Chapter 2
Ilocos Region: Tourism and Culture Guide
I. Provinces of the Ilocos Region
The Ilocos Region (Region I) consists of the following provinces:
Ilocos Norte
Ilocos Sur
La Union
Pangasinan
II. Ports of Access
The main gateway to the region is Laoag International Airport, offering domestic and limited international flights.
By Air:
Philippine Airlines operates Manila-Laoag flights (1–2 flights per day).
Flight duration: 45 minutes from Manila.
By Land:
Several bus companies provide Manila-Laoag trips, passing through other Ilocos provinces.
Travel time: 10–12 hours (night trips recommended).
Getting Around:
Private vans and car rentals are available.
Public transport: Buses (inter-province), jeepneys, and tricycles (town transport).
III. Attractions in the Ilocos Region
A. Historical, Cultural, and Heritage Attractions
Ilocos Norte
Laoag Sinking Bell Tower
Paoay Church
Marcos Museum and Mausoleum
Cape Bojeador Lighthouse
Ilocos Sur
Calle Crisologo
Bantay Bell Tower
Syquia Mansion
La Union
Baluarte Watch Tower
Basilica of Our Lady of Charity
Pangasinan
Cape Bolinao Lighthouse
Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag
Redeemer’s Cross
B. Natural Attractions
Ilocos Norte
Pagudpud Beach
La Paz Sand Dunes
Kapurpurawan Rock Formation
La Union
Tangadan Falls
Tuddingan Falls
Pangasinan
Hundred Islands
Patar Beach
Enchanted Cave
C. Built Attractions
Ilocos Norte
Bangui Windmills
Malacañang of the North
Patapat Viaduct
Ilocos Sur
Dancing Fountain
Baluarte
La Union
Ma-Cho Temple
Eagle of the North
Bahay na Bato
IV. Accommodation Options
A. Ilocos Norte
Budget (Below ₱1,500 per night)
Grand Octagon Resort
Farm Side Hotel
La Elliana Hotel
Bueno’s Penthouse
Gertes Resort Hotel
Laoag Renzo Hotel
Isabel Suites
Starlight Lodging House
Mid-Range (₱1,500 – ₱3,000 per night)
Hotel Tiffany
Aurelio’s Mansion
Balay da Blas Pensionne House
Northview Hotel
Rio Grande de Laoag Hotel Resort
Parklane Hotel
The Palacio de Laoag
High-End (₱3,000 and above per night)
Fort Ilocandia Resort and Casino
Pamulinawen Hotel
Plaza del Norte Hotel
Java Hotel
Viven Hotel
B. Ilocos Sur
Budget (Below ₱1,500 per night)
Hotel ni Among
Ancieto Mansion
El Juliana Hotel
Hem Apartelle
Casa Teofila Lodge
Green R Hotel
Mojica Residencia Hotel
Manuela’s Inn
Coffee Swings
Vigan Carlanitor Transient Haus
Vigan Riverside Hotel
Mid-Range (₱1,500 – ₱3,000 per night)
Gordion Hotel
Vigan Plaza Hotel
Hotel Venetio De Vigan
Villa Angela Heritage House
Grandpa’s Inn
Cordillera Inn
Metro Vigan Inn
Casa Rica Hotel
Condotel Asuncion
My Vigan Home
Vigan Heritage Mansion
Vigan Ergo Hotel
Casa Soledad
High-End (₱3,000 and above per night)
Hotel Luna
One Vittoria Hotel
Ciudad Fernandina Hotel
V Hotel Felicidad
Hotel Salcedo de Vigan
Fiesta Garden Hotel & Resort and Spa
Vitalis Resort
C. La Union
Budget (Below ₱1,500 per night)
Hotel Almira
La Union Blue Marlin Resort
Villa Alfredo’s Resort
Sea Park Beach Resort
Mid-Range (₱1,500 – ₱3,000 per night)
Alcora French Resto Mansion
S.R. Paradise Resort
The Circle Hostel La Union
Del Carmen Bed and Breakfast
Costa Villa Beach Resort
Isla Bonita Beach Resort
High-End (₱3,000 and above per night)
Thunderbird Resorts Poro Point
Aureo La Union
Villa d’ El-Lita Hotel, Resort and Restaurant
Oasis Country Resort
Awesome San Juan
Sea of Dreams Resort & Spa
D. Pangasinan
Budget (Below ₱1,500 per night)
Ilog Malino Beach Resort
Villa Carolina Y Juan Beach Resort
SCL Garden Paradise Resort
Paz Patar Beach House Resort
Solomon’s Paradise Bar & Grill Beach Resort
Mid-Range (₱1,500 – ₱3,000 per night)
Villa Soledad Beach Resort
El Pescador Resort and Hotel
Rock View Beach Resort
Rullan Apartelle
Casa Almarenzo Bed and Breakfast Resort
G Beach Resort
High-End (₱3,000 and above per night)
Puerto Del Sol Beach Resort
Veue Beach Cabins
Treasures of Bolinao Beach Resort
Punta Riviera Resort
Birdland Beach Club
V. Food and Delicacies
Ilocos Norte
Bagnet
Empanada
Pakbet
Longganisa
Pinapaitan
Ilocos Sur
Bagnet
Empanada
Pakbet
Lumpianada
Vigan Miki
La Union
Halo-Halo de Iloko
Chuletas
Dinakdakan
Jumping Salad
Ilokano Express
Pangasinan
Puto Calasiao
Creamy Deremen
Nilatikang Bibingka
VI. Festivals and Special Events
Ilocos Norte
Pamulinawen Festival (Feb 10) – Honoring St. William, featuring street dance parades.
Guling-Guling Festival (Day before Ash Wednesday) – A cultural dance celebration.
Talip Festival (May 19-20) – Commemorates ancient peace pacts.
Ani Festival (March 23-30) – A thanksgiving for rice harvests.
Ilocos Sur
Longganisa Festival (Jan 22) – Highlights Vigan’s longganisa industry.
Tobacco Festival (March 28-31) – Celebrating Candon’s tobacco industry.
Viva Vigan Festival of the Arts (1st Week of May) – Showcasing Vigan’s heritage.
La Union
International Longboard Cup (Jan 25-27) – Surfing event.
Buybuy Festival (Feb 9-11) – Celebrates tiger grass production.
Pangasinan
Bangus Festival (April 16-May 1) – Celebrating Dagupan’s milkfish industry.
Binongey Festival (April 17) – Showcasing traditional rice cake.
Mango-Bamboo Festival (April 20-27) – Promotes mango and bamboo products.
F. Major Cultural Groups
This Region has three (3) distinct groups: llocanos, Pangasinenses, and Igorots. Ilocanos occupy the coastal provinces of llocos Norte, llocos Sur, La Union, and certain parts of Pangasinan. The natives of Pangasinan are the Pangasinenses. There are also Tingguians who live in the secluded mountains of
locos sur.
The llocanos are from the provinces of llocos Norte, llocos Sur, La Union, Abra, and Cagayan. The people are essentially rice producers but also plant cash crops like tobacco and garlic. Due to the limited agricultural potentials in locos, locanos are known to be thrifty, self-sufficient, and enduring. Most have also resorted to outmigration, wherein the llocanos can be found all over the Philippines as far as Mindanao and overseas. For families who chose to stay in the region, most of these families have a family member working in Manila or abroad (Peralta
2000).
The Pangasinan live in the Peninsula just north of Zambales. There is a lush area for vegetation and agriculture. Fishing abounds by the waters of the Lingayen Gulf They also produce the some of the best buri mats and the production of bolos (Peralta 2000).
G. Major Industries
Major industries are agriculture-based like crop production, mining' manufacturing, and cottage industries. Its provinces are famous for agro-industrial businesses such as milkfish (bangus) cultivation and processing, livestock raising' fish paste (bagoong) processing, among others. Income in the llocos provinces also come from cultivating rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, and fruits; and from raising livestock such as pigs, chicken, goats, and carabaos (Department of Trade and Industry n.d.)
H. Languages/Dialects Spoken
llokano, Filipino, and English are predominantly spoken and understood within the region. Pangasinense, Pangalatok, Bolinao, and Tagalog are also widely spoken in Pangasinan.
llocos Norte's location on the northwest corner of Luzon makes it ideal and suitable for wind power generation. The 150MW Burgos wind farm in llocos Norte is the biggest wind farm in the Philippines and the first wind project nominated for the Philippine Government's feed-in-tariff (FIT) incentive scheme. The wind farm is expected to generate approximately 370 GWh of electricity a year, which will be used to power more than two million households, while offsetting approximately 200,000t of C02 emissions annually (Power Technology 2018).