was a fitting starter spot, as it was an instant picker
upper the moment we saw it.
Paoay
Church’s being a mix of Baroque and Gothic architecture makes it an interesting
structure to look at. With details so beautiful and rare to see, the church was
truly admirable. This is one of the biggest and most beautiful churches I’ve
ever seen. No wonder it’s among UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites.
Marcos
Museum and Mausoleum
The
two-floor museum houses different memorabilia that trace the story of Former
President Ferdinand Marcos from his beginnings until his death. This trip down
history lane was rather interesting. There was much learning. Also, nothing is
more fascinating than seeing items of clothing, writing, transportation etc.
from way, way back, especially those that are already obsolete in this era, to
show us how people lived in the olden days.
Inside
the mausoleum, it was eerie and chilling which, I think, was only a natural
reaction when inside a rather dark room with an unburied dead body in it. He
was there. Ferdinand Marcos looked like he was just sleeping. He was such a
curious thing to watch. It was his face, but in a way, I could also tell that
it wasn’t really it.
Five
things I’ve learned from our guide: seven layers of wax were applied to
maintain the body, an Egyptian expert was the one who did it, even the guides
in the mausoleum are not allowed to open the crypt, only every 10 years does
the body get retouched/waxes get replaced, and the 3rd time the body
will be retouched is after three years, on the 30th year of his
death. It was creepy there, but it was also cool, literally and figuratively.
Imagine rounding a preserved body while an air conditioner releases really cold
air. Now that was some major goosebump moment.
Paoay
Sand Dunes (!!!)
I
don’t even know how to describe what happened here, and this is not to just sensationalize
the experience. Let’s just say the 4x4 off-road adventure ride is not to be
missed by thrill seekers.
The
sand dunes look pretty imposing with its vastness. There’s so much promise of
adventure just by staring out to as far as anyone can see.
The
moment we hopped in the 4x4, there was no more backing out. We had no
protective gears or locks to secure us. We were only told to hold on to the
tube bar tightly and never let go. And that was it, before I could even prepare
myself for what was going to happen, we were already either chugging sideways(!)
on rocky portions or flying off cliffs. The whole time it was happening we were
calling to all the existing gods, screaming to infinity, cursing the guides,
and begging to be off the ride all at the same time. Adrenaline rush multiplied
by a hundred. It was nuts! In fairness, there were breaks after some minutes of
nonstop tension and craziness. There was even that time we stopped by the beach
spot to rest our lungs and take our mind off the nerve-wracking things for a
bit.
After
overcoming fears, it gave all of us a different sense of accomplishment and
courage. It became a bragging right, a source of pride. And why not?! It is the
best experience, the absolute highlight, the act I hadn’t written on my bucketlist
but should have, and the one thing I would do all over again in Ilocos.
Paoay
Lake
We
only got to see Paoay Lake in passing on our way back to our lodge. Actually,
we were supposed to visit the Malacañang of the North which has a better view
of the lake, but it was already closed by 4:30, so we opted to just sightsee
for a bit just to get it off the list and say we’ve seen it.
Day
2
Cape
Bojeador Lighthouse
This
lighthouse is considered a cultural heritage structure for good reason. Aside
from being a beautiful sight near and afar, it has also been in existence for
many decades now. And to my knowledge, it is still a fully-operational
lighthouse. It is amusing because it serves both aesthetic and functional
purposes.
The
longevity of its existence also gave way to horror stories haunting this
lighthouse. From the old furniture, yellowed mattresses and broken posts, the
look of some of its rooms added up to the creep. This is also why we didn’t
stay long in this place.
Kapurpurawan
Rock Formation
To
be honest, I wasn’t really able to appreciate the beauty of Kapurpurawan
because there was so much distraction. The crowd of visitors, the scorching
(emphasis on scorching) heat of the sun and the long walk to the main
attraction were just too much to bear. It was a good thing there were stores
renting out umbrellas and selling thirst quenchers along the way.
Don’t get me
wrong. I get why Kapurpurawan is popular. It may just be some rock formation,
but it looks as though it was purposefully sculpted which it was not, and that makes
it more amazing. The way to it has been made more appealing by putting other
little sights as well. From this area, one can already take a peek of the huge windmills
from the other side, and that makes them an extra attraction.
Bangui
Windmills
Now
the windmills are among my favorites in this trip. From our van, I could
already see parts of them peeping from hills while we were still in transit to
Kapurpurawan. And then on our way to Bangui, they started to look closer, bigger
and taller. I don’t know how many they are, but there are plenty of them for
sure. Seeing them properly aligned makes them such a sight to behold. Not only
do I like them because they are an eye pleaser but because they are an energy
source so helpful as well. They provide electricity to Ilocos Norte at a low
price. How’s that for an attraction?
Patapat
Viaduct
Honestly,
I had no idea what was so special about this spot until I saw it in person. It is
a bridge along a coast, and that’s kind of already self-explanatory. It has the
kind of view that would make one want to go on long rides. After some research,
I learned that this is an important viaduct, as it connects Laoag’s Maharlika
Highway to Cagayan Valley. We stopped here shortly for some photos before continuing
with our business.
Bantay
Abot Cave
This
cave came as a bit of a surprise. I was expecting something closed, dark and
underground. It was none of those things because it was not the usual kind; it
was some kind of an open cave by the sea.
According
to our little guide Shadow, the two boulders that make up the cave look like a
man and a woman kissing. And after paying close attention, we were able to see
them too. How it came to be, I have no idea, but it was amazing to look at.
The
place was absolutely Instagram-worthy, but Shadow and her friend made sure that
it would be more memorable for us by teaching us poses that would make our pictures
unique. At a young age, it is admirable to watch kids work their business.
Kabigan
Falls
A
30-minute trek under the unforgiving sun was nothing compared to what we saw
when we got to Kabigan Falls. Beyond the farm and over the stream, we found this
mini-heaven. It was standing pretty and inviting. There was actually nothing
very unique about it, but it was so nice how just by being around it, I was
refreshed. It was all I wanted that moment because we had been touring around
for two days then, and some real refreshment was what my body needed.
Kabigan
Falls was all water and shade. I did not even go full on swimming; just half of
my body was soaked, but I was already totally cooled down. Feeling like it was
a little closed and secluded, the surrounding trees and rocks added to the laid
back atmosphere. I wish we could have stayed longer, though.
Blue
Lagoon
Because
we felt like it would be a violation and misuse of summer if we didn’t at least
go beaching on our trip, we made sure to include Hannah’s Resort in Blue Lagoon
on our itinerary.
Blue
Lagoon (also known as Maira-ira Beach) is made up of powder fine white sand and
blue green saltwater. It actually covers a pretty long stretch which makes for
great sightseeing. It’s beautiful. Aside from swimming and sunbathing, different
water activities can be done here as well like jet skiing, banana boat riding
and zip line riding. Because it was a weekend when we came, there were a lot of
guests, so we didn’t really get to have the place to ourselves or at least enjoy
the beach which was sad since this was one of the things we were really looking
forward to.
Okay,
so Hannah’s Beach Resort and Convention Center is huge. It is hectares and
hectares of beautiful scenery.
In
fairness to the pools, there are plenty of them. So plenty that even when there
are many guests, the pools are not awkwardly crowded. There are those intended
for adults and those for children. The ones situated higher even provide an
overlooking view of Pagudpud. Water is not hot or cold, just right. And if I remember
it correctly, the water also comes from the sea.
If
anything, it’s worth pointing out that this resort has so much of the
aesthetics. Some make it seem unorganized and scattered. Some of them are not
even necessary anymore. The statues on display follow different themes that
cause confusion. I am not sure it it’s trying to be USA or cartoon inspired. The
room units face different directions and are located sporadically. Stores are
also everywhere. It was crowded with people. It always feels like there’s so
much going on. It looks busy, so this is not really the place to be for
relaxation.
ILOCOS SUR
Day
3
Bantay
Church and Bell Tower
This
church happens to be the place where the miraculous Apo Caridad is enshrined. People who seek forgiveness, blessing,
guidance, and healing come to her in prayer. I was blessed that we had the
chance to see her (but not really because
she was covered from head to toe for protection). After praying, we got to
talk to an old man who related to us stories about the miracles of Apo Caridad
as experienced by visitors. Despite being of service for decades, he was still
very much in awe while talking to us like he still couldn’t fathom her
miracles.
We
also took a side trip to the bell tower. We climbed up to see the huge bell. Groups
of visitors took turns because the tower couldn’t accommodate a lot.
Burnayan
Pottery
Burnayan
is where one can find burnays or
earthen jars of different sizes and designs. Some may be bought individually
while some are sold in sets. The moment I saw them, I was instantly reminded of
childhood. Girls from before used to enjoy playing kitchen cooking.
This
place not only sells earthen jars to guests but also offers quick demos of
pottery making. It looked very easy when I watched the native maker do it, but
when three of my friends tried it, they had a hard time. I’ve noticed that the
form of the jars would differ depending on how tight one molds the mud. The
maker told us that after the clay was molded, it would then be dried for a few
days and fired/glazed after.
Hidden
Garden
Lunching
at Hidden Garden is highly recommended. It is an open-space restaurant and a
garden in one. It houses huge servings of some of Vigan’s unique dishes and delicacies
like warek-warek and poqui-poqui. These two may sound funny to a
local’s ears, but they taste really nice. Warek-warek is mainly composed
of grilled pork while poqui-poqui is of grilled eggplants. We ordered
both plus the bagnet which lived up to my expectations. It was so good,
so crunchy. Aside from these dishes, plants and organic drinks may be found in
the garden also.
Baluarte
A
visit to Baluarte is so field trip-like. It has everything that one will expect
from a zoo – animals (of course), galleries, souvenir shops, and photo
stations. We weren’t able to roam around the whole place, but we saw some
really amazing animals from which my most favorite ones are the tigers. I’ve
always been a fan because they look like handsome puppets when calm and scary beasts
when mad.
After
checking out the live animals, we then visited the safari gallery that has in it
the animals the owner Chavit Singson hunted and killed in the past.
Some of
them are really huge and wild beasts. Truth be told, I had mixed emotions, as I
stared at every preserved animal on display.
We
ended our trip inside Baluarte with a panicky photo with Tom the Tiger. This was
another first for me. I had so much fun. I had the nerves too, but I’d rather
deal with a tiger than a snake, no thanks.
Calle
Crisologo
Calle
Crisologo is one of the streets that form the so-called Vigan Heritage Village.
I
love the discipline in this place, discipline in a way that this little street manages
to preserve its being authentically vintage. It follows the Spanish colonial
architecture from cobblestoned pavements to ancestral homes. They weren’t just constructed
recently to look that way but were really built during the colonial era. They have
been there ever since. It’s amusing because it feels like I’m time-travelling
to a different dimension. It has always been a dream of mine to walk this
street and see what it’s like to be here.
Vigan
in general is like some sort of a detached city because everything else in it
is different. Establishments like food chains, bookstores and malls were built following
traditional designs to not look out of place in this rather strictly thematic
city, and that is where its magic is at.
A
few things I’ve learned on this trip:
Every
corner of every Ilocos tourist spot is picture-worthy, but what people don’t
know is that behind every pretty photo is the enduring heat. It’s abnormally
hot in the North, especially these days. Precaution must be taken seriously. We
could’ve had an even more awesome time had it not been that hot out there.
Hopping in and getting off the van with the heat and the air conditioner
battling it out got us all feeling sticky and drained at the end of every day.
Travel
takes up most time out of the tour. The towns covering our itinerary are not
really located close to each other. Laoag to Vigan was more or less two hours, so
was Laoag to Pagudpud. Time can be the enemy here. In the end, we had a few
places on our list that we weren’t able to go to because we ran out of time.
The
bottom line is, while it was great that we got to try something different this
time by focusing more on land, nothing would ever beat our love for the beach. We
gave it a shot, and we realized it will always be beach over land adventure for
us. I guess the very inconsiderate heat added to our longing for water in our
system.
With
all that I’ve mentioned above, it is not to say Ilocos wasn’t worth it. It was!
We got to taste both land (in the form of museum hopping, church hopping and
sand dunes activity) and water (in the form of the falls and the beach).
It
had been a really jam-packed adventure time in the North. I know there’s still
so much out there, so we will keep exploring. :)
*Photos by Rendell Barrera, Justine Dador, Monica
Mangalino, Jerome Satera, and yours truly!
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