It’s been over 6 years since I visited Fort Ilocandia in Laoag, Ilocos Norte. When I arrived, it was good to see that the place still had that old-world charm I fell in love with years ago. It was as if time had stopped because nearly everything still looked the same, while those that did change improved the place instead of tarnishing it.
Table of Contents
The Short Background
After combing the internet for quite a while, I am unable to confirm who actually built Fort Ilocandia. Some suggest that it was former President Ferdinand E. Marcos who commissioned the building of Fort Ilocandia back in the early 1980s. And being the only 5-star deluxe hotel in the Northern part of the Philippines, this insinuation may not be too far off.
Statue
The location of this 77-hectare property is rather ideal for international tourists. It is about ten minutes away from Laoag International Airport, so travelers do not have to take the 8 hour drive from Metro Manila. It is also about 10 minutes away from the Fort Ilocandia Golf & Country Club at Paoay, so the golfers among these tourists do not have to wake up too early for a morning tee off.
Made of thick red bricks, Fort Ilocandia is unlike many of the fake brick-peeking-out-of-the-white-wall structures of today. And that is what make it very unique. Even from afar, there is no mistaking those iconic red bricks as they stand out from the greens surrounding the structure.
[There isn’t anything like it, near or far.]
Just like the old Spanish houses found in the neighboring Vigan, they don’t make ‘em like this anymore. And like the centuries’ old houses, Fort Ilocandia is quite picturesque so not bringing a camera can be considered a crime.
Speaking about cameras, when my wife and I visited this place 6 years ago, the only camera we had was the one that came with my mobile phone. It was actually all those lousy pictures that prompted me to buy my first digital point-and-shoot camera.
Well, that old point-and-shoot camera came and went since our last visit. It eventually got replaced with a dSLR a few years ago. And now that I’m back, I must admit, it feels really good to have something better in my hands.
The Way
The best news about driving to Laoag is that travelers can skip many towns by taking the new Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Toll Expressway, which is also known as the TPLex.
Rooms with Views
This rather long stretch of expressway is connected to the end of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, or SCTex. And since the SCTex is also connected to the end of the North Luzon Expressway, or NLEX, travelers can look forward to several hours of traffic-free driving.
Just as the name implies, the current TPLex ends up in Pangasinan. This means that travelers will need to go through a few of the towns for the rest of the trip.
[It’s a bit of a change after being spoiled with the traffic-free expressways.]
Road Repairs
Being 6 years since my last visit, it was good to see that several patches of road were undergoing repair. And while these repairs resulted in 2-lane highways being narrowed down to a single lane, at least we could see where our taxes were going.
Shops
Fortunately, the few construction areas had people directing traffic through rather interesting means. Some would have crude traffic lights mounted on a sign, some would have people waving red and green flags, and one actually had flags activated by ropes.
[That last one was most interesting.]
With leisurely driving, the trip from Metropolitan Manila to Fort Ilocandia took us a little over 12 hours to complete. This was achieved by maintaining an average speed of 100 Kilometers per hour on the expressways. For the towns and highways, our speed ranged between 40 to 80 Kilometers per hour.
Avoid Urdaneta City
Normally, the traffic in the towns would just add an hour or so of travel time. But since we headed out on a Friday, the streets were still filled with trucks transporting anything from cement to farm produce.
Grounds
Probably the worst traffic we encountered was at Urdaneta City where the 4-lane road narrowed to just 2 lanes, or 1 in each direction. This was the mistake we made when we got off the last exit of the TPLex.
[I suggest avoiding the Urdaneta route until repairs are done.]
If you are going to places like Baguio, Vigan, or Laoag, do not turn left after the TPLex exit because it will lead you through Urdaneta City.
Instead, turn right by talking the alternate route to Baguio. Keep an eye out for the small yellow and black sign on the right side of the road as you descend the ramp. This is the same type of sign that will guide you all the way to Baguio.
After reaching the foot of Baguio, all you have to do is follow the national highway, which is basically the main road all the way to Vigan then Laoag.
Fastest Route
Taking the alternate routes meant increasing our non-highway speed. This cut down quite a bit of time as it only took us a little over 8 hours to get home, including a bit of Sunday traffic within Metro Manila.
[Duration went down from 12 to 8 hours via the alternate routes.]
Fountain
To recap, you’ll roughly need to take the following path:
- Go all the way to the Northern end of the North Luzon Expressway, or NLEX.
- Continue on the connecting road to the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, or SCTex, and go to the end.
- Continue on the connecting road to the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Toll Expressway, or TPLex, and take the last exit.
- After exiting, turn right and take the alternate route to Baguio.
- Follow the Alternate Route signs to Baguio to avoid majority of the towns.
- Follow the highway all the way to the traffic-lighted intersection the leading to the Laoag International Airport. This is probably the only traffic light you will encounter.
- Turn left at this intersection towards Laoag International Airport as this is a short cut. If you go straight, you will end up going through the long route to Fort Ilocandia.
- You’ll pass the Plaza Del Norte Hotel & Convention Center on your left.
- Turn left at the fork with the Fort Ilocandia sign.
- You will then pass under the welcome arch of Fort Ilocandia.
- Keep going until you reach the iconic red brick structure of Fort Ilocandia.
Signs to Follow
I felt that following these signs were much easier than downloading a map from the internet. The problem with the online map is that it didn’t cover any of the alternate routes and shortcuts.
Grounds
There are several signs you just need to follow:
- For the first leg of the trip, follow the yellow and black signs pointing to the alternate route to Baguio.
- During the second leg, follow the green signs leading to Vigan.
- At the third part, follow the green signs directing you to Laoag.
- For the fourth part, follow the signs leading you to Laoag International Airport.
- At the last part, follow the signs to Fort Ilocandia.
And while I did miss a couple of signs that resulted in a few wrong turns, all I did was ask a tricycle driver or gas station attendant to get back on the right path.
Fuel Stations
I suggest topping up your tank before leaving Metropolitan Manila as fuel tends to be rather expensive, with prices are anywhere between PhP 3 to 4 higher.
Also, keep in mind that while the regular route is dotted with enough gasoline stations to keep even the most thirty engines going, there are hardly any to be found along the alternate routes. So if you plan on putting the pedal to the metal, do not do it on the alternate roads. You may end up pushing your vehicle through a never-ending stretch of road or bridges.
Resist the Speed Demon
Finally, resist the temptation to travel excessively fast on the expressways. While we were on the SCTEX a couple of Sport Utility Vehicles, or SUVs, blew past us like we were standing still at 100 Kilometers per hour.
At some point along the SCTEX, cones were set up the expressway authorities to slow everyone down. Two of the vehicles caught in the net were the two fast-moving SUVs.
[When they say your speed is being monitored by radar, they really mean it.]
The Purchases Along the Way
One of the nicest things about going up North is that vegetables and snacks are much cheaper than in Metropolitan Manila.
So if you will be heading to Laoag, consider buying stopping by the Villasis Market, the roadside stalls, and Señorita Dulce. All can be found along the way to Fort Ilocandia.
Villasis Market – Fresh Farm Produce
In exchange for skipping the traffic brought about by the road repair in Urdaneta City, travelers will bypass Villasis Market. For those unfamiliar with it, this market is one of the best places to get the cheapest and freshest farm produce from Pangasinan.
Covered Path at Night
My entire family always makes it a point to stop by this public market to load up on onions and other vegetables. We also make it a point to always carry an icebox in the trunk so the smell of fish we buy doesn’t enter the cabin.
If dropping by this place is important to you, you can still shop there an avoid some of the traffic. After the TPLex exit ramp, turn left towards Urdaneta City until you find the Villasis Market on your left. But instead of going North via Urdaneta City, just make a U-Turn and take the alternate route I mentioned earlier.
Coming back from Laoag, you can do the same thing. Instead of turning left up the TPLex ramp, go straight towards Urdaneta City. When you’re done buying at the market, make a U-Turn to head on back to Metropolitan Manila.
[You may encounter some up to the Villasis Market.]
Roadside Stalls – Garlic and Vinegar
For those of you who want to avoid any traffic, the good news is that you will be passing a few roadside stalls during the latter part of your trip up to Laoag. Coming or going isn’t much of a problem as there will be several batches on both sides of the road.
Some of the things you can buy on the way back are Ilocos Vinegar and Garlic Tagalog because they are hard to find and much more expensive in Metropolitan Manila.
Unlike the vinegar found in groceries, the ones you will encounter at the side of the road will have a wonderfully strong flavor and smell. For those who like their condiments spicy, you’re in luck as these stalls will offer bottles with tons of Siling Labuyo, or Chilli Peppers, in them. Just make sure to have them open a bottle for you to smell because some of the vinegar may not be fully fermented yet, making them weak.
Garlic Cloves
Garlic Tagalog is a variety mostly found in the Ilocos region. Unlike the imported garlic which looks big and has absolutely no taste, Garlic Tagalog is extremely rich in flavor. Just take a whiff of a small clove and you will know what I mean.
This is the reason why my family doesn’t waste money on imported garlic. Sure, it can be fried and added as a garlic flakes to make a steak look good, but when it comes to sautéing, only Garlic Tagalog will do for us.
Being the case, don’t be surprised if the prices haven’t dropped much. A bunch that cost us PhP 160 several years ago is now worth a whopping PhP 280 today.
[So it still worth it though.]
I suggest buying these two items on your way down from Laoag. One reason is that even if the outer skin of garlic manages to keep most of the smell away, a bit still seeps through. Your clothes may end up absorbing the smell, forcing you to send them all to the Laundromat before you even get to use them.
In the case of the Ilocos Vinegar, I have had one instance where it dripped in the trunk of my car. It most likely tipped over during one of the many turns I took. If you think that Garlic Tagalog smells bad on clothes, well, it’s nothing compared to what you’ll encounter with Ilocos Vinegar.
– Chichacorn and other Snacks
Señorita Dulce Building
Apart from Garlic Tagalog and Ilocos Vinegar, the province of Ilocos is well-known for the snack known as Chichacorn. If you are one of the many people who love it, then the best place to buy it from is at Señorita Dulce in Ilocos.
Owned by a young enterprising lady, Señorita Dulce is a diner that caters to weary travelers, usually those headed up North. Since the parking space is large enough to hold several tourist buses, it is no surprise to find a few parked here every now and then.
Chichacorn
We were actually pointed to this direction by the owner of Irene’s Empanada in Vigan because they are supposed to have some of the lowest prices for Chichacorn.
If you will be coming from Metropolitan Manila, the place will be to your left. From this side, their sign is colored pink. Coming from Laoag or Vigan, the place will be on the right side and their sign will be colored red.
Final Thoughts
Well, there you have it, our trip up to Fort Ilocandia in Laoag, Ilocos Norte. For the next part of this series, we’ll be taking a look at what can be found at our destination.
Please join me as for my next article entitled Fort Ilocandia Resort Hotel, Part 2 – The Place, as we go through this wonderful hotel found in the Northern part of the Philippines.
Must Do’s
- Keep an eye out for the signs.
- Take the alternate route to Baguio and avoid going through Urdaneta City.
- Fill up your vehicle with fuel before leaving.
- Buy Garlic Tagalog, Ilocos Vinegar, and Chichacorn along the side of the road.
Must Don’ts
- Do not drive too fast on the NLEX, SCTex, and TPLex.
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