ILOCOS ROADTRIP: Paoay and Vigan

" I can't say I wasn't hoping for it, but I didn't see it coming."  -- Jessi Kirby, Golden

Our trip to Ilocos was definitely unplanned. We were running out of things to do in La Union so we decided to drive to Ilocos. It was my first time in Ilocos, and I can say that our trip was definitely one for the books. Let the pictures speak for themselves.

Sand Dunes, Paoay, Ilocos Norte


We arrived in Suba, Sand Dunes, Paoay, Ilocos Norte at 5:30 pm. We had the place to ourselves!

First up, 

4X4 ride!!!

I had never ridden a 4x4. It was my first time and it was epic! Mostly thanks to our “tour guide” slash “driver” slash "photographer" slash VICE MAYOR of Paoay, Ilocos Norte. We had no idea at first that he is the vice-mayor of the town. We only found out after he had already driven the 4x4, took our photos, taught us how to sandboard, and became the best possible tour guide to our group.  Vice Mayor Jessie Galano is thus far the coolest executive official I've ever met. I don't know if he only does this tour guide-thing for votes. Anyway, he knew we were not voters of Ilocos and the entire sand dunes was practically empty for him to put up a show. My conclusion is that: he's just cool like that.

Vice-Mayor Jessie gave us the ultimate experience of riding the 4x4. You really have to hold tightly because you’re going to be thrown out if you don’t.


4x4 ride (already includes sandboarding) costs 2,500 pesos. The truck will fit 5 people. The fee is fixed regardless of how many you are in the group, so long as you don't exceed 5. There were 8 of us  so we rented 2 trucks.


Sandboarding


It’s actually easier than it looks. Though I fell flat on my behind twice, it was manageable. Sandboarding is probably my favorite experience during this La Union-Ilocos trip. It was fun and scary and fulfilling. And again, we had the whole sand dunes to ourselves! There were young boys assisting our “tour guide” and watching us sandboard which made the experience pretty awesome. It was like having a supportive audience. 

Picture-Perfect

The quality photos are probably creditable to the magic of GoPro, but I swear, the place is really amazing. I loved the sunset! One of the best sunset experiences of my life. Great sunset with great friends. 

Owning Vigan, Ilocos Sur

We arrived in Vigan at 11pm. And again, just like Suba Sand Dunes, we had Calle Crisologo to ourselves. No annoying photobombers. I never wanted to go to Vigan. I could not imagine a half-day travel just to visit Calle Crisologo. But combined with our sand dunes trip, it was definitely worth a visit.

              

LA UNION TRIP: FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, HALO HALO DE ILOKO, SURFING

Flotsam and Jetsam Hostel Review

I was really looking forward to staying in Flotsam and Jetsam Hostel. I heard about its “hip” reputation long time ago. When we arrived, I can say I was a little disappointed. For 780 pesos a day (on weekends for kubo dorms), I expected more. But I think the place kind of grew on me on the second day.

During our stop in La Union, we practically just stayed inside the hostel. I guess the best thing about the place  is the feeling of relaxation. It’s very laid back. You can do nothing the whole day and not feel guilty that you’re wasting time (at least for 2 days). 

Pros and Cons of Staying in Flotsam and Jetsam Hostel

Cons:

• Costly compared to other hostels

• Common bathroom. For 780 pesos each, a group of 10 deserves its own comfort room. There are only 2 showers for girls and 2 showers for boys. The good thing is that there are only a few dorms; each accommodates 8 persons.

• If there are only a few of you, you’d have to share the room/kubo with strangers. (This can be one of the pros)

• The rooms are not air-conditioned. If you’re not used to fan rooms, or when the sun is unforgiving, your stay would be difficult. (Their website sufficiently informs you that they provide fan rooms.) 

• For 8 persons, the kubo room is small. You’ll definitely be crowded. (But if you’ll be staying outside most of the time, then that’s fine.)

• Free breakfast does not include protein choices.

Pros:

• Very hip! There are hammocks, bean bags, kulambo/mosquito net, cool lanterns, etc.
• It's an artists beach. If you're an artist or feeling-artist, then it's the best option for you.

• The decors are amazing. It looks great on pictures!

• There were 10 of us and we were allowed to stay in 1 kubo. #closeness

• Food tastes great. You don’t have to leave the place for a food trip.

• Free breakfast  (cereals, fruits, coffee, juice, a lot of jams and bread)

• It’s a little far (still walking distance) from the surfing spot, which is great for me. The part of the beach fronting the hotel feels exclusive.

• When there are no customers in the restaurant, the hostel feels exclusive to guests like us. The place feels so much bigger that way. You’ll get to experience this every morning. It gets crowded at night.

I would not recommend Flotsam and Jetsam if you’re looking for a place of comfort. But if you’re looking for experience and some cool vibe, it’s definitely a must-go to place. Check out their rates here.


La Union Surfing

I thoroughly enjoyed surfing in La Union. I actually have no idea on what kind of waves are good for surfing, but I had a relatively easy time riding those waves so I think they’re great. Also, La Union is not as crowded as Baler -- at least during  the times I'd been in these two surfing spots. Maybe the difference in the crowd was due to the fact that I visited Baler in April, and La Union in June.

Halo Halo De Iloko

We had our lunch in Halo Halo De Iloko. I highly recommend their pancit, especially if you’re with a group. Their Pancit En Grande was worth the price. The other dishes are okay, not outstanding. 

The halo halo? Nothing extraordinary. Costly for something normal. Normal for a resto with halo halo in its name. The place looks great though. Great interior decor! Very meticulous! It's like every piece inside was well-thought of. Just to see the place, I would pay for a higher price than usual. Anyway, experience is what is being bought nowadays.