Travel shorts: Ilocos food tour

MANILA, Philippines – Before you get caught in the pre-Christmas rush, take a few days off to recharge and put you in the holiday mood.

Here are some suggestions for yummy getaways in Northern Luzon, Boracay and Tagaytay.

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Vigan/Ilocos Food Safari

Tour Flair will hold a Vigan/Ilocos Food Safari on October 20-22. Guests will fly to Laoag and stay at the beautifully restored 19th-century Filipino-Spanish village of Sitio Remedios Heritage Village located by the South China Sea in Currimao. From there, the itinerary includes taking in the sites, culture, and cuisine of Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur.

Tour Flair's exotic Food Safaris always feature inspirational and traditional local regional cuisine prepared in person by celebrity chef Sau del Rosario, Tour Flair's signature chef.

"For the Vigan safari, Chef Sau will cook with local Ilocano chefs and serve dinner at Sitio Remedios, where our guests will be billeted in individual cottages. It will be a fabulous six- course sit-down dinner with wine. Each course will be individually plated and beautifully presented—truly top-of-the-line, world-class cuisine," Teresa "Dinty" Barredo-Keating, Tour Flair's co-managing director, said.

While actual items in the menu sometimes change depending on the freshest ingredients available during the tour, del Rosario said guests can look forward to dishes such as Pinakbet Pizzeta (bite-sized pizzas topped with shriveled sautéed Ilocano vegetables), Baby Arugula Salad with Bagnet (crisped pork belly) and Grilled Squid with Ar-arusip (popularly known as "sea grapes") with bagoong (fermented shrimp fry) and Ilocos vinaigrette.

Guests will be feted with Lamb Pinapaitan Broth and, for the main course, Deconstructed Prawn Okoy (fritters) with Poque poque (scrambled grilled eggplant) and Vigan Longganisa (native sausage) Rice.

"Of course, no Filipino meal is complete without desserts," the chef said. "Some featured treats include: Tsokolate Eh (hot thick chocolate) with Tupig (charbroiled glutinous rice and coconut pastries) and Mini Bibingka (rice cakes)."

Throughout the three days, guests will see the famous St. Augustine Church and Bell Tower in Paoay, Museo Ilocos Norte in Batac, and Sta. Monica Church in Sarrat. "Every day, guests will enjoy assorted native delicacies during merienda," Keating added.

A tour of the heritage city of Vigan includes visits to Syquia Museum, St. Paul's Cathedral, Plaza Salcedo, and the Palacio del Arzobispo (an 18th-century archbishop’s residence). "The day includes a pagbumayan (pot-making) demonstration, a superb lunch at an ancestral mansion, and a five-course Spanish-colonial dinner with local wine at the Arce Mansion, where guests will wear period costumes while being entertained by a guitarist and singer."

Of course, the trip will not be complete without a visit to Pagudpud beach. "We'll have lunch at a resort by Maira-ira Beach, also known as the Blue Lagoon, and we'll wrap up with a visit to Malacanang ti Amianan—the Malacañang of the north, and the windmills of Bangui," she said.

In 2013, Tour Flair will hold Food Safaris to Tagaytay, Davao, Bacolod, and Quezon (for the Pahiyas Festival), as well as Manila-based Food Safaris to Binondo (Manila's Chinatown) and to a Spanish-ancestral mansion near Malacañang. Tour Flair has regular tours to Baguio and Banaue Rice Terraces; Amanpulo; Batanes; El Nido, Palawan; Boracay; and Bataan.

Tour Flair is managed by sisters Teresa "Dinty" Barredo-Keating and Mindy Barredo Perez-Rubio (sisters of Repertory Philippines' artistic director Carmen "Baby" Barredo) with their long-time childhood friend Lory Vi Valdes.

Booking deadline for Tour Flair's Vigan/Ilocos Food Safari is on September 30. For more information, visit tourflair.com.

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

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Top 7 natural tourist spots in Ilocos Norte

The province of Ilocos Norte is endowed with pleasing attractions created by nature. The following are the top 7 natural tourist attractions worth visiting in Ilocos Norte.

1) La Paz Sand Dunes (La Paz, Laoag City)
It is a dune land with an area of 45 hectares more or less, situated at the western outskirts of Laoag City proper, with an elevation of 700 feet above sea level and about 6 kilometers drive from the city proper of Laoag. It is also called Bantay Bimaboy because the shape resembles a pig’s back and has been declared as National Geological Monument. This attraction is becoming a popular site for sandboarding.

2) Paoay Lake (Nagbacalan , Paoay, Ilocos Norte)
The landlocked lake located 3 kms away from the sea in Suba, Paoay has an area of more or less 478 hectares. Paoay Lake was declared as National Park under Republic Act 5631 on June 21, 1969.

3) Kaangrian Falls (Paayas, Burgos, Ilocos Norte)
This natural attraction is a 5 kilometer drive from the National Highway to the head of the trail. From there it is a 4 kilometer hike to the falls. The first 20 minutes of the trial is out in the open and quite hot, so remember to bring a hat. The locals bring their cattle, caribou horses and other animals to grace in these open fields. This treeless area provides a nice view of the surrounding hills, limestone outcroppings and the area of the hike. When you settle down into the shade cover, you will be grateful for the coolness. Along the trail you can search for signs of hoof prints of small deer or identify the many types of plant life, including many varieties of wild mushrooms. The waterfalls at Caangrian are every where, creating a semi-circle of water cascading down multiple layers of rock. The beauty of the area was created by limestone deposits which have created hundreds of small sparkling pools around the base of the falls.

4) Kapurpurawan Rock Formation (Poblacion, Burgos, Ilocos Norte)
It is a massive rock that just out into the sea. From afar, it looks as if someone has wiped off the top layer frosting and exposed the cake that lies beneath. Up close, it is a dazzling bright white rock that sparkles in the sun. Kapurpurawan is a showcase for the power of wind and water on rock and coral.

5) Bantay Abot Caves (Balaoi, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte)
The name denotes a mountain with a hole. A hole was found at the middle of the mountain where the waves were free flash into the walls just an open shore into its walls.

6) Saud White Sand Beaches (Saud, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte)
It is the most popular among the scenic spots of the municipality of Pagudpud. It is located in Barangay Saud and is approximately 2.5 kilometers away from the town proper. It is famous for as creamy white sand which frames the emerald water of the heart shaped bay. The water is inviting that you can’t resist to have a deep and feel its cool invigorating effect. You can also just a hike along the shore where you can let your feet caress the cool and refreshing wavelets rushing to the shore. When tired, you can take a rest under the shade and enjoy the enchanting view of not only the sea, the sky and the shore, but other bountiful gifts of nature such as the rolling hills and verdant mountains where abundant stately pine trees grow that murmurs with the breeze as if giving welcome to everyone. Picking up of rare shells cannot be ignored by the satisfied tourists.

7) Timmangtang Rock (Balaoi, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte)
It stands majestically a few meters away from Bantay Abot Caves. It is located along the shore & partly by the sea. You cannot separate Bantay Abot Caves from the Timangtang Rock for they are believed to be lovers the former being the female & the later is the male. They are collectively turned a “Lovers Rock”.

7Source: DOT Region 1 and tarabitab.com

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Kabigan Falls, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte

Uploaded by PandaKeikoSaranghae 

Went to see the falls, couldn't resist the water.. y'all should go visit it when you're in Pagudpud...it's hella fun!!!

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The charms of Paoay, Ilocos Norte

Not a lot of people know that the humble town of Paoay, a fourth class municipality, has one of the best tourist attractions in Ilocos Norte. GMA News TV program “Weekend Getaway” visited Paoay for a weekend of adventure and sightseeing.

This famous landmark in Paoay is made of coral stones, and it has weathered calamities like earthquakes and storms. It is also a famous wedding venue for Ilocanos and foreigners alike.

Another tourist hotspot in Ilocos Norte is the famous La Paz sand dunes in Barangay Suba. Because of the beautiful view of the sand and the sea, La Paz was also used as set location for local movies like “Panday” and the Nora Aunor classic “Himala,” as well as international flicks like Mel Gibson’s “Mad Max” and Tom Cruise’s “Born on the Fourth of July.”

Today, it is known for being a great place for extreme sandboarding.

Paoay is also known as the hometown of former President Ferdinand Marcos, and the Malacañang of the North was built on the shores of Paoay Lake. The Malacañang of the North was then the official residence of the Marcoses in Ilocos Norte. It is now a museum open to the public. 

Beside The Malacañang of the North is the picturesque Paoay Lake, which was declared a national park in June 1969. 

According to local legends, an affluent town was buried beneath the lake as punishment for its attachment to material possessions. Today, tourists can go swimming, boating, kayaking, and even fishing in Paoay Lake. — Angelita Bombarda/CM, GMA News

Source: gmanetwork.com

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Church of San Agustin in Paoay, Ilocos Norte

The San Agustin Church in Paoay began its construction in 1604 and finally completed n 1710. This is one of the most outstanding “earthquake baroque” structure in the Philippines where the primary concern was to design the church for earthquake protection.

The coral stone bell tower, standing at some distance from the church for earthquake protection, was finished in the second half of the 18th century. Philippine bell towers were constructed at a distance from the main church structure to avoid its falling on the church during earthquakes.

The most outstanding feature of the church is the phalanx of buttresses that just out perpendicularly from the sides to strengthen the walls against earthquake damage. It has the most massive buttressing in any church in the Philippines. Fourteen S-shaped buttresses rise in rhythmic cadence from the ground reaching almost to the roof line. A pyramidal finial triumphantly tops each buttress. The visual impact of the San Agustin church in Paoay is unforgettable.

Source: wowphilippines

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