Review ｜ San Agustin Church of Paoay ★★★★★
The San Agustin Church of Paoay, sometimes referred to the Saint Augustine Church or the Paoay Church, is one of the oldest and most famous churches in the area. If you’re into Spanish colonial architecture and/or churches than it’s worth the effort to get there.
The small town of Paoay is located just 20km south of Laoag, which works out to a 30 minute drive on the back roads if you don’t stop. To get there, you really need to arrange your own transpiration. If you ask around in Laoag, you can probably find someone to arrange a tour with. You could take a bus there, but most certainly the buses drive the main road, so they would drop you off about 4km away. Driving yourself is the better option as it will be much easier and way more fun.
Seeing the church and the surround area of Paoay should take less than half a day, making a good morning activity and freeing up your afternoon for something else. In fact, this is what I did, Paoay in the morning, lunch there, than spending the afternoon exploring the La Paz Sand Dunes.
The Church
The San Agustin Church of Paoay was built in 1710 with the adjacent bell tower being added in 1793. Built using coral stones and bricks, the exterior is a feast for the eyes. The interior, on the other hand, is quite boring by comparison. It has been renovated and looks clean, but it lacks pzazz. Having been to hundreds of Roman Catholic churches around the world, I would say the interior ranks near the bottom of the list. That’s just my impression as a tourist. I’m sure for church goers it meets their needs.
Unfortunately, the bell tower was closed. I honestly don’t know if visitors are allowed in any more. I would have loved to have climbed to the top to see the view.
See The Town
Since you’re already in Paoay, you might as well explore the town. It’s a great place to eat lunch or grab a snack. There are a few ice cream push carts around which are super cheap and delicious to boot. Just south of the church you’ll find a strip mall selling souvenirs and a few sit down restaurants. Due west of the church you’ll find a few small shops selling empanadas, if you want something quicker.
Drop By Paoay Lake
If you’re driving yourself, you can opt to drive the lesser used back road Laoag-Paoay Road, which runs closer to the coast. You pass right by Paoay lake and there are a handful of spots to stop at and just admire the view.
Need more information about the Philippines?
View our full write up on Vigan HERE.
Look at our full write up on Laoag HERE.
Check out our full write up on Manila HERE.
Read our full write up on Angeles City HERE.
Check out our full write up on Cebu HERE.
Contact & General Information
Price: Free
Hours: Daily 24h
Website: None
Location: Google
