Top 3 Tourist Destinations To See When In Ilocos Norte

Are you planning to go on a trip to visit Ilocos Norte? On the other hand, you may not have any other place in mind; why not visit the most magnificent northern coastal province of the Philippines? Ilocos Norte has a lot of fun places to go to. Whether you like to go site seeing or enjoying the history behind these sites, it’s all here.

If you plan to go there from Manila, the country’s capital, it’s about 400 kilometers north. You could either take the bus, a private vehicle or a plane ride. The province offers some of the most beautiful tourist places, local and foreign tourist alike can enjoy. 

Here are some of the places you may want to visit in Ilocos Norte:

THE SINKING BELL TOWER

This is the Philippine’s version of Italy’s Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Sinking Bell Tower. This is one of the tallest bell towers in the country and is situated at the heart of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte.

The tower is named so because it was built on sand and it’s incredibly heavy. Therefore, the mixture of the loose foundation and the massive weight causes it to sink to the ground considerably. Every year it sinks at a rate of an inch.

The tower is especially breathtaking when it’s all lit up at night.

PAOAY CHURCH

Paoay Church is a national treasure of the Ilocos Norte and awarded as a UNESCO world heritage site. Established during 1896 by the Augustinian Friars, they only used coral bricks that are evident from its massive walls. In addition, the church is also a prime example of a Baroque church. It belongs to a picture perfect view that is reminiscent of the Spanish era with the beautiful buttresses on the building.

BANGUI WINDMILL

The Bangui Windmills are not only the first among its kind in Southeast Asia, but it’s also here in Ilocos Norte. The windmill is built with 20 tri-blades that are 70 meters high, with them widely spread in an arc formation along the Bangui Bay. It is situated north of Laoag City and about a 45-minute ride.

These are just some of the magnificent sites found in Ilocos Norte. They host a lot of Philippine tourist attractions that’s worth visiting. It may take a longer article to explore them all and may take days to see most of them, but it’s worth the trip.