CELEBRATING OUR 3RD DATING ANNIVERSARY IN ILOCOS NORTE + FIRST OUT-OF-TOWN TRIP TOGETHER
My first-ever travel experience (excluding family outings, of course) was a big deal for me. It was the first time that I planned a trip on my own, decided where to go, and spent my own money on it. My boyfriend and I decided to celebrate our third dating anniversary by going to Ilocos Region, which is one of the best places to visit in Luzon.
As this was our first trip far from home, we opted to take a land trip to Ilocos Norte and Sur for the weekend. However, our expectations of a smooth journey turned into getting stuck in heavy traffic and being on the road for over 9 hours, ruining one whole day of our itinerary. We arrived in Pagudpud at 4PM and decided to tour the next day instead.
We stayed at Cathy's Homestay, a clean, safe, air-conditioned bed and bath with breakfast for two. The place is quiet, so you can sleep peacefully at night. Ate Cathy is also very polite and nice. This homestay is also within walking distance from Saud Beach and restaurants.
Their free breakfast includes fried rice, longganisa, hotdogs, eggs, and coffee good for 2 people.
We had different guides for Northbound and Southbound tours. We had a very nice and bubbly Southbound tour guide. He made sure that we learned a lot from the history of Ilocos. For our Northbound tour, the kids offered to show us around.
The kids were not actual tour guides, we were surprised at how well they could use DSLR cameras. They told us that foreign tourists taught them. Some of our photos were taken by these talented kids during our Northbound Tour. Our tour guides were amazing!
While our trip was not a conventional Valentine's Day celebration, it didn't mean we skipped out on romance altogether. Boracay offered us some of the most breathtaking sunsets we had ever witnessed. On Valentine's evening, we gathered on the beach, sharing stories and toasting to friendship against the backdrop of hues of orange and pink.
Ilocos Norte is a serene and calm province, perfect for a weekend getaway to escape the stress of the city. If you're planning to celebrate your anniversary like we did, I assure you that you'll enjoy yourselves here with fewer crowds and great scenery. We realized that a weekend trip was too short to explore both Ilocos Norte and Sur, but we were still happy that we managed to visit the top attractions in Ilocos Norte. We hope to return to Ilocos again someday and spend more time exploring other spots.
Check my detailed Ilocos Norte travel guide, suggested itinerary and budget here.