The province of Ilocos Norte is famous for being the birthplace of Ferdinand Marcos, the known president/dictator of the country for 21 years. Today, the Marcos family still maintains their ancestral home in Ilocos Norte and they used their political power and enormous wealth in order to beautify their hometown, the Bangui windmill is the perfect example of this.
This province is also famous for being the location of Fort Ilocandia, a high-end resort that is popular among the expatriates and Pagudpud Beach, a beach that is still virtually untouched by tourism traps. The people here are known for being brave and hardworking. In the past, they battled colonialism while in the present they are vibrant and friendly people always ready with a smile to greet travelers. They make a living mostly through weaving, furniture making, wood carving and making pottery. The local dialect here is Ilokano but most residents are also fluent in Tagalog and English. The best time to visit the place is during the dry season from November to April.
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| Paoay Church |
It was the Spaniards who named the place Ilocos. They found the people there living in sheltered coves or “looc”. It was the Spaniards who had major influence in the area as can be seen by the big churches that dot the place like the Sta. Monica Church Complex and Paoay Church (included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site). It was in February 2, 1818 when Ilocos was divided into two, Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur in order to gain more political control of the region despite the population growth.
There are five prominent festivals in Ilocos Norte. During February 10, the Pamulinawen Festival is held in Laoag City. It includes a street party and floral parade. Another unique celebration is done during the eve of Ash Wednesday called the Guling-Guling Festival. The locals are adorned in their Ilokano costume with their antique jewelries. They sing and dance around town while being blessed with gray ash and pounded rice. Christmas is a big deal here, just like in the rest of the country. They have their own December Festival where you can witness lantern parade and lantern décor competition. There is also Palarong Pamasko for the kids and the kids at heart. Other festivals to watch out for are the Farmer’s Festival and the Talip Festival.
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| Bangui Windmills |
When looking for accommodation in the city, stay away from the high-end “resorts”. You cannot really have a resort in the city for there is no lake, forest, or sea located nearby. Book your stay in low end yet quality motels such as Balay de Blas and Hotel Tiffany. You can splurge when you get to the beach. Also, Aside from seeing Pagudpud and Saud beach, the two popular beaches in the province, take a swim in Blue Lagoon as well. This beach has far less tourists resulting in a more serene atmosphere. Lastly, take cash with you when you visit the place. Do not rely on your credit card for it might not be accepted in most resorts and restaurants.
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