Come With Me to Laoag and Vigan! Jan. 23 - 26

Me and Annie from Canada I met in Couchsurfing in Intramuros

Vigan is one of the few Hispanic towns in the Philippines well-known for its cobblestone streets and a World Heritage site. So having said that and me being an "old-fashioned" or I rather call it as classic (para sosyal!) and loves seeing capiz window shells and heritage and stuff I decided to backpack to Vigan.  "You sure you are going there? There is no night life there. And I'm sure there is no chance of meeting hunks with flashy abs there. " says my friends. "That is why I wanna go there to get out of Manila's noise and pollution for a while!"   It is a pity that I haven't explored my own country before and I was inspired by strangers I met in Couchsurfing: Annie & Nathan - Canada, Jose - Spain, Mike - Switzerland, Mike - US, couples Carsten - Germany & Zorah - Taiwan, Andreas and his girlfriend - Denmark and locals too many to mention  but they've been to a lot so might as well start to scour and promote my own "neighborhood" through this blog and then after go out Asia then see the world. One trip at a time...

So here is the itinerary of my travel with the help of my friend Lyn and Couchsurfers Nathan  and certain TURTLETUNNEL.                                                                                                                                                    

Jan 23 day 1 - Laoag and Paoay tour

Breakfast (malunggay pandesal / jollibee)

Lunch at Dap-ayan (empanada/pakbet/bagnet)

Batac marcos mansion and mausoleum

(waxed figure of marcos in a glass coffin)

UNESCO Heritage site Paoay church

Snack at Herencia (pinakbet pizza)

Tryke tour of Paoay lake, Malacanang of the North, 

Sand dunes, Fort Ilocandia, Tobacco field

Back to Laoag, Ride mini bus to Pagudpud/Pudian (2hrs)

Dinner (poque-poque) and  back to the Inn

Jan 24 day 2 - Pagudpud and South tour

Beach bumming at Saud beach

Tryke tour Blue Lagoon (Boracay of the north),

Bangui windmills

Cape Bojeador lighthouse

Kapurpurawan white rock formation

Back to Laoag Inn

Jan 25 day 3 - Vigan

Ride bus to Vigan (2hrs)

Kalesa tour of Pagburnayan and Ruby potteries (hands-on)

Rowilda Abel Iloko weaving factory and shop (hands-on)

Heritage village Crisologo St.

Old house/museum of Padre Burgos, 

Syquia mansion (house of former pres elpidio quirino)

Back to Laoag rest at  this Inn

Jan 26 day 4 - Market

Ilocos Museum (built by bongbong marcos)

St. williams cathedral

Laoag market for food pasalubong (korniks, bagnet, 

longganisa, sukang iloko, jmb bagoong, empanada)

Marsha's deli shop (cassava cake or brownies)

Airport depart for manila

Lyn will join me until the third day but I will be all alone the last day until I go back to Laoag airport. This itinerary can change, this is just a guide it depends on the weather or some divine intervention or any matters that could happen. This trip would be more fun if more will join :) Next month is Cebu & Bohol. So there you go anyone who wants to tag along, come along or pop along the road let me know! [Photo credited from Annie Taillon]