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Home , Cape Bojeador Lighthouse, Laoag, Paoay, Paoay Church, Vigan, Vigan longganisa

The UNESCO World Heritage listed City of

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All you need Download our CITY • Visit app from to know your mobile app store lAoag & The northern cities of Laoag and Vigan together with the remote archipelagic province of Batanes lie largely off-the-beaten track when it comes to international tourism. These destinations are mainly accessible vigan by land travel on winding paved roads with picturesque views, specially in the mountain regions, or in the case of Batanes, by air.

Where GetTing to to Stay and Around Accommodation on Batanes Islands is Climate To get to the Norte area, fl y to Laoag inexpensive and unpretentious. Most travellers from Manila in around 70mins. You can’t fl y stay in lodges, hotels, inns and homestays Tropical Northern Luzon has an average yearly from Laoag to Batanes, however fl ights from in Basco, the provincial capital. For a more temperature of 26°C without much variation either Manila to Basco on main Batan Island take upscale, unique hotel experience, stay at side; the coolest months are November to February. Department of Tourism around 1hr 20mins, or it’s an hour’s fl ight the art-gallery-style Fundacion Pacita. The rainiest month is August, the driest is April. Embassy of the Philippines 2nd Floor, 10 Suffolk Street from City in . There London SW1Y 4HG are currently no boats to Batanes. The usual Central Laoag and Vigan both have a good Regional Offi ces United Kingdom mode of transportation around Batan Island is range of hotels, inns and private rental • Department of Tourism, DOT 2/F NBC Building, National Highway, tricycles, jeepneys, hired private vans, bikes/ apartments for different budgets, and there Catbangen, San Fernando City, , Tel: +44 (0)20 7321 0668 Tel: +63 72 888 2098, [email protected], [email protected] mountain bikes or motorbikes, while boats are also beach resorts conveniently located • Department of Tourism, DOT 2/F Abadilla St., 2900 Laoag City, [email protected] and ferries operate to the smaller islands. in the city environs. Tel: +63 77 771 1473 / 772 0467, [email protected] / [email protected] www.itsmorefuninthephilippines.co.uk Itbayat Island, Batanes The white-sand beach resorts of Welcome to Batanes, are within easy reach, while the country’s fi rst Why It's More Fun Cult ure Laoag & Vigan National Park, Hundred Islands, is a day-trip/ in Batanes, Laoag & Food overnighter from here, as is surfi ng in San Juan, & Vigan These volcanic islands and heritage cities La Union. The region’s historic highlight, Vigan on the in Northern Luzon are all the more worth west coast is renowned for the preserved Despite its rich history, Northern Luzon has exploring for their relatively under-the-radar “Find your own desert island. The Batanes Spanish colonial and Asian architecture that plenty of scope for fun in the great outdoors, nature. The Batanes Islands, accessible only Islands are way up north, closer to than lines its district with its cobbled whether it’s riding a 4x4 all-terrain vehicle by air from Manila and seasonally from Clark the rest of the Philippines, with 360-degree streets, rustic mansions and . But The UNESCO World Heritage (ATV) through the sand dunes, heading to one Surfi ng, La Union International Airport, radiate tranquil, unspoilt views of historic and jagged cliffs ’s rich colonial and other history listed Church of the glorious white-sand beaches for some beauty and sustainability: think white-sand that drop precipitously into the Pacifi c Ocean means that there are plenty of other sites to serious water-sports action, hiking or horse- beaches overlooked by lighthouses against a and South Sea. Ride horses across rolling reward cultural explorers – among them, the riding. The Batanes Islands are particularly backdrop of rolling hills. hills and eat seafood off banana leaves on a Juan Luna Shrine in (now renamed great when explored by pedal power; you can deserted beach.” by the Philippine Historical Commission take your bike aboard local ferries for some Top 10 Top Events Back on the mainland, Laoag and Vigan the Museo ni Juan at Antonio Luna), the – Condé Nast Traveller independent, ad hoc island hopping fun. are both iconic cities in their own right. The Ferdinand E. Marcos Presidential Center in Activities & Festivals capital of the province of Ilocos Norte, Laoag City, with a museum and cenotaph, the A must for wildlife lovers is the protected is a compelling ethnic and architectural mix Malacañang of the North, a former Marcos • In Batanes, hire a bike to • Admire grand : • Kannawidan Ylocos Festival, Hundred Islands National Park a day-trip/ including Spanish colonial buildings and residence and presidential museum in Paoay, discover Basco , a fusion of local and Vigan City, Jan – a cultural overnighter distance to the south, in baroque churches, while UNESCO World and Paoay Church and Santa Maria Church, trek in the Naidi and Vayang architecture. celebration with traditional Alaminos City, . Formed of ancient Heritage site City of Vigan also stands out for both UNESCO World Heritage listed. rolling hills, hike Mount Iraya • Enjoy water sports at dress, marching band, folk coral reefs and home to an array of bird, its beautifully preserved colonial and Asian and swim in the Homoron Pagudpud’s Saud Beach, dances and tribal rituals. mammal and marine life including Philippine architecture. The and Northern Luzon as a Blue Lagoon Cave. the ‘Boracay of the north’, • Guling-guling Festival of ducks, thresher sharks, angelfi sh and ghost whole have strong culinary traditions that • From Batan Island take trek to its Kabigan Falls for Paoay, Ilocos Norte, Feb – a crabs, it’s also another outstanding place for have become part of national cuisine, in the a local faluwa boat ride a cooling dip and rise the zip- pre-Lent event introduced activities including kayaking, cliff jumping, zip- form of dishes such as (vegetables to Sabtang or Itbayat line across Blue Lagoon with by Spanish monks in 16th lining, wall climbing and rappelling. cooked in a clay pot with fi sh sauce), , Island; head for Sabtang’s a panoramic glide and land century, with a dance parade. locally known as chicharon (deep-fried chunks Nakabuang (‘White’) Beach on the white beach, then go • Kurarapnit Festival, of to be dipped in spicy or aromatic with its famous rock arch banana boating or jet skiing. Pagudpud, Apr–May sukang iloko – sugarcane ) and or explore Itbayat’s • Take a tricycle ride or hike to – a celebration of a local (crispy rice fl our turnover fi lled Torongan Cave. Lighthouse, species of bat. with eggs, Vigan longganisa, and vegetables). • Wander or ride a horse- an architectural wonder • Kangayedan Festival, Vigan’s Plaza Burgos is also one of the best drawn cart around the with breathtaking views of Pagudpud, Apr – a places to come to have a leisurely stroll and cobblestoned colonial the surrounding area, then celebration of bountiful sample some of the region’s wonderful street city of Vigan with its proceed to Kapurpurawan harvest, agro-tourism trade Bangui Wind farm food, accompanied by fountain-light shows. cathedral, fountain light rock formation for a fair, sporting events and shows and street-food stalls. nature-inspired hike or street dancing. • Discover Laoag Cathedral horseback ride. • World Heritage Cities sand dunes and enjoy cultural immersion • Surf in San Juan, La Union, Solidarity Day Celebration Francisco Guerrero in traditional crafts such as the surfi ng capital of and Cultural Festival, Vigan, pottery (damili) making, abel Northern Philippines. Sept – month-long festivity loom weaving, (sugar The best season is October in solidarity with other World cane) wine-making and through to April. Heritage Cities around the sukang iloko vinegar-making. • Take a boat ride for an world, forging cultural ties. • Take a rollercoaster-style island-hopping escapade • Damili Festival of San ride over the sand dunes of around the geological Nicolas, Ilocos Norte, Dec La Paz near Laoag City or for wonders of Governor Island, – a celebration of the more of an adrenaline rush Island, Children’s region’s centuries-old take a side trip and sprint to Island and the rest of the earthenware industry. the sand dunes of Paoay. 124 islands. The Hundred Local regional dish pinakbet Islands National Park can be reached by a 9-hour bus ride from Vigan.

Hundred Islands, Alaminos Saud Beach, Pagudpud