Ilocos Sur: How to get to Vigan City: Bus Fare, Commute, Directions, Tours

This is for those of you who are looking for information on how to get to Vigan City – one of the most beautiful places in Ilocos. Vigan is a UNESCO world heritage site, and has also been voted as one of the New7Wonders cities of the world.

Vigan is really rich in culture and full of attractions. I recommend spending at least 2 nights there, so you have enough time to try everything. You can also check these Vigan vacation packages for some nice deals and promos.


How to get to Vigan:

there are a few different ways to get to Vigan from Manila, but the easiest is of course taking a flight to Laoag. Once there, you'll need to endure 2 more hours on a bus, so total travel time should be around 3 hours assuming there are no delays.

If you want to do it backpacker style though, you can definitely catch a bus going from Manila directly to Vigan, or take a connecting line in Baguio.

Commuting from Manila to Vigan directly:

1. The following companies operate the Manila-Vigan line: Partas, Dominion Lines, Maria De Leon, RCJ Bus Lines, Fariñas and Viron.

2. Buses leave from Cubao, Pasay and Manila City (Sampaloc). You should arrive there early to make sure there are tickets left. Both aircon and regular buses are available.

3. Prices range from 600 to 800 depending on bus choice and departure hour.

4. Partas have the best buses, and they also offer a night trip. The night trip takes only 8 hours instead of 10, and it's easier since you can quite comfortably sleep on the way there.


5. You can check Partas bus schedule and book tickets here.


Bus from Baguio to Vigan :

You can follow this post as it's just the reverse way and should still be relevant and up to date.

Generally speaking, there are buses all day long – both aircon and regular. It'll take around 6 hours to get to Baguio from Manila, then another 3-5 hours going to Vigan from there. Exact travel time really depends on your departure time, since traffic can be quite rough in both Manila and Ilocos.

Bus rates are between 350 and 400, depends on your exact choice.
The Bus terminal in Vigan is near the Public Market – just a short tricycle ride from anywhere in the heritage city and Calle Crisologo.

Labels: Ilocos Region, Ilocos Sur, Vigan

So many inquiries in the past on the nearest beach resort to Manila and suggested beach resorts for company summer outing or team building activities but as always, Tutubi does not recommend specific beach resorts as he has no favorites nor even hidden affiliations. You can opt not to do the usual company outing ocular inspection to check beach quality, food tasting, amenities, and overnight room accommodations, just take note of these tips and suggestions.

UPDATED: March 2014

Herewith is only a general recommendation per area though there may be pockets of beaches that don't fit per Tutubi's description with estimated travel time out of Metro Manila and only land travel is considered i.e. no islands nor boat/ferry rides much more airplane rides (for those rich and generous companies)
Beach resorts in Cavite: travel time around 2 hours (even less due to Cavitex)

Tutubi visited Lido Beach Resort in Noveleta, Cavite without much expectation and he's right. The beach there is dirty as it's part of Manila Bay, you can even fish garbage out of the water. The sand is black and usually turns-off most city dwellers looking for a white beach in Cavite. The best beaches in Cavite are those at the southernmost tip of Cavite province with several high-end resorts like Puerto Azul (visited by Tutubi sometime in 1998), Caylabne Bay Resort, Boracay de Cavite

Beach Resorts in Bulacan: Travel Time: around 2-3 hours

not much is known about beach resorts in Bulacan due to it's also part of Manila Bay so if you can find them, expect them to be dirty and unfit for swimming. Bulacan though boasts of several nice resorts with wave pools.

Bataan Beach Resorts: travel time around 3 hours via NLEX

The beaches of Morong Bataan is inside Manila Bay, not that dirty as quite far already from Manila but the sand is fine gray. Reason why it's not that famous. The beaches of Bagac town (where Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar the resort of old houses is located), on the other side of Bataan Peninsula has white sand and good enough for human activities.

Batangas Beach Resorts: travel time varies from 3 hours to 5 hours

In Batangas province you have so many choices from Nasugbu (the nearest to Metro Manila via Tagaytay) but doesn't have real nice beaches and shoreline for swimming.

The much hyped Laiya Beach in San Juan is quite nice but not quite as raved by other people. On one end of the beach is fine sand bit murky and on the other end is the so-called La Luz point, a rocky part where it's nice to snorkel. In between the two is a short strip of fine white sand. Tutubi visited this in 2005 when the popular and pricey Acuatico Beach Resort with it's nice infinity pool is not yet built.

the nice part of the white beach of Laiya, San Juan, Batangas

Lobo Beach resorts, visited by Tutubi in summer of 2012 (unposted yet) does not offer very good beach too as the beach is full of pebbles (but not the same as those in Luna, La Union). They offer great diving experience though as you can see Isla verde from a distance, said to be one of the best dive sites in the country. Calatagan has also has nice beaches while Anilao town has mostly dive resorts catering to scuba divers.

The once famous Matabungkay beach in town deteriorated with too many balsa (bamboo rafts) parked on the shore that make swimming difficult and sometimes dangerous

munting buhangin beach with munting visitors

Nasugbu beaches hold promise with fine sand of Munting Buhangin Beach and nearby beaches where you can see Munting Buhangin Beach Resort, Punta Fuego, Canyon Cove and others.

Quezon Beach Resorts: travel time 4-5 hours

Parts of the beaches of Quezon Tutubi has visited include Sariaya (his first beach experience in "19forgotten" has dark gray sand but the area is good for swimming. Same in Atimonan town but the waves may be a bit dangerous. Up north in the towns of Real and Infanta, the beaches are gray sand, sometimes rocky, and with huge waves as they're facing the Pacific Ocean. The town of Pagbilao has nice white sand beaches though but there may not be enough beach resorts rooms and overnight accommodations for large companies.

Quezon has many islands too with fine white sand beaches that many bloggers hype to be like Boracay (usually exaggerated accounts) and also the southern towns are unexplored by Tutubi.

Zambales Beach Resorts: 3 to 5 hours travel time via NLEX-SCTEx

not so crowded and tourist-infested, the beach of Pundaquit, San Antonio, Zambales

Here you have lots of choices though may be quite far already for some companies. Subic Bay has nice resorts including the once popular White Rock and the pricey Marina Lighthouse Resort. Most of Zambales shoreline has black sand or fine gray sand like those in Pundaquit, San Antonio (where you can have nice yet pricey resorts like Punta de Uian)Pundaquit is the gateway to Anawangin Cove and Capones Island.

Pangasinan Beach Resorts: travel time 4 to 6 hours via NLEX, SCTEx

the backpacker-friendly Patar beach in Bolinao, Pangasinan

Pangasinan is a large province. there are many towns with pockets of nice white sand beaches sandwiched between those with gray sand. Western Pangasinan boasts of nice beaches of Anda, and Bolinao and Tambobong White Beach in Dasol town. In Bolinao beaches you can choose Ilog Malino for safe beach for family outings and the backpacker-friendly Patar beach has fine slightly brownish red sand. Pangasinan also has historic beaches in Mangaldan and Lingayen (where resorts like El Puerto Marina can be found) which played silent witness during the liberation of World War II. The Hundred Islands in Alaminos boasts of several beach resorts for overnight accommodations, some with cheap room rates, even dormitory-type rooms for the budget conscious (but usually without official websites nor any published telephone contact numbers)

Lingayen beach is typical Pangasinan and Zambales: fine gray sand with waves suitable for surfing school

La Union Beach Resorts: Travel time of 5 hours or more via NLEX, SCTEx (but expect this to shorten once TPLEx is completed)

La Union boasts of nice white sand beaches but they're actually popular for one thing: surfing. You can find beach resorts in the towns of Bauan and San Fernando (where the expensive Thunderbird Poro Point is located)

Further up north, lies Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte (where Pagudpud resorts await) that are too far away for most Manila-based companies to consider for summer outing. Not much nice white sand beaches in Ilocos Sur except Sabangan Beach in Santiago, Ilocos Sur (as Tutubi was able to scour most of seaside towns of Ilocos Sur) and probably other towns north of Vigan (unexplored by Tutubi)

Santiago Cove: a hidden treasure of Ilocos Sur, a white sand beach without the crowds

Lastly, if our company summer outing came too late for summer and into the rainy season, you can check out Pansol hotspring resorts in Calamba, Laguna where you can swim to your hearts content without getting out of the hot water due to freezing cold when out of it. :)

This is not a definitive list as Tutubi has yet to fully explore all of them. He may have left out some nice places or gave comments that don't agree with your own.

Labels: Bataan, Batangas, Beaches, Bulacan, Hotels and Resorts, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Luzon, Quezon, Zambales

Tribute post to Gabriela Silang's 248th death anniversary

Just along the national highway in the town of Santa, Tutubi chanced upon a billboard marking the historic pass occupied by Ilocano fighters under the command of Diego Silang, then later succeeded by his wife Gabriela.

Gabriela Silang Park occupies a strategic location overlooking the sea on a promontory, beside Imelda Park (yeah, listed as a tourist attraction in Ilocos Sur website but actually badly maintained with very few people, mostly locals, present).

What can you see in Gabriela Silang Memorial Park? Just a billboard, empty tables and benches for picnics, there's Imelda Park, also with picnic tables (mostly empty), beach nearby, huge trees (probably centuries old or at least heritage ones 50 years or more) and across the highway is Northern Luzon Heroes Hill National Park





a marker nearby states (in Filipino): "dating Pideg at ginawang Diego - Gabriela Silang noong 1976. Ipinagawa ng mga Pransiskano noong 1600. Ginamit noong 1600 sa pag-aalsa nina Andres Malong at nina Diego at Gabriela noong 1762 pagkamatay ni Diego noong May 28, 1763. Ang pag-aalsa ay pinamunuan ni Gabriela, pagkaraan ng ilang sagupaan as sinalakay ng mga kastila and pasong ito. Nadakip si Gabriela at ipinabitay noong setyemre 20, 1763"

The Gabriela Silang Monument near the entrance of Imelda Park (in silhouette) due to late afternoon stop by Tutubi, with the heroine astride on a horse.




the Gabriela Silang Monument at Gabriela Silang Carpark at the corner of Makati Avenue and Ayala Avenue, Makati City

Have you ever wondered if it's really correct to depict Gabriela Silang on a horse with two feet off the ground? Monuments with persons on a horse have meanings :P

---


Location: Santa, Ilocos Sur
GPS Coordinates: N17 27 53.0 E120 26 06.2

Labels: Ilocos Region, Ilocos Sur, National Heroes, Parks, Philippine History

Another Ilocos delicacy, besides Candon Kalamay, peddled on the streets of Vigan is the tinubong, so called as it derives its name from the container, a bamboo tube with an opening at one end and a node at the other, which locals (Ilocano) call tubong, thus the name tinubong. The tinubong comes stuffed inside bamboo poles of about an inch or two in diameter and about a foot in length.

Tinubong beside Candon Kalamay offered by hawkers outside Baluarte

Tinubong is a sticky, sweet delicacy made from glutinous flour, sugar, coconut milk, small strips of buko (young coconut flesh) and sometimes cheese and margarine inserted into the bamboo tube then roasted over charcoal embers (traditionally) or in ovens (in commercial quantities).

tinubong with the sweet stuff exposed when you split the bamboo tube.

You can buy tinubong sold by peddlers, near the Baluarte, city plazas, and other Vigan pasalubong shops in the old heritage city for about PhP20.00 per tube depends on size and your haggling skills.

Related Posts:
Royal Bibingka
Candon Kalamay
Vigan Longganisa
Hidden Garden

Labels: Delicacies, Ilocos Region, Ilocos Sur, Vigan

Just to post about Tutubi's 20 minute visit to Chavit Singson's Baluarte in Vigan (actually part of Caoayan town of Ilocos Sur) before heading the long drive home.

Baluarte is becoming famous stopover for tourists visiting Vigan where people can see and interact with animals on display at the Chavit Singson's mansion cum mini-zoo, with animal interaction scheduled everyday with several wild animals (better left in the wild, Tutubi thinks) . Animals kept at the mini-zoo include pygmy horses, white deers, camels, tigers, various birds, ostriches, and snakes.

Chavit Singson's Balwarte in Caoayan, Ilocos Sur

a dromedary (arabian camel with a single hump) shot around high noon

a pair of white deers resting in the noon shade

After taking a few pictures, Tutubi sped off to Sta. Cruz town then went home.

---

Baluarte Show Schedules

Animal encounters
everyday 11am, 12nn, 4pm
Potbelly Painting: daily at 10am and 2pm

baluarte entrance fee/admission price: none, nada, gratis, free
parking: ample parking spaces, no parking fee
photography: no restrictions, no permits required to shoot

How to get to Baluarte, Caoayan, Ilocos Sur:
From Vigan city proper, just hire a tricycle to take you there, travel time is about 10 minutes. Consider asking tricycle driver to wait for you or pick you up at an appointed time

If you have your own car, just drive down inwards on Quirino Avenue (the street of Petron gas station on the highway) until you see the Caoayan welcome arch where you turn right (on the fork). Drive until you see the Baluarte artwork then choose the right fork (if you missed it and chose left, you'll end up at the Hidden Garden of Vigan)

Coordinates: N17 33 02.1 E120 22 39.1 (useful if you have GPS navigator).
Open Street Map here (trivia: much of Vigan's map, as of posting time, was added by Tutubi with data gathered by his GPS going around Vigan)

Labels: Ilocos Region, Ilocos Sur, Vigan, Zoos

It's part of Filipino culture when there's a trip to buy something for friends and family back home, called pasalubong. In Vigan, Ilocos Sur, there are numerous options for wanderers to buy and bring back home. Of course, you can't bring Vigan Empanada and sinanglao to Manila but there's Candon Kalamay along the way, the tinubong and there's Royal Bibingka made famous by Tongson's, the Home of Original Royal Bibingka

Tutubi saw Tongson's Royal Bibingka on Calle Crisologo but he opted to try the newer Marsha's Delicacies along the national highway in Bantay town,

the counter of marsha's delicacies

How does vigan royal bibingka taste like? it's not like your usual bibingka made from rice fluor (galapong) and it's consitency is nowhere near it. It's sticky, more like cassava pudding (budin) but no cassava.

Now, even if Tongson's Royal Bibingka is the original, some people claim Marsha's version is better, even others claim the relatively new The Sisters Royal Bibingka, located less than a kilometer from Marsha's, is the best.

Vigan Royal Bibingka, Marsha's version. a dozen of these comes in a box for PhP140.00

Be Tutubi's guest, which is the best Royal Bibingka of Vigan of them all: Tongson's Royal Bibingka, Marsha's Delicacies or The Sisters Royal Bibingka?

Tutubi's real question is why are they called royal bibingka? what's the history behind the sweet things? what's the secret ingredient of the secret royal bibingka recipe? is it because it goes well with...well...royal tru orange? :P

---

Royal Bibingka Prices: PhP80.00 small box; PhP 140.00 large box

Marsha's Delicacies
Address: Nat'l Highway, Brgy. Cabalanggan Bantay, Ilocos Sur
Telephone Number: +63.77.722.8119
GPS coordinates: N17 35 17.0 E120 25 08.5

Labels: Delicacies, Ilocos Region, Ilocos Sur, Pasalubong, Vigan

An Ilocos kakanin you usually notice being peddled in the Ilocos Sur capital city of Vigan, Candon Kalamay is a kalamay variant whose recipe consists of the usual kalamay ingredients of sugar, rice flour and coconut meat, with the sticky sweet traditionally wrapped in banana leaves, but now wrapped in plastic strips or polysterene.

Tutubi chanced upon this pasalubong vendor near Baluarte in Caoayan town peddling Candon Kalamay and another Ilocos delicacy (to be posted later). Each packet of Candon Kalamay, wrapped in brown paper, costs PhP20.00 (still expensive for Tutubi)

Candon Kalamay in bite-size portions


Other well-known kalamay variants include, Bohol kalamay, baguio kalamay (popularly known as sundot kulangot), Iloilo kalamay, Nilubyan of Tarlac made from pounded green rice and Mindoro kalamay using grated coconut and flavored with peanut butter or vanilla.

Candon City celebrates Kalamay Festival in March of every year.

Labels: Delicacies, Ilocos Region, Ilocos Sur, Pasalubong

For those planning to go the northbound route to escape the searing summer sun of Manila to celebrate Holy Week, particularly Holy Thursday when Visita Iglesia practice of visiting seven churches, herewith is a suggested Visita Iglesia route and itinerary up north for your reference

From Manila going North to Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte, all along or near the National Highway:

1. Tagudin Church, visit also the nearby sundials

2. Sta. Cruz Church (saw by Tutubi but didn't take photo)

3. Sta. Lucia Church


4. Candon Cathedral (St. John Sahagun Parish), buy candon calamay and chichacorn at the pasalubong stalls. (GPS Coordinates: N17° 11.603 E120° 26.93)

Candon Church's colorful interior

5. Santiago Church (St. James Parish)

6. San Esteban Church

7. Sta. Maria Church --- not to be missed due to it's being inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Church, of of four Baroque Churches of the Philippines of outstanding universal value.
the church bell tower a few feet away from the main church structure

8. Narvacan Church

9. Santa Church

10. Bantay Church (San Agustin Church), picturesque belfry
the facade of San Agustin, Bantay, with a hint of romanesque architecture

11. St. Paul Cathedral and Simbaan a Bassit of Vigan City

If you're going to Pagudpud, don't forget to drop by Paoay Church, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Laoag Cathedral with the sinking belltower. You may also drop by churches of La Union, particularly the Agoo Cathedral.

Others not on Tutubi's list of Ilocos Sur catholic churches:

Alilem, Banayoyo, Burgos, Cabugao, Caoayan, Cervantes, Galimuyod, Gregorio del Pilar (Concepcion), Lidlidda, Magsingal, Nagbukel, Narvacan, Quirino (Angaki), Salcedo (Baugen), San Emilio, San Ildefonso, San Juan (Lapog), San Vicente, Santa Catalina, Santo Domingo, Sigay, Sinait, Sugpon and Suyo

Labels: Churches, Holy Week, Ilocos Region, Ilocos Sur, Visita Iglesia

Watch towers line the vast coastline of the archipelago to act as guard posts against foreign invaders, pirates and slave traders of yore. These watchtowers now serve no purpose but reminds people of their importance in protecting the coastal community. Watch towers in Ilocos Sur can be found in the towns of Santa, and in San Esteban's Barangay Apatot and Bateria but Tutubi was only able to find the one featured in this post (he found, too, the ruins of another watchtower in La Union en route to Manila)

Tutubi's GPS in action in Ilocos Sur

Sought but was not found by Tutubi on his first try by just asking locals, on the second attempt, he used Wikimapia then inputted the coordinates to his Garmin nuvie GPS PDN (personal navigation device) that later guided him correctly to the "missing" watchtower in barangay Bateria, San Esteban, Ilocos Sur on his way from Vigan to Sta. Cruz.

In search of the Bateria watchtower, Tutubi was greeted with a stone structure that's almost completely obscured by a tree, built on the beachfront of Bateria, with Villa Bateria (some sort of beach resort), a pantalan where you can catch a great view of the sea, and a service road that leads to Apatot Beach and the surprisingly beautiful Sabangan Beach of Santiago Cove.

the watchtower seeks "shelter" from a tree that almost hides it completely from view from passersby, nearly missed again by Tutubi if not for his GPS.

bateria watchtower stands guard on the beach of Bateria, San Esteban, Ilocos Sur. here you can find locals taking a swim and using a bamboo raft

Tutubi didn't notice any historical marker near the supposedly "famous tourist spot" of Ilocos Sur. Seems too that the historical landmark is left on its own, where no sentries stand guard to look out for marauding pirates and slave traders to alert townspeople of the impending danger from the sea.

This place should be preserved by the locals if they can't find help from the local or national government.

---

Bateria Watchtower
Barangay Bateria, San Esteban, Ilocos Sur
Coordinates: 17°20'20"N 120°26'21"E

Labels: Ilocos Region, Ilocos Sur, Watchtowers

Tutubi seldom visits a place more than once unless he has to just to use the time to search for something new. He visited Vigan twice, just to check in at two hotels on two different occasions. The first at Green R Hotel and the second at Cordillera Inn on Calle Crisologo.

During his second visit, he got interested in a "secret" garden restaurant outside the city proper, called Hidden Garden in barangay Bulala. Right after checking in at Cordillera Inn, he thought of a light meal of Vigan Empanada not at the Empanadahan which is just a short walk away, but at the Hidden Garden restaurants.

Photos of Hidden Garden Restaurant in Vigan, Ilocos Sur (taken using Tutubi's borrowed iPhone 4 at around 5:30pm so it's getting dark already)



the native grotto inside Hidden Garden, what greets you after the front office going to the restaurant


garden with topiaries, plants and flowers and gardening implements, for sale, byt the way


The dining area with overhanging millionaires vine, near the Lover's Corner







After the Empanada Corner is a pathway to the Secret Garden, Tutubi was greeted by a swarm of mosquitoes here, all but natural for gardens, so be prepared with your mosquito repellants


Hidden Garden's native halo-halo (that Tutubi finds not so good yet not bad at all, gelatin, sweetened banana, sago, cheese, pinipig (rice crispies), wafer stick, ice cream and coconut milk)

So how did Tutubi rate/review Hidden Garden?

Location: far but within reach of the crowd, probably crowded on weekends

Ambiance: relaxing and natural with the garden setting. there's a romantic place with overhanging millionaires' vine near the Lover's corner...for couples :P

Downside: swarm of mosquitoes greeted Tutubi when he tried to enter the garden with trees, only natural for a place, but Tutubi wasn't prepared so he stepped back. Besides, it's already getting dark so taking pictures is almost no use.

Price: empanada, the same at Vigan Empanadahan. others, quite reasonable considering it's location and romantic ambiance.

Customer Service: service was ok with no other people around. Tutubi tried to inquire about hoe to get there by sending a text message to their published contact number (on their official website with several telephone numbers). All he got was a "hu u?" reply and no real asnwer to his question. Hidden garden resutaurant owner should train his/her staff on how to courteously reply to inquiries and provide the requested answer.

others: there are plants and garden items on display and for sale. there's also a souvenir shop and a celebrity corner where pictures of famous visitors to the place are on display.

Overall: it deserves a second look, particularly since Tutubi went there for a only short time and ordered just two items on the menu. Tutubi would love to try out Ilocos Specialties and delicacies next time.

Hidden Garden Menu prices featuring Vigan Specialties:



Vigan Bagnet: PhP150.00
Vigan Longganiza: P150.00 (6 pcs)
Sinanglao: PhP130.00
Warek-warek: PhP130.00
Poqui-poqui (or poki-poki): PhP90.00
Dinengdeng PhP130.00
Igado PhP120.00
Pakbet with Bagnet: PhP100.00

Steam rice: P15.00
Garlic rice: PhP25.00
Filipino breakfast: PhP90.00 (longsilog, bangsilog, tapsilog)
Vigan Empanada: PhP45.00
Native Halo-halo: PhP75.00
Fresh fruit shakes at PhP80.00 - PhP100.00

Notes:

How to get to Hidden Garden:

just ride a tricycle (or calesa if you're a usual tourist) to take you to the secret garden in barangay Bulala, at a corner of the road going to Mindoro Airport (the domestic airport in Vigan) and the service road going to Baluarte zoo of Gov. Chavit Singson in Caoayan, Ilocos Sur. If you have a car, drive by Rizal Avenue, turn right when you see the cemetery that looks like a park, left at the end then ask around :P
(if you have a GPS, coordinates are: N17 33 36.3 E120 21 53.7 (Try OpenStreetMap, it's there on the map added by Tutubi))

Vigan Empanada (an alternative to Vigan Empanadahan at Vigan City center)
Vigan Sinanglao (an alternative to the authentic ambiance of sinanglao breakfast at Vigan Plaza Salcedo.

All photos taken with iPhone 4 (Tutubi loves the new iPhone 4 camera, muchh improved from the old iPhone 3G/3GS).

Labels: Ilocos Region, Ilocos Sur, Restaurants, Vigan, Vigan Restaurants

An old church with a picturesque bell tower built a few meters separate from the main church building, it is a popular stop for visitors of Vigan, the church entrance gate and service road can be seen on the national highway just across the Petron gas station

the bell tower of St. Augustine Church of Bantay, Ilocos Sur

another look at Bantay Church bell tower

the reconstructed facade of San Agustin, Bantay, a hint of romanesque architecture is visible (tip: visit the church in the afternoon to get better lighting for the facade)

the interiors of the church is modern with steel trusses and supports

Note: a registration table near the church entrance can be sighted. Donations are not necessary but the manner in which the two persons manning the donation box implies it's required or they just don't have the right manners to properly ask Tutubi.

St. Augustine Church Mass Schedule:

Daily masses: 5:30am
Saturday: 7am pilgrim mass for Apo Caridad
Sunday mass schedules: 4:30am, 6:30am, 8:30am

Parish Feast days:
January 12 canonical coronation anniversary Nuestra Senora de Caridad
May 5 Bantay Town Fiesta / Conversion of St. Augustine
September (first Sunday) La Naval Fiesta

Lastly, it was also in the town of Bantay where Diego Silang was killed by Vicos, on a street named Encuentro at the town plaza, now named Diego Silang Park. There also used to be a monument to Miguel Vicos at the town square.

Labels: Churches, Ilocos Region, Ilocos Sur

While on the road, Tutubi has difficulty of sleeping and prefers to stay awake and stare at the window always on the lookout for a new discovery, however trivial, for it's always along the way that serendipity strikes or a moment to be seen may be missed.

While slowly traversing a narrow road from Santiago Cove, he noticed patches of vegetables that turned out to be, on closer inspection, tobacco plants, interspersed with corn fields. It's the first time he noticed them up close, hectares and hectares of them planted with the addicting plant made into cigars and cigarettes.

a drive-by picture of a tobacco "killing field" somewhere in Ilocos Sur

tobacco plant picture up close (actually a cropped copy of a drive-by photo)

Trivia: Tutubi doesn't smoke, he didn't even try to puff a stick of cigarette in his life. He only knew how to light one when requested by father to light one for him when he was a child. Noone among his 4 brothers and 2 sisters smoke; good thing his father quit the vice a few years ago.

Tutubi wants the tobacco farmers of Ilocos to shy away from the evil plant by turning to alternative cash crops or other means of livelihood. Cannabis fields (or planting marijuana fields in upland plantations make a lot of money but destroys those who abuse the pot, cannabis is great though as medicine if properly administered)

Lastly, smokers not only endanger their own health but of the other people near them. Cigarette butts, however small and innoccuous-looking, in large quantities clog up drainage in Makati, where supposedly "educated" smokers throw cigarette butts on the sidewalk and everywhere "so that the street sweepers can retain their job." Such logic! :(

Labels: Ilocos Region, Ilocos Sur

Probably the best beach in Ilocos Sur in terms of sand quality, as Tutubi has seen almost all of them, with fine white sand but quite short actually to be developed with numerous beach resorts. Estimated to be slightly more than a kilometer in length, Tutubi saw several cottages, probably for rent, to beach bummers and family picnics and outings, plus an obviously upscale beach resort, reportedly owned by Ilocos Sur Congressman Singson, on the southern end of the crescent moon-shaped beach in Sabangan Cove, Santiago Bay, sometimes called Santiago Cove, in Ilocos Sur.

a hidden treasure of Ilocos Sur, a white sand beach without the crowds



Not too many people on the beach, something Tutubi loves, but probably also due to the time when Tutubi passed by, almost 10 in the morning. No other information on other beach resorts (besides Ilocos Marina Resort Club that Tutubi can't even find official website and contact telephone numbers), overnight accommodations, suitable dive sites and snorkling grounds, island-hopping and other signs of commercial activity, if there's any.

Ilocos Marina Resort Club, the only santiago beach resort sighted by Tutubi, reportedly owned by Congressman Singson

Santiago Cove picture taken from the southern end of the moon-shaped beach

Tutubi recommends this...he's sure that you'll come to love it as it's also less than an hour south of Vigan City. He'll love to stay here longer to swim and stay longer the next time, instead of merely taking a few pictures before going away, as he found it relaxing and not littered with people peddling items, hawking wares or offering "sex on the beach." He loves taking pictures of sunsets and sometimes sunrises, if his inherently lazy bones don't stop him from waking up early.

There you go, Tutubi posted something good about a beach without bashing the crowded and most popular beach down south! :P

---
Sabangan Cove, Santiago Bay, Santiago, Ilocos Sur
Coordinates: 17°17'17"N 120°26'1"E
How to get there: Ride a tricycle from Santiago Church or Santiago Public Market on the national highway. The access road, near the public market, going west (left if you're going to Vigan after passing Santiago town plaza), has directions and signs leading to the place (Santiago Cove).

Santiago celebrates town fiesta on July 25, the fest day of St. James the Great, the patron saint of Tutubi's hometown Paete, Laguna.

Tutubi found this lovely beach during his second trip to Ilocos Sur with the aid of Wikimapia and with the coordinates entered into his Garmin Nuvi 1300 GPS navigator.

Labels: Beaches, Ilocos Region, Ilocos Sur

Tagged as a "pristine beach" in Sta. Maria town of Ilocos Sur, just near the UNESCO World Heritage Site Church of Sta. Maria, is a stretch of fine brownish gray sand beach visible along the national highway where Tutubi took a quick, drive-by picture of the place.

Why is it called Suso Beach?

a drive-by picture of Suso beach in Sta. Maria at around noon...notice the hill with signs of quarrying or landslide?

To answer the question asked earlier, it's probably because it's part of Barangay Suso, not anything dirty you have in mind. There's also Nalvo Beach nearby but Tutubi has no time to look for it, probably next time but not in the near future.

It's not anywhere near pristine as some locals claim but Tutubi would love to have a vacation house near a nice beach far away from it all. No sighting of beach resorts nor house and properties for sale...it's too far from Manila for Tutubi though :P

---

Suso Beach, Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur
Coordinates: 17°21'31"N 120°27'11"E

Labels: Beaches, Ilocos Region, Ilocos Sur

On the way to Vigan where Tutubi wasn't able to find the missing watchtower in the town of Santa, a red brick structure caught his attention that made him stop to look around. What greeted him was a magnificent viewdeck with sweeping vista of the wide Abra River, the twin bridges of Banaoang Bridge (also called Quirino Bridge) and the newer bridge just beside it.

The Banaoang Viewdeck in Santa, Ilocos Sur:

the red brick "watchtower" with vandalisms visible on the national highway beside a high voltage power transmission tower




great view of Abra River. imagine sunrises and sunsets here

Banaoang Bridge with the mountain part of Ilocos Range

the old and new bridge, side by side over Abra River

Quirino Bridge, also called Banaoang Bridge as it's located in Barangay Banaoang, Santa, Ilocos Sur, is no longer used and replaced with a newer bridge. It connects the towns of Santa and Bantay and approximately fifteen minutes away from the heritage city of Vigan.

---

GPS Coordinates of Banaoang Watchtower in Santa, Ilocos Sur
N17 33 24.8 E120 27 43.1

Labels: Bridges, Ilocos Region, Ilocos Sur, Rivers