The Great Ilocandia Tour Day 1

This tour is one I've been dreaming of for so loooooong. Yeah, the wait is that long! Even before I became a mom, Ilocos is on top of my list that I want to visit. Numerous vacation plans had been devised, but every time, it fails! This year when a "momentous" occasion happened in our family, I told my sister we just have to include ILOCOS in our itinerary. Nothing can go wrong this time. Please!

Wish granted and I was a happy camper! We were able to see the places I've only seen in photographs. It was a whirlwind kind of vacation (being a 2 day tour only) but we succeeded in going to our desired destination. Thanks to our driver, Kuya Froni, who willingly oblige to our every whims. We told him the places we want to go and he knows the shortest way and the best time to go. It's easier to rent a van all through your trip so you won't have to worry about going to one place to another. I highly recommend Kuya Froni if you plan to go to Ilocos. He's affordable too! :)

So here's our adventure and the sequential order of our journey.

DAY 1
2:00 AM (Thursday)
Getting ready to depart. Double checking the things we're gonna bring and needed. Feeling excited.

10:58 AM (Thursday)
Yey! Finally in Vigan. Our first activity is the Kalesa Ride. It's P150/hour and group of 4 per kalesa. The tour will take you to Burgos Museum, Bell Tower, a pottery place, Hidden Garden, Calle Crisologo and back to the plaza. How long the ride is, depends on the places you want to visit. We didn't get off the kalesa in some museums. We decided not to go to Baluarte too because we will pass it on our way to Laoag later that day. So it only took us 2 plus hours. And cost us 350 pesos.  

1:20 PM

Time to eat! We have a pack lunch so we just eat at one of the carinderias near the plaza and order empanada and okoy ala Vigan style. Nomnom!

2:00 PM

After eating and taking a rest, we stroll Calle Crisologo. You know what happens next - souvenir shopping galore!

3:28 PM

Baluarte is next. We ride ponies and took some photos of the animals. There are ostriches, deers, sheep, tigers and dinosaurs! The last not being real of course! Then we hurry up so we they can still sandboard at Laoag. It's a two hour drive according to Kuya Froni.

5:59 PM
Arrived at Sand Dunes finally. It costs us P2,500/4x4 vehicle but it was worth it. Roller coaster lang ang peg! I didn't have the strength (with all the screaming and the dizziness!) to try sand boarding. But my son Riley did! He's 3 and he did it twice with his cousin Nyle. He enjoyed that so much!

7:16 PM
Ready to hit the sack at NorthView Hotel in Laoag. We were all tired. We ate dinner then off to dreamland we are!

That's how our first day ended in Ilocos. From Bulacan to Ilocos Sur to Ilocos Norte. What a marvelous escapade! And it's not finish yet. Our Day 2 was just as exciting. But I'll save it until my next post. So stay tuned! :)