Cape Bojeador: Northern Lights

Another impressive tourist spot in Ilocos Norte is the Cape Bojeador lighthouse. This was completed in 1892 and is the most northeastern lighthouse in the country.

The lighthouse provide scenic views of South China sea and Ilocos Norte landscapes. Cape Bojeador is easily reached from the main highway with a good access road making it easy for tourists to visit the place.

La Paz Sand Dunes

For a taste of a desert in tropical Philippines the place to go is La Paz sand dunes in Ilocos Norte. This desert like place located about 15 minutes drive from Laoag City. It is a favorite location site for local and foreign movie/tv productions. This includes Panday movies and foreign films like Born in Fourth of July.

However at the time that I went, since it was the end of an extended rainy season, many parts of the sand dunes were actually covered with green grass. In summer, the place is popular for sand boarding and 4 x4 vehicle drives.

Magnificent Sta. Monica Church

Sta. Monica Church is another impressive religious attraction in Ilocos Norte. It is located in Sarat, which is about 15 minutes drive from Laoag. This 17th century church is made of red brick and features a bridge/stairway that connects the church to a convent.

In front of the church is a park which is alongside a river which provides for scenic views of Ilocos Norte landscapes.

An Enhancted Evening At Paoay Church

St. Augustine Church is picture pretty at night as it is beautifully lighted. This UNESCO World Heritage Site should be viewed at night when it comes into full bloom with the drama of lights illuminating its facade.

You can have dinner at Herencia Cafe which is right across the church. This cafe is known for its pinakbet pizza and crispy bagnet. You will have an enchanted evening as you enjoy your meal with a good view of this truly beautiful church.

St. Augustine Church: Paoay's Pride

Most impressive in Ilocos Norte is the St. Augustine Church in Paoay. This 17th century Church is unique because of its combination of Gothic, Baroque and oriental designs. St. Augustine Church facade is so far the most impressive that I have seen among the old churches in the Philippines.

The local and provincial government have ensured that the Church and its surroundings are well maintained. There are is fact plans for further development and improvement of the place. At night, the Church is beautifully lit and makes for a real world class attraction.

Malacanang of the North

One of the major attractions in Ilocos Norte is the Malacanang of the North which was built during the time of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos. This mansion done in typical 14th century stone house of the rich during the era is now maintained as a museum.

It is worth visiting to experience even for a while the opulent lifestyle of the former first couple of the Philippines. The place is a showcase of Philippine made furniture and fixtures. Since this Malacanang of the North is situated by Paoay Lake and has large capiz windows on all sides, you can enjoy the breeze coming from the lake.

Northern Exposure

I have been planning for the longest time to go to Pagudpud in northernmost tip of the Philippines. So I immediately booked an airline ticket when Cebu Pacific offered a round trip ticket to Laoag for only P1K(US$23.25). Traveling to Ilocos has been made easy and cheap with Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and Air Philippines now flying to Laoag on a daily basis.

Ilocos Norte was a revelation. I was not expecting much because of my disappointment with Ilocos Sur where I went many years ago to see Vigan. Ilocos Sur offers nothing much for tourists except for the row of old houses along Crisologo Street in Vigan. And these are not really impressive considering the long bus ride to go to Vigan from Manila. So I suggest that if you travel to Ilocos, best to used Laoag as a base. From Laoag you can do a day trip to Vigan which is only 2 hours away by land travel, and to the many other interesting tourists spots of Ilocos Norte. There are also more reasonably priced, and more and better options for accommodations in Laoag.

In Laoag, you will be impressed by its cleanliness and the numerous attractions which includes an old church (St. Williams Catherdral), the sinking Bell Tower, the Museo Ilocos Norte (this is small musuem but world class in its presentation), and the provincial capitol and city government office. All these sights are beautifully lit at night making Laoag a City of Lights in its own right.

There are also many restaurants offering local cuisine like bagnet, empanada and pinakbet.

So if you go North, make Laoag your hub for traveling around Ilocos!

Kalibo's Congee

A fresh take on congee and as an alternative breakfast is the Congee at the Wellness Kitchen in Kalibo, Aklan. I discovered the Wellness Kitchen on a side trip to Kalibo before proceeding to Boracay.

Their Congee is made of locally grown black rice mixed with free range chicken and fresh garlic and onion. This is supposedly a healthy breakfast from a pioneering fresh produce restaurant in Aklan. This Congee is priced at a very reasonable P50 (US$1.16).

Sail on Boracay

It used to be that boats were allowed to "park" anywhere along the shoreline of Boracay. That it got to a point that this beautiful beach became one large parking area for local outrigger and motorized boats posing great risks to safety of Boracay tourists.

Thankfully through the efforts of the local government and the Department of Tourism boats are no longer allowed to go into the main beach of Boracay but have been provided with a jetty specifically for the purpose of embarkation and disembarkation of tourists. This was despite the strong protests of misguided resort owners and tourists. The beach is now earmarked for the use and enjoyment of the growing number of Boracay visitors.

The only boats now allowed to park but only in a specified area of the beach and to sail on the shoreline on late afternoons are the local sail boats called "Paraw". Watching Boracay sunsets therefore has become more enjoyable with Paraws sailing in the horizon as the sun sets in the beautiful Boracay coastline.

Wow Peanuts!

For peanut lovers, a must try is Wow Mani which another outstanding food product from Pampanga. This brand of peanuts lives up to its promise in its label of peanuts so crunchy, garlic so crispy and taste so good ... Guaranteed!

A 400 gram jar cost P130 (US $3.00) at Suzies in Dao, Pampanga. It is also available in Everybody's Cafe ( in Pampanga) and at a halo halo joint at Alfredos Restaurant along Tomas Morato, Quezon City.

Try Wow Mani. Peanuts have not tasted this good!

Discovering Pako Salad

An interesting discovery during a recent trip in Pampanga was the Pako Salad. This salad was highly recommended by one of the food attendants of Cely's Restaurant in Dao at the Nepo Mart. If not for her insistence I would not have tried this dish.

Thanks to her, I discovered the Pako Salad. This is made of fresh wild fern mixed with fresh tomatoes and onions and salted egg. Dressing is a special vinegar concoction which made the salad truly delightful. I also tried the Pako Salad at Everybody's Cafe (along MacArthur Highway in San Fernando with a branch at Nepo Mart, Dao) but I prefer Cely's Pako Salad. It is the vinegar dressing that made the difference.

One serving of the salad cost P70 (US$1.63) at Cely's and P75 (US1.74) at Everybody's Cafe.

Heavenly Tibok-Tibok

Heavenly is this milk pudding which I discovered recently during a trip to Pampanga. The sweet dessert is called Tibok-tibok, which is made from white rice and carabao's milk topped with latik (made from coconut meat). The dessert has the right amount of sweetness and melts in your mouth. It counts as one of my favorite Filipino delicacies.

Tibok-tibok is available at Suzie's Cuisine at Nepo Mart in Dao Pampanga. This is a short one hour drive from Balitawak, Quezon City if you take the North Expressway. It cost P25(US$.58) for a small slice and P100 (US$3.32) for a small box.

Pancit Bihon LIke No Other

For pancit lovers, not to be missed is the pancit bihon (thin white rice noodle dish) at Lam Restaurant at the Pacific Place along Quentin Paredes St. in Binondo, Manila.

This noodle dish has a garlicky taste to it and is made even more flavorful with its mix of pork, squid, fish ball, shrimps, and vegetables. One serving cost P110 (US$2.50) which can be shared if you are ordering other dishes.

Lam Restaurant is owned by the same family that used to run Marquina Restaurant at the back of the what used to be the Head Office of Philippine National Bank in Escolta. The restaurant is also famous for its crab rice and crab dishes. But my favorite is their pancit bihon, which is truly appetizing like no other bihon dish I have tasted before!

Masuki: Original Mami and Siopao Place

Masuki Restaurant in Benavidez St. Binondo is the original place to go for the mami (Chinese noodle soup) and siopao (steamed bun with meat filling) that the Mamonluk chain of restaurant made famous. I am not certain why but the mami and siopao at Masuki taste better than the ones served at Mamonluk.

The original mami with pork is best taken with liberal sprinkling of finely chopped onion leaves and mixed with a brown sauce which has a light sweetness to it. The brown sauce also makes the siopao more tasty. Small serving of this mami cost P100 (US $2.32) and the siopao P50 (US$1.16). The prices are at par with the other noodle restaurants but appear not reasonable if you consider the no frills and non airconditioned premises of the restaurant. Nonetheless the flavorful taste of the mami and siopao makes a trip to Binondo worthwile.

For people who do not want to go all the way to Binondo, Masuki has a branch in Greenhills along Ortigas Avenue.

A Different Take on Maki Noodle Dish

I got curious about the Maki Place in Binondo because it was always a full house during lunch time whenever I passed by this restaurant along Benavidez St. in Manila's Chinatown. True enough, it serves really good maki which is a Chinese noodle dish in sweet and often sticky sauce.

What makes their maki different from the maki of other Chinese restaurants is that the sauce of the maki is lighter in texture and less sweet. They also offer Fish Maki which comes with fish fillet and white sauce instead of usual brownish sauce. Of course they offer the traditional beef and pork maki. The noodle dish goes well with a serving of kiampong, chinese fried rice. Servings come in small and large portions and are reasonably priced from P85 to P100 (US$2) for the former and for the latter P100 - P115 (US $2.44) depending on whether it is fish, pork or beef.

Pattaya By Night

Pattaya used to be a "rest and recreation" town for American military personnel during the Vietnam war. That is why there are still a lot of bars with sexy Thai women at their front doors to entice customers. This town comes alive at night specially at the Walking Street where most of the bars are located.

Nevertheless, the town has transformed itself into a more wholesome and family oriented place but at the same time maintaining its original sleazy establishments which have become tourist attractions by themselves.

The beaches of Pattaya are also beautifully lighted at night and provides for a colorful view during a night stroll along the beach. This town does not seem to sleep becoming some sort of a Las Vegas of Thailand minus the casinos.