Ilocos Tour Day 3: Central Ilocos | Laoag and Paoay

It was raining hard most of the time during our Central Ilocos tour but this did not stop us from exploring the place. Our first destination is one of the UN World Heritage sites, Paoay Church.

But before going to Paoay, there were some things that we needed to arrange before starting our tour like securing our tickets for our trip back to Manila on that same night. So, we first went to Florida Bus Terminal and chose among their different night trips. We chose the sleeper bus mainly because we wanted to experience it.

So, off to Paoay we go. But our stomachs got in the way so before actually going to Paoay Church, we stopped by Herencia Restaurant. It's located adjacent to the Paoay Church so it's actually very near to our destination.

After touring the church, we decided to hire a tricycle that would take us to the other tourist destinations in Paoay. Our tricyle tour cost us P450.00 and the driver was tasked to bring us to as many places as he can. For that day, we were able to go to the Marcos Museum, Paoay Lake, Malacañang of the North, and Paoay Sand Dunes. The driver, Kuya Michael, was also very kind to bring us back to Laoag after our tour.

The Marcos Museum is a good place to go if you're curious about the life of the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos. The entrance fee to the museum if P50 which includes a guided tour of the museum. It's funny how the museum also documented the late president and former first wife Imelda Marcos' 11-day love affair. The museum also houses the preserved body of the late president.

Before heading to the Malacañang of the North, we stopped by Paoay Lake. It was a very serene lake and we stayed there for only 3 minutes before proceeding to our next destination.

The Malacañang of the North was the Marcos' abode in Ilocos back when the late president Ferdinand Marcos was still in power. Entrance Fee is P30.00 but unlike in the Marcos Museum, there are no guided tours here. You're free to go and explore the big house and take as many photos as you can. It's a pretty big house and the furniture are well maintained. Sometimes, it gets creepy when I am left alone in some of the rooms.

The highlight of our Paoay Tour is the Paoay Sand Dunes. If you're going to Ilocos, you should never miss going to the Paoay Sand Dunes and try sand boarding and riding on a 4x4 adventure. I have to admit that we almost did not want to avail of this tour because we initially thought that it would be boring, but we were wrong.

The Paoay Sand Dunes adventure was totally worth it! It was still raining at that time and it was getting late and dark, we almost did not want to shell out a big amount for this experience. But, gladly, the staff manning the reception area of the Paoay Sand Dunes has convinced us to try this adventure. It cost us P1,500.00 for a 30-minute 4x4 adventure ride including the sand boarding.

We went home that night tired but with big smiles on our faces. We did not stay in Ilocos for the night but opted to travel back to Manila on board the sleeper bus. It was a great Ilocos Trip and I am so happy that I toured it together with my beloved.

Read my other Ilocos posts here:

Day 1: Vigan and Ilocos Sur

Day 2: Pagudpud, Kapurpurawan, and Northern Ilocos

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Herencia Restaurant | Paoay

Herencia Restaurant is a little eating place located just across the Paoay Church. It is known for their delicious meals and original creations such as the Pinakbet Pizza. The restaurant has a very homey and romantic feel and we were welcomed by their staff like we were royal guests.

We've ordered two dishes from their menu, one of which is the Crispy Dinuguan.

Herencia Restaurant's Crispy Dinuguan has to be the most delicious dinuguan that I've tasted. Dinuguan is pork blood stew, and yes, it is made from pig's blood. It was seasoned just right and true to its name, the pork cuts were served crisp. Crispy Dinuguan is P170.00.

We also had Pinakbet, sauteed vegetables consisting of string beans, okra, squash, ampalaya, tomatoes and a little pork. I had to request the chef to remove the eggplants because I'm allergic to it. Pinakbet costs P130.00.

Filled and satisfied, we went out of Herencia Restaurant like we're happy toddlers. We're ready to go to Paoay Church but it was still raining. The little desserts and drinks stand, Ilocos Coolers, a few steps away from Herencia Restaurant gave us a refuge from the irate weather. And of course, we could not leave Ilocos Coolers without sampling their Special Halo-Halo.

Can you believe that this Special Halo-Halo only costs P45? Yes, it is very affordable! And Ilocos Coolers has the best view of Paoay Church!

I will definitely recommend Herencia Restaurant to anyone who would be visiting Paoay. This restaurant offers tummy-filling meals at reasonable prices, and their service is impeccable. You can also buy some pasalubong at Herencia Restaurant. Leave some room for dessert and walk a few steps towards Ilocos Coolers for a taste of their Special Halo-Halo.

You can read Day 3 of our Ilocos Tour here.

Ilocos Tour Day 2: Northern Ilocos

Our Ilocos Norte tour started as early as 8am when we stepped down from the bus right at the end of Patapat Bridge. There's a resort there named Agua Grande but there was nobody at the resort who could accommodate us. Maybe it was still too early at that time. We spent around an hour and a half taking photos at Patapat bridge, including the time we spent waiting for a bus that would take us back to Pagudpud proper.

Patapat Viaduct

We checked in at Rinnovati which is located at the same compound where Elizabeth Hotel is. There's actually several hotels in that compound. We proceeded to have brunch at Emohrou Restaurant which is along the coastline and gives a good view of Saud Beach.

Emohrou Restaurant

We did not waste any time in touring Northern Ilocos so after brunch we immediately proceeded to Bangui to look at the wind mills. We initially wanted to do our tours on our own but decided to hire a tricycle that would take us both to Kapurpurawan Rock Formations and Cape Bojeador. It was a good decision because we hired Kuya Elvis who also doubled as our tour guide.

Bangui Windmills

When we were at the Bangui Windmills, somebody told us that the government will be having a project in the coming years to put up more windmills in Ilocos Norte until Laoag. I have not yet confirmed this project but in case this is true, it would really be a great help in producing sustainable electricity.

Kapurpurawan Rock Formations

Our tour at Kapurpurawan Rock Formation was really great not only because we were able to see the rock formations, but also because we were accommodated by Kuya Bong who is one of the rangers serving as a watcher in the area. Check our video below:

Next, we proceeded to Cape Bojeador also known as Cape Burgos.

Cape Bojeador a.k.a. Cape Burgos

After our tour, we spent a relaxing afternoon at Saud Beach. Saud Beach is just 5 minutes by foot away from Rinnovati. The white-sand beach is a great place to relax. From Saud Beach, you can also see the Bangui Windmills from afar. Although it would have been great to take a dip at the sea, we were already too tired to swim. Maybe in the future we can go back to Pagudpud.

Saud Beach offers the best view of sunset.

Other attractions that we were not able to go to due to limitations in time include the several waterfalls and the newly established Hannah's Resort where you can experience a different zip-lining adventure above the sea.

Ilocos Tour Day 1: Vigan and Ilocos Sur

We arrived in Bantay at 5:00 dawn and Bantay is the municipality before Vigan. We checked in at Henady Inn which is just across the gateway to Vigan.

View from our hotel:

Before we go to Vigan, let us first visit Bantay. If you're familiar with the primetime soap Juan dela Cruz played by Coco Martin, Juan dela Cruz is actually called the "Taga-Bantay." And the "Bantay" referred to is this municipality in Ilocos. In the soap, Juan dela Cruz got his sword from the bell in the famous Bantay Tower. The Bantay Tower is walking distance from Henady Inn.

So now, let's go to Vigan. The most famous tourist attraction in Vigan is undoubtedly Calle Crisologo. I would have to say that Calle Crisologo is a charming treasure of Vigan. We went there several times, early morning, lunch, and at night time.

Early morning walks at Calle Crisologo would give you a good glimpse of the old town. The air is fresh and it's very peaceful since the establishments are still closed and there are still only few tourists in the area. At lunchtime, Calle Crisologo turns into a commercial area with a lot of cafes, restaurants, and several souvenir shops where you can buy pasalubong such as woven blankets.

And at night time, when the lights are turned on, Calle Crisologo transforms into a very romantic place perfect for a long walk with your love.

Lilong and Lilang Restaurant

During a day in Vigan, you can also go to other places that would help you know Vigan more. During our tour, we went to The Hidden Garden and dined at Lilong and Lilang's Restaurant.We then proceeded to Ruby's Pottery and there we met Mr. Fidel Go, awarded as National Folk Artist. If you're bringing kids, it would be good to bring them to Baluarte where they can ride ponies for free, watch and interact with animals, and also play around, all of these for free courtesy of Gov. Chavit Singson.

A great place for kids!

 We also dined at Abuelita's  after checking out the Crisologo Museum.

Of course, Calle Crisologo is not Vigan's only attraction. At night, around 7:30 in the evening, you should head on to the Plaza Salcedo to witness a very beautiful display of lights and dancing fountain. Here's a snapshot of the magnificent fountain at Plaza Salcedo.

Our Vigan day tour was both d-i-y and with the help of a tricycle driver who billed P150 per hour. Our trips to Bantay Bell Tower, The Hidden Garden, Ruby Pottery, Baluarte, took us 3 hours. The rest of the day, we toured Vigan by foot.

Stay tuned for our Days 2 and 3 coming up in a few days. I hope you enjoyed this post. (--,)