Explore Ilocos
Ilocos is the Spanish colonial Philippines. Vigan is a 400-year-old town with cobblestoned streets and ancestral homes that are still occupied. Paoay Church has been standing since 1710. Inland from the coast, the La Paz sand dunes give you a 4x4 ride through what feels like a different country. The food, particularly the longganisa and the bagnet, is something most Filipinos will quietly tell you is the best in the country.
Trip facts
Starting place: Vigan Ending place: Pagudpud Duration: 6 days, 5 nights Flights: International flights not included. Drive from Manila or domestic flight from Manila to Laoag arranged by us. Best time to go: November through April.
About this trip
This is a six-day trip up the Ilocos coast, designed for travelers who want history, food, and a different visual register from the islands. You start in Vigan, where the architecture, the cuisine, and the slower pace anchor the trip, then move north through Laoag, the La Paz dunes, and Pagudpud, the northernmost beach destination on the mainland. The trip suits travelers who want depth and don't mind a bit of road travel.
Inclusions:
- Hotel accommodation matched to your trip
- Daily breakfast
- All private transfers, with a guide and a driver
- Calesa ride in Vigan 4x4 ride at the La Paz dunes
- All entrance tickets and museum fees
- Domestic flights between Manila and Laoag, or full driving service
- Local guides at heritage sites
- A point of contact reachable any hour, any day, throughout your trip
Not Included:
- International flights
- Additional nights in Manila if needed for connections
- Tips for guides, drivers, and crew
- Food and drinks outside breakfast
- Travel insurance
Things Worth Knowing
This is a road trip. The drives between Vigan, Laoag, and Pagudpud are reasonable but they are part of the experience.
Vigan in peak season, particularly during the Vigan Heritage Festival in May, is busy. We can recommend quieter weeks if you have flexibility.
The La Paz dunes 4x4 ride is bumpy and not for travelers with back issues.
Cancellations within ninety days of departure are not permitted. Rates are per person, based on double occupancy, and subject to change.
Where you stay
Vigan has a few heritage hotels in restored ancestral homes, which are the right call for the trip. They're small, well-run, and built into the architecture. Outside of Vigan, the accommodation is more modern — boutique resorts at Pagudpud, comfortable hotels in Laoag. We match the right ones to your trip.
Arrival in Vigan
Pickup at Laoag airport or arrival by drive from Manila. Drive into Vigan. Check-in at a heritage hotel on or near Calle Crisologo, the most famous of Vigan's cobblestoned streets. Afternoon walk through the heritage zone, with time at the Pagburnayan pottery workshop. Dinner at one of the longstanding Ilocano restaurants.
Vigan
A morning calesa ride through Vigan's quieter streets, with stops at the Bantay Bell Tower and the Crisologo Museum. Lunch at one of the family-run restaurants for a proper Ilocano meal. Free afternoon. Dinner along Calle Crisologo, which closes to traffic in the evening and turns into a pedestrian street.
Drive to Laoag, Paoay
A short drive north to Laoag and onward to Paoay. Visit Paoay Church, an Augustinian church completed in 1710 and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Lunch nearby. In the afternoon, the La Paz sand dunes and a 4x4 ride across the dunes, with stops for photos. Sunset on the coast. Drive to your hotel.
Pagudpud
A drive up to Pagudpud, the northernmost beach destination on the mainland. The Patapat Viaduct is part of the drive. Check-in, then an afternoon at one of the beaches, either Saud or Blue Lagoon. Quiet evening.
Pagudpud or Cape Bojeador
A day open for either a beach day at Pagudpud, a visit to the Cape Bojeador Lighthouse, the oldest in the Philippines, or both. We tailor the day to your interests.
Drive or fly back
A drive south to Laoag for the flight back to Manila, or a longer drive back to Manila depending on how the trip was structured.
We don't sell Ilocos as a fixed itinerary. This is the trip we'd build for travelers who want heritage, food, and the Spanish colonial Philippines. If you want to skip Pagudpud, add more time in Vigan, or pair Ilocos with Banaue and Sagada, that's the conversation we have on the call.
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