Vigan Travel Guide
In a nutshell
The perfect time capsule, travel back to the Spanish Colonial era with Vigan's well preserved ancestral houses and cobblestone street.
Why go to Vigan
Being the third oldest city in the Philippines, Vigan boasts beautiful historic streets and buildings. It gives one a rare glimpse of what a Spanish colonial town looked like centuries ago. Thus getting acquainted with these ancient places and artifacts is one of the very first things to do when in Vigan.
You just can't miss Calle Crisologo and the colonial houses that line the street as well as the imposing Bantay Bell Tower. You should also visit a number of museums such as the Syquia Mansion, Crisologo Museum, and Padre Burgos House just to name a few. You're in the Philippines so there are also Catholic churches to pay homage to like St. Augustine Church and St. Paul Metropolitan Cathedral.
If you want a change from the usual heritage tours, there are scenic alternatives. Drop by the hidden garden in Bulala Centro, or take the bus to Banaoang and Quirino Bridges. Take a moment to walk along the river's edge and catch the sunset. In the evening, enjoy a free dancing fountain show in Plaza Salcedo. If you still want more, sign up for Sky Dive Greater Vigan's tandem skydive adventure for a once in a lifetime experience.
When to go to Vigan
Most of the activities in Vigan are best enjoyed outdoors when the sky is blue and the weather is nice so it's important to time your visit accordingly.
The best time to go is between November to April. Wet season is between June to October. If you like festivals then come in January or May. They celebrate the Vigan City Fiesta every 25th of January and the Viva Vigan Festival of Arts during the first week of May.
Where to stay in Vigan
As with most touristy places in terms of accommodation, the farther you go away from the city centre, the cheaper it becomes. The good thing with Vigan is whether you choose to stay within the heritage town or away in the countryside, getting around is not a problem. Most hotels and inns offer free shuttle rides but of course it's best to confirm before you book.
If you wish to be right next to the heritage village, you can book a private room from 2,500PHP to 12,000PHP per night. If you venture outside the city perimeter, there are rooms that can be had for as low as 1,000PHP per night. One thing that we found unusual is that dorm accommodations are rented out per room rather than per bed. So if you're travelling as a group then you can spend as low as 300PHP to 400PHP per night.
Where to eat in Vigan
If you're a foodie then you've come to the right place. Vigan boasts authentic Ilocano dishes that people would travel hours for. In short, Vigan’s food is insanely good!
To begin with, you need to check out Plaza Salcedo and Plaza Burgos for their open-air eateries and street food stalls. Here you can get grilled chicken innards for 5PHP per stick or some tasty soups like Vigan Miki for less than 50PHP. You must try okoy, empanada, grilled longganisa, and bagnet. If you're feeling like it then you can also grab a beer to go along with that grilled seafood.
Understandably, Vigan being the quintessential Spanish Colonial town, there aren't a lot of decent restaurants serving international cuisine. But well, there's McDonalds. But what it lacks for Western option they more than make up for with a large number of restaurants serving traditional Ilocano food like poqui poqui and pinakbet. Most of these can be found right on Calle Crisologo where you can dine al fresco.
How to get around Vigan
Vigan is a compact city and the attractions are usually within walking distance of each other. If you don't relish walking under the heat of the sun though, you can hail either a tricycle or a horse drawn carriage (calesa) – two of the main modes of transportation in the city. Minimum fare is 10PHP/pax and it increases incrementally the farther you go.
Tricycles are motorcycles that has a covered sidecar that can accommodate 3-4 people. If you wish to go around in calesa for complete immersion, you can arrange a tour for 150PHP/hour.
Some hotels also offer bike rentals for the same rate. If you need to venture outside the city there are also jeepneys and mini-buses. To give you an idea about the fare, getting from the city to Banaoang Bridge would costs you around 20PHP. Lastly, some hotels offer van rides around the city for free so you might want to consider that when choosing your accommodation.
How to get to and from Vigan
Vigan is located roughly around 400km north of Manila. As of this writing, the local airstrip only services chartered flights so most travellers drive or take a bus from Manila. Travel time is approximately 8 to 10 hours.
There are several bus lines that go directly to Vigan from Manila. If you are near Cubao, head to the terminals of Dominion Bus Corp., Partas Trans., Viron Transit, and Philippine Rabbit. If you stay near Sampaloc then you can go to Aniceto Transportation, Maria de Leon Transit, Philippine Rabbit, and RCJ Buslines. If you are around Pasay then you can catch a bus at Partas Trans. Co. Regular aircon costs between 580PHP to 665PHP with deluxe fares between 720PHP to 805PHP.
Alternatively, you can fly to Laoag and take an hour and a half bus ride to Vigan. Cebu Pacific recently suspended their Manila-Laoag flights but you can still fly via Philippine Airlines. Airfare ranges between 3,000PHP and 5,200PHP provided you book well in advance. Sadly, there is no direct flight from neither Cebu nor Davao.
Is Vigan a safe place to visit?
Vigan is a relatively safe place for tourists and backpackers alike. We felt safe walking around night or day and for a small town, they sure do have plenty of CCTV cameras. There's a 10pm curfew for minors and few bars and karaoke joints they have close by midnight. The local people are also really friendly and welcoming.
