Vigan Travel Guide

Positioned on the west coast of Luzon in the province of Ilocos Sur, Vigan is a beautiful city that is listed as a World Heritage site for its Spanish influenced design and architecture.

Worth It?: If you are traveling in the region, Vigan is a good place to see.
What to Do: visit museums, swim at the beach, eat in restaurants and shop at the numerous markets and shopping centers.
Best Time to Go: anytime during the dry season from November through to April.
How Long?: A few days are sufficient to see everything.
Trivia: Vigan was settled by the Spanish in 1572.

Vigan is a great city to explore with an efficient network of buses and jeepneys connecting different areas. The central city district can is best seen on foot; here you can stroll down cobblestone lanes with classic Spanish designed buildings.

There are a great variety of things to do and see from swimming at the beach to visiting museums and traditional terracotta pot making houses. There are some beautiful landmarks and parks to visit such as the Plaza Burgos in the city center.

Travel to Vigan - Getting There

Vigan is best reached by car or bus from the nearby city of Laoag, which has an airport with daily flights arriving from Manila. Travel time between Laoag and Vigan is around 1 hour, 30 minutes. Flights from Manila to Laoag take approximately 1 hour. It is also possible to take a bus from Manila to Vigan although the scenic coastal journey will take around 8 hours.

Vigan Things to Do

Vigan Attractions

St Paul's Metropolitan Cathedral

built by Augustinians in 1790 the church is uniquely built to guard against earthquakes. The bell tower has eight sides, reflecting the Chinese Feng Shui influence.

Ayala Museum

filled with traditional artifacts from the region including weapons, clothing, jewelry and tribal tools, the museum is fascinating. There is also a timeline exhibit reflecting the past history of Ilocos Sur Province.

Events

Vigan Festival of Arts: held every first week of May, this cultural festival offers music, dance, food and local handicrafts.