Vigan ｜ Amazing Adventures In Ilocos Sur
Vigan is located in the north of the Philippines on the island of Luzon, roughly 80km south of the regional hub of Laoag city. Known for its preserved Spanish colonial architecture, it is the jewel of Ilocos Sur. Like other places in the Ilocos region, few foreign tourists travel here. Most of the sightseers wandering around the tiny town are Filippo.
Beyond Vigan’s architecture and museums, the city is beloved for its foods, which are pretty damn delicious!
Getting To Vigan
If you wish to get up to the Ilocos region, you have a few options, read here the post about Laoag here.
Getting to and from Vigan from Laoag is pretty easy, those not as straight forward as it could be. Buses between the two cities run during the day. Outside normal hours, there aren’t any buses the officially go to Vigan. Buses on their way to and from Manila do pass by the city and they will drop you off or pick you up. So it very possible to go, even if the bus isn’t stopping in town.
Do note that every local I talked when I arrive in Laoag told me there were no buses to Vigan and that it was not possible to go. I was advised to wait until morning. When I mentioned grabbing a bus to Manila, they suddenly agreed that it was possible. Seems that most Filipino take the idea literally.
The night bus will will drop you off here, not in town. From there you can grab a tricycle at the gas station or in front of the Jollibee. Plan on dropping ₱200 for a ride. You could also just walk into town. It’s about 1km, so less than 15 minutes.
I actually made the walk at 1 in the morning. I tried hitching hiking, but there wasn’t much traffic. All and all, it’s an easy walk, even with a travel pack.
If you are on a bus with direct service or are planning to go back to Laoag, this would be the bus station to head to; Partas Bus Terminal.
Note that there isn’t an airport near the city, making it hard to fly directly in.
Getting Around Vigan
Getting around the main area of the town is easy; walk. Almost everything tourist related is within 500m. It’s really not hard to cover everything on foot, with a few notable exceptions.
Many Filipinos opt to get around by a horse drawn carriage, giving the exploration a more authentic feel. I didn’t ask about prices, since I was alone. Nothing seems more pathetic than being alone in one of these carriages. Seems like a great activity if you’re a couple or with a family. Should you choose one of these carriages, you’ll need to negotiate the price, how long they will drive you around, and where they will take you.
There are tricycles around that can take you to a few of the spots that outside the city center, but they can’t drive on the historic roads. Make sure you negotiate a price first and make sure you’re clear with the driver if they need to say and wait for you, and are including the drive back in the price.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any bicycle rentals in the town. What a missed opportunity. It really is the perfect place for using a bike.
I had fairly good success hitchhiking outside the historical section of the city, up and down the Quirino bridge to see the Bantay Bell Tower.
Sightseeing In & Around Vigan
Most come for the colonial architecture, but there are some museums and other sites worth check out while you’re here.
➣Bantay Bell Tower (Free; Closed)
The church tower, located north of the city about 1km, was sadly inaccessible when I was there. Built in 1591, it looked pretty from my far vantage point. Hopefully it will reopen at some time in the future, as it’s probably a nice place to get a bird’s eye view of the town.
Don’t be like me. Make sure to check with some locals before making the effort to go. Also, be aware that Google has the bell tower listed in two separate locations. The real location is here.
➣Calle Crisologo (Free; 24h)
Running north to south on the east side of the city, this street is the reason why most people visit the city. Purported to be the best preserved colonial architecture in the Philippines, many flock to the tiny town to appreciate the Spanish buildings and get whisked away to another time.
If you’ve been to any country in Latin America, you will probably find the street a bit underwhelming. Partly because it’s not that big of an area, but also because the buildings are mostly all in a sad state of repair. It would nice to see greater effort put forth to help preserve the area.
➣Crisologo Museum (Free; 8:30am-11:30am/1:-30pm-4:30pm)
The former residence of local hero and politician Floro S. Crisologo. The two floor museum houses historical and political treasure from Vigan’s past, specifically items connected with the Crisologo family. Fair warning, there are some gruesome photos of Floro S. Crisologo, who was shot in the head in the 1970s, on the second floor.
Although it’s far smaller in scale than the National Museum of the Philippines Ilocos Regional Complex (see below), it’s a much more exciting place to visit. If you had to choose between the two, this is the one you should hit up.
The museum is free, but the staff will be aggressive about giving a donation. A suitable donation will be in the area of ₱20 to ₱50.
You can find the Crisologo Museum here. As far as I could see, there is no official website for the museum. Sorry.
➣National Museum of the Philippines Ilocos Regional Complex (Free; 8:30am-11:30am/1:-30pm-4:30pm)
The museum complex, located on the north side of town, is a collection of three museums. All of which can be entered for free. The three museums are; Old Carcel Museum, Magsingal Museum, & Burgos Museum. All though three museums sounds like a lot to see, everything can be covered in far less than an hour.
For some reason, you will find a group of horse carriages waiting in the parking lot here.
You can find the National Museum of the Philippines Ilocos Regional Complex here. Their official website.
➣Burgos Museum
An ancestral house built in the 18th century, now a small museum dedicated to Padre Burgos. Father Jose Burgos was a local Filipino priest who fought for equal rights against the Catholic Church. It didn’t go well for him, as he was arrested and executed.
This museum has the most to see in the complex, housing painting, documents, and historical items.
➣Old Carcel Museum
A former provincial jail, that’s now a small museum showcasing the prison cells. It is the largest of the 3 building that can be explored.
➣Magsingal Museum
Constructed as a convent, now it serves as a museum. Unfortunately, this building was inaccessible when I visited. When it will reopen is anyone’s guess.
➣Plaza Burgos (Free; 24h)
The main plaza in town, where locals hang out and have picnics. At 7:30pm on most nights they do a light show in the fountain that runs for about half an hour. I don’t think it’s something you should plan your day around, but if you’re around it’s probably a pleasant way to kill thirty minutes.
Plaza Burgos is located on the north end of town; you can find it here. There’s also an official website.
➣Saint Paul’s Cathedral (Free; Closed)
Located on the north side of town, here, this church was under major renovation when I visited. It wasn’t even possible to see the inside. I feel like I didn’t miss much. There are a collection of statues that line the patio near the entrance which were cool, especially at night when they’re lit up.
Eating, Drinking, & Sleeping
Ilocos Sur is reportedly one of the best areas in the Philippines for food. I have to admit that I wasn’t expecting much, but I was really impressed by the street food. On top of the list of foods to try is Bagnet (crispy pork belly). The Vigan longganisa and emmpanadas are also very worth seeming out. My research found a lot of interesting places that I wanted to try, but sadly my limited time in town meant I was relegated to only a few places.
As for where to sleep, Vegan actually has some really great options to choose from. I enjoyed my hotel here a million times more than Laoag.
Food
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Drink
Vigan is not really the kind of place to come to if you want to drink. You can find a 7-11 just to the north of Calle Crisologo if you want to buy something to drink in your hotel room or on the street. There are a few bars that are opened here and there. In the historical center I dropped by a place called Bar Tech. My plan was have unwind with a drink and some food. Turns out they didn’t have much food on hand, something I was informed of after placing an order and waiting.
I read that there is a craft brewery in town, but I arrived too late to go there.
Sleep
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Shopping
If you’re looking to buy souvenirs in Vigan, you’re best bet is actually right in Calle Crisologo. Prices are actually quite reasonable, especially if you want to pick up food items to take with you to your next destination.
➣Vigan City Public Market
Located south of the historical parts of the city, the Vigan City Public Market is a bustling market located closer to the bus stations. The market is geared towards to local people, selling household items, fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, etc. If you’re waiting for a bus, it makes for a good option to hunt for a snack. The market is located here.
How Long To Stay in Vigan
It really depends. You can see all the historical stuff and museums in two hours. That means you turn this into a day trip from Laoag if you’re short on time. There are light shows at night, but I think that’s very skippable. However, seeing the town at night and very early in the morning before there are tourists on the streets makes staying overnight an attractive option.
I arrive after midnight, got a chance to see the streets in the dead of night. I also woke up early to walk around to see the famous streets while everyone was still sleeping and eat breakfast. After doing all the museums, checking out to the Bantay Bell Tower, and eating at a few places, I headed back north to Laoag mid-afternoon.
I feel like I was able to get the best experiences with a minimum amount of time wasted.
Scams, Dangers, & Annoyances
Vigan is pretty laid back, but some of the more common scams that are found in Laoag and Ilocos Norte are probably present here (see below). I didn’t encounter any funny business, but you always need to be on the look out.
As with Laoag, I felt safe enough to hitchhike alone at night. While the traffic isn’t too heavy in this small city, it’s important to remain vigilant about traffic.
One thing of minor annoyance is that most tourists attractions close between 11:30am to 1:30pm. Plan accordingly for this two hour blackout.
There is one major scam all travelers should be aware of:
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If you plan on just the bus, you should check out:
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Need more information about the Philippines?
View our full write up on Laoag HERE.
Check out our full write up on Manila HERE. (Coming soon)
Check out our full write up on Angeles City HERE.
Read our full write up on Cebu HERE. (Coming soon)
