Ilocos Sur Hotels
Hotels in the Philippines
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We were about to find out where our tired yet exhilarated bodies were going to get a night’s rest in Ilocos Norte. The organizers announced they were splitting the group in two, each staying at different hotels.
As soon as I heard one was going to be Plaza del Norte Hotel in Paoay, I was already crossing my fingers and silently hoping that I was included in the group staying there.
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Visiting the Malacanang of the North and teeing off at Paoay Golf Course are not the only worthwhile things to do in Paoay Lake, Ilocos Norte.
After breakfast at the scenic lake shore courtyard of Malacanang of the North, we discovered Paoay Lake was also an excellent venue for water sports such as paddle boarding.
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One dandy Wednesday morning, me and the Lakbay Norte gang had breakfast in Malacañang. Not quite “Malacañang Palace,” the official residence of the President of the Philippines. Neither did we get the privilege to dine with the President himself. I’m referring to Malacañang of the North, the lakeside estate in the charming town of Paoay, Ilocos Norte.
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La Tabacalera is a new dining and lifestyle center in Laoag, the capital city of Ilocos Norte. There were a handful of food and retail shops open during our visit. We spent dinner and the rest of the evening hanging out at La Tabacalera.
I get excited about developments like this (in towns and cities across the Philippines) because it means another cool place to hangout when I get to visit the area.
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Stop over at the Empanada and Mami stalls in Batac. I didn’t know about it during my first visit and to think this was just within the town center of Batac. Glory’s Empanada was super yummy and so was the Mami at Mami Bel’s Noodle Stall. After the fulfilling lunch, I sneaked out to take photo of the heritage houses nearby even though it was not part of our itinerary.
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Ilocos Norte is already known for the La Paz Sand Dunes in, the capital city, Laoag. I was psyched after the announcement on the Lakbay Norte bus that we’ll be passing by the Paoay Sand Dunes after our visit from Paoay Lake. First of all, I was surprised that there even were sand dunes aside from the ones in La Paz, Laoag City and on top of that was located in the already awesome town of Paoay.
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I couldn’t contain a sudden *gasp* of excitement when I found out we were suring in Pagudpud during Lakbay Norte.
Getting drawn into surfing culture thanks to movies like “Surfer Dude,” “Blue Crush,” and “Into the Blue” convinced me (and I know most people share the same sentiment) that surfing is one of the coolest things to do on this earth.
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We were on our way to Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte. From the moment of wake on the long bus ride, I had been eagerly awaiting the final uphill road and sharp bend that would take us to the Blue Lagoon, a place I’ve been craving see under excellent weather.
I was impressed at how the Blue Lagoon retained it’s perfect-azure hued waters even under cloudy skies on my first visit to Pagudpud.
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I had just returned to my empty hostel room in a small town in Southern Palawan when I got a call from the North Philippines Visitors Bureau. They broke the news that I was chosen as one of the lucky travel bloggers joining the 3rd edition of the Lakbay Norte media tour. I was overwhelmed with excitement but I had to keep it to myself … I was traveling solo and there wasn’t anyone around that could relate anyways.
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The Malacanang of the North built at the shores of the Paoay Lake was one of my major destinations in Ilocos Norte.
I spent half a day for this trip since it was a bit out of the way. The experience was well worth the effort though.
Commuting to Paoay Lake took a while. Most tourists visiting the Malacañang of the North usually have their own ride or rent a tricycle / van from Laoag.
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In the Philippine Ilonggo dialect, ambot ah literally means "I don't know." After graduating in college, I decided to hold off pursuing my profession and embarked on a free spirited journey of adventure and self-discovery. My travels have led me to many places across the Philippine Islands and South East Asia. I don't know where this path will take me but I'm certain I'll get a lifetime of stories out of it.
