Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud)

Tripoto
5th Feb 2013
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 1/43 by Aian Mejillano
You won't miss a Pinoy "Sabit Jeep" XP!
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 2/43 by Aian Mejillano
Tricycle ride- cheapest option!
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 3/43 by Aian Mejillano
We definitely tried.
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 4/43 by Aian Mejillano
Nomnom at night- empanada de Ilocano
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 5/43 by Aian Mejillano
eat. PRAY. love
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 6/43 by Aian Mejillano
History at its best.
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 7/43 by Aian Mejillano
Cafe Leona- must eat here!
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 8/43 by Aian Mejillano
Paoay Church
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 9/43 by Aian Mejillano
Ziplineeeeeee!
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 10/43 by Aian Mejillano
Calle Crisologo- UNESCO Heritage Center
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 11/43 by Aian Mejillano
Bantay-Abot Caving
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 12/43 by Aian Mejillano
Inside Cafe Leona
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 13/43 by Aian Mejillano
Baluarte Zoo, we're heavy, sorry dear.
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 14/43 by Aian Mejillano
Safety first!
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 15/43 by Aian Mejillano
Empanadaaaa pa more
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 16/43 by Aian Mejillano
VSH
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 17/43 by Aian Mejillano
Historical houses, keep preserving them.
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 18/43 by Aian Mejillano
Low low low low budget plane ride
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 19/43 by Aian Mejillano
4x4 extreme ride- no safety gears just shout! Waaa
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 20/43 by Aian Mejillano
Snap a shot
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 21/43 by Aian Mejillano
City Tour
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 22/43 by Aian Mejillano
Bye bye
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 23/43 by Aian Mejillano
Uhhh.. God's wonders!
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 24/43 by Aian Mejillano
Kabigan Falls
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 25/43 by Aian Mejillano
Ilocano Foodie
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 26/43 by Aian Mejillano
Kalesa ride in the city
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 27/43 by Aian Mejillano
FINE!
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 28/43 by Aian Mejillano
Vigan City's
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 29/43 by Aian Mejillano
WTH am not actually reading
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 30/43 by Aian Mejillano
Smile Birdie!
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 31/43 by Aian Mejillano
Seafood!
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 32/43 by Aian Mejillano
The view!
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 33/43 by Aian Mejillano
Hike till your legs fight.
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 34/43 by Aian Mejillano
Nomnom
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 35/43 by Aian Mejillano
Marcos Museum
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 36/43 by Aian Mejillano
Sand surfing
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 37/43 by Aian Mejillano
Nomnom with Manong
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 38/43 by Aian Mejillano
Yalla akyat!
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 39/43 by Aian Mejillano
Pitchure!
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 40/43 by Aian Mejillano
Souvenirs and more
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 41/43 by Aian Mejillano
Mausoleum
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 42/43 by Aian Mejillano
Tugs tugs
Photo of Backpack to Ilocos Region (Laoag-Vigan-Pagudpud) 43/43 by Aian Mejillano
Best transpo option?

Over-all this trip cost me: PHP 6,600 (USD 150.00)

Plane ticket is PHP 3,600 (including interest/bank charges) and the other PHP 3,000 on our accommodation+tours+food+tips etc.

We are a group of 6 persons. 

What only made domestic tours expensive in the Philippines are the prices of airplane tickets... Yea. We have to accept the fact that Philippines is an archipelago. We are consists of 7,107 islands and getting to other provinces is costly.

It's a 5D and 4N stay in Ilocos Region, it was really a long vacation because we expected we'll be traveling by land using a sleeper bus from MNL-VGN-LAO, but everything changed as my friends booked our airfare to LAO. Not bad, coz we got there earlier and been to many places.

What made this trip special is being "AN UNEXPECTED TRIP OF THE YEAR," few months to go I'll be on the stage for COLLEGE GRADUATION Rites, but my high school friends invited me in a snap. I got no budget at all since I used my money during my on-the-job trainings in Manila. (I live in another province of Ph) Good thing, piggy bank is there to save me and let me go.. I won't let this chaaance to be missed!

Since am a backpacker, and my friends know that. I did research, save contact numbers of excursion suppliers, bring a backpack!

Beforehand, I already know the places we will sleep, eat and see.

Let me share you a NOTE I made on Facebook with the rates of everything we saw, did and been:

https://www.facebook.com/notes/aian-mejillano/my-ilocos-laoag-vigan-pagudpud-tour-itinerary/503045516414555

Photo of Sariaya, Calabarzon, Philippines by Aian Mejillano
Photo of NAIA Terminal 3, Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines by Aian Mejillano
Photo of NAIA Terminal 3, Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines by Aian Mejillano
Arrive Laoag at 7 in the morning. Find a transfer to hotel inn. Have longganisa at breakfast. Sightsee along municipal buildings, parks. Do some short grocery for your backpack trip on the next day. Rest. Walk along the busy streets of Laoag at night, see colorful lights and delicious EMPANADA in the streets..
Photo of City Tour Laoag by Aian Mejillano
Photo of City Tour Laoag by Aian Mejillano
Photo of City Tour Laoag by Aian Mejillano
Photo of City Tour Laoag by Aian Mejillano
Photo of City Tour Laoag by Aian Mejillano
Photo of City Tour Laoag by Aian Mejillano
Photo of City Tour Laoag by Aian Mejillano
Photo of City Tour Laoag by Aian Mejillano
Photo of Paoay Sand Dunes, Paoay, Ilocos Region, Philippines by Aian Mejillano
Photo of Paoay Sand Dunes, Paoay, Ilocos Region, Philippines by Aian Mejillano
Photo of Paoay Sand Dunes, Paoay, Ilocos Region, Philippines by Aian Mejillano
Photo of Paoay Sand Dunes, Paoay, Ilocos Region, Philippines by Aian Mejillano
Photo of Paoay Sand Dunes, Paoay, Ilocos Region, Philippines by Aian Mejillano
Photo of Paoay Church, Marcos Avenue, Paoay, Ilocos Region, Philippines by Aian Mejillano
Photo of Paoay Church, Marcos Avenue, Paoay, Ilocos Region, Philippines by Aian Mejillano
Photo of Marcos Museum, Batac, Ilocos Region, Philippines by Aian Mejillano
Photo of Marcos Museum, Batac, Ilocos Region, Philippines by Aian Mejillano
Photo of Marcos Museum, Batac, Ilocos Region, Philippines by Aian Mejillano
Photo of Marcos Museum, Batac, Ilocos Region, Philippines by Aian Mejillano
Photo of Marcos Museum, Batac, Ilocos Region, Philippines by Aian Mejillano
Photo of Baluarte Zoo Foundation, Incorporated, Vigan City, Ilocos Region, Philippines by Aian Mejillano
Photo of Baluarte Zoo Foundation, Incorporated, Vigan City, Ilocos Region, Philippines by Aian Mejillano
Photo of Baluarte Zoo Foundation, Incorporated, Vigan City, Ilocos Region, Philippines by Aian Mejillano
Vigan City- as part of UNESCO World Heritage Sites!
Photo of Calle Crisologo, Vigan City, Ilocos Region, Philippines by Aian Mejillano
Photo of Calle Crisologo, Vigan City, Ilocos Region, Philippines by Aian Mejillano
Photo of Calle Crisologo, Vigan City, Ilocos Region, Philippines by Aian Mejillano
Photo of Calle Crisologo, Vigan City, Ilocos Region, Philippines by Aian Mejillano
Photo of Calle Crisologo, Vigan City, Ilocos Region, Philippines by Aian Mejillano
Photo of Calle Crisologo, Vigan City, Ilocos Region, Philippines by Aian Mejillano
Photo of Calle Crisologo, Vigan City, Ilocos Region, Philippines by Aian Mejillano
Photo of Calle Crisologo, Vigan City, Ilocos Region, Philippines by Aian Mejillano
Bantay Abot Cave, Patapat Viaduct, Kabigan Falls
Photo of Pagudpud, Ilocos Region, Philippines by Aian Mejillano
Photo of Pagudpud, Ilocos Region, Philippines by Aian Mejillano
Photo of Pagudpud, Ilocos Region, Philippines by Aian Mejillano
Photo of Pagudpud, Ilocos Region, Philippines by Aian Mejillano
Photo of Pagudpud, Ilocos Region, Philippines by Aian Mejillano
Photo of Pagudpud, Ilocos Region, Philippines by Aian Mejillano
Photo of Pagudpud, Ilocos Region, Philippines by Aian Mejillano
Photo of Bangui Windmills, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Region, Philippines by Aian Mejillano
Back to Laoag for the flight to Manila