Choose Ilocos!






A traveller may stay in a place for a short time and leaves, but every once in a while, the place stays with him for all time. He will always carry it in his heart.



In some way or another, the charms of Ilocos have made their way into mine, and stayed there for all I know. If you're thinking of conquering the Philippines from top to bottom, there is no better place to start than in the rustic, cultural pride of the North- the Ilocos Region of Luzon, the largest island in the country.



And here is a list of my Top 5 reasons:



 



1. Old World Monuments



You would probably ask: “Why bother coming here for Hispanic structures when Manila has a dozen of them in Intramuros? Well, even the churches and buildings of Ilocos have their quirks. A bell tower in Laoag is supposedly“sinking”. There's this well- preserved palatial mansion that was owned by the family of the late president Ferdinand Marcos which served as his seat of power in his home province.  If you’re feeling religious, the San Agustin Church in the town of Paoay exudes a granite-like power and rigidity that would leave you speechless. Also, along the way to the beaches of Pagudpud, try to visit the natural rock formations of Kapurpurawan molded by Nature herself and the old Spanish lighthouse of Cape Bojeador for a a breathtaking view of Bangui Bay.



2. Cuisine



Vigan Empanada, crispy Bagnet, Iloco Bagoong, garlic-infused longganisa and healthy  Pinakbet- the list could go on and on. Somebody once wrote that a place wouldn't be as memorable without its food and I can say Ilocos has made an imprint not only in my heart but to my stomach as well. My favorite is a dish which is a specialty of Cafe Herencia (across the the Paoay Church). They combined two famous regional dishes in their famous Pinakbet and Dinuguan Pizza. A slice is quite filling but it’s so tasty that you need to finish all 360 degrees of the pie.



3. The Windmills of Bangui



Every province in the Philippines has fine examples of crumbling churches and  natural scenery but the Bangui Windmills sets Ilocos apart from the rest. If you think seeing the towering windmills at Bangui Beach from afar is impressive, seeing one up close is an exhilarating experience.  You can actually feel the thrumming power of the gigantic turbines as the blades whir and hum as they generate clean electricity for the town and its surrounding areas.  



4. Heritage Homes



The City of Vigan is simply one place you should not dare miss when you visit Up North. Heritage houses built during the Spanish colonial period stand either side of the streets, particularly Calle Crisologo, still look exactly the same more than a century later. Ride a calesa or horse-drawn carriage along the cobblestone roads while you go explore the architecture. Let your imagination run wild at what life must have been in a Philippines that no longer exists. Also note how some modern restaurant chains incorporated their designs to blend in with the heritage sites.  



TRIVIA: When the forces of Imperial Japan invaded the Philippines in World War II, a Japanese colonel fell in love with a local girl from Vigan, married her, and had a child. He decided to spare Vigan from the ravages of war, provided that the local priest should do everything in his power to keep his wife and child safe, thus sparing the old houses of the city.  



5.  Sand and Sea



At the northernmost tip of Luzon you can find the silent paradise of Pagudpud. If you compare the Boracay and El Nido with Pagudpud, you would discover it has a different personality all it’s own. It is rustic with waves serving as exclamation points and the wind your ellipses.  It is a place where solitude and self-reflection comes easily. You would be delighted to find white sand beaches and are no different from those in  Boracay or other Visayan islands. It extends beyond the shore and you would find it enjoyable to swim in its lukewarm water swithout having to worry about stepping on corals or sharp stones.



Rich in culture and natural wonders, Ilocos should be on every tourists’ must-see list in the Philippines. Its host of destinations are fast becoming travel hotspots in the North, complementing the popular mountain retreats of Baguio and Sagada. It seems no other region has taken a more serious approach on developing its tourism industry than Ilocos.
Taking the time and effort to the see these “Gems of the North”may just end with you carrying a precious part of it for all time.