On the 2nd day of our Ilocos
trip, we headed towards Vigan City, the capital of Ilocos Sur and a UNESCO
World Heritage site!!!
Laoag to Vigan would take 2 to 3 hours bus ride with some short stops picking up passengers on its way. Ordinary bus fare from Laoag to Vigan costs 100 pesos but requires additional 20 pesos for a Partas bus ride which is more comfortable than the former.
We arrived in Vigan at around 8 pm from Laoag and from the bus
terminal, Jenny and I called a trike (paid 25 pesos) to take us to Hotel Salcedo de Vigan. At the hotel, we were given scented wet towelettes for refreshment purposes, orange juice, and the room key card.
We went out for a while to have dinner and tried a Kare-Kare bagnet at Tummy Talk restaurant (at the end corner of Calle Crisologo). It is very delicious and the bagoong was just perfectly sautéed to match the salty-sweet flavor of the bagnet Kare-Kare.
Related articles:
Day 2 - Vigan Tour - 1 Day Itinerary
Day 3 - Baguio Itinerary
Ilocos Norte Tourist Spots
4D3N Pagudpud-Laoag-Vigan-Baguio Itinerary
Laoag to Vigan would take 2 to 3 hours bus ride with some short stops picking up passengers on its way. Ordinary bus fare from Laoag to Vigan costs 100 pesos but requires additional 20 pesos for a Partas bus ride which is more comfortable than the former.
Day 1 - The Arrival
We went out for a while to have dinner and tried a Kare-Kare bagnet at Tummy Talk restaurant (at the end corner of Calle Crisologo). It is very delicious and the bagoong was just perfectly sautéed to match the salty-sweet flavor of the bagnet Kare-Kare.
Day 2 - Touring Vigan By Calesa
First thing we did in the morning was a Vigan breakfast at Bistro Amarillo, and for the first time, I forgot my aversion to longganisa. Delizioso! After that energizing breakfast, we went to Calle Crisologo to take a morning walk and witness this famous road in daylight. From there, we also arranged a deal with a Calesa driver to tour us around the city.
Rent a kalesa! The deal was 150 PhP per hour but a friend told me that during their visit, they only paid 20 pesos per hour (but they are about 6 persons)... so try to haggle! The whole trip lasted for 3 hours.
Here are the places he showed us:
Here are the places he showed us:
#1 Vigan Cathedral
Kunan ko sana ng litrato tong Vigan Cathedral alone... much to my surprise, ready na ang pose ni Jenny! lol "We all have that one friend!"
Vigan Cathedral was our first stop and right across it is an old spanish house themed McDonald's. Also, around the corner, you'll see plenty of Calesas.
More of this area:
#2 Vigan Bell Tower
Vigan Bell Tower is fronting Bantay Church and approximately a 10 minute Kalesa ride from Calle Crisologo.
More of Vigan Bell Tower:
#3 Padre Burgos House - National Museum
This is the ancestral house and birthplace of
priest patriot Fr. Jose Burgos. Inside you'll see portraits of other known Ilocano leaders, antique furnitures, historic artifacts and a lot more.
More of this museum:
#4 Hidden Garden
Hidden Garden is a home of native plants and flowers which also cultivates the plant "Bonsai" variety. In addition, it has a restaurant inside and a refreshment area to enjoy a Dragon Fruit Shake.
More of Hidden Garden:
#5 Baluarte
Baluarte is a property owned by the present Ilocos Sur Governor, Luis Chavit Singson. Baluarte is an 80 hectares zoo where you can come and play with animals.
More of Baluarte:
#6 Salcedo Market, Mercato Centrale
 |
| Vigan Empanada |
Expenses:
Laoag to Vigan Bus = 120 Php
Hotel = 1,000 Php
Calesa Tour (150/hour which lasted 3 hours divided by 2 persons) = 225 Php
Meal = 100 Php
Total of 1,445 Php
Here is our Vigan trip itinerary:
| Date/Time | Itinerary | Location | Links | Remarks |
| From Laoag - Travel & stay at Vigan | Hotel Salcedo de Vigan | - | - | |
| 7am-2pm | Day tour: Vigan | Calle Crisologo - Colonial Houses | - | - |
| - | - | St. Paul's Cathedral | - | - |
| - | - | Vigan Bell Tower | - | - |
| - | - | Hidden Garden | - | Tried Dragon fruit shake |
| - | - | Palacio de Arzobispado | - | - |
| - | - | Burgos National Museum | - | - |
| - | Baluarte | - | - | |
| 12 noon | Food Trip | Salcedo Market, Mercato Centrale | - | Specialty foods: Pinakbet, Bagnet, Longganisa, Okilas |
Our itinerary ended at 2pm because we were following a tight schedule to fit our Baguio excursion within our planned 5 day trip starting from Pagudpud down to Manila.
Related articles:
Day 3 - Baguio Itinerary
Ilocos Norte Tourist Spots
4D3N Pagudpud-Laoag-Vigan-Baguio Itinerary
