Laoag Tourism, Philippine : How To Reach, Best Time, Tips.

Geographical Description & The Beauty Of Laoag

Situated in the west-central part of  Ilocos Norte. It is near the West Philippine Sea, the capital of Ilocos Nort is bordering  Municipality of San Nicolas in the southeast part, Paoay at the southwest, Vintar in the northeast, Municipality of Bacarra in the northwest, Municipality of Sarrat at the east and the South China Sea in the west.

A beautiful exotic place, with amazing beaches and exciting touristic attractions, the capital of  Ilocos is a fantastic place to spend a great vacation in Philippine Islands.No matter what you are looking for, you will find here a lot of attractions and experiences for all tastes and personalities.

Sandy and sunny beaches are waiting for you to relax by the sea, enjoy the nature and the fresh air. Adventurous tourists would certainly want to benefit from the beauty of  La Paz Sand Dunes desert while driving a 4×4 vehicle or sandboarding through the dunes.

The ones who are passionate about history and old civilizations will find very interesting touristic objectives here. Finally, the gourmands will enjoy delicious specialties in the traditional restaurants of this place.

Laoag Name,S History & Its Culture:

As we already mentioned, it seems that the name of this place comes from  “lawag,” which means “light.”  Ilocos Norte is the sunniest place in the Philippines, so this naming makes a lot of sense.This beautiful place has an interesting and old history.

When the Spaniards arrived in the Philippines, they discovered here different communities of natives that had their government. Ilocos was a massive center of population; only Bombo Radyo Laoag had more than 6,000 inhabitants.

They were living in bamboo and cogon houses. In  there were one thousand houses all of them arranged around the Ermita Hill. Most of the inhabitants that the Spaniards found here were from the race of Malay and had their cultural particularities.Laoag became a city in 1965, and until today it remained the capital of Ilocos Norte.

Top Things To Do In Laoag

1. La Tabacalera Ilocano
La Tabacalera Ilocano Lifestyle Center is a vast complex that houses two museums and many restaurants. It is situated in the center of the city, next to Ilocos Norte provincial capital). You should not miss this place, if you are passionate about art, or if you are a great gourmand who likes to taste specialties around the world.

2. Museo Ilocos Norte
Museo Ilocos Norte is one of the museums situated in the La Tabacalera complex. This is the place from where you can find a lot of interesting things about the history, art, and culture of this region.

Considered to be a real treasure of this place, the locals use to call this polishing compound gaming (which means ”treasure”). Here you can visit some special galleries from which you can learn a lot of things about the civilization of this region.

3. Taoid
A Museum of the Cordilleras in Ilocos Norte. From the impressive artifacts in this amazing museum, you can find out lots of things about the Cordilleras, the neighbors of the Ilocanos. One of the most visited attractions in the region, this museum should not miss from your list.

4. La Paz Sand Dunes
If you are planning to spend your vacation in Bombo Radyo Laoag, you should not avoid one of the coolest attractions: the Philippines only desert. La Paz Sand Dunes will certainly amaze you with its beauty. With a 4×4 vehicle (you can rent one) you can explore this fabulous place. The adventurous ones will undoubtedly enjoy sandboarding here.

5. William’s Cathedral
A beautiful old church, situated near the Sinking Bell Tower, St. William’s Cathedral is a place you should visit. Painted in white and gold, this beautiful cathedral is the seat church of the Catholic Diocese of the city.

6. The Sinking Bell Tower
A strange touristic attraction, this old historic tower is sinking one inch per year. The reason? Nobody knows it for sure. That’s what makes it absorbing for the tourists who come to see it in a high This fantastic objective is located in the center of the city, near Laoag’s Public Market.

7. Tobacco Monopoly Monument
Tobacco Monopoly Monument is built over the Laoag River, at the Marcos Bridge’s foot. This monument commemorates the end of the tobacco monopoly, a significant event for the people of Ilocos. Thanks to the King Alfonso XIII people regained their economic freedom. The king signed a decree in 1881 to abolish the tobacco monopoly (established in 1782).

8. Rizal Amusement Park
A place to spend some relaxing hours during your visit in Laoag Philippines, the park is a breathtaking tourist attraction. Mainly for the ones traveling with their kids. But not only for them. You can take a romantic walk here, or you can enjoy it together with your friends. You can also taste some traditional food here.

9. Aurora Park
Aurora Park is another beautiful park, situated 5 minutes away from the Tobacco Monopoly Monument. A place where you can spend a lovely afternoon in this fabulous Philippines city. You can admire here the statue of the first Pamulinawen while taking a relaxing walk in a beautiful park.

10. Santa Monica Parish Church
The oldest church in this region, Santa Monica is another exciting attraction you should put on your list of objectives. Located 15 minutes away from the city, it is also called Sarrat Church. You will have here not only a beautiful spiritual experience, but you will even admire the church’s amazing architecture.

Best Hotel List In Laoag

1. Fort Ilocandia Resort Hotel
This is the oldest hotel in the city, but it looks excellent and is a very comfortable accommodation place. It has free Internet and parking; breakfast is included. Rate start at USD 65.

2. Java Hotel
It has spacious rooms equipped with free wifi and air conditioning. The hotel has an excellent restaurant and non-smoking rooms. Price start at USD 68.

3. Hotel Tiffany Laoag
It is a comfortable and clean place, situated near to the most important attractions of the town; this hotel has facilities like free wifi, free parking, air conditioning and room service. Rate start at USD 37.

4. Northview Hotel
It is a spacious and comfortable place where you can also eat delicious food. It has free parking, free wifi, air conditioning, and pool. Breakfast is included. Rate start at USD 25.

5. Pamulinawen Hotel
A very comfortable place and clean, with very nice stuff. It has free parking, free wifi, air conditioning, and pool. Rate start at USD 57

Best Restaurant & Food Item In Laoag

If you are a gourmand who likes trying delicious specialties from all over the world, the Philippines traditional food will undoubtedly amaze your taste. If you take a trip to Laoag there some tasty dishes, you should try.

Don’t miss the opportunity to taste local specialities like Bagnet (pork pieces boiled in salty water), Pinakbet (a stew made with long beans, squash, tomatoes, eggplant, bitter gourd and chilli peppers), Empanada (made of grated papaya, eggs and longganisa and orange coloured rice dough) Longganisa (a strong tasting sausage seasoned with garlic), or Abrao (a vegetable speciality).

Hеrе thе lіѕt of bеѕt restaurants where you can try these delicious dishes:

Cailin Grill

Dap-Ayan

La Preciosa

Macy’s Diner

Cristine’s Miki

Dawang’s

Saramsam

How To Reach Laoag & How Much It Costs:

From Manila, the capital of the Philippines Islands, there are different possibilities to come to this city full of light and beauty. You can go there by plane, using the following flight companies: Philippine Airlines, AirPhilExpress or Cebgo.

With the bus, you will get from Manila to Laoag Philippines in about 10 hours. Here are some of the companies that you can look for:

-Maria De Leon (University of Santo Tomas, Dapitan and Lacson stations)

– Farinas (locations in Dapitan and Lacson)

– Partas (Baguio, Cubao-Aurora, Manila-Sampaloc and Pasay stations),

– Philippine Rabbit (Baguio stations), Florida (Espana station).

When Time You Shold Go There ?

As its name says, Laoag is a place where the sun is doing his lighting job all time of the year. Its tropical savanna climate makes it a place you can visit and enjoy anytime. Depending on what you want to do here, you can choose spending beautiful days on the beach during summer or springtime.

Or you can come here in winter to enjoy interesting activities and visit amazing attractions. A touristic hub you should visit at least one time in your life, this Asian City of Light can offer you amazing moments any time of the year.

Tips For Tourists

If you don’t like rain and humidity, don’t visit Laoag during the rainy season which begins in May and ends in September.

If you are an adventurous tourist and you are planning to visit Laoag to Pagudpud, you should not  miss a  4×4 off-roading.

Sandboarding is also an activity you should take while visiting the La Paz Sand Dunes. You should even not miss some relaxing days on the beach.

Things you should buy from here: bagnet, cornics, banana chips, hand-woven baskets, Ilocos vinegar, onions, longanisa, taro chips.

Visit Paoay, a nearby attraction where you can see the Paoay Church and the Bell Tower. You can take an excellent tricycle tour in the area.

Changing money is very easy all over the country, but if you want to obtain the best rates go to the small private money changers. You can find them in the shopping malls. Don’t change currency at the airport, bank, and hotels as they offer the worst rates.

Expect the bus and the boat schedules to be unreliable and stay as flexible as possible

People say that karaoke is a national fun in the Philippines. So, if you want to try it, you can do it without being worried about your voice that could not sound very good. Locals here will never judge you for the lack of musical talent. With one condition: you should not judge them too. Karaoke here is a serious thing.

So, are you ready for one of the most exciting vacations of your life? The Asian city of the light is waiting for you with adventures, fun, art, culture, beautiful beaches and a lot of suns! The capital of Ilocos Ilocos Norte is one of the most beautiful places in the Philippines, a place that has everything for everyone. You can come here with your family to spend a relaxing time together, you can have a romantic trip full of fun and magic, or you can go here with your friends for a lot of fun and adventure.

If you love history and art, you will find here a lot of cultural attractions, if you are looking for a romantic place to spend your honeymoon, this home is the perfect one. Fabulous beaches, beautiful dunes, delicious foods, museums, cathedrals, or monuments, Laoag has everything you can dream. Get ready for a vacation full of light in the sunniest place in the Philippines!