11 Reasons Why I Enjoyed Ilocos

It was the annual trip with friends.  We started traveling together during our trip to Naga for the Peñafrancia in 2011. It was followed last year with a trip to Sagada. This year, Ilocos is the destination.  New friends joined us this year and it was as memorable as before. You know you had a wonderful trip when you still keep smiling while thinking about the banters inside the van, the road mishap and a personal experience that could break a friendship should the story leak out. (It was a story not meant to be written. I trust my friends to keep my secret. Ha!)

What I love about this country is that she continues to amaze me as I travel to provinces I have never been. Even places I have stepped foot before continue to mesmerize me. I love it here!

Ilocos is in the northeastern part of the country.  We got Wowtrippers to arrange the trip for us. We booked them for the Sagada trip last year and we had a blast.  It is a worry-free trip. They took care of everything without a hitch (except for the busted tire but the driver quickly replaced it with a spare). Like their Facebook page. They have trips to different destinations scheduled for the year where you can join in. You can also have your trip arranged for your group.

Anyway, these are the reasons why I enjoyed Ilocos.

1. Nature trek.  Kabigan Falls is a short trek but it was a sweet introduction to what Ilocos has to offer.

IMG_0089

IMG_0103

IMG_0108

2. Patapat Viaduct. Wikipedia says that a viaduct is a bridge composed of small spaces for crossing a valley or gorge. In this case, instead of cutting/knocking the terrain to make way for a road, the mountain is untouched and a bridge was built above the coastline.

IMG_0148

3. Bantay Abot cave.  I learned that Bantay Abot means a “mountain with a hole”.  If you look at this photo, you’ll understand.

IMG_0193

This is a nice view in going to Bantay Abot Cave.

IMG_0190

4. Saud Beach. In Pagudpud, we were billeted at Polaris Resort. It is a beachside resort so after the itinerary for the day, we spent the late afternoon at the beach.

IMG_0245

The sunset was gorgeous.
IMG_0308
My friends posed with the setting sun.

IMG_0313

5. Bangui Windmills. A trip to the north is not complete without visiting this landmark. I remember when I was in high school, we were required to have a science project. I asked my father’s help and being a mechanical engineer that he was, he made a windmill for me. Nah. It was only a prototype and we hardly had wind to propel the blades. I had to spin it manually for the light at the end to have power. I had to change my project. My father would have been thrilled to see the windmills.
IMG_0342

6. Kapurpurawan Rock Formation. I dream of going to Biri Island in the Eastern Visayas. I think this is the next best thing to Biri Island.  The  white rock formation is shaped by the waves of the sea. This is nature’s own sculpture.

IMG_0380

We took the opportunity to pose against the white rock. So colorful. The place is beautiful and scorching. Bring umbrellas!

IMG_0389

This is the sight on our way back to our van. Lovely.
IMG_0422

7. Food trip. Let the photos do the talking.
food

food2

8. Sand Dunes. Imagine five screaming women in a 4X4. It was fun. I never thought I would enjoy what felt like a roller coaster ride without the seatbelt! The 4×4 would roll down the sand dunes perpendicularly. We allowed our voices rumble through a vast expanse of land. We were holding the rails of the vehicle because our lives depend on it. We felt we conquered our fears. It is a must-try!

Take from the camera of my friend, Jean.

Taken from the camera of my friend, Jean.

Other friends in the next vehicle caught up on us. The photo below is from Wowtrippers.

1238832_545583845514333_1542493381_n
9. Vigan’s Calle Crisologo. This famous street brought us back in time. Actually, all buildings in Vigan’s city center have the same architectural style of this famous street.

I purposely edited the colors of the photos to have a vintage feel.
IMG_0546
IMG_0550

We rode the calesa on our way back to the hotel.
IMG_0592

10. Visiting Churches. We only visited two but it was enough.This is the Church of Saint Augustine but is most popularly known as the Paoay Church. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as an example of the influence of Baroque architecture in the Philippines.
IMG_0516

This is the Bantay Church.
IMG_0686
This is how it looks inside.
IMG_0709
The church has a nice method for lighting candles.
IMG_0711

Outside is a standalone bell tower. The guide told us that several movies and soaps were filmed here.
IMG_0690

11. My fun friends. We bonded because of travel and I love how each one is game. Killjoys are not allowed.

prends

Photos from Ayet, Jean and Mark

We are now looking forward to our next trip. We are aiming for Coron next year.

37 Responses

Leave a Reply to Rosemarie/Gven-Rose Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *