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Laoag: The Sparkling Gem of Ilocandia

Laoag City is the capital city of the province of Ilocos Norte, the northernmost province in mainland Luzon, dubbed the "sparkling gem of Ilocandia". It is a coastal city facing South China Sea to the west with a population of roughly 100,000 people. The city is bordered by Sarrat, San Nicolas, Bacarra, Vintar and Paoay. The people of Ilocos, called Ilokanos, speak the local language (Ilokano) but are also generally fluent in Tagalog and English , albeit with a hard accent. The city enjoys two seasons, dry from November to April, while wet from May to October.


Long before the arrival of the Spaniards in the Philippines, the city has long been an important trading post between locals and Chinese and Japanese traders. Augustinian missionaries in 1580 "baptized" its inhabitants to the Roman Catholic church. Today, many of the centuries old churches in Ilocos Norte in thick-walled baroque and gothic fashion still stand and are visited by droves of tourists.


To Filipinos, the province is probably most famous for being the home province of former president of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos. Visitors to the capital city usually never miss the chance to visit his preserved and wax-encased body (though this claim is much disputed) in his hometown of Batac, together with memorabilia from his days in office before his ouster and exile to Hawaii.


The city is also home to Laoag International Airport (the only commercial airport in northern Luzon) which services flights coming from Manila (Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines) as well as international flights from Taiwan, Hong Kong and mainland China. There have been ongoing talks as well about a South Korean airline offering direct flights to the city. It is also accessible by bus from Manila, serviced by numerous bus liners like the more famous Farinas Transit, Maria de Leon, and Partas Bus Lines.


The city has seen a recent rise in the number of Chinese tourists because of the direct international flights. The tourists usually spend time at Fort Ilocandia, the only five-star hotel-casino resort in the region. The coastal facility is also host to a number of restaurants, a shopping complex, tennis courts and sand dunes famous for golfing and four wheel driving.


Laoag City is the main transit point for the white beaches of the north including Pagudpud, the Bangui windmills, as well as UNESCO world heritage site Paoay Church. Pagudpud is only an hour and a half away by bus coming from the city (Bangui can be seen along the way) while Paoay is a mere minutes away.


Among the main attractions to be seen around the city proper are: the tobacco monument, the Sinking Bell Tower, St. William's Cathedral, Gameng Iloko Museum and the old brick government buildings. Currently, there isn't a mall in the capital city unlike most big cities in the Philippines, but construction of a Robinsons Mall (one of the biggest mall chains in the country) is currently ongoing.


Every year, the city celebrates numerous fiestas and activities including the Pamulinawen Festival, the Dulang Food Festival and the Pinakbet Festival.


For more general information on Laoag city, you may visit the Department of Tourism office in Heroes Hall or the Laoag Tourism Council at the city hall.
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