Ilocandia Tour: Day 2 Pagudpud

Pagudpud, Ilocos Sur


The minibus ride from Laoag to Pagudpud took almost 3 hours due to the massive road rehabilitation in Ilocos Norte. We got a lot of stop over surprises; from one way road repairs to other fellow passengers buying fish from a road vendor.  Good thing the ever famous tour guide Kuya Arnel was patient enough to wait for us.

Kuya Arnel's Tricycle

I have read a lot of positive feedbacks about Kuya Arnel from other travel blogs and I agree with all of them. He's very nice and accommodating and thanks to him my husband and I got a lot of  lovely photos together.

Very clean
Town of Pagudpud

  

It was really windy and already drizzling when we started our way to Blue Lagoon but as we descent to the beach I wished that we have more time to enjoy the breath taking scenery. 

Blue Lagoon

The beach is a long stretch of powdery white sand and crystal blue waters which according to Kuya Arnel gets calmer and bluer during the summer.

Bantay Abot Cave

Our next stop is the Bantay Abot Cave which is just a few minutes away from Blue Lagoon.

Kaibigan Falls

Kaibigan Falls

My favorite part of the tour was the 45 minutes trek to Kaibigan Falls. We have to pay 10 PHP environmental fee and a tour guide fee of 100 PHP. The trek was a series of thick forests and little creeks.

We passed by some fresh buko juice  and carioca vendors along the way and decided to buy afterward which we regret when we got hungry on our way to the falls.

Patapat Viaduct

The last stop of the north bound tour was Patapat Viaduct, one of the most important bridges in Ilocos Region. The bridge connects Ilocos Norte and Cagayan Provinces and was constructed to lower the landslide problems in the area. Now it is one of the tourist's main attractions in Pagudpud.

Related Links:

Ilocandia Tour 2011 ITINERARY

Ilocandia Tour: Day 1 Laoag City

Ilocandia Tour 2011 ITINERARY

Day 1 DECEMBER 28 Travel from Manila to Laoag
11:00 AM ETD in Manila
11:30 PM ETA in Laoag
11:40 PM Check in @ UKL Ever Hotel, Laoag
12:00 PM dinner and rest for the night

Day 2 DECEMBER 29 Site Seeing in Pagudpud
7:00 AM ETD in Laoag
9:20 AM ETA in Pagudpud
9:30 AM Start Northbound tour w/ Mang Arnel
               Patapat Viaduct
               Aqua Grande
               Paraiso ni Anton
               Timangtang Rock
               Bantay Abot Cave
               Blue Lagoon Beach
               Kaibigan Falls
12:30 NN Lunch
1:00 PM Start Southbound Tour with Mang Arnel
                Pagudpud Ark
                Bangui Windmill
                Bangui Valley
               Cape Bojeador Lighthouse
               Kapurpurawan Rock Formation
5:00 PM Leave for Vigan via Laoag
6:30 PM ETA Laoag 
8:00 PM ETA in Vigan
8:30 PM Check in @ Grandpa's Inn
               Dinner and Visit Calle Crisologo


Day 3 DECEMBER 30 Site Seeing in Vigan
6:00 AM Breakfast
7:00 AM Leave for Baluarte
8:30 AM ETA in Baluarte
9:30 AM Leave for Hidden Garden
10:30 AM Back to Grandpa's Inn to wash up

12:00 PM Lunch  
1:00 PM Visit the following:
              Calle Mena Crisologo
              St. Paul's Cathedral
              Burgos National Museum
              Crisologo Museum
               Bantay Belfry
               Abel-Iloco Weavers
               Pagburnayan Jar Factory
               Empanada Makers
               Archbishop's Palace
               Mira Hills Eco-Park
               Vigan Longganisa Makers
               Syquia Mansion
               Plaza Burgos
               Plaza Salcedo
               Antique Furniture Makers
               Arce Mansion
               Buridek Children’s Museum
5:00 PM Check out @ Grandpa's Inn Leave for Manila
6:00 PM ETA in Laoag
          
Day 4 DECEMBER 31 Arrival in Manila
3:00 AM ETA in Manila


Money Matters:
Computation good for 2... Total of PHP 10,000
PHP 2400 Round Trip:Manila - Pagudpud and Vigan - Manila
PHP 1000 Pagudpud tour with Mang Arnel
PHP 1000 Grandpa's Inn accommodation in Vigan
PHP 500 UKL Ever Hotel accommodation in Laoag
PHP 1500 Extra Fare money
PHP 2400 Food Allowance  
PHP 1200 Extra Money



Contact Numbers:
Grandpas Inn - website
UKL Ever Hotel - 09995257777, website
Tour Guide: Mang Arnel - 09265880666


Related Links:
Ilocandia Tour: Day 1 Laoag City
Ilocandia Tour: Day 2 Pagudpud

Ilocandia Tour: Day 1 Laoag City

Laoag City, Ilocos Norte

Ilocos can be reached by either bus or plane. Air travel takes about an hour and 25 minutes and 10-14 hours land travel but since air fare would only eat a big chunk of our budget, I have opted for a 10 hours land travel. I think it was very affordable at 600 PHP/head one way and due to the Christmas holiday most of the plane seats are already taken anyway.

We rode a Farinas Trans bus in Sampaloc Manila at exactly 10 am and have waited for an hour for other passengers to occupy the other seats. Certainly traveling by bus was very inexpensive but I think it was one of the longest land travels I have ever experienced. It was very exhausting and uncomfortable ride; good for me I just came off from work the previous night that I almost slept all the way from EDSA to Laoag and was really disappointed with myself from not being able to enjoy the scenery from the bus window. After riding a bus for 12 hours and 30 minutes we arrived in Laoag City at 11:30pm.

UKL Ever Hotel website

We rode a tricycle to UKL Ever Hotel in less than 3 minutes and my husband was surprised when Manong Driver asked for 80 PHP. I agree that it was an overpriced fare and we should have asked for the price before taking the ride but we don’t have a choice then but to shell out the money.  

The hotel was clean and well maintained. The standard room we took was good for 2 pax and has a queen size bed with soft pillows, A/C,

cable Plasma TV and toilet and bath with hot shower. It should have been 900 PHP for 24 hours stay but since we will be checking out the next morning then we got it for only 500 PHP.

I have set my alarm clock at 5:30 in the morning but I woke up 25 minutes before it went off and at exactly 6am we checked out from the hotel.  

After getting some directions from the hotel receptionist we got to the main street and found the sinking bell tower at the heart of the city. 

Built by the Augustinians in 1612, the tower is presently standing at a height of 45 meters and believed to be sinking for about 1 inch annually.

Since we have to be in Pagudpud at 9am for our scheduled tour with Kuya Arnel we didn’t have enough time to see the other tourist’s spots in Laoag City. 

I have no choice but to leave the city with a promise that we will be back some other time to learn more about its wonders and we went to the Laoag Bus terminal grabbed a quick breakfast at a nearby karinderia and hopped on a minibus bound to Pagudpud.

Related Links:
Ilocandia Tour 2011 ITINERARY
Ilocandia Tour: Day 2 Pagudpud

Simple Things

Simple things to be thankful for today, brewed coffee, assorted cookies ...

and American Idol.

I just hope Heejun Han moves on to the top 12...

And my week will be complete!

A Run to Remember

My first and hopefully not my last race was The Condura Skyway Marathon last Feb. 5, 2012 and I truly enjoyed every minute of it.

Thanks to my running buddies from work I was able to survive the 3km run without breakfast and enough sleep. I solely got my strength from my friend’s encouragement and motivation.

And here's what I got at the finish line.