Vigan, Ilocos Sur

 I first heard of Vigan when I was with a Luzon  tour with my officemates in 2009. The first batch made it to Vigan but the 2nd batch(that includes me) due to a typhoon and a landslide which  made the roads to Vigan impassable went to Baguio and Tagaytay instead.

As the saying goes, we always want what we didn't get, I got more curious of Vigan.

So  when I chanced upon a piso sale to Laoag , Ilocos Norte, which is 2 hours away from Vigan, I immediately asked my mom (who happens to be travel addict like me) to visit the place.

Acording to Wikipedia , it is a  World Heritage Site.  It  is one of the few Hispanic towns left in the Philippines, and famous for its cobblestone streets, and a unique architecture that fuses Philippine and Oriental building designs and construction, with colonial European architecture.

True enough its like being in another timeline...

This reminds me of my mother's ancestral house in Catbalogan, Samar, I wonder if it's still there...

Door bell in the olden times...

sewing machines...

TRAVEL TIP:


We arrived at around 7:00 PM at Laoag and with no hotel reservations we asked the tourism desk officers at the airport for a budget friendly hotel. They showed us a list of affordable accommodations and we chose UKL hotel. The airport has shuttle buses which cost 20 pesos per person.

Laoag Hotel review/ratings 

UKL hotel in Laoag is affordable (700 plus per night), clean, with hot and cold shower and the personnel are friendly.

BUT, I find the bed so uncomfortable. It's just me  because my mom slept soundly.

VIGAN HOTELS

Since I hardly slept in our stay in Laoag, I forego with the adventure of sleeping in

 old mansions or heritage hotels. 

creepy...

The Kutsero pointed us to a place called The Green R hotel. It is near the  bus terminal and the market. I had a good night sleep. Clean rooms, friendly staff, affordable rates.

"We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open." -- Jawaharal Nehru

I Hope to see you again Vigan!