ILOCOS NORTE TOURIST SPOTS

ILOCOS NORTE 

Ilocos Norte (Ilokano:Amianan nga Ilocos; Filipino:Hilagang Ilokos) is a province of the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region in Luzon. Its capital is Laoag City and is located at the northwest corner of Luzon Island, bordering Cagayan and Apayao to the east, and Abra and Ilocos Surto the south. Ilocos Norte faces the South China Sea to the west and the Luzon Strait to the north.

Ilocos Norte is noted for being the birthplace of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, who led an authoritarian rule over the country during the latter half of his incumbency. The Marcoses enjoy a modicum of popularity in the province. Ilocos Norte is also known as a northern tourist destination, being the location of Fort Ilocandia, an upper class hotel and beach resort famous among expatriates, and Pagudpud.

TOURIST SPOTS OF ILOCOS NORTE

PAGUDPUD

The Patapat Viaduct is a viaduct at the municipality of Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, a coastal resort town on the northernmost tip of Luzon Island in thePhilippines.

The bridge is elevated 31 meters over sea level, is 1.3 km concrete coastal bridge that connects the Maharlika Highway from Laoag, Ilocos Norte to the Cagayan Valley Region. It rises along the town's coastal mountains, which is the starting point of the Cordillera Mountain Range that snakes through Northern Luzon. It is the 4th longest bridge in the Philippines. is geographically located at latitude (18.5733 degrees) 18° 34' 23" North of the Equator and longitude (120.896 degrees) 120° 53' 45" East of the Prime Meridian on the Map of the world.

HANNAH,S BEACH RESORT

Nestled among endless turquoise waters and powdery white sand in Pagudpud is a seven-hectare exclusive paradise that is emerging to be the crown jewel of Ilocos Norte.

Even before entering Hannah's Beach Resort and Convention Center, one would already feel a sense of being at peace with nature. The sprawling mountains, the breathtaking views of the sea, and the sight of windmills all pave the way for the perfect getaway experience to come.

Bantay Abot Caves (Balaoi, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte)

The name denotes a mountain with a hole. A hole was found at the middle of the mountain where the waves were free flash into the walls just an open shore into its walls.

It is the most popular among the scenic spots of the municipality of Pagudpud. It is located in Barangay Saud and is approximately 2.5 kilometers away from the town proper. It is famous for as creamy white sand which frames the emerald water of the heart shaped bay. The water is inviting that you can’t resist to have a deep and feel its cool invigorating effect. You can also just a hike along the shore where you can let your feet caress the cool and refreshing wavelets rushing to the shore. When tired, you can take a rest under the shade and enjoy the enchanting view of not only the sea, the sky and the shore, but other bountiful gifts of nature such as the rolling hills and verdant mountains where abundant stately pine trees grow that murmurs with the breeze as if giving welcome to everyone. Picking up of rare shells cannot be ignored by the satisfied tourists.

It is a massive rock that just out into the sea. From afar, it looks as if someone has wiped off the top layer frosting and exposed the cake that lies beneath. Up close, it is a dazzling bright white rock that sparkles in the sun. Kapurpurawan is a showcase for the power of wind and water on rock and coral.

This natural attraction is a 5 kilometer drive from the National Highway to the head of the trail. From there it is a 4 kilometer hike to the falls. The first 20 minutes of the trial is out in the open and quite hot, so remember to bring a hat. The locals bring their cattle, caribou horses and other animals to grace in these open fields. This treeless area provides a nice view of the surrounding hills, limestone outcroppings and the area of the hike. When you settle down into the shade cover, you will be grateful for the coolness. Along the trail you can search for signs of hoof prints of small deer or identify the many types of plant life, including many varieties of wild mushrooms. The waterfalls at Caangrian are every where, creating a semi-circle of water cascading down multiple layers of rock. The beauty of the area was created by limestone deposits which have created hundreds of small sparkling pools around the base of the falls.

Saud White Sand Beaches (Saud, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte)

It is the most popular among the scenic spots of the municipality of Pagudpud. It is located in Barangay Saud and is approximately 2.5 kilometers away from the town proper. It is famous for as creamy white sand which frames the emerald water of the heart shaped bay. The water is inviting that you can’t resist to have a deep and feel its cool invigorating effect. You can also just a hike along the shore where you can let your feet caress the cool and refreshing wavelets rushing to the shore. When tired, you can take a rest under the shade and enjoy the enchanting view of not only the sea, the sky and the shore, but other bountiful gifts of nature such as the rolling hills and verdant mountains where abundant stately pine trees grow that murmurs with the breeze as if giving welcome to everyone. Picking up of rare shells cannot be ignored by the satisfied tourists.

BANGUI

Bangui Wind Farm is a wind farm in Bangui, Ilocos Norte, Philippines. The wind farm uses 20 units of 70-metre (230 ft) high Vestas V82 1.65 MWwind turbines, arranged on a single row stretching along a nine-kilometer shoreline off Bangui Bay, facing the South China Sea.

BURGOS

Kapurpurawan Rock Formation (Poblacion, Burgos, Ilocos Norte)

It is a massive rock that just out into the sea. From afar, it looks as if someone has wiped off the top layer frosting and exposed the cake that lies beneath. Up close, it is a dazzling bright white rock that sparkles in the sun. Kapurpurawan is a showcase for the power of wind and water on rock and coral.

Cape Bojeador Lighthouse, also known as Burgos Lighthouse, is a cultural heritage structure in Burgos, Ilocos Norte, that was established during the Spanish Colonial period in the Philippines. It was first lit on March 30, 1892, and is set high on Vigia de Nagpartian Hill overlooking the scenic Cape Bojeador where early galleons used to sail by. After over 100 years, it still functions as a welcoming beacon to the international ships that enter the Philippine Archipelago from the north and guide them safely away from the rocky coast of the town.

The light marks the northwestern-most point in Luzon. The northeastern-most being Cape Engaño Lighthouse on Palaui Island, Santa Ana,Cagayan.

The 66-foot-tall (20 m) octagonal stone tower, the most prominent structure in the vicinity, can be seen from as far away as Pasuquin town in the south and Bangui on the east on a clear day. Contrary to popular belief, it is not the highest-elevated nor tallest lighthouse in the Philippines. But the highest elevated still original and active Spanish era lighthouse in the country. Corregidor Lighthouse is higher at over 600 feet (180 m), and among the Spanish Colonial lighthouses, the tower of Cape Melville Lighthouse is the tallest at 90 feet (27 m). In Mindoro Strait, the recently erected modern tower at the Apo Reef Light Station rises to a height of 110 feet (34 m).

Kaangrian Falls (Paayas, Burgos, Ilocos Norte)

This natural attraction is a 5 kilometer drive from the National Highway to the head of the trail. From there it is a 4 kilometer hike to the falls. The first 20 minutes of the trial is out in the open and quite hot, so remember to bring a hat. The locals bring their cattle, caribou horses and other animals to grace in these open fields. This treeless area provides a nice view of the surrounding hills, limestone outcroppings and the area of the hike. When you settle down into the shade cover, you will be grateful for the coolness. Along the trail you can search for signs of hoof prints of small deer or identify the many types of plant life, including many varieties of wild mushrooms. The waterfalls at Caangrian are every where, creating a semi-circle of water cascading down multiple layers of rock. The beauty of the area was created by limestone deposits which have created hundreds of small sparkling pools around the base of the falls.

LAOAG CITY

La Paz Sand Dunes (La Paz, Laoag City)

It is a dune land with an area of 45 hectares more or less, situated at the western outskirts of Laoag City proper, with an elevation of 700 feet above sea level and about 6 kilometers drive from the city proper of Laoag. It is also called Bantay Bimaboy because the shape resembles a pig’s back and has been declared as National Geological Monument. This attraction is becoming a popular site for sandboarding.

Located almost a hundred meters away from the St. William's Cathedral, the tower has sunk to the ground and leans slightly to the north.

Laoag Cathedral, canonically known as St. William Cathedral is a church in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, Philippines. It was built in 1612 by Augustinian friars to replace a wooden chapel. It is known for its Italian Renaissance design and its Sinking Bell Tower, which sinks into the ground at a rate of an inch a year.

St. William Cathedral serves as the seat or central church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Laoag. Since Most Rev. Sergio Utleg's transfer to the Archdiocese of Tuguerarao, the diocese at present is vacant. The diocesan administrator is Very Rev. Fr. Noel Ian Rabago and the cathedral rector is Very Rev. Fr. Policarpio M. Albano.

The church has an unusual two-storey façade, supported by two pairs of columns on each side of the arched entrance. The top of the façade holds a recessed niche that showcases the image of the city's patron saint, San Guillermo (Saint William). It has windows made from capiz with wrought iron screens.

The cathedral was built to support a growing Christian population in Laoag, which was known as Ylaua at the time. The settlement was a mission detachment of Vigan during the Spanish era. The church was originally built using lime mixed with molasses for strength, with big stones, gravel and sand. Wood was used for trusses to support the roof, which originally was made of cogon grassand was later replaced with nipa. Much later the roofing was again changed to taleb, a corrugated galvanised iron sheet made with whole bamboo.

The church was damaged by hurricane in 1640, by earthquake in 1706, by fire in 1843. The church was restored in 1880.

The sinking bell tower is one of Laoag City’s most famous landmarks in fact one of the top Ilocos Norte tourist attractions. The structure is claimed to be the most solid and tallest bell tower in the Philippines. This massive 45-meter (150 foot) bell tower was also built by the Augustinians in 1612. 

FORT ILOCANDIA LAOAG

The only 5 star deluxe resort hotel in the north sprawling over 77 hectares of land amidst gentle sand dunes and fine forests with sandy beach facing the South China Sea. It's a 15-20 minutes drive from the city proper, from Laoag International Airport and it's own golf and country club. The property from rooms, facilities, amenities and even the uniform of staffs are huge preserved antique "prehistoric"! The only great things about this acclaimed 5 star deluxe resort hotel is free from noise "quiescent", free from pollution and the exemplary blameless Ilocano service.

ILOCOS NORTE CAPITOL

Erected in 1878 and known as the Tabacalera Building, this edifice was originally designed as the Administrative Center of the Tobacco Monopoly in Ilocos Norte during the reign of Spain over the Philippine Islands.

 

In early 1999, the Provincial Government launched a major rehabilitation and restoration program for the building to reactivate and operationalize anew the provincial museum which, prior to a temporary lull, was housed in this building in the early '70s.

 

The Museo Ilocos Norte, as this building is aptly called, now serves a noble purpose – a repository of GAMENG, the vast cultural heritage of the people of Ilocos Norte. It is our hope that this will inspire all Ilocanos to appreciate our ancestry and rich legacy, so that together we will grow in awareness and take pride of our culture.

SARRAT

In the town of Sarrat is a beautiful red brick church of Baroque and Neo-Classical style called the Sta. Monica Church. Irene Marcos, the daughter of former Philippine President Marcos, was married to Gregorio Araneta in a fairytale-like wedding in the church complete with red carpet stretching for kilometers. In the Philippines, it was termed the "wedding of the century." However, a little more than two months later, on Aug. 17, an earthquake of Intensity 7.6 ravaged Ilocos Norte and destroyed the altar and belfry of Sta. Monica.

The church is located some 7 kilometers to the east of Laoag City proper. It is an all-brick church with buttressed walls and a 3-level brick bridge and staircase connects the church to the convent making it one of the unique features of this church. The Sta. Monica Church, convent and bell tower began construction in 1669 and were completed in 1679. Rebuilt after a fire in 1817, the complex was again damaged by fire in 1882 but was rebuilt and finished in June 1896. The church features a 137-meter nave that is the longest in the country, according to the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Encyclopedia of Philippine Art. It follows a simple rectangular plan and another outstanding feature of the church is its unique system of roof trusses.

BATAC

MARCOS MAUSOLEUM & MUSEUM

The Marcos Museum and Mausoleum in Batac, Ilocos Norte showcases memorabilia of the late Philippines President Ferdinand E. Marcos and a large stately and gloomy tomb housing his embalmed remains which are contained in a vacuum-sealed glass coffin. Within the property of the Marcos family is a cluster of three houses and the hallowed grounds of the mausoleum. The Museum is the first structure seen from the main street and is the one which follows the lines of a colonial wood-and-brick house, with solid ground floor walls and an upper storey of wood decorated with floral motifs. The Mausoleum is a cube of adobe blocks and is stepped towards the top of the structure. The dark interior is divided into an entry foyer in which are exhibited old English standards and a bust of the former president.

Two decades after Marcos was chased from power, he still draws the faithful and the curious from this farming town. Displayed in an adobe mausoleum, his lavishly waxed corpse lies in a family tribute, bedecked in military medals and surrounded by faux flowers while Gregorian chants echo softly. Scores of school children visit nearly everyday, filing past souvenir peddlers for a look of the deposed dictator whom residents of Ilocos Norte province fondly call "Apo," or the Old man.

PAOAY

The Paoay Church was built of coral blocks and stucco-plastered bricks. Its architecture is a unique combination of Baroque and Oriental. The materials used for the walls were a mixture of coral stone and bricks. Large coral stones were used at the lower level of the walls, while bricks, smaller and more manageable to transport, were used at the upper levels. The mortar used for the coral stones and bricks points out the desire of the builders to make sure that the church stood against natural calamities. The stucco was said to have been made by mixing sand and lime with sugarcane juice, which were boiled with mango leaves, leather, and rice straw. The church is considered as one of the most striking edifices in the country with its huge buttresses flanking the sides and rear facade.

MALACA ANG OF THE NORTH

This imposing two-storey structure was built as the official residence of the President Marcos in Ilocos Norte. It overlooks the legendary Paoay Lake and was designed to resemble a 19th Century "bahay na bato." It is complete with bedrooms, dining area, kitchen, an office, a spacious ballroom on the second floor, and even had an olympic size swimming pool. During the term of Fidel Ramos, he has also used this former official residence in Ilocos Norte and so did President Gloria M. Arroyo whenever she travels to the north.

The Legend of Paoay Lake Long ago, in this once-dry land where Paoay lake now stands, there was a village whose people were kind, generous and God-fearing. Prosperity was evident in their beautiful houses, their expensive clothes and glittering jewelries. As years passed, rivalry among the people set in, that they worked hard to acquire material things more than the others. God-worship was forgotten. Among them, Juan and his wife Maria, remained simple folks and never forgot to worship God.One night, in a dream, they were told that the village will be destroyed by a flood, if the people will not reform. They related their dream to their neigbors, but they only laughed at them. One morning, the people heard a voice saying, "Leave this place tonight. When you hear the roar of thunder, do not look back, lest you suffer the same fate as the sinners." When dusk came, they left their little belongings towards the hill. Then they heard the clap of thunder and felt the earth beneath then sway and tremble. The villagers were roused, but their cries died down as they were submerged under the rampaging water. The woman instinctively turned back to look back at the village. She swooned and her husband tried to hold her. This tugging gave the name "Nangguyudan". They turned into rocks which can still be seen today at Bantay Pugaro. Atop one rock grew a "bangar" tree which rises to the sky like an open umbrella. As years went by at the place where the village sank, a beautiful lake emerged, and is now the famous PAOAY LAKE. Today, they said if one looks into the depths of the lake, one could see the shadows of the buildings and houses of the once prosperous village. Fisherman reported catching fishes adorned with jewels. It is believed that these were the early inhabitants of the ill-fated village. SOURCE: The people of Paoay

CURRIMAO

CURRIMAO'S NIPA BEACH RESORT

The Municipality of Currimao is located in the southwestern portion of the province of Ilocos Norte along the vast shorelines of the China Sea. It is bounded in the North by the town of Paoay, on the east by Batac, on the south by Pinili and Badoc, and on the west by China Sea. It is approximately 465 kilometers northwest of Manila and about 27 kilometers from Laoag City.

Currimao, small as it may seen, is blessed with several tourist attractions. These include the Gaang Beach Cove with its wide expanse of unpolluted beaches and tranquil waters which is a by-word of picnickers and beach lovers. It boasts also of beach resorts such as D'Coral Beach Resort and Hotel, the Old Fisherman's Beach Resort which cater to foreign as well as local tourists, and the D & D Girls Scout Beach Camp, the center of provincial and regional Girls Scouts camping and outdoor activities. The Pangil Beach Resort is where government agency outings and meetings are frequently held.

Currimao's latest tourist attraction is the Taiwanese-run Nipa Beach Resort in Barangay Salugan which caters mostly to Chinese and local tourists. A number of cottages have been constructed within the resort to accommodate its guests. It has its own restaurant, swimming pool, a well-designed and beautifully landscaped compound, and access to a nearby white sand beach. The sixteen photographs shown below were all taken at the Nipa Beach Resort.

BADOC

LA VIRGIN MILAGROSA SHRINE OF BADOC

Estimated to be 400 years old, the revered image of La Virgen Milagros de Badoc is enshrined and venerated in the more than 200 year old imposing brick-and-stone baroque Catholic Church of the Parish of Saint John the Baptist in Badoc, Ilocos Norte. Inside the church one will find the miraculous image of the Virgin Mary with the infant Jesus wrapped in her arms.

Countless miracles have been ascribed to the beloved image of La Virgin Milagrosa de Badoc which have kindled and heightened the veneration and devotion of the people from the Ilocos region for which the image was really meant. Realizing the intense and widespread devotion, the Diocese of Laoag proclaimed the wooden image of La Virgen Milagrosa de Badoc as the Patrones of Ilocos Norte on May 2, 1980. This church in Badoc was the pilgrimate site for the Great Jubilee Year 2000.

JUAN LUNA SHRINE

The Juan Luna Shrine in Badoc, Ilocos Norte, is a reconstruction of the two-storey house in which the patriot and foremost Filipino painter was born on October 24, 1857 (The original house burned down in 1861). Luna was the son of Joaquin Luna and Laureana Vovicio. He was instrumental in placing Philippine art and culture on the world map. Luna began his formal art training at the Ateneo Municipal Escuela de Bellas Artes and Escuela Nautica in Manila. In 1877 he left for Madrid, Spain, to continue his studies at the Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando. It was during this period that he painted "Dafne y Chloe," which won the Silver Palette Award from the Centro Artistico-Literario de Manila.