VIGAN CITY: Reasons To Keep Coming Back

Even before being listed under the UNESCO World Convention, the famous city of Vigan has already landed a secure spot in the tourism scene of the Philippines. Being one of the best-preserved planned Spanish colonial towns in the whole of East Asia, it is a well-frequented destination thanks to the sites and wonders it beholds for its valued visitors and guests. Now that another monicker appendaged to its branding, it is made more meaningful to truly explore and understand the beauty of Vigan and to unravel its winding past that helped shape the heritage city today. One must truly spend a day, more than enjoying the sights and sounds but absorbing the rich historical value of every element to completely satiate your thirst for Vigan’s multifaceted beauty. To truly indulge yourself and to help you find the completing historical links, here are the recommended destinations and experiences you can have in a day: 

Vigan Conservation Complex: A museum dedicated to the city’s past, present, and future

Explore the Vigan Conservation Complex, a micro-city of museum buildings interconnected with footpaths. The first section of the Museum features curated displays of the strong religious expressions of the Vigueños. At the beginning of the guided tour, in which we were guided by Ms. Cyril, she discussed the two schools of Vigan’s nomenclature featuring the local and Hokkien version. The religious portion of the guided tour features the replicas of the church bell, the discussion of different images on display, and the different narratives that shaped the strong Catholic faith of the locals.  The second section is about the city’s pivotal political and civic history of Vigan. Included on the displays are modern art expressions of the famous political figures hailing from the province such as President Elpidio Quirino, Isabelo de los Reyes, and the pivotal narrative of a Vigan lady whose relationship with a Japanese Army leader saved the Vigan from infernal burning. The third section is about the different architectural styles found in Vigan. Given the massive scale of heritage houses in the city, having curated scale models would make the tour more immersive and comparable to an actual external walking tour under the sun.
 

The Vigan City Museum operates daily from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Entrance Fees for Tourists are Php80 and Php50 for locals. Discounted rates apply for Senior Citizens, Differently Abled, and Students with ID cards. Free of charge for tour guides, tour operators, coach drivers, and children aged 6 and below. 

Lunch at Hidden Garden

Vigan City experience would be made complete by having a meal at Hidden Garden. Thanks to its inviting indoors with curated ornamental plant displays and pocket gardens, the Hidden Garden and Restaurant became a staple in every Vigan City tour circuit. With its fame in the domestic tourist market, the restaurant gets full especially during weekends and holidays, hence, being early or securing a reservation is a must. During our tour, they have a managed lunch buffet spread featuring Pinakbet, Calamares, Grilled Chicken, Pork Igado, and Bangus Sinigang. I loved the Pinakbet portions with fresh vegetables and the authentic Ilocano flavors emanating from the bagoong and the mixed vegetables. The Calamares came in with tender slices of squid and boldly rich savory sauce. The Bangus Sinigang is prepared in a deconstructive manner, where the large bangus and vegetables are served separately with the divine tangy soup. The combination of the chosen dishes certainly catapulted a local nostalgic experience. After dining, you can marvel at the different segments of the restaurant-garden complex. It features a coffee corner with pastries on display, a bonsai garden that calls you to bring home one, bamboo grooves that creak and dance along with the gentle breeze, and a souvenir shop located at this main entrance. Parking space is located on a separate adjacent lot. 

Vigan City Calesa Tour

We have experienced the charm of Vigan with the provided Calesa Tour around the city. Aboard a traditional horse-drawn carriage, we hopped on at dusk and embarked on the leisurely ride through the historic streets of Vigan accompanied with the subdued warm lighting flickering on as we passed by. We are lucky that our Calesa driver is a trained guide. During our sauntering around, he is able to provide basic information on the landmarks we passed by. It is my first time trying the Calesa tour since I always do the walking tour if in Vigan. The experience is different as the clip-clop of hooves as we toured around heritage houses, centuries-old buildings, and landmarks dominated my senses . It was certainly more relaxing and enjoyable as a breezy ride as opposed to walking and feeling the exertion and bit of exhaustion.

Trying Vigan Empanada and Okoy at Irene’s

Two iconic Vigan fried delicacies – Vigan Empanada and Okoy. You have to sink your teeth into the crispy shell of the empanada, filled with a savory mixture of hand-ground Vigan Longganisa, minced vegetables, and whole egg. Do not forget to have their classic Sukang Iloco to balance the salty savory umami flavors with the fermented tangy aftertastes of the vinegar dip. Partner it with the crispy goodness of their Okoy version, a mini-shrimp fritter with vegetables fried to crispy and crunch texture. The fritters are served in pale yellow bland colors, unlike the usual bright orange from the other provinces. The texture came from the finer preparation of the mixture. The flavor has a more seafoody aftertaste followed by the fried vegetable flavors that coat your mouth as you chew. The native spiced vinegar dip would create balancing tangy flavors that would leave you to crave for more bites. Apart from the dining experience, you can marvel on how each masterpiece are made at the window access near the entrance.

Musical Dancing Fountain Show at Plaza Salcedo

We capped our day with a mesmerizing experience at the Musical Dancing Fountain Show in Plaza Salcedo. Happening once daily at around 7:30 PM, this is a must experience show while in Vigan. We are glad that were given access to the VIP deck complete with a private toilet, comfortable leather plush seats, air-conditioned room on the second level. The clear glass wall separated us from the sultry temperatures outside. A separate sound system is installed for reference of the guests inside. The Dancing Fountain show lasts for about 30 minutes and features famous songs across different genres and timelines, thus making this segment relatable to every generation of guests watching. It keeps me in awe of the colorful lights dancing in harmony with the rhythmic and laminar flow of water creating that magical spectacle. This is free of charge. One must arrive early at Plaza Salcedo to secure your seats at the surrounding bleachers, notably during weekends or holidays. If you opt to seat at the front, be sure to waterproof your electronics since splashes are likely.

Google Map Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/nSco4kZrCnqEJb5U8

Checking In at Hotel Luna

We retreated to the luxurious comforts of Hotel Luna, a boutique hotel and first ever museum hotel in the country located in the heart of Vigan after a sumptuous Japanese Dinner Buffet at Comedor Restaurant, the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant. I was blown away by the interiors of Comedor, and paid particular attention to the grand arches that adorn the main dining hall. The exposed adobe brick design coupled with the Spanish style decors and fixtures created a sense of the yesteryears. Lovely live music sung by a duo serenaded us with their renditions of pop music mostly from the 90s which left me singing along. Being my favorite cuisine, I instantly served myself with the fresh salmon sashimi slices and its hearty miso soup. The main courses I chose are the Chahan Moriavase (Japanese Fried Rice), and Beef Gyudon. Their potato salad is a plus as well. Each potato cubes are adequately coated with the creamy mayonnaise-based sauce. For the vegetable salad, I chose lettuce and balsamic vinaigrette with ham toppings. The breakfast is a different story. I enjoyed the Vigan Longganisa with full bodied garlicky and meaty flavors and their version tapa coupled with a cup of brewed coffee.

We are assigned to a Double Queen Deluxe Room located on the Second Floor and am happy to share it with Christian. We both enjoyed the spacious corner room and the warm shower that soothed our tired bodies from the whole day of excursion. We retired on the relaxing beds with nice back support. As content creators, recharging our gadgets is a must, and having lots of power outlets makes this room immaculate. The subdued lighting also made the room romantic and relaxing. Momentarily, after doing my nightly rituals – I found myself floating into dreamland.  


So, how did Vigan make it being listed under UNESCO’s World Heritage Convention? After reading the brief synthesis from the official UNESCO website, here is my takeaway. Vigan City’s Spanish Colonial salient features as being a well-planned and well-preserved Hispanic Colonial town that defines its Integrity and maintained grid pattern, historic urban layout has defined its authenticity. Despite the existence of decaying heritage buildings, increasing awareness to restore such using traditional materials is reintroduced. Additionally, some of the historic buildings have maintained their original uses such as commercial activities on the ground floors and residential space on the upper floors. 

Is this it? No, This article barely scratches the tourismsphere of Vigan. The heritage city has so much to offer. There are more museums, more heirloom restaurants, heritage destinations, historic landmarks, homegrown stores and trinket shops, more options and a whole is not enough to fully cover all of these.

Do I need a tour guide? Yes! Definitely. This is a heritage city and every nook and crannies tells a narrative and licensed tour guides are the capable ones to translate these narratives into meaningful stories you can digest. Get in touch with a licensed one with Professional Tour Guides of Ilocos Norte. For our tour, we have Ms. Arlene G – and she made our tour bespoke and chock-full of relevant insights. Contact them via Mobile Number +63 916 607 5808 or email tourwithprotin@gmail.com.

Things to Bring while touring around:

  • Extra Clothing in case of heavy perspiration
  • Sun Protection (Umbrella, Hat, Sunscreen)
  • Drinking Flasks/Bottles
  • Extra Cash 
  • Imaging Devices
  • Powerbank

Travel Guide to Vigan City from Manila and Cebu:

  • By Air: The nearest airport to Vigan is Laoag International Airport, which is approximately 80 kilometers away. From Manila, you can take a domestic flight to Laoag, then hire a tricycle to bus terminal and take a bus or van to Vigan. Cebu Pacific has direct flights from Manila while Philippine Airlines has direct Manila and Cebu flights.
  • By Land: If you prefer a scenic road trip, you can also travel to Vigan by bus or private car. Several bus companies like Partas, Viron Transit, GV Florida and Fariñas Bus offer direct trips from Manila to Vigan, with travel time ranging from 8 to 10 hours depending on traffic and road conditions. Suggest to take the night hour trip and arrive morning the following day.

My heartfelt thanks to the Department of Tourism – Region 1 Laoag Satellite Office for this experience! Truly, there is a higher chance to #FindTheONEinRegion1 and to my tour buddy, Christian!

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