Summary
Highlights
The journey begins in Santiago, Ilocos Sur, a town often passed through but rarely explored. Santiago Cove is highlighted as a hidden secret, boasting fine sand and calm waters, protected from strong waves. It's an ideal spot for swimming or enjoying a run along the scenic coastal road. The host stays at Vitalis, a premier resort in Santiago Cove, known for its Santorini-type architecture with white painted buildings and blue accents. The accommodation is described as a spacious villa, complete with a kitchen, dining area, and a high-tech Japanese-style toilet with various wash functions. The episode emphasizes Santiago Cove as a perfect, less crowded alternative to popular destinations like La Union or Laoag.
The Greek-inspired resort in Santiago Cove also offers Greek Mediterranean cuisine with an Ilocano twist, featuring unique dishes like all-meat pizza with bagnet and pork chops with saluyot or karimbuaya (cactus leaves). A variety of water activities are also available, including kayaking, paddleboarding, and jet-skiing, allowing visitors to enjoy the beauty of Santiago Cove from different perspectives.
Narvacan, located in the central part of Ilocos Sur, is introduced as a mandatory stopover for travelers, particularly for its famous classic Ilocano bagnet, which is cooked early in the morning and sells out quickly. Once a dump site, Narvacan has been transformed into an adventure hub in recent years. It's easily accessible from the main highway and offers various activities like ziplining and a challenging via ferrata, where climbers ascend a mountain using steel rods and cables. The via ferrata offers breathtaking views and a thrilling experience, especially for those who enjoy climbing, culminating in a zipline ride back to the starting point.
After adrenaline-pumping activities, the Narvacan Outdoor Adventure Hub also features a restaurant serving traditional Ilocano dishes and other specialties. The menu includes various rice and pasta dishes, ribeye steak, chicken, and, of course, bagnet. A special mention is given to 'Pukpuk,' a grilled eggplant dish, highlighting its unique name and delicious taste. The discussion also features a local girl who shares her love for bagnet, emphasizing the dish's popularity among locals.
For those seeking more speed and heights, Narvacan offers exhilarating activities like ATV rides and paragliding. ATV rides provide a bumpy and dusty but thrilling experience through mountainous terrain, requiring face masks or full-face helmets. Paragliding, lasting about 10 minutes or longer depending on wind conditions, offers a serene yet adventurous way to admire the scenic landscape from above. The host even attempts to control the paraglider, demonstrating the full-body engagement required for the activity.
Santa Maria is a town not to be missed, offering various local products like garlic, onions, Ilocos vinegar, basi (sugarcane wine), and balikutsa (a sweet, pulled sugarcane candy). The traditional balikutsa-making process is shown, from crushing sugarcane to boiling and pulling the juice. The town also boasts Pintor Falls, a 85-foot waterfall with cottages for picnics and carved stairs leading to a panoramic view from the top. Santa Maria is also home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site Baroque church, known for its massive arches, wide pillars, and large espadaña, making it one of only four such churches in the Philippines.
Candon serves as an excellent stopover, particularly for its culinary scene. The spotlight is on a restaurant specializing in Ilocano cuisine since the 90s. The chef explains the distinct, clean flavors of Ilocano dishes, contrasting their pinakbet (using sweet potato and fish paste) with the Tagalog version (using squash and shrimp paste). An heirloom recipe for pinapaitan, a bitter soup made from beef organs and bile, is also discussed, highlighting its unique preparation and historical significance related to frugality. The restaurant also showcases its 8-hour slow-cooked bagnet, resulting in crispy skin and flaky meat. Fusion dishes like Pakbet pizza, Uki pizza, and lechon baka in pita pockets demonstrate the evolving Ilocano culinary landscape.
For the ultimate adrenaline junkies, skydiving is available in Ilocos Norte (specifically Vigan) as one of only two certified locations in the Philippines. The instructors, Patrick and Cody, are highly experienced skydivers, emphasizing safety through meticulous equipment checks and a focus on bringing 'civilized skydiving' to the Philippines. The skydiving package costs 18,000 pesos per person, including photo and video documentation. The host recounts his third skydiving experience from 10,000 feet, which offers about 45-50 seconds of freefall and a 5-minute parachute ride, describing it as an 'awesome' and 'pretty fast' experience.
The episode concludes by encouraging viewers to 'go loco' in Ilocos, stressing the abundance of natural and man-made adventures and culinary delights. It prompts travelers to take detours, discover new places, and embrace unique experiences and tastes, emphasizing that exploring Ilocos rekindles a sense of wonder and excitement. The host then enjoys various local foods, including 'baboy ramo' (wild boar), further highlighting the diverse culinary offerings of the region.