Featuring beautiful Islet of Philippines

I always wonder, how can I escape? It’s not because I’m in prison that would be insane but rather escape in the madness city I’ve been living for probably twenty years, mostly all through my life. And it’s time for me and everyone to take a break.

BREAKING THE CITY
would be the most unregretful decision that I made in my life right now. It gives me the space, the time and the need I deserve. It feels like it will help me to be more refreshed and at the same time relaxed. So, looking back, on how it all started. I was just lying in my bed just like what others do, and it was way too much boring that I was just surfing on my phone like for century then I got notified in my Facebook and one thing that certainly caught to my eye is the page of MARSDENISSE which they offer variety of travel packages and it drools me. Then two days later…

I’m now in CORON, PALAWAN the most beautiful place I’ve been. This is the go to must place on earth right now. I really can’t believe this place really exist. A place like this can make you more inspired, relaxed and stressed free. Having the opportunity to see it personally I can really say that it’s the most amazing place you will be experiencing. No any island can compare how beautiful CORON is. It’s really a gift from above. Just being there for three days and two nights is really short. I just wanted to live there. But having that short vacation is satisfying and worth it.

The moment I step out my feet in the Island I feel like everything change. The change of wind, the environment, the people, the food, the culture and the life. It was very momentous.

DAY 1: CORON TOWN TOUR

Lualhati Park

-This park is really different from what I see in any park in the Philippines, the structure of this park is like a shoreline park that has a view deck facing the sea and it gives you the freshy, breeze air and it also reminds me of the park that looks the same in Santa Barbara, California.

San Agustin Church

-The church they have in Coron is a picturesque and graphical that reminds me of the modern structures of the churches nowadays.

Souvenir Shop

-You really can’t go wrong if you choose local products and this shop offers local products that is perfect for “pasalubong” or homecoming gifts. Having able to visit the shop really touched my heart because it got to remind me on how important it is to patronize our own local products and to appreciate the authenticity and uniqueness of it. And it realize me on how the locals pour their soul just to make the products.

Cashew Factory

- Cashew planting is one of their livelihood in Coron. The factory I visited is one of the famous for tourists and locals it’s the Coron Harvest. Cashew is also known to be the best “pasalubong” or homecoming gifts if you’re coming home from a vacation in Palawan. Cashew nuts is one of their food delicacy. And able to see on how they make it I can really say that the style is very authentic and very Filipino.

Mt Tapyas View Deck

-Touring around the town, this spot would probably the most beautiful I’ve been. Chasing sunset in this kind of spot is really exciting and alluring. Even though it was way too much tiring and I felt like I’m on the last breath it was worth it because the moment I step on at the viewing deck platform the view is really mesmerizing and breathtaking and every step I did put out paid off.

DAY 2: CORON ISLAND TOUR

Green Lagoon

-This island is our first destination. The beauty of the Green Lagoon has a different feeling. It’s like you are in heaven. The water is like a blue crystals that sparkle, the limestones around that lagoon is a work of art. It’s really the most beautiful place in the world.

Las Islas De Coral

- The scenery of this island is about the richness of the marine life. The most famous activity here is snorkeling. Swimmers are reminded to be cautious since the island is full of corals and marine life. They are told to be careful since there are a lot of sea urchins scattered in most snorkeling area. Seeing the marine life is really having the real nature feeling.

Sunset Beach

-When I got there I was so speechless because I can’t explain how beautiful it was. The beauty of the beach is like a sort of an art that it painted by the most prestige artist. The feeling I have that time is kinda like that and the beach is really perfect if you planned to have a “breakfast in a sunset beach”. And you can make request for the tour guides there if you wanted to cook for a meal.

And as a blogger I recommend CORON must be in your bucket list. Indulging this kind of vacation spot is like indulging your favorite food that you wanted more. So, investing in travel is not a waste of money rather a memory to be kept forever in our life. Travel Now!

Nowadays, traveling and visiting different tourist spots is what’s trending whether you’re in your late 50’s, a millennial, or any age. We all have that desire to travel, right? We don’t want to just stay in our house, in the city or town we live in, but we want to get out and have fun, too! Follow me as I introduce to you one of the amazing places here in the Philippines. Wait, what? Philippines? Yes. You might have heard both negative and positive things about this country, but in general, Philippines is a paradise--- plus, if you’re a foreigner, you probably will find stuff here cheap because things sold here are cheap—well, not for us Filipinos. Haha If you are residing here in the Philippines or a tourist from another country, you are free to visit this place anytime you want. Are you ready? Let’s go, unlock, and get to know what the region of Ilocos is hiding.
You’ve probably heard “Ilocos” if you’re a Filipino, and for other nationalities, I know you’ve got a lot of questions as to where this place is, what the cool things in this place are, and many many more questions. Let’s start with the basics first.
Where is Ilocos located? Ilocos is a region in the northwest coast of Luzon island.
How to get there? For Filipinos, if you’re not from Manila, you definitely will have 2 flights going to Laoag(the airport for Ilocos region is in this city). Your place – Manila – Laoag. Flights from Manila to Laoag lasts for an hour. We took two flights since I’m not from Manila. However, if you’re on a budget, you can take a bus from Manila to Laoag which takes 10-12 hours of travel. It’s a long way, but it’s cheaper. And if you like long rides, then taking a bus will be good for you.
For people from other countries, you can take a flight from Manila to Laoag, or if you want to explore and don’t really mind travelling for such a long time, you can take a bus as well.
Where to stay at Laoag? There are a lot of hotels in Laoag City. From the airport, you can take a jeepney or tricycle to the city proper, and from there, you can look for hotels. You can also find hotels online, and have an early reservation so when you reach Laoag, you won’t have a hard time finding a place to stay in. There are also hotels near the beach with a nice view of the ocean. If you choose to stay in the city, you will have easy access to banks, malls, groceries, food establishments and others. The place where we stayed was just cheap, but it was a good one really. My friends and I weren’t very picky as to which hotel we’re getting. We were only after the bed and the bathroom. Haha Plus it was near the city, so we got easy access to the important places we needed.
Okay so now you already know where Ilocos is, how to get there, and where to stay. Now, I’ll be talking about the tourist attractions(only the ones we visited), and I know you’ve been waiting for this part of my blog after all the talking that I did above. Haha
So here’s a list of the places you can visit in and out Laoag City:
1. Malacanang of the North- this is the residence of our then President, Ferdinand Marcos, which is now a Presidential Museum. This house is an old type of house, but is elegant and has a lot of huge rooms inside plus very beautiful furnitures. Indeed, a president’s home. Outside of the house is a nice landscape and a soothing view of the Paoay Lake. The entrance fee is Php 30 and travel time from Laoag City to this place is only 25 minutes.
2. Paoay Lake- so yeah, the beautiful Paoay lake can be seen outside the Malacanang of the North. It’s a very nice looking lake, with very fresh air. Its shape is like a horseshoe, and it is wide. No entrance fee is required since it’s only for free.
3. Paoay Sand Dunes- this is one of my favorite places in Ilocos. If you’re an adventurer, not afraid of flying and stuff, you definitely need to visit and experience the very cool rides in this place. For 2500php, you can ride a 4x4 truck(4 people fits in here plus the driver), let the driver hit the accelerators and have a whole lot of fun ride in the sand dunes. You can tell the driver if you only want a not-so heart stopping ride or an extreme ride. Included in the 2500php payment, you can also experience sand boarding. I had fun sand boarding even when I fell a couple of times. Anyways, it’s okay to fall as long as you are having fun. Travelling time is less than 25 minutes from Laoag City.
4. Sinking Bell Tower- this building has caught my attention when I came to Laoag. It’s a very old building and people say that the bell keeps sinking overtime and they don’t really know the reason why it does. Could be because of the ground it’s built on. Anyways, you should try and check this out too as this is one of the famous attractions in Laoag. You shouldn’t miss it!
5. Vigan City- This city is a known city for its architecture. Being in there feels like you’ve time travelled to the past as buildings there have a Spanish-Filipino style, made up of wood and streets there look like somewhere from a movie. It is nice visiting there at night time since it has a nice view because of how the beautiful lights make the streets and houses look more beautiful. You should see Calle Crosologo. A wonderful ambience indeed!
6. Vigan City Kalesa Ride- have you ever dreamed of riding a carriage led by horses just like in the movies? Well, welcome to Vigan where you can experience this type of transportation. It’s fun touring around the city on this vehicle. It takes almost 2 hours of travel from Laoag City to Vigan City.
7. Bangui Windmills- I’ve always wanted to visit this place and my dream came true. These windmills are one of the major attractions in Ilocos Norte. It’s beside the sea which makes it a good place to visit since you’ll get to have a view of the beautiful ocean. You can also go to the view deck to be able to see a greater view. A must see part of Ilocos! It takes an hour and 15 minutes to get there from Laoag city.
8. Bantay Bell Tower- this bell tower gives you a very nice looking view of Vigan city. It has a very nice structure even though it’s old. Only 15 minutes away from Vigan City.
9. Arce Mansion- I had a lot of fun in this mansion! For the reason that you can dress up as someone from the past(For example, our National Hero, Jose Rizal, a rich man/woman, etc.) or the so called Illustrados! For a fee, of course. They offer food too, with Ilocano cuisine. Visiting here was worth it! From Laoag City, it takes 2 hours to get there.
10. Blue Lagoon
11. Black Sand Beach

There are a lot more tourist attractions in Ilocos, some I haven’t mentioned. If you’re planning on visiting there, you can do a DIY itinerary if you want to feel like you’re in an adventure or you can contact a travel agency that arranges tours to Ilocos for a less hassle trip.

Thank you for reading my blog! Watch out for more of my blogs coming up soon!