Just came back from our Vigan-Laoag-Pagudpud road trip. We drove lang from Manila so this might be helpful for those who are bringing their own vehicle. there were 3 adults in the group (hubby, preggy me and yaya) and 2 kids (7yo and 3yo).
Day 1 - Left Manila 2am and arrived at Vigan 11am (2 hours stopover)- Santa Maria Church (on the way to Vigan)
- Checked in at Hotel Salcedo de Vigan (highly recommended, 1min walk to Calle Crisolog, near Grandpa's Inn. Staff were super helpful and friendly. They gave me an extra bed for the yaya for free pa)
- Lunch at Cafe Uno
- Kalesa Tour (Bantay Bell Tower, Crisologo, Syquia and Burgos Museums, Calle Crisologo, Parks)
- Binatbatan Street Dance Festival along Calle Crisologo
- Dinner at Cafe Leona
Day 2: Vigan and Pagudpud- Took a trike to Baluarte, Pagburnayan and Hidden Garden. P150 per hour yung trike and we spent 2 hours
- Lunch at Bistro Amarillo
- Checked out and drove to Pagudpud after lunch (2.5 hours plus stopovers)
- Cape Bojeador
- Kapurpurawan Rock Formation
- Checked in at Apo Idon in Saud Beach
Day 3: Saud Beach (water was a lot calmer than Blue Lagoon pero biglang lalim so sa shore lang kami ng kids. Not so much seaweeds when we were there, in some areas lang)
- Swimming in the morning
- Lunch at Bergblick (suuuuper yummy food!)
- Bangui Windmills
- Swimming the whole afternoon til night
- Dinner at Emohruo
NOTE on food: In Saud Beach, matagal talaga ang mga orders. It took both Apo Idon and Emohruo aroudn 45 mins to bring our food out after ordering. So make sure you order way in advance.
Day 4: Blue Lagoon- Swimming in the morning
- Checked out and checked in at Hannah's
- Patapat Viaduct
- Paraiso ni Anton (we just stopped by the road and looked at it for 1 minute kasi it wasn't really nice)
- Timmantang Rock
- Bantay Abot (high tide so we just took photos and didn't go to the cave. btw, no parking area sa Bantay Abot)
- Swimming at Blue Lagoon in the afternoon. The waves were wild but since mababaw lang kahit malayo na sa shore, okay lang. The kids and I stayed near the shore lang while hubby got thrashed by the waves
- Dinner at Kapuluan Vista (The food was sooooooo good! And the place looked so nice. Nakakasad pagbalik sa Hannah's. Hahaha!)
NOTE on Hannah's: I would NEVER recommend this place unless you really need to be close to the beach. Ang pangit ng rooms (to think we got the deluxe with 2 double beds). The bathroom was yuck kasi isang room lang na magkasama ang toilet and bath. The whole room wreaked of detergent smell, ang sakit sa ilong. Plus the food was so expensive. We were supposed to stay at Casa Consuelo but changed last minute kasi it would be hassle to have to drive to the beach and back with the 2 kids and me preggy. Next time, di bale nang magdrive, I will stay at Kapuluan Vista and shower nalang at Hannah's.
Day 5: Pagudpud & Laoag- Swimming again the morning sa beach and pool
- Checked out and drove to Laoag (1.5hours)
- Pasuquin Bakery
- St Andrew Church at Bacarra
- Checked in at Balay Blas (we got the suite sa top floor, super ganda. It's was HUGE! 1 bedroom, sala, bar and the bathroom was really big too)
- Lunch at Saramsam
- Toured Laoag: Santa Monica Church and Marcos Museum in Sarrat, Sinking Bell Tower, Tobacco Monopoly and photo ops in the park with the Laoag City Hall, etc. We parked at the Bell Tower and walked to the park lang
- Dinner at Saramsam again
Day 5: Paoay & Batac- Relax lang in the morning at the room and left to tour around 11am
- Ilocos Museum at La Tabacalera
- Lunch at Johnny Moon
- Fort Ilocandia, Paoay
- Malacanang of the North, Paoay
- Marcos Mauseleum in Batac
- Merienda at Batac Empanadahan
- Paoay Church
- Paoay Sand Dunes for 4x4 and sandboarding (hubby and my 7yo lang). We were there around almost 6pm so perfect yung time kasi not hot and we got to see the sunset.
- Went back to Paoay Church to see it at night (both day and night view are beautiful)
- Dinner at Cafe Herencia
Day 6: Drove back to Manila (9.5 hours plus 2.5 hours stopover)- Stopover at Vigan for pasalubong shopping
- Passed by Halo-Halo de Iloko at La Union for early dinner
