Baluarte, Hidden Garden, Pagburnayan

On our second day in Vigan, we visited Baluarte, Hidden Garden and the Pagburnayan Pottery.

Visiting Vigan

Vigan is a two-hour commute from Laoag. After checking-out the hotel in Laoag, we rode a tricycle to the Partas terminal and rode a bus going to Vigan.

We stayed at Casa Rica, an ancestral home converted into a cozy hotel. The Heritage Village--the tourist magnet--is a 10-minute walk away from Casa Rica.

Waiting for our Apple

I just want to share Didache's daily reflection for today. It is so timely for me and uplifting, too.

Visiting Batac and Paoay

There are many tourist spots in Laoag, Ilocos Norte, but we narrowed down our tour to the cultural and historical sites in Batac and Paoay.

Partas Bus to Laoag

Image credit: Flickr

We used the Partas Bus Co. on our travel to Ilocos. They have terminals in Cubao, Pasay, and Sampaloc, Manila.

Manila to Laoag is a nine-hour trip. Travel bloggers suggest taking a Deluxe/Sleeper bus so you can have a semblance of a bed during the long trip. Bringing a blanket and a pillow will make your trip more comfortable.

I booked two tickets a day before our trip. Advanced booking is not required during off-season but I just wanted to reserve our seats and make sure that our seats are side by side. The fare from Manila to Laoag is P965.

Deluxe buses have 3 seats in a row. If you're travelling alone and don't want to be bothered with a seatmate during the trip, you could choose the aisle with single seats. 

Image credit: Flickr

Here are the bus schedules of Partas posted in the Cubao terminal:

Our bus was supposed to leave at 10 pm. By 9:30 pm, we were already seated inside the bus. I had my neck pillow ready and already spread my fleece blanket over my legs. Hubby and I even removed our shoes and put on our slippers, ready to sleep during the trip.

By 10 pm, the aircon of the bus was turned off. After a few minutes of waiting, a passenger decided to ask the conductor of the bus why we weren't leaving yet. He announced that there was a problem with the bus' machine. The passengers were asked to alight the bus and wait to be transferred to another bus.

After an hour of waiting, we rode another bus and we were finally off to Laoag!

Our Ilocos Vacation Itinerary

Image: Google Maps

Hubby's home again!

After six years, we were able to have a vacation again. This time, we decided to go north and visit Ilocos and Baguio.