The Ilocos region had received extensive promotion from the nation's tourism department. Thankfully, traveling to the region is no longer challenging because of better and more efficient transportation.
I want to share my knowledge and experiences about the Ilocos region with you because I've always longed to travel there ever since I was a kid.
I went there for the first time when I was five years old, but I've always wanted to go back and relive the memories.
Eventually, I've discovered a fresh viewpoint on Ilocos that is founded on reality, tradition, and my own unique perspective.
In this post, I'd like to introduce you to the exotic and wonderful flavor of Ilocandia.
Ilocos Region Information
My mother was born in my grandmother's town and raised in Manila; she is from a little village in Santa Lucia, a municipality in Ilocos Sur.
When I was younger, I once asked my grandmother what kind of transportation she took. She stated that at the time, buses were already traveling to and from Manila.
There weren't many air-conditioned buses. The North Expressway was still in the planning stages. Only under Marcos' presidency did a lot of things start to change.
As part of his Integrated Reorganization plan, former president Ferdinand Marcos divided all of the provinces of the Philippines into 11 regions on September 24, 1972.
Over time, new regions developed and some provinces were transferred from one to the next. The Philippines currently have 17 regions as a result. Region I, also referred to as the Ilocos region, will be our next stop.
Ilocanos refer to their territory as Deppaar Ti Ilokos, while Pangasinenses refer to it as Rihiyon na Sagor na Baybay na Luzon.
On the Philippine island of Luzon, in the northwest, sits the Ilocos region.
The South China Sea, the Cordillera Administrative Region, and the Cagayan Valley form its western, eastern, and southern borders, respectively. Central Luzon forms its northern and southern borders.
If you take a trip from Manila to the Pangasinan boundary arch, you are already in the Ilocos Region.
The Ilocos area is made up of four provinces: Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan. Urdaneta, Alaminos, San Carlos, San Fernando, Candon, Vigan, Batac, and Laoag are the area's constituent cities, with San Fernando in La Union acting as the area's capital.
Ilocanos make up 66% of the population, Pangasinenses 27%, and Tagalogs 3%, according to statistics.
Ilocandia has produced several prominent figures in Philippine history, such as the late former president Ferdinand Marcos, former president Fidel Ramos, Gabriela Silang, and Fr. among others, Jose Burgos.
The region is home to many historical sites, which is not surprising. Roman Catholicism has a long history in the area. One can see how tenacious the Spaniards were in spreading the Roman Catholic religion throughout the years from historical Roman Catholic cathedrals to town names.
Trip To The Exotic Jewel Of The North
Ilocos is easily reachable by car, bus, and airplane. Although passenger bus companies like Partas, Farias, and Florida offer better travel experiences, their tickets are more expensive than those of other passenger bus companies operating in the area.
There are other passenger buses without air conditioning, and they cost a lot less than those with air conditioning.
It is easy to go around the land from one place to another. Compared to the primary passenger bus lines, there are less passenger bus routes available during the day.
The speed of the passenger bus and the volume of traffic on the road influence how long it takes to travel. It may be more efficient to travel at night than during the day.
If you enjoy discovering new places and are not in a rush, traveling throughout the day can be convenient.
For people who don't like spending long hours on a passenger bus, flying can be a viable alternative. Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines can fly you to Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, in less than an hour.
The airport in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur, already offers flights from Manila to Vigan City and vice versa.
Ilocandia Cuisine
Without experiencing its unique food, one cannot completely comprehend Ilocandia.
The strong aroma of bagoong isda and bagoong alamang is disliked by some individuals while loved and enjoyed by others. One's sense of smell may be stimulated or irritated by the strong aroma of sukang iloko.
These items are always packed in our luggage before we depart the area as gifts to be delivered as pasalubong.
Tinubo, Ilocos suman, and Candon City's kalamay are all good.
A cut-out bamboo shaft contains a baked dessert called tinubo made of glutinous rice. You have to break open the bamboo shaft before you can enjoy the delicacy inside.
Suman, a meal of sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves, and tinubo are related.
A must-try in Ilocos is the delicacy known as bibingka. It's made from ground glutinous rice, coconut milk, and cooked over live coal.
Others may find it weird, yet it is one of the most distinctive foods in the area.
The vegetable combo Pinakbet is quite tasty and appealing. Diningdeng with saluyot and kardis is excellent for vegans. The renowned Longganisang Vigan is also a must-have food souvenir.
Our acquaintance who is a parish priest once drove us to Vigan City. Before departing the city, he suggested that we have a nice bowl of warm noodle soup known as Vigan miki with empanadang Vigan on the side.
We ate lunch at
Cafe Leona, a homey restaurant in Vigan City that offers a selection of Ilocano dishes. We ordered a variety of dishes, including
empanadang Vigan,
Bagnet,
Pinakbet, and S
inigang na Tangigue.
The deep-fried pork dish called Bagnet is frequently served with tomatoes and bagoong alamang.
Exquisitely Ilocano
Ilocano cuisine is incredibly diverse and one-of-a-kind, and only those with adventurous palates may completely appreciate the "nag imas" flavor of Ilocandia.
Have you been to Ilocos before? What did you think of it? You can discuss your experience in the comments section below.
