VIGAN - A VERY VIBRANT CITY

Location:  Ilocos Sur, Region I, Philippines

The Calesa Parking Lot beside Vigan Cathedral

Established towns during the Spanish period in the Philippines followed the same architectural pattern where the church is the center of the town and fronting the church is a plaza. Other structures like the church convent, the municipal hall, parochial school, the market and other public domain structures are just within this vicinity and the residential houses are already on its periphery. Vigan City is one type of town that followed this design.

Vigan Cathedral and its bell tower

The Church and its fastfood vicinity

Part of the Plaza Burgos

Thus, Vigan Cathedral even at present still remains the center of activities of the city. Fronting the cathedral are fastfood outlets like Jollibee and McDonalds bearing fancy and dramatic architectural design. The right side of the cathedral is the queue of “calesas” waiting for tourists for an exhilarating ride in the city.

Just after a sumptuous lunch at Cafe Leona

Tourists are delighted with an array of delectable local cuisine that you will find in the city. In fact, you will not only feast on the attractions that you will see around but also with the fine and dining restaurants as well.

Cafe Leona's Signage

Our group had tried to dine at Café Leona for our sumptuous lunch. We gave the restaurant an overall rating of excellent to include the service, the ambiance, the facility not to mention their highly appetizing gourmet served. It was like a party where there is no tomorrow.

Daddy Jay and Mommy Josie savoring yummy empanada

For our snacks, we tried Vigan’s pride, the empanada in Irene’s Empanada just within the vicinity of the Heritage in which this empanada is emphasized to be the celebration of the Ilocos Sur cuisine.

The historic Plaza Salcedo

Plaza Salcedo is fronting the Vigan Cathedral and on other sides are the City Hall, Jose Burgos Museum and the prominent structure of McDonald and Jollibee.

A lavish dinner at Uno Grill of Grandpa's Inn

Dinner was even great as we dine in at the Uno Grill of Grandpa’s Inn. It was like a big feast where we brought the house down with scrumptious seafoods, We really savored charcoal grilled specialties of fish, seafood and vegetables though they also have grilled pork, chicken and beef. Indeed, that dinner of ours can be considered as real gastronomical treat for all of us. The ambiance was great as it is housed in an original brick wall with a relaxing atmosphere in a garden setting with so many ornamental plants planted in terra cotta jars (burnay).

PAGBURNAYAN IN VIGAN

Vigan City of Ilocos Sur is famous for its Heritage Village, a UNESCO Heritage site. However, tourists who visited Vigan also came to know that the place has high quality jars produced from their pot making industry that dates back to pre-colonial times when Chinese traders who opted to settle in Vigan introduced this craft.

The making of a pot photo courtesy by Leah De Leon in this link .

Tourists who wanted to see this craft can visit Brgy. Pagburnayan of Vigan. Thus, pot making here is called Pagburnayan where the word “burnay” to the locals, is an unglazed earthen jar with small opening. I can still remember when I was still a child since I grew up in Calbayong City of Samar when we used to have a jar to store drinking water and it is quite cold when you drink it even without putting some ice on it. Waraynons call it “bisô” for drinking water storage while the “tadiao” is the bigger one usually a water storage in “pantao/pantaw” or bath room.

Jars for Sale photo courtesy by Leah De Leon

These jars actually vary in sizes. Smaller ones can be used to store brown sugar, bagoong (fermented fish) or “dayok” in Waray, salt, tea drinking and local wine (basi). For the locals, burnay jars are also used in the fermentation of vinegar that comes from the sweet sap of the Arenga Pinnata, a sugar palm tree also known as “kaong.”

I did not visit this attraction in my last three visits to Vigan but I visited it the first time I was here. Unfortunately, by that time, digicam was not yet in use and thus the hard copies of pictures I kept were destroyed by Typhoon Ondoy. For purposes again of providing a one-stop convenience for my blog readers, I included this in my post.

My first visit to Vigan City dated April 29, 2000

VIGAN HERITAGE VILLAGE

Vigan City is indeed a pride of the Philippines as it was hailed as one of the New 7 Wonder Cities of the World with awarding ceremony held in Dubai on December 8, 2014 organized by the 7 Wonders International Organization where Vigan City was among the 1,200 cities from 220 countries nominees when the global search began in 2012. (Updated as of December 8, 2014)

The trip started with a Partas bus overnight trip boarding from its Aurora Boulevard Bus terminal at 9:00 P.M. It was an 8-hour trip arriving Vigan City at 5:00 A.M. the following day and we checked in right away at Green R Hotel located along Alcantara Street of Vigan City, Ilocos Sur. This was actually my fourth time to be in Vigan City.

Vigan Heritage Village: A UNESCO Heritage Site

Whenever I visit Vigan, its Heritage Village is always the first that I would visit. This place is considered as the best-preserved example of a planned Spanish colonial town in Asia which was included on the World Heritage List commemorating its cultural significance in November 1999.

Green R Hotel: An affordable accommodation in Vigan

Records revealed that this village was established in the 16th century when trade and community activity started to flourish along the Mestizo River, lasting up to the 19th century. The name “Vigan” was derived from a giant taro plant “biga” that grew abundantly along the riverbanks.

Wood carvings and crafts for sale

Looking at these old houses, you will see that they are made of adobe, pebbles, brick and posts. But these materials were not from the Philippines since they were brought from Europe through the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade. On the other hand, the construction works of these houses were done by Chinese laborers which is evident on their architectural design that reflects a unique fusion of Spanish European and Chinese culture.

Getting intimate with a horse of a calesa at rest

Strolling around the village, you will notice the cobble-stoned streets frequented by calesas or caruwaje carrying the mesmerized and excited tourists.

Calesa, by the way, is a ride pulled by a horse which is an alternative transport along the heritage and any part of Vigan City, During the Spanish era, calesa, is a ride used by common people while the Illustrados would normally have their prestigious “Caruwaje” A caruwaje is well-decorated also pulled by a horse normally with curtains, too.

Apparels, accessories and crafts for sale

Of course, it is really exciting to ride in a calesa. But walking through cobble-stoned streets of the village, will give one the opportunity to experience the place at its best getting all the details of the glorious past.

A furniture for sale

This village is indeed a proof that once for 333 years, our country has been colonized by the Spaniards and this is somewhat a remnant and legacy that the Spaniards left us from their glorious past in the Philippines.

Tourism industry in Vigan is so vibrant and they capitalized much on the rich historical value of the Heritage Village by housing souvenir shops and cafes. The shops sell Ilocos’ elegant and fancy ornaments which are beyond perfection in appearance.

While on souvenir shops hopping

Delicious and delectable local cuisine and delicacies and antique furniture and fixture are also being sold within the area.

Our group also tried to eat Vigan’s pride – the empanada in Irene’s Empanada just within the vicinity of the Heritage in which this empanada is emphasized to be the celebration of the Ilocos Sur cuisine.

Nightlife in Heritage Village

One may also consider to visit Heritage Village in the evening to witness its truly stunning ambiance most particularly to honeymooners where they would find this place to be truly romantic.

The Vigan Heritage Village also has some modern additional buildings. But despite the modernization of these establishments, their architecture is still correlated to how the Spanish constructed the houses centuries ago. Fastfood restaurants such as McDonald’s can be seen in this place and you’ll be amazed that they are constructed just like the Spanish houses.

HOW TO GET THERE

Take a bus from Manila via Partas, Dominion, Philippine Rabbit by 9 – 10 hours to Vigan City for a distance of 404 kilometers and another 10 minutes drive from the heart of Vigan City to Baluarte. Partas Transportation Company offers the best and comfortable ride with its air-conditioned buses equipped with only three seats across and have better reclining positions. You may check this link for Partas bus operation schedule

Alternatively, through by air which is flying from Manila to Laoag International Airport for three times a week for 70 minutes either by Cebu Pacific or Philippine Airlines. Laoag City is 2 and a half hours or 82 kilometers away from Vigan City.

PAGUDPUD MUNICIPAL BEACH PARK

Location:  Saud, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte

Updated:  November 2019

When we hear the word “Pagudpud,” we always associate it with those white beaches of Ilocos Norte dubbed as the "Boracay of North," not knowing that Pagudpud is a fourth class municipality and a coastal resort town of Ilocos Norte province, in the northern Ilocos Region of the Philippines, a part of Luzon mainland with a total land area of 194.90 km2 (75.25 sq mi) consisting of 16 barangays. It has previously been a part of its neighboring town of Bangui.

Saud long stretch of white beach during my first visit

Maira-ira Beach is the northernmost tip of Luzon Island located 18°39′4.44″N 120°50′46.68″E. There are no ATM"s in Pagudpud. The nearest ATM is in Pasuquin which is about 1 and 1/2 hours from Pagudpud. Since Pagudpud is blessed with white sand beaches, then tourism is partly a significant part of its growing economy.

The Blue Lagoon Beach of Maira-ira photo courtesty by Beach Resort Philippine website
The following pictures were taken during my November 2019 visit.

The bridge leading to Pagudpud town

Windmills can also be seen as a backdrop of Pagudpud beach coast

A captured scenic beach in the afternoon

An idyllic sunset in Pagudpud

So, it is safer to say that most of the long stretch of white beach of Pagudpud is in Saud where it is called a Municipal Beach Park and other coastal barangays of the municipality. Saud is actually one of the 16 barangays of Pagudpud. And along Saud are a number of resorts like Polaris Beach House, Terra Rika Beach and Dive Resort, Saud Beach Resort and Hotel, Evangeline Beach Resort and many others. If you want to stay for an overnight or longer in the pristine beaches of Pagudpud, you may choose an array of accommodations in this link or simply have this link for reservation.

While enjoying my moment at Saud Beach Resort

Comparing the beaches of Pagudpud, it is not as white and fine as the sand of Boracay but it offers almost the same excitement for beach lovers.

A closer glimpse of the white sand of Saud Beach

One should also know that Pagudpud has a water falls in the name of Kabigan Falls located in Barangay Pancian where this one can be trekked for a maximum of 40 minutes to reach the spot through a very easy trail. The falls itself has a strong current and is spectacularly beautiful at dusk which has a separate blog post here.  There is also the Mabaga Water Falls which I did not visit yet. 

Kabigan Falls photo courtesy by Arianne and Ahrel Goes Blogging

Pagudpud Beach by night