Day 2: Ilocos Norte Tour

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This is the continuation of our Ilocos Norte Tour. It was a gloomy day, and the rain started to fall that afternoon. If you haven't read my Ilocos Norte Tour: Day 1, it would be a good to start it there :)

For Day 2, We went to these places:

Day 2: Ilocos Norte

Kaibigan Falls

Paoay Church

Malacanang of the North

Kaibigan Falls

Some tourists haven't heard of this tourist spot, because it is not publicized well. Going to this place is a bit tricky and, there are now a lot of signage as to where this is located. Fortunately, our driver knows where to find this place, so it was not hard going there.

One of the view that you would pass by. So beautiful :)

Kaibigan Falls is located at Pagudpod, Ilocos Norte. It's around 2km walk, with a bit of hiking and you'll pass small streams of water. You would feel like being part of nature before you would arrive there. The estimated time of walking would be 30 minutes to an hour, depending on how fast you walk. Some people take breaks from time to time.  

Going here would give you the opportunity to enjoy the nature. Don't forget to bring your camera to have a photo of how beautiful our nature is. You have the option to swim, when you arrive at the destination, so do not forget to bring extra clothes. Do not worry, they have a bathroom/restroom at the start of the trek, so you can do your thing there or change clothes before going to walk for a few minutes.

When we went here, we ask for one guide to join us. Our guide was very nice because she assisted us on our trek. She would lead your way onto the Kaibigan Falls. I suggest you get a guide because, one part of the trail gives you 2 directions. It would be best to have locals on your side to guide you. 

My friends went for a swim and they truly enjoy the experience. However, our tour guide cautioned them not to go near the falls because it is too deep in that area, and there might be loose stones falling from the falls. You wouldn't want to be injured during your trip right? So, they just swam near us. By the way, I opted not to swim because I do not have extra clothes with me.

I recommend you guys to wear slippers or sandals, that can be wet. Bring extra clothes in case you want to swim. Wear shorts, so that it would not be hard to hike. 

Entrance Fee:
Environmental Fee: Php 20.00 per Pax
Tour Guide (Optional): 150 pesos.

Paoay Church

Paoay Church was built in 1894 and a UNESCO world Heritage site. One unique feature about this church was that, it was able to stand a lot of earthquakes that we have in our country. This amazing heritage site was actually built of baked bricks, coral rocks, tree sap and lumber.

One interesting fact I found out from Arkitektura.PH about Paoay Church, was that the Bell tower was used by the Katipuneros as an observation post in 1896 against the Spaniards, and by the Filipino Guerilla against the Japanese in World War II. Also, the walls are 1.67m think, while the bell tower was slightly detached from the main building to save the church in case of collapse. 

Paoay Church is one of the most visited site here in the Philippines. Photobombers are everywhere, so expect to have a couple of people in your background. As far as I can remember, there's nothing you can see inside the church, but the door is always open. Feel free to check what's inside the church. :)

Entrance Fee:

Free 

Malacanang of the North

Malacanang of the North is located in the town of Paoay, Ilocos Norte. This was once a residence of the former Philippine president, Ferdinand Marcos. It was actually a gift from her wife on Pres. Marcos's 60th birthday. It now serves as a museum for tourists. The mansion has a perfect view of the Paoay Lake. 

You can see here the different furniture that they use, portraits of the family members, their rooms, etc. During the time of our visit (June 2013), there's an exhibit about Marcos's luggage and what's inside his luggage when he went to Hawaii. I don't really understand what it is, but I think it's important. 

You would see several living rooms, dining rooms, guest rooms in this house. It resembles the 19th century Spanish and Ilocano architecture. You can also visit the pool at the back of the Mansion. Of course, there are already frogs in the pool :)

One of their Living room with portraits of Pres. Marcos and Imelda Marcos.

Family Pictures

Aside from the the beauty of the house, make sure to visit or have a picture with Paoay Lake. Malacanang of the North offers you a magnificent area for picture taking having Paoay Lake as your background.

Behind us is Paoay Lake

There is a legend here in Paoay lake. Here is the story I got from a post( Mango Tours)

"Long ago, there was a beautiful village situated on a verdant tropical land. The people living in the village were known for being simple, hardworking and god fearing. These humble villagers built a church out of their skimpy earnings to worship and show respect to their god. 

Years passed and the village prospered. The people became rich; their wealth has been reflected through their ornate houses, extravagant clothing and glittering jewelries. As pride lingered on every resident, rivalry also sets in. The people worked even more hard to acquire things more than the others. Being very rich, the people forgot to respect god as jealousy took the place of good will. The church was no longer a place of worship but it became an avenue to display the townspeople’s vanity. Whilst the rest of the village residents spent their lives in worldly competition, a couple remained simple and god-fearing. One night an apparition appeared and told them that the village will be destroyed by a flood. The following day, the couple warned their neighbors and told them to revert for them to be spared from the flood. The villagers did not heed their warning but laughed at them. They continued what they’re doing and mocked the couple accusing them of envy. That night, the humble couple heard a voice telling them to leave the village early in the morning. The voice instructed them to go as far as they can and never look back; most especially when they hear a loud thunder and noise. 

The next day, they couple prepared early and left the village. While on their way, they heard a loud clap of thunder followed by rampaging waters. The villagers were awakened but their shrieks and cries were resounded and died as they were submerged in a pool of muddy water. The fleeing couple was shaken by these cries and loud rumblings. Unconsciously, the woman turned back to look at the village. In an instant, the woman fainted as the husband tried to drag her but they both turned into stone. As years went by, a beautiful lake emerged at the place where the village sank; and is now the famous PAOAY LAKE."

I already heard this story before. Other people say that, you can see the cross of the church from the lake at exactly 12Noon. I've never tried to look for the cross so I can't affirm to this one. Nevertheless, the lake itself looks very wonderful.

Opening Hours:

Tuesday to Sunday only

9:00 am to 4:00 pm 

Entrance Fee:

Php 20.00

I really hope you can visit these amazing sites that we have here in the Ilocos Norte. you would not regret visiting these places because of its beauty and how rich the story about them. 

I hope you enjoyed this entry. If you have any questions about Ilocos, i would gladly help you. Feel free to ask :)