Laoag travel guide

Laoag, Philippines

By the Travel Wiki editorial team

Laoag

Introduction

Laoag is the capital of Ilocos Norte in the Philippines, and serves as the natural base for exploring the province. As a component city, it combines the functions of a provincial administrative centre with the everyday life of a northern Philippine town.

Before you go

Laoag has a tropical climate that splits cleanly into a dry season from November to April and a wet season from May to October. Days are consistently hot year-round, with nights that are only mildly cool during the dry months; the city sits behind the Central Cordillera, which shields it from the cool northeastern monsoon, so evenings never turn bitterly cold the way they can further east. Plan your trip around what you want to do outdoors: the drier months bring little to no rain, while the wet season sees rain almost daily.

The rains build from May, when thunderstorms become unpredictable as the southwest monsoon advances, intensify through August, and ease off by September. Laoag lies in the path of typhoons during the last months of the monsoon season, so if you travel between May and October, build some flexibility into your plans and keep an eye on forecasts. The city's long history as a trading post between the local Austronesian population and Chinese and Japanese merchants, and later as the centre of the Silang rebellions against Spanish rule, rewards a little reading before you arrive.

Getting there

Laoag sits at the end of two long-distance routes: the Manila North Road (MacArthur Highway, Route 2) and the Pan-Philippine Highway (Maharlika Highway). Both converge near the Ilocos Norte Provincial Capitol. If you're driving through the city centre, a bypass road runs to the west, from the Bacarra boundary to Airport Road, which leads on to Paoay.

By air, Laoag International Airport in Gabu is served by Cebu Pacific and PAL Express with daily flights from Manila. By bus, several companies run their own dedicated terminals around the city rather than a shared one: Fariñas Bus Lines on F.R. Castro Street, GMW Transport and Partas on Paco Roman Street, G.V. Florida Transport on Laoag–Paoay Road, and Maria De Leon Transportation at the MLD Terminal on A.G. Tupaz Street. Fariñas and G.V. Florida both connect Laoag with Metro Manila, Partas also links it with Baguio, and GMW runs to Tuguegarao via Pagudpud along the Manila North Road. For arrivals by sea, the nearest cruise terminal is in Currimao to the south, often used by prearranged excursions that also take in Batac and Paoay.

Getting around

Laoag is a compact provincial capital with no rail, metro or tram network, so you will get around by road and on foot. Tricycles are the workhorse for short hops between your hotel, the city center and nearby barangays, and they are also the usual way to reach bus terminals and the airport road area; agree on the fare before you set off, especially for longer or out-of-the-way runs. Jeepneys run on fixed routes and are the most common form of local transport, useful for covering longer stretches cheaply — ask locally which route passes your destination. Mini-vans offer a more comfortable ride than a jeepney, which matters on a hot or rainy day, and fares on both are typically paid in cash on board.

For a slower, more scenic ride, the horse-drawn calesa is part of the city's traditional street scene and suits a short sightseeing trip. Rent-a-car services are available if you would rather drive yourself, and they are the best choice for sights outside the city center, such as Paoay, Batac or the coast. The downtown core is walkable enough for many visitors, and walking between tricycle rides is a good way to get a feel for the city — but plan outdoor time around the weather, since the dry season runs from November to April, the wet season from May to October, and the city can be hit by powerful typhoons. Carry cash for tricycles, jeepneys and calesas, and carry rain protection in the wet months.

Where to stay

Budget travellers have plenty of options in the centre of Laoag, mostly fan rooms in small lodges and hotels. Texicano Hotel & Restaurant on Rizal Avenue is a good place for backpackers, with fan singles and doubles, some with their own bathrooms and some sharing. Star Light Lodge on Ablan Avenue keeps things simple with fan singles and doubles, while Hotel Del Norte on Fonacier Street offers fan rooms as well as air-conditioned doubles with cable TV. Supertram Lodge on Hernando Avenue rounds out the budget bracket with fan and air-conditioned doubles, each with its own bathroom.

For more comfort, Gertes Resort in Brgy. Balatong offers air-conditioned rooms with cable TV, Wi-Fi and complimentary breakfast, plus a restaurant, spa and swimming pools. Ilocos Rosewell Hotel in San Nicolas provides air-conditioned rooms with cable TV, free Wi-Fi, mini-bar and telephone, along with massage service and airport and city transfers. Java Hotel on Bacarra Road stands out for its Balinese, Moroccan and Spanish decorative touches and offers rooms, suites and dormitory-type quarters. Casa De Renzo on Abadilla Street is done in light pastel colours, and Plaza Del Norte Hotel and Convention Center in Barangay 41 - Balacad has air-conditioned rooms with cable TV, a swimming pool, restaurant, bar and café. At the top end, Fort Ilocandia Resort Hotel in Barangay 37, Calayab spreads over sand dunes and pine forests with a long sandy beach facing the South China Sea, and sits a short drive from Laoag International Airport.

Food & drink

Laoag’s food scene runs from everyday Ilocano eateries to sit-down restaurants with a regional focus. For a taste of the local repertoire, head to Cuisine de Iloco Restaurant on Hernando Street, or try the crispy dinuguan at Dawang’s Eatery sa Laoag on Paterno Street. Christine Marie’s Miki Hauz on Paco Roman Street serves miki, and Dap-ayan ni Lawiswis on East F. Siazon Road is a spot to seek out Laoag empanada, which you can also find along Rizal Street near the Provincial Capitol. Ladrillos Restaurant in San Nicolas pairs Spanish inspiration with Ilocano cooking, while Cailian Grill along Bacarra Road and SwiftSteak on Governor Villanueva Street cover Filipino grills and sizzling plates.

For something different, Macy’s Diner on Gen. Segundo Avenue is styled after a 1950s American diner and serves American, Chinese and Filipino dishes, and Corner Avenue on Tupaz Street offers Korean food. Saramsam Resto Bar on Airport Road and Fremantle Pizzeria Al Fresco Dining in Balatong are options for a relaxed meal, and La Tabacalera Food Park on V. Llanes Street gathers a handful of food and retail stalls in one dining and lifestyle spot. For drinks, Tealive on M.V. Farinas Street is a convenient stop.

What to see and do

Laoag rewards slow wandering, with most of its landmarks clustered around the centre. Start at Aurora Park on J.P. Rizal Street, an open public space that holds the Abolition of Tobacco Monopoly Monument on F.R. Castro Street. Nearby on Juan Luna Street stands Saint William's Cathedral, a 1612 church with Italian Renaissance styling and a stately façade. Beside it on A. Bonifacio Street is the Sinking Belltower, so named because it settles slowly into the city's soft soil; where a rider on horseback once passed through the entrance, the doorway has now sunk too low for a person to enter. Also worth a look are the old Spanish-style Laoag City Hall on Tupaz Street, where you can see the LAOAG letter sign, and the Ilocos Norte Provincial Capitol on J.P. Rizal Street. For local and regional culture, head to Museo Ilocos Norte on V. Llanes Street, a small museum of artefacts and heritage items.

Cross the Laoag City Bridge on MacArthur Highway for a view over the city and its surroundings, or head to the Sand Dunes View Deck in Barangay Talinaan. Outdoors, the area offers 4x4 off-roading, sand boarding and the beach, alongside plenty of chances to relax and enjoy nature. Beyond the city, side trips reach Sarrat, home to the Baroque Santa Monica Parish Church, built in 1724 and fronted by the river and Santa Monica Park, and the Marcos Museum on the life of Ferdinand Marcos, who was born there. In San Nicolas, the San Nicolas Church, also known as the Diocesan Shrine and Parish of San Nicolás de Tolentino, has a Baroque structure dating from 1693.

When to go

Laoag has a tropical climate split between a dry season from November to April and a wet season from May to October. The dry months are the dependable stretch for a visit: rainfall is barely present and it almost never rains, so days are reliably clear for exploring. Nights are mildly cool, and the Central Cordillera shields the area from extreme cold.

May marks the transition, as the southwest monsoon advances and dry, hot conditions give way to wet, rainy days; thunderstorms are unpredictable through the middle of the month, and rainfall builds slowly rather than arriving all at once. Through the wet season it rains almost every day, with rainfall climbing to a peak in August before dropping suddenly by September. Typhoons are a particular concern in the later months of the monsoon season, October included, so keep your plans flexible if you travel then.

Three days in Laoag

Day one: Start in Laoag itself, getting your bearings along Manila North Road and MacArthur Highway, the routes that thread through the city. Take in the Ilocos Norte Provincial Capitol, then head out towards Bacarra to the north. Plan your arrival around the drier, cooler months from November to April if you can, and keep in mind that August and September bring the heaviest rain.

Day two: Head south to Paoay, reached by road from Laoag, and give yourself the better part of a day there. Return to the city in the evening and eat along Castro Street, where you'll find local cooking.

Day three: Use your last day to fill any gaps in the city before your flight. Laoag International Airport sits close by, served by Cebu Pacific and PAL Express on routes from Manila, and Fariñas Bus Lines connects the city overland. If you're travelling onward, the Central Cordillera lies to the east.

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