Laoag, Vigan and Pagudpud Thread 9

[florencejoy]

hi sisses. share naman po ng itinerary nyo dito. im planning to go here on december. how much is the budget kaya for two people?

[daveigh]

Buo ko na itinerary namin! pero talagang Laoag at pagudpud lang ang kaya ng powers namin, haha! Isang question mga sis, mga gaano kaya kaaga may bus pabalik ng laoag from Pagudpud? kaasar naman yung kausap sa RCJ nung tumawag ako, laging binibigay sa akin yung byahe galing pa ng maynila, ako pa ang pinagkakalkula... nyek!

[riaenvodka]

hi mga sisses...gusto ko lang ishare yung northern luzon trip namin esp ilocos and cagayan. we decided to go to my hometown in cagayan via ilocos...so here was the itinerary.

two souls braved the bagyong mina and literally, it was really all over the place..we went there through my rafa (honday city 1.3 a/t)

Day 1 (saturday) - despite the storm signal by pag asa, we nevertheless started our trip. we were basically on the road. we planned to have stop overs in sinait, bessang pass, tirad pass and all other spots in ilocos sur but due to inclement weather, we cancelled our plan and instead went ahead to vigan and we reached vigan at around 8pm. no hotel rooms available, but after an hour, we finally booked in el juliana (1k for our room)

Day 2 - vigan tour for the morning, we went to the capitol, vigan cathedral, calle crisologo, baluarte, we also visit bantay church and bantay bell...after lunch, we proceeded straight to laoag...and just like day 1, we cancelled some of our plans to have stop overs due to mina. we went to batac, but the museum was closed...sayang....at around 4pm, we reached laoag and we also looked for hotels, and finally, we booked in northview hotel (1,200 for our room including breakfast)

Day 3 - laoag tour for the morning, went to the public market, sinking bell, padayan. then in paoay church, paoay lake, paoay sand dune, malacanang of the north. thereafter we went to bacarra domeless bell and church. at burgos, we went to cape bojeador and kapurpurawan rock formation (we walked around 2kms since our vehicle is not 4x4). we headed to cagayan via patapat via duct. we skipped pagudpud tour since it was already late.

Day 4 - tour in my hometown in the morning. go to the beach. and back to manila afternoon via tuguegarao. we passed by the golden gate of the philippines which is Magapit Bridge, which can be found in Lal-lo and Aparri Cagayan. thereafter, we passed by the whole town of isabela, then nueva vizcaya..

what an amazing journey, but it was tiring. had it not for the storms, we could have visited more tourists spot..

by the way, we travel more or less 1,700 kms conquering the north, and we used around 90 liters of gas, sulit na rin kasi around 4,500 per person lang ang lahat ng nagastos namin.....

next time, we will be back and will be going to the places we failed to visit..

enjoy the north of luzon, truly, it is such a wonderful place... 

[izzybaby]

^ wow, you really braved Mina considering Cagayan was at psws#4.
i was able to do only around 90% of my itinerary. we didn't do the north pagudpud tour anymore. nevertheless, no regrets.

[riaenvodka]

where did you go sis izzy? i think lakasan lang ng loob considering the condition. no regrets din and although we were not able to follow our orig itinerary since our plan was to go first to cagayan through nueva ecija, vizcaya and isabela before going to ilocos. but nevertheless, it was all worth it...maybe next time, we can complete our iti...

[falsabraga]

pajoin din..will be travelling to laoag via cebupac on dec1-dec3. pero parang 1.5 days lang kami magsstay sa ilocos since gabi na ng thurs dating namin, buong friday and half day nalang ng saturday time namin for tour. i was actually thinking 1 night stay in laoag then vigan 2nd night.

sis, kayanin kaya pag ganito itinerary namin:

dec 1: arrival in laoag airport @ 9pm; check in sa hotel
dec 2: paoay church/ diretso pagudpud or vigan?
-Burgos Lighthouse
-Bangui Windmills
dec 3: back to laoag
-st. augustine church/bell tower
-fort ilocandia
-airport

kayanin kaya un pagudpud & vigan in 1 whole day? (tourist attractions + beach sana)
help mga sis! tia!

[daveigh]

^ di pa ako nakakarating sis, pero tagtagan ang gagawin nyo kasi since nasa laoag ang airport, nasa north nun ang pagudpud, travel ka na ng 2 hrs tapos ang vigan nasa south naman ng laoag so travel pa ng 2 hrs din...

[izzybaby]

^ WOW one day lang. naka-van kayo? pwede pero tipong 5mns lang kayo sa mga pupuntahan nyo. if di na kayo pupunta ng batac ok lang siguro. take note na 200kms ang distance ng pagudpud at vigan kaya 4hr drive yun. pag nakabus longer pa.

@riaenvodka: vigan, laoag, pagudpud from aug 26-28. binagyo kami ng aug27 ng gabi sa pagudpud.

[riaenvodka]

tama si izzy, kaya naman, pero sobrang short stop lang kayo kada stop over nyo, or kung hindi na kaya, why not go to vigan nalang instead of pagudpud or just go to pagudpud instead of vigan, para kahit paano, you can enjoy every spots there, kasi marami pang pwedeng makita on your way there.

@izzybaby: pareho pala tayo na binagyo rin, kami while on our way, sobrang lakas ng ulan at kahit ng nasa vigan na kami at laoag...

[izzybaby]

^ agree. actually best to go to pagudpud is summer. but in december, i'm not sure lang if maalon. i bet maganda sa vigan pag december. hay, i wanna go back now na!

[anna2123]

ask ko lang kung sa 7k na rate kasama na yung sundo at hatid sa airport?

[deth]

hi mga sis! share lang ako ng Ilocos Trip namin (5 pax) last weekend.

Stayed at Ate Cathy's, got Kuya Arnel's service for the 2-day Trip (Pagudpud,Laoag,Vigan) using a Mitsubishi Space Gear and stayed at Cordillera Family Inn in Vigan.

Saturday Night ( Aug. 27-28) - Took the 7pm trip of Florida to Pagudpud. When we left Manila, it was Signal #1 in Ilocos. When we got to Laoag, may mga nadaanan na kaming baha. Nung dumating kami ng Pagudpud around 7am, may nakaharang na natumbang puno papunta dun sa bus terminal so sinundo na lang muna kami nila Kuya Arnel ng trike then hatid nya kami kay Ate Cathy. Pagdating namin kina Ate Cathy, walang kuryente, generator lang gamit. Medyo malakas na hangin at ulan by this time and Signal#2 na. Nagdadalawang isip na kami kung itutuloy namin tour for that day kasi baka hindi na safe. Past lunch time medyo naging ok naman yung weather, so tinuloy na din namin. Nakakainip din kung sa kwarto lang kami mag-i-stay. We were able to do the South and North Tour except for Kabigan Falls and Kapurpurawan Rock Formation dahil nasira daw yung daan sabi ni Kuya Arnel dahil nga sa bagyo.

Monday (Aug. 29) - Nagpasundo kami kay Kuya Arnel ng 8am for our trip to Laoag and Vigan. Plan sana namin mag-swim nung morning kaya lang sobrang lakas ng hangin at alon. Went to La Paz Sand Dunes, Marcos Museum, Museo Ilocos Norte, Paoay Church, St. William's Cathedral, Sinking Bell Tower, Fort Ilocandia (sa labas lang kami kasi dami daw visitors kaya di daw pwede pumasok), Juan Luna Museum (actually closed sya pero in-open nung guide.) Dumaan din kami sa pagawaan ng asin.

Vigan - Went to Bantay Bell Tower, Burnayan Pottery and Baluarte ni Chavit. Then nagpahatid na kami sa Cordillera Family Inn. Di pa familiar si Kuya Arnel kaya medyo hinanap pa namin yung place, malapit lang siya sa Calle Crisologo.

Tuesday (Aug. 30) - Went to Syquia Mansion, Crisologo Museum at Hidden Garden. Dito nag-calesa na kami. Ok din yung nakuha namin na si Kuya Robert, sinamahan pa nya kami sa Crisologo Museam at siya nag-tour sa amin dun at taga-kuha ng photo. After bumili ng pasalubong, went back to Cordillera Inn to check out. Medyo na-stress lang ng konti nung pauwi na kasi pagdating sa Bus Terminal ng Partas, di nagre-reserve ng ticket eh medyo madami na din pabalik ng Manila nun.

Ate Cathy at Kuya Arnel - Super bait at maasikaso. Pati yung kasamang driver ni Kuya Arnel na si Kuya Vincent
Cordillera Family Inn - dorm type, okay naman siya at malinis.

All in all, okay naman trip namin. Nag-enjoy naman parents at 2 kapatid ko. Mas maganda lang talaga sana kung walang bagyo. Hope to be back again this summer.

[izzybaby]

^ good you had a great time! i want to go back in Summer as well. tara, magsched tayo haha.

@anna2123, haggle mo na lang na isama kasi minsan ayaw nila. laoag airport is P100 (trike) away from the city proper.

[anna2123]

@izzybaby nag try ako ihaggle, ayaw  :)baka mag tryke tour na lang kami sa laoag at vigan para mas mura. dalawa lang kasi kami. 

[purpleish]

sis abbey ...lapit na den ang January sis, i ♥ Vigan

sis florencejoy ...for how many days sis?

sis falsabraga ...hala 3 days sis, parang ang hirap naman nun, lahat madalian, nga-ragan hehe...pag ganyan sis need mo mag rent talaga nang Van, kung gusto mo mapuntahan lahat, kaso ang panget naman kung hindi niyo ma-enjoy bawat spot... if ganyan ang time pwedeng:

Day #1: arrival sa Laoag
Day #2: agahan na lang mag Laoag Tour, para before or after lunch makadating na nang Vigan for another half day city tour
Day #3: agahan den ang alis para makapunta nang maaga for pagudpud for half day tour...

* tingin ko dito sis parang kulang sa days talaga you have to sacrifice one destination para naman masulit ang punta niyo (medyo hindi maganda yung nakuha niyo sis na time for the plane) and since you really need to hire a van medyo magastos talaga kasi halos nang mga na rerecommend na tour guide dito saten is mang gagaling pa sa Pagudpud...ang problema kasi dito mag kakalayo talaga ang mga Laoag-Vigan_Pagudpud

if you like you can try:

Day #1: Arrival (check in Laoag)
Day #2: Laoag (make it an early tour), then diretcho na nang Vigan for another half day tour
Day #3: chill na lang (then buy buy na lang nang pasalubong) ...sa Pagudpud kasi sis more on nature trip magagahol na kayo sa time...what time ba sis ang alis niyo?

sis anna2123 ...dalawa den kame nun ni hub sis, for Laoag pwede na siguro tryc...nung kame kasi nang galing pa kame nang Pagudpud kaya nag van kame pabalik nang Laoad den tour 2x muna bago mag punta nang Vigan... for Vigan mas maganda naman sis ma-try niyo kalesa ride para feel na feel ang ambience

[florencejoy]

^ 3-4 days sana. will it be much better kung merong sariling sasakyan going here? TIA sis.

[daveigh]

Stayed at Ate Cathy's, got Kuya Arnel's service for the 2-day Trip (Pagudpud,Laoag,Vigan) using a Mitsubishi Space Gear and stayed at Cordillera Family Inn in Vigan.

sis can you share kuya arnel's service fee? thanks!

[purpleish]

sis florencejoy ...ok den sis kung may sariling sasakyan para mas hawak niyo yung time pag dating nang Ilocos...ang ayoko lang pag may sasakyan, kawawa naman yung driver pag pa-byahe, ok kung may kapalitan and parang halos nang buong araw niyo is puros byahe lang going Ilocos, mas ok kung aalis nang gabi para pag dating nang umaga makapag tour na kayo kaya mas prefer ko ang plane para less hassle, yun nga lang pag ikot 2x DIY and rentals...pero mas pabor sa amin yun ni hub...

if plane:

Day #1: Pagudpud (make sure na maaga ang makuha niyo na flight...then diretcho na sa tour via Mang Arnel service)

Day #2: Laoag (agahan alis sa pagudpud, pwde na den mag hire nang van para pabalik nang Laoag, and mas madali maka-ikot sa Laoag, or kung tipid mode pwedeng mag hire nang tryc, kaso wala naman akong kakilala na pwedeng marecommend for Laoag area...then byahe na going to Vigan, via Bus lang)

Day #3: Vigan (city tour, i recommend riding a kalesa via Kuya Norbert (0910.917.86.07) fix rate naman sila lahat dun, super nice mag stay sa Granpa's Inn ) sarap ma-experience kumain dun sa centro nila nang Empanada at Okoy with the Locals

Day #4: chill na lang (buy pasalubong sa Calle Crisologo) and byahe na going to Laoag Airport (bus ulit)

if ever lang sis kung plane mas prefer ko ang 5D/4N para sulit ang bawat lugar since mag kakalayo talaga yung 3 destination, andun tyo to enjoy the spots,lalo na kung gusto niyo den mag photo op but if time permits 4D/3N pwede na den, be wise na lang nang pag manage nang time for each location...

you can check our Multiply Site sis bale 4 albums yung  Ilocos Tour namen...mag kaka-idea ka sa pics ng mga routes namen, wala pa nga lang detailed blog para sana mas madali maintindihan

[florencejoy]

^thank you sis! [textspeak!] check ko. ang worry ko kasi mahal van rentals since dalawa lang kame.

[izzybaby]

ang ganda ng weather ngayon.. if only ganito yung weather last weekend.

@florencejoy, oo mahal ang van pag 2 lang kayo. hanap kayo ng kasabay. pero ok lang din trike tour. mura and di masyado hassle.