Search this site:

Links

About This Blog
Flight chronicles of the backpacker Tutubi, with travelogues, pictures/photos/videos, travel guides, independent and honest reviews, affordable, recommended resorts and hotels (including inns, guesthouses, pension houses, lodges, hostels, condotels, bed and breakfast and other cheap accommodations), commuting guides, routes (sometimes street maps and GPS coordinates/waypoints) and driving directions to answer "how to get there" questions, information and tips on tourism, budget travel and living in Philippines, Exotic Asia and beyond!

Backpacking, independent travel, and flashpacking are cheaper than the "cheapest package tours" and promotional offers around but you can also use travel information for family vacations, even romantic honeymoon destinations.

More than the usual tourist spots and "places to see," this blog advocates heritage conservation, environmental protection, and history awareness for Filipinos, foreigners, and ex-pats wishing to explore Paradise Philippines and Exotic Asia!
CATEGORIES
Highly Urbanized Cities

  • Angeles City
  • Bacolod City
  • Baguio City
  • Butuan City
  • Caloocan City
  • Cebu City
  • Cagayan de Oro City
  • Davao City
  • Dagupan City
  • Gen. Santos City
  • Iligan City
  • Iloilo City
  • Lapu-lapu City
  • Las Pinas City
  • Lucena City
  • Makati City
  • Malabon City
  • Mandaluyong City
  • Mandaue City
  • Manila City
  • Marikina City
  • Muntinlupa City
  • Olongapo City
  • Paranaque City
  • Pasay City
  • Pasig City
  • Puerto Princesa City
  • Quezon City
  • San Juan City
  • Tagaytay City
  • Taguig City
  • Tacloban City
  • Valenzuela City
  • Zamboanga City

  • Philippine Provinces
  • Abra
  • Agusan Del Norte
  • Agusan Del Sur
  • Aklan
  • Albay
  • Antique
  • Apayao
  • Basilan
  • Bataan
  • Batanes
  • Batangas
  • Benguet
  • Bohol
  • Bukidnon
  • Bulacan
  • Cagayan
  • Camarines Norte
  • Camarines Sur
  • Camiguin
  • Catanduanes
  • Cavite
  • Cebu
  • Compostela Valley
  • Davao Del Norte
  • Davao Del Sur
  • Dinagat Island
  • Eastern Samar
  • Guimaras
  • Ifugao
  • Ilocos Norte
  • Ilocos Sur
  • Kalinga
  • Isabela
  • La Union
  • Laguna
  • Lanao del Norte
  • Lanao del Sur
  • Leyte
  • Maguindanao
  • Marinduque
  • Masbate
  • Misamis Occidental
  • Misamis Oriental
  • Mountain Province
  • Negros Occidental
  • Negros Oriental
  • Northern Samar
  • Nueva Ecija
  • Nueva Vizcaya
  • Occidental Mindoro
  • Oriental Mindoro
  • Palawan
  • Pampanga
  • Pangasinan
  • Quezon
  • Rizal
  • Romblon
  • Samar
  • Saranggani
  • Siquijor
  • Sorsogon
  • South Cotabato
  • Southern Leyte
  • Sulu
  • Surigao Del Norte
  • Surigao Del Sur
  • Tarlac
  • Tawi-tawi
  • Zambales
  • Zamboanga Del Norte
  • Zamboanga Del Sur
  • Zamboanga Sibugay


  • Airlines
  • Airports
  • Architecture
  • Art
  • Beaches
  • Bridges
  • Casinos
  • Caves
  • Churches
  • Delicacies
  • Ferries
  • Festivals
  • Flora and Fauna
  • Golf Courses
  • History
  • Hotels and Resorts
  • Jose Rizal
  • Lighthouses
  • Mosques
  • Museums
  • National Artists
  • National Heroes
  • National Cultural Treasures
  • Parks
  • Public Transportation
  • Restaurants
  • Rivers
  • Seaports
  • Spanish Forts
  • Volcanoes
  • Watchtowers
  • Waterfalls
  • World War II

  • Philippine Tourist Spots
  • Boracay
  • Clark
  • Corregidor
  • Subic
  • Follow/Affiliations


    Ilocos Sur: Vigan's Hidden Garden Restaurant is a Secret No More!

    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 ilocos sur 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: , , , ,


    posted by GingGoy @ 8:08 PM,

    6 Comments:

    At Mar 17, 2011, 5:53:00 PM, Blogger Eun said...

    the 'hu u' text is funny. :D i did receive that kind of text once. from then on, i always go for landline or call them in their mobile phones. hehe

    i never got to like the vigan empanada. :( it's too oily for my taste. maybe, i'm just used with the empanada here in cebu.

     
    At Mar 18, 2011, 1:03:00 AM, Anonymous Traveler on Foot said...

    What's poqui-poqui? :-)

     
    At Mar 18, 2011, 5:07:00 AM, Anonymous bw said...

    really nice... fresh atmosphere, clean air and great native food... and more importantly, great prices ;)

     
    At Mar 23, 2011, 12:54:00 AM, Anonymous Anna said...

    Hi – my name is Anna Dewinter and I work for www.purecontent.com . We are a leading provider of quality blog articles.



    We would like to offer you some free of charge, unique content in the form of a guest post written specifically for your site. This is a genuine offer that could help both our sites, so if you are interested, please read on . . .



    We have a team of experienced copywriters with a breadth of specialist knowledge on a diverse range of subjects, ensuring we are well informed to cover any topic.



    The article can be on a subject of your choice. Once you have chosen a topic, we commission our team of writers to write a bespoke post directly related to your site/ blog that will be back to you within two weeks, free of charge and guaranteed to be unique and not published anywhere else on the internet.



    You will have complete editorial control with no requirement to publish the content on your site unless you are entirely happy with it.



    All we ask is that you allow us to include a text link to one of our websites in or under the body of the text. This is how we would benefit.



    Please let me know what you think. If you have any questions or queries please email me using this address or you can call me on +44 1692 407932.

    I look forward to hearing from you.



    Kind regards,



    Anna



    Anna Dewinter

    Writer Manager

    www.purecontent.com



    Tel: +44 (0)1692 407932



    Disclaimer : This e-mail message (and its attachments) may contain confidential,

    proprietary or legally privileged information and is intended only for the

    individual named addressee. You should not review, disseminate, distribute or

    copy this e-mail. Please notify the sender immediately by e-mail if you have

    received this e-mail by mistake and delete this e-mail from your system. E-mail

    transmissions cannot be guaranteed to be secure or error-free as information

    could be intercepted, corrupted, lost, destroyed, arrive late, incomplete or

    contain viruses. The sender therefore does not accept liability for any errors

    or omissions in the contents of the message.

    STTB1

     
    At Nov 2, 2011, 3:29:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

    LIKE

     
    At Nov 2, 2011, 3:36:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

    .........this place is really amazing and it so very beautiful.....

     

    Post a Comment

    << Home