Vigan
The Mestizo District, or Kasanglayan ('where the Chinese live'), is a grid of streets hemmed in between Plaza Burgos and Liberation Blvd and bisected by…
Must-see attractions in North Luzon
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North Luzon
The most accessible part of the area's immense 25km limestone cave complex is the seven-chambered Callao Cave. The cave is reached by 184 slippery steps…
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Baguio
This superb museum dedicated to the life, times and work of artist Benedicto Reyes Cabrera (BenCab) is as fascinating as the man himself. The gallery is a…
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North Luzon
Nineteen kilometres southwest of Laoag is North Luzon’s most famous church. Unesco World Heritage–listed Paoay Church was built in classic earthquake…
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Baguio
This campus museum is run by Isekias 'Ike' Picpican, one of the country’s foremost authorities on the history and culture of the Cordillera people. You…
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Baguio
A Japanese internment camp for Allied prisoners of war in WWII, and then a US military rest-and-recreation facility, 246-hectare Camp John Hay has been…
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Baguio
Nine traditional Ifugao homes and two Kalinga huts were taken apart then reassembled on the side of a hill at this artists colony. Spending the night in…
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North Luzon
This small national park off the coast of Alaminos, 35km southeast of Bolinao, actually consists of 123 separate islets (some are just large rocks). Over…
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Vigan
Prior to the arrival of the Spanish, Chinese settlers pioneered a still-active pottery industry. You can visit a couple of pottery factories on Gomez St…
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La Nuestra Señora de La Asuncion Parish Church
Vigan
A Unesco World Heritage Site 38km south of Vigan, this massive baroque structure built in 1769 is unique. It has an imposing brick facade and sits alone…
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Vigan
This church was built in ‘earthquake baroque’ style (ie thick-walled and massive) after an earlier incarnation was damaged by quakes in 1619 and 1627. The…
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Padre José Burgos National Museum
Vigan
Built in 1788, this museum is in the ancestral home of Father José Burgos, one of the three martyr priests executed by the Spanish in 1872. It houses an…
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Vigan
This branch of Vigan's Padre José Burgos National Museum, located 11km north of Vigan in Magsingal, displays an absorbing collection of Ilocano relics. An…
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Vigan
The Crisologos, Vigan’s most prominent political dynasty, have converted their ancestral home into this strangely compelling family shrine. In addition to…
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North Luzon
Located along the coast near Laoag, the seemingly endless sand dunes sprawl south all the way to Paoay. Access is easiest to the La Paz stretch, only 15…
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North Luzon
Built by the Augustinians in 1609, the Church of St James in the town plaza is notable for its Mexican influences. On its antique altar are two Aztec-like…
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North Luzon
In a peaceful location next to the scenic Paoay Lake, the opulent former estate where the Marcos family spent their holidays is open to the public. The…
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North Luzon
Estimated to be at least the second-longest cave system in the country at 12.5km (it still hasn’t been explored to its terminus), Odessa-Tumbali Cave is…
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Baguio Mountain Provinces Museum
Baguio
This museum is a great introduction to the Igorot ('mountain people') of the Cordillera and the harmful 'savage highlander'/'cultured lowlander' divide,…
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North Luzon
Paradisical Blue Lagoon holds Luzon’s whitest sand and bluest waters but the large-scale development here has eaten up a big part of the beach and it's…
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University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute
North Luzon
By far the best use of your time in Bolinao is a visit to this research facility–cum–visitor centre. Researchers at the institute's laboratory cultivate…
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North Luzon
In secluded Caunayan Bay, this memorial commemorates the mission of American submarine USS Stingray, which delivered weapons to Ilocano guerrillas, thus…
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North Luzon
Housed in the historic Tabacalera warehouse, the snazzy Museo Ilocos Norte is one of the better ethnographic museums in the Philippines. It houses a large…
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Vigan
It's worth stopping in Badoc, halfway between Vigan and Laoag (about an hour by bus), for a peek inside the restored ancestral home of Juan Luna, arguably…
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North Luzon
Kabigan Falls is 120m of crashing white water and a cool, clear pool for swimming. It's accessible via group tours run by all hotels or via private…
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North Luzon
A wonderful spot for surfing, Liw-liwa is a beautiful stretch of volcanic-pumice-strewn beach just south of San Felipe, which is 5km north of San Narciso…
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North Luzon
Oriented for perfect sunsets, this wide grey-white beach with lapping waves is strewn with colourful fishing bangka. Add to this a view of Capones Island…
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North Luzon
A basic museum that tells the history of Aurora Province, mostly via photos of the life of former First Lady Dona Aurora who was born in Baler; she gave…
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North Luzon
The house where Ferdinand Marcos was born on 11 September 1917 takes pride of place in the small village of Sarrat, 15km east of Laoag. Displays embellish…
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North Luzon
Built in 1611, this pretty church became the garrison of 50 Spanish soldiers in 1898 as they were besieged by hundreds of Filipino freedom fighters. The…
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Vigan
The Syquia Mansion is filled with old furniture and exhibits dedicated to the life of Vigan native Elpidio Quirino, the Philippines’ sixth president…
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Baguio
Established by the Spanish Jesuits in 1907, the Lourdes Grotto sits at the top of 252 steps in the hilly western part of town. From the top, there’s a…
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North Luzon
Accessible only by boat or on foot (five hours from Pundaquit), this stunning arc of white-ash sand can get packed with visitors from Manila, but if you…
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North Luzon
This is a dazzling long arc of white sand that shimmers into a perfect swimming pool of blue sea. There's a big selection of accommodation here, but it's…
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North Luzon
In between the sleepier beaches of Liw-liwa and Pundaquit, just west of the town of San Narciso, La Paz is the busiest and most built-up part of this…
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North Luzon
You can sleep under the stars on hourglass-shaped Capones Island, a 25-minute bangka (outrigger canoe) ride from the fishing village of Pundaquit, just a…
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Vigan
The Museo San Pablo, behind the altar of St Paul Cathedral, is a good place to see old santos (religious statues). Make sure to have a look at the…
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Vigan
Every night at 7.30pm during peak tourist season, the fountain in the middle of Plaza Salcedo bursts into a music and light show. It gets crowded and is…
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North Luzon
Laoag's main architectural attraction is the Sinking Bell Tower, with what is presently a hobbit-sized doorway. Built by Augustine friars to accommodate…
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North Luzon
At the far end of Blue Lagoon, Dos Hermanos is a pair of easily accessible offshore islands with great snorkelling. Local legend claims the islands are…
