Ilocos Norte

A coastal province in the northwest corner of Luzon, with a World Heritage Baroque church, a windmill coast and northern beaches.

Ilocos Norte lies at the northwestern tip of Luzon, facing the South China Sea, with Laoag as its capital. The San Agustin Church in Paoay, known for its massive buttresses, is part of the Baroque Churches of the Philippines World Heritage listing. The wind turbines along the Bangui coast, the white rocks of Cape Bojeador... Kapurpurawan, 4x4 rides on the La Paz sand dunes and the beaches of Pagudpud are all popular sights, and the local Ilocano cuisine is distinctive too. The dry season from November to May is the best time to go. Laoag International Airport has flights to Manila, and long-distance buses also head north.

Destinations

• Ilocos Norte
• Vigan

Itineraries

• Ilocos Coastal Road – Fly into Laoag, head north to the Pagudpud beaches, then south via Paoay to the old town of Vigan.
• Northern Luzon: Terraces, Mountain Towns and Colonial Old Towns – An overnight bus to Banaue, then the Batad terraces, Sagada and Baguio, ending in Vigan on a Luzon loop.