Northern Luzon

Northern Luzon: the hill city of Baguio, the Banaue rice terraces, Sagada's hanging coffins, the Spanish colonial town of Vigan, the Ilocos Norte dunes and the Batanes Islands.

Northern Luzon covers the northern part of the Philippines' largest island, Luzon, including the Cordillera highlands, the Ilocos coast and the Batanes Islands at the far north. Quite unlike the island-resort atmosphere of the south, it centers on mountain cultures and colonial heritage. The Cordillera has Baguio (the summer capital, a cool hill city with markets), the Ifugao rice terraces of Banaue and Batad (a World Heritage site, two thousand years old), and Sagada's hanging coffins and cave exploring. On the northwest Ilocos coast are the Spanish colonial stone houses and calesa-lined streets of Vigan's historic city (a World Heritage site), the Baroque church of Paoay, off-road rides on the Laoag sand dunes, and the windmill-lined coast of Pagudpud. The Batanes Islands at the far north are known for rolling grasslands, stone houses and sweeping sea views, and are called "the New Zealand of the Philippines." The classic route takes an overnight bus from Manila to Banaue–Sagada–Baguio over 5–6 days, or heads north along the Ilocos coast to Vigan–Laoag–Pagudpud over 4–5 days; Batanes requires a separate flight from Manila and 3–4 days. Mountain roads are winding and long, and landslides are frequent in the rainy season, so build in flexibility.

Destinations

• Baguio
• Banaue & Sagada
• Vigan
• Ilocos Norte
• Batanes

Itineraries

• 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.
• Ilocos Coastal Road – Fly into Laoag, head north to the Pagudpud beaches, then south via Paoay to the old town of Vigan.
• Batanes Grasslands and Stone Houses Route – Cover the north and south loops of Batan Island and the Sabtang stone house villages in four days, leaving one day for…
• Baguio and La Union Mountain & Sea Route – A short route heading north from Manila to the pine-forested mountain city of Baguio, then down to the surf beaches of…