9. 1. Marvel at the Majestic Paoay Church
• The Paoay Church, a UNESCO World
Heritage Site, is worth a visit when you go up
north. The church, also known as the San
Agustin Church, is about 19km southwest of
Laoag.
• Construction of the church began in 1704 and
was finished 90 years later. Masses are heard
in Ilocano, English, and Tagalog.
• It served as an observation post for the
Katipuneros against the Spaniards in the
1800s, and then again by Filipino guerillas
against the Japanese during World War II.
10. 2. Be in Awe by the Bangui Windmills
• The Bangui Windmills are a long line of
70m-high wind turbines lined up over a
9km stretch of the Bangui Bay
shoreline.
• Standing tall over the black sand beach,
the windmills make up the first wind
farm in the country and generate
enough electricity to support 40% of the
power requirements of Ilocos Norte.
11. 3. Go Sandboarding at the La Paz and
Paoay Sand Dunes
• The sand dunes of La Paz and Paoay, the natural
coastal desert shaped by sea and wind, are located
along the coast near Laoag City.
• Its rolling and sometimes steep slopes make it a perfect
place for a heart-pumping 4x4 ride and sandboarding.
• It’s one of the top ATV tours in the Philippines. The best
time to visit the sand dunes is in the afternoon so that
you can avoid the worst of the sun's rays and be able
to ride your 4x4 into the sunset.
12. 4. Discover Kapurpurawan Rock Formation
• It is a natural formation that juts out of the
rock along the beach. Its name was derived
from the Ilocano word “puraw” meaning
“white.”
• The rock formation is known for its creamy
white rock surface sculpted and shaped by
the relentless pounding waves.
• The rock formation is about 3km away from
the drop-off point along the main highway.
From the drop-off point, you need to go
down a flight of stairs and trek towards the
beach to reach the rock formation.
13. 5.Visit the Museo Ilocos Norte
• An old Tabacalera warehouse found a new
lease of life as the Museo Ilocos Norte,
which showcases the cultural heritage of the
Ilocos Region.
• It houses a large collection of Ilocano,
Igorot, and Itneg traditional clothing and
artifacts, as well as exhibits telling the
stories of the region’s Spanish-era
churches.
14. 6. Offer a Prayer at the Laoag Church
• Laoag Church, also known as St. William’s
Cathedral, is the current seat of the Roman
Catholic Diocese of Ilocos Norte. It was first
built out of wood and thatch in the 1500s.
• Over the years, the church has evolved to its
current Italian Renaissance architecture
design. Masses are held in Ilocano, English,
and Tagalog. It’s also a part of a day tour in
Ilocos.
15. 7. The Sinking Bell Tower
• St. William's Cathedral in Laoag City is
famous for its Sinking Bell Tower. It is
one of the things that will capture the
attention of the tourists upon entering
the city.
• The 45-meter bell tower was built by the
Augustinians in 1612 and believed to be
the tallest bell tower in the Philippines. It
is actually the bell tower of St. Williams
Cathedral, but unfortunately, it is 85
meters away from the church.
16. 8. Saud Beach
Saud Beach Pagudpud Ilocos Norte is
considered to be the most beloved and
admired Pagudpud beach. It's also one of
the best beaches in the Philippines. A travel
magazine even listed it as one of the “25
Most Beautiful Beaches in the World."
18. 1. Pinakbet
Pinakbet is a dish originated in the province
of Ilocos Norte. It is known as “shrunk” or
“shriveled” in english. Pinakbet is made
from mixed vegetables (bitter gourd, long
beans, eggplant, squash and tomato
sauce) . The Ilocano way of cooking
pinakbet uses fish bagoong sace and
tomato sauce to make the dish tastier and
delicious. Pinakbet is a unique variety of
Ilocano food that is healthy for the body.
19. 2. Cornick
Cornick or chichacorn is a favorite snack
from Ilocos Norte. They are basically
co9rn kernels that are cooked until
crunchy. The corn variety used are white
ones from plants that are common inj the
Philippines and not thee yellow one or
the so called sweet corn that may be
more familiar. everyone was enjoying
these snacks while traveling. there can
be a several flavors which are; cheese,
barbeque, garlic, sweet and spicy, and
adobo
20. 3. Pinakbet Pizza
Pinakbet pizza is a Filipino pizza
variety originating from Ilocos Norte.
It's traditionally topped with vegetables
such as tomatoes, eggplant, long
beans, okra, and bitter gourd, making
it suitable for vegetarians. The pizza is
derived from pinakbet vegetable stew
and uses most of the ingredients used
to prepare the stew.
21. 4. Poqui Poqui
Poqui poqui is a vegetable dish made
of eggplants sauteed in onions, garlic,
and tomatoes, and finished off with
beaten eggs. It originated from the
Ilocos region where it's commonly
served for breakfast with steamed rice
or as a side dish to grilled fish or fried
meat for lunch.
22. 5. Dudol
Dudol is a traditional dessert
you will find in Ilocos. Dudol is
made of rice flour, coconut milk,
sugarcane juice and anise. The
secret to make a good dudol is
to patiently and continously stir
the ingridients under a slow fire.
