Ilocos Sur: Exploring Vigan

Another very hot day saw us arriving in the port of Salomague in the province of Ilocos Sur on Luzon Island in the Philippines.

My brief research into this port when it was added to the itinerary pretty much indicated that there was little to do in Salomague. So, when Oceania added the “Vigan on Your Own” tour to its offerings, we decided to use some of our play money to book it.

Vigan is the provincial capital of Ilocos Sur. It is billed as being the most intact example in Asia of a planned Spanish colonial town … dating back to the 16th century. The architecture is said to reflect cultural elements from around the Philippines, China, Mexico, and Europe. As such, Vigan is inscribed on the UNESCO WHS list. The bad news is that a strong earthquake shook the area in 2022 and many of those structures were damaged.

At first, I was concerned that the three hours allotted for DIY exploration in Vigan was going to be too short. In hindsight, it was plenty … mostly because the heat and humidity were draining and we were quickly tired out.

The bus dropped us off at St Paul’s Cathedral, which was built by the Augustinians. Dating back to 1799, it is undergoing post-earthquake restoration work. Nothing to do but take a quick exterior shot or two of the church and the separate bell tower before moving on.

Our bus hostess, Clara escorted us past Plaza Burgos to the head of Calle Crisologo, the main street on which many of the original 18th and 19th century ancestral homes, which have been repurposed, are located. Seeking shade where we could find it, we enjoyed a lovely stroll on this beautiful street … the earthquake damage notwithstanding.

Next, we headed to the National Museum… only to find that it was closed until 1:30p. So, we continued our meandering walk through the colonial era streets and eventually cut through Plaza Salcedo to stand in front of a building that was identified as the Capitol. We went inside and wandered around freely.

By this time, it was getting on towards noon. The heat was becoming unbearable. Checking my weather app, I saw that it was 88F … with a feels like of 99F … thanks to 73% humidity. And not even the slightest breeze stirring to give us some relief.

We figured we’d look for a restaurant — preferably with A/C — and while away our remaining time in Vigan with food. Stopping at a tourist info stall along the way, however, re-directed us to the Regional Museum, which is housed in the white-washed house billed as the birthplace of Father Burgos … a revered priest and martyr who was executed in 1872 after being implicated in the military revolt of Cavite.

We wandered around the few exhibits on the ground floor, and then went upstairs to see the rooms in which the Burgos family once lived. Our steps eventually took us to a courtyard and from there back on to the street.

Making our way back towards Calle Crisologo, we found Café Leona, which a local had recommended to us. The menu seemed to be a mix of traditional Filipino food and dishes from other Asian countries. Mui ordered the beef teriyaki served over rice … I ordered the soba noodles with shrimp tempura. We washed our food down with a couple of San Miguels. The mango we wrapped up our meal with was perfectly ripened and flavorful.

The entire time we were eating, there was a dance performance right outside the café. From what we could see from our table, it was a group of girls and boys performing traditional dances. They were still going at it — despite the mid-day heat — when we left Leona’s to meet up with our group. Carla had mentioned that 12 June, which is right around the corner, is the Independence Day of the Philippines, and the 4-day holiday began today. Perhaps the performance was in honor of the festivities.

Much as we enjoyed our wander around Vigan, we were very happy to find ourselves back on the bus … an air conditioned haven. Our drive back to the port was uneventful. By 3:30p, we were back on the ship where the first order of business was a cool shower to restore my fast-waning strength.

A day at sea tomorrow would be a lovely respite from hot-weather sightseeing. But no, we have a port of call. Luckily, we don’t get in until mid-morning, so we’ll have a chance to rest up a bit.Läs mer