LAOAG/VIGAN

BEST SPOTS

OLD CHURCHES. Spanish colonial churches are a must-see in Ilocos Norte. The Paoay Church, originally built between 1699-1704, displays ingenuity in the use of corals, mortar, bricks and molasses. The Laoag Cathedral, massive, short and barn-like, was constructed between 1650-1700. Watch out for the Sinking Bell Tower. Dingras Church, set in the midst of expansive rice fields, was built by natives in 1680 using red bricks. Ilocos Sur’s famous churches include the St. Paul’s Metropolitan Cathedral, Bantay Church, Sta. Lucia Church, and the Sinait Church.

BEACHES. Fort Ilocandia Resort and Hotel is located in the midst of fetching sandhills in coastal Calayab, Laoag City. Some twenty six kilometers (26kms) south of Laoag Cit is Currimao, lined with beautiful beaches dotted at times with corals. The White Beaches of Pagudpud, the farthest end of Ilocos Norte towards the Laoa-Alacapan Road, are a veritable paradise.

MUSEUMS. Ilocos Sur’s national museum, the Padre Jose Burgos House, contains the memorabilia of the martyr-priest Jose Burgos and Ilocano artifacts and the ethnic arts of the Tinggians, while the Masingal Museum is a repository of Ilocano heritage featuring collections of pottery and porcelain artifacts.

ANCESTRAL HOUSES. Kamestizoan District in Vigan is replete with ancestral houses with ancient tile roofs, massive hardwood floorings, balustrades, and azoteas in varying Spanish-Mexican-Chinese architectural styles.