Rickz Laagan: February 2015

Cotabato City, officially the City of Cotabato (Malay: Kota Batu meaning "Fortress of Stone", Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Cotabato, Filipino: Lungsod ng Kutabato), is one of the cities of the Philippines located in Mindanao. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 271,786.^[2]
Cotabato City is the regional center of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) but the city is administratively part of the SOCCSKSARGEN region, which is composed of provinces of South Cotabato, North Cotabato (Cotabato Province), Sultan Kudarat, and Saranggani, as well as the highly urbanized city of General Santos. For geographical purposes, it is grouped with Maguindanao, or for statistical reasons sometimes grouped with the Cotabato province,^[3] and does not belong to the ARMM. Cotabato City is distinct from and should not be confused with the province of Cotabato.

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRAV4ebrupGYBuMXV7pECCun_kU5iwZmMlRcWBY0-V9w9rbqSXktA

As the new attraction within the City, Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Masjid or Grand Mosque is the most stunning Mosque in the Philippines.

The Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Masjid, also known as the Grand Mosque of Cotabato, is the largest mosque in the Philippines. The mosque is located in Barangay Kalanganan in Cotabato City, and was funded by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam at a reported cost of US$48 million.^[2] It is the biggest mosque in the Philippines.
The Sultan Of Brunei, funded the construction of this mosque with his own personal money to help the emerging Muslim population in the Southern Philippines.

® ☺☺☺®

Ilocos Region (Filipino: Kaikolusan; Ilokano: Rehion ti Ilocos or Deppaar ti Ilocos; Pangasinan: Rihiyon na Sagor na Baybay na Luzon (Region at the Northwest Coast of Luzon)) is a Region of the Philippines, designated as Region I. It is located in the northwest of Luzon, bordering to the east the regions of the Cordillera Administrative Region and Cagayan Valley and to the south the region of Central Luzon. To the northwest is theSouth China Sea.

The region is composed of four provinces, namely: Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union and Pangasinan. Its regional center is San Fernando City, La Union. Ilocano speakers compose 66% of the region, and Pangasinan speakers are 27%, and the Tagalogs compose 3%.

Here is the sample itinerary for our trip.

Source http://8wonderstravel.com/2011/02/ilocos-tour-package-2013/
For other option packages please click for there page

Ilocos Tour Package Inclusions:

Roundtrip air conditioned van transfer (Makati-Ilocos-Makati)
Overnight accommodation at AURELIOS MANSION (Laoag City)
Overnight accommodation at POLARIS BEACH RESORT (saud, Pagudpod)
Day Tour in Laoag, Pagudpud and Vigan
Breakfast at Aurelio’s Mansion
Toll Gate Fee, Gasoline, Driver’s Meal and Accommodation
Permits and Entrance Fees
Taxes and Surcharges
Travel insurance
Courteous and Friendly Driver

Sites To Visit During Ilocos Tour:

Vigan Tour
- Visit Heritage Village
- Calle Crisologo
- Baluarte
- Crisologo Museum
- Burnayan
- Bantay Bell tower
- Vigan Cathedral
- Plaza Salcedo(Empanadahan)
Pagudpud Tour
- Bangui Windmills
- Blue Lagoon
- Saud Beach
- Patapat Viaduct
- Kapurpurawan Rock Formation
- Cape Bojeadora Lighthouse
- Kabigan Falls
Laoag Tour
- Visit Paoay Church
- Marcos Mausoleum
- Malacaniang Ti-Amianan
- La Paz Sand Dunes
- Shrinking Bell Tower
- Herencia Cafe (home of Pinakbet Pizza)
- Paoay Lake, Ilocos Norte Capitol Building

***Please note that the above quoted price and availabilities are not guaranteed until purchased***

ILOCOS TOUR SAMPLE ITINERARY:

Day 00
09:00pm Assembly Makati
09:30pm ETD from Makati to Ilocos

Day 01
06:00am ETA at Vigan, Breakfast Café Uno (on own pax account)
07:00am Proceed Bantay bell tower, Baluarte, Crisologo Museum , Burnayan
11:00am ETD Vigan to batac
12:00pm ETA Batac lunch, Foodcourt meals at 75 1rice,3viands,softdrink(on own pax account)
01:00pm Proceed at Marcos Museum , Paoay church, Malacaniang ti Amianan
03:00pm ETA Laoag, Shrinking bell tower
04:30pm Check in at Hotel
07:00pm Dinner at Laoag City (on pax own account)

Day 02
06:00am Breakfast (on pax own account)
07:00am Proceed to Cape Bojeador Lighthouse,Kapurpurawan rock formation, Bangui Windmills and drop by Patapat Bridge and Agua Paradiso for picture taking
12:00pm Check in at Pagudpod Resort. Lunch (Pax own account)
01:00pm Proceed to blue lagoon, free time to explore the beach
03:30pm ETA kabigan falls jump off(20 min trek to the falls)
05:30pm ETA from the falls, back at the resort
06:00pm ETA resort (end of day 2)

Day 03
06:00am Wake up call Breakfast (own account).
07:00am Check out.
12:30pm ETA vigan,lunch (on account), souvenir hunting
02:30pm ETD Vigan
10:00pm ETA Makati

Breakfast arrival in Vigan - Breakfast Café Uno

Baluarte

Bantay bell tower, Baluarte, Crisologo Museum , Burnayan

As you visit the bell tower there are some locals who welcome you for them to take pictures

As this pic ahm pwede na si Kuya

Proceed at Marcos Museum , Paoay church, Malacaniang ti Amianan

The Church of Saint Augustine, commonly known as the Paoay Church, is the Roman Catholic parish church of the municipality of Paoay, Ilocos Norte in the Philippines. Completed in 1710, the church is famous for its distinct architecture highlighted by the enormous buttresses on the sides and back of the building. In 1993, the church was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as one best examples of the Baroque Churches of the Philippines. by http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paoay_Church

Temples in other asian country? Churches in the Philippines

The Mansion of Marcos

This room is from his son Bongbong

The most memorable and the most adventurous thing to do in Ilocos is the 4x4 ride:

The La Paz Sand Dunes or Bantay Bimmaboy consists of an area of approximately 85 square kilometers (52 square miles) of protected sandy coastal desert and beach close to Laoag City, the capital of the province of Ilocos Norte in the Philippines. The area is known locally by the name Bantay Bimmaboy, a name which refers to the common perception that the dunes resemble pigs in shape. The area is also popularly known as the Desert of the North and is a popular location for shooting films.

Must try !! ®

Ask tour guide / driver they master on great picture background

Sand Surfing

Vigan:

The City of Vigan (Ilokano: Ciudad ti Bigan; Tagalog: Lungsod ng Vīgân) is a fourth class city in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. It is the capital of the Province of Ilocos Sur. The city is located on the western coast of the large island of Luzon, facing the South China Sea. According to the 2010 Philippines census, it has a population of 49,747 people.^[3]
It is a World Heritage Site in that it is one of the few Hispanic towns left in the Philippines where its structures remained intact, and is well known for its cobblestone streets, and a unique architecture that fuses Philippine and Oriental building designs and construction, with colonial European architecture. Because of this, Vigan City was officially recognized as one of the NEW7Wonders Cities together with Beirut, Doha, Durban, Havana, Kuala Lumpur, and La Paz.