We originally planned to go to the Mountain Province for my birthday. But there were some hesitations (budget (or the lack of-hehe), weather, etc etc). In spite of all these, we were able to have our much needed relaxation (especially for my husband who's been working hard for the whole year).
With just some little knowledge about Ilocos, off we went on the night of the 20th. A friend gave me their itinerary (budget details, places to see--maybe I'll write the details itinerary on another post) and I've read some blogs about travel info in Ilocos (for me this blog is really helpful http://adventuroj.com/category/travel/ilocos-sur/). We rode the Partas bus (they have good service, honest drivers and regular schedule to the north). Fare is almost P800. Terminal Numbers for inquiry: 725-7303, 416-2809.
Here are the places that you can visit in Vigan:
You can do this by just walking (just find a local map, ask your hotel, it'll help you in your walking tour)
1) Plaza Burgos: During the day it looks serene and quiet. However, at night many people are strolling and when we were there, there was a dancing fountain show every night. Cool!
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| Plaza Burgos and the Vigan Cathedral during the day |
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| They tried to keep the buildings look old. This is the street near the plaza where there are many fast food chains, street foods and tiangge stalls. |
A few meters away is the famous Vigan Church (or St.Paul's Metropolitan Cathedral) and the Arzobispo, an archbishop's residence during the Spanish period that houses the Museo Nuevo Segovia (museum with paintings and religious relics)
The Ilocos Sur Provincial Hall is just in front of Plaza Burgos. It was beautiful at night with all the Christmas decorations and different Christmas lights.
3) Heritage Village (near Vigan Cathedral, Vigan Hotel)
From the cathedral, stroll some more meters and you'll see the Vigan Hotel and the Heritage Village.
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| Front of Vigan Hotel |
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| The start of the Heritage Village. Cafe Leona, a famous restaurant in Vigan is on the left side. |
4) Padre Burgos Museum
The Burgos Museum is the old house of Padre Burgos and his siblings. It is near the Capitol and is located in Quezon Avenue. It's interesting to learn and see something about the life of the historical figure that I just read briefly in history classes. I also got to see Ilocos' rich history and culture.
Entrance Fee: P20
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| Interesting things found inside the museum (Japanese galleon, tribal people in Ilocos, heroes and prominent figures in Ilocos, the Noli Me Tangere copy) |
5) Other Places to see (just along Crisologo Street):
Syquia Mansion (the residence of Elpidio Quirino and his wife): with an entrance fee of P20.
Quema House (an exquisite stone house; this is a private residence but they allow visitors to take photos).
You can do this by riding a tricycle (P30-P50 one way) or by a calesa (P150/hour)
6) Hidden Garden: a garden with a restaurant and different kinds of plants. Going to the Hidden Garden, you'll also see the many pottery shops in Vigan. (No entrance fee, hurrah!)
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| Lovers in the garden |
7) Baluarte Zoo: a popular destination for families, Baluarte offers different kinds of animals and educational shows. The entrance is free too :)
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| The morning view on the Bell Tower. The tower opens at 6am :) |
You can go here by bus or van: Adventure Zone, Ilocos Sur
Going South: (click here to read my post about Adventure Zone)
Because we lack some time, we weren't able to see the following. Maybe you can check this out when you visit.
9) Mindoro Beach: They say the sunset is really good here, just 15 away from the town.
10) Meztizo River Cruise: just make sure you do this before 5pm
So these are the places you can visit on this lovely town. We did all of these in two days (not including the 10-hr bus travel time) and the budget ranges from 4000-5000 (for two person) depending on how wise you are. Don't forget to eat empanada, bagnet and vigan longgonisa when you visit.
See our adventure after Vigan here: The Road to Laoag
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