New To The City: Vigan City Travel Guide

Our first adventure last year was in Vigan. Vigan is located on the northern west coast of Luzon and it's the capital city of the province, Ilocos Sur, Philippines. It is the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Philippines and last May 2015, Vigan City became part of the New Seven Wonders Cities of the world. 

HOW TO GET TO VIGAN

Going to Vigan City by bus takes about 8 to 10 hours long. If you are going by a private vehicle, maybe it will take less than 10 hours depending on how many stopovers you will take and also, depending what time you will leave Manila. We rode the Partas bus at their Cubao terminal, it's along Aurora Blvd. I highly recommend you to ride here. We decided to take the Deluxe class because we want to feel comfortable during the entire trip. Deluxe Class - P805 // First Class - P665. Our scheduled departure was 10 pm but, we left the terminal at 11 pm. The bus didn't disappoint. It was spacious and the seats were really comfortable. Further Information: Partas Bus 

WHERE WE STAYED
We stayed at Henady Inn's main building for our 4 days and 3 nights stay in Vigan. We arrived at around 3 in the morning, our check in was 2 in the afternoon. We were all exhausted from the trip, and when we got there it was drizzling. We asked if we could check in early but, the staff said their earliest check in was at 9 am. We also need to pay extra for the early check in. The room we booked was their Standard Triple, it has 1 single bed and 1 bunk bed. I slept on the bottom of the bunk bed, it was okay but, my head kept on hitting the top bed. It was a hassle because I can't really sit on the bed. If I want to sit, I will sit on the single bed. The room is small, clean and secured. The view from our room is the first photo of this post. You can book a reservation through Agoda or message them on Facebook. I booked using Agoda. Further Information: Agoda or Facebook Page

We left our baggage in one of the rooms in front of the reception area then headed to Jollibee to have breakfast. After eating, we went back to the inn and stayed at their small lounge. Actually, it wasn't really a lounge but, there are benches and a balcony. We took pictures, charged our gadgets and rested until it was 8 am. 

GETTING AROUND
Tricycles and Kalesa are the main modes of transportation in Vigan. Each person costs 10php to 20php depending how far the place you are going to. Unfortunately, based on our experience, some tricycle drivers took advantage of us, being tourists, especially if you ask the driver how much or if you look clueless. I highly suggest you to have coins. We experienced being tricked by a tricycle driver. I even asked a policeman along Calle Crisologo about the fare rates in Vigan. He told us "Ay Mam, naloko po kayo". I think that happened because we paid using 100php.We didn't have any spare change with us. The policeman also said that at night, some drivers charge 15php each person. We also experienced a driver telling us that we paid less, he started asking for more. So, I was the one who talked to him, telling that I know how to get around Vigan and I'm well informed about the rates. He stopped blabbing and left. As for the Kalesa, they offer tours which cost 150 per hour. We were lucky enough to find a very friendly kutsero. We really enjoyed his company, he made the tour enjoyable and we learned a lot from him.



WHERE WE ATE
There are a lot of restaurants to try in Vigan, the most popular ones are around Calle Crisologo. My personal favorite was Cafe Leona. The service, food, and price are great! What makes it my favorite is because of the ambiance, it brought me back in the past.

WHAT TO DO & VISIT
Here are the places we have managed to visit when we were there:

Vigan:
Crisologo Museum
Burgos National Museum
Syquia Mansion

Hidden Garden

Baluarte

Calle Crisologo

Plaza Salcedo Dancing Fountain Show

Pagburnayan Pottery

Mindoro Beach

Outside Vigan:

Unfortunately, I forgot what the name of the weaving place we went to. But, one of the popular weaving places is Abel Loom Weaving in Caoayan.

WHERE TO BUY SOUVENIRS
You can simply buy souvenirs in Calle Crisologo. I suggest you check all of the stores first before buying because they all sell similar items at different prices. 

SIDE TRIP
We decided to pay Pinsal Falls a visit, located in Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur. Going here is easy, we rode a UV Express in the terminal and dropped off at SM Savemore, the trip was around an hour. From SM Savemore, hire a tricycle and tell him you're going to Pinsal Falls. Hiring a tricycle is a must unless you want to walk from Pinsal Falls to SM Savemore. Hehe

There are still a lot of places to see that is not mentioned here but, I hope this little guide helped you somehow. Have fun! Oh, and don't eat too much bagnet! :)