11-Day Scenic Countryside, Trekking & Heritage Tour to Bohol, Mt. Pinatubo, Ilocos & Baguio

After checking out of your Manila hotel, you will board a plane bound for Laoag International Airport. You will then travel to Laoag City, where you can find St. Williams Cathedral, the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Laoag. A quick walk from the church is the Sinking Bell Tower that stands at the height of nearly 150 feet.

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From there, you will continue the tour to Museo Ilocos Norte. This museum houses numerous artifacts illustrating the life and culture of the people in the region. After visiting the museum, your guide will take you to Aurora Park, dedicated to Spanish King Alfonso XII, for ending the Tobacco Monopoly.

You will then make your way from Laoag to Paoay, home to the Malacanang of the North. This building is the former residence of Ferdinand Marcos, the Philippines' tenth president. You will find his office here and some memorabilia from his presidency.

Following your visit to the Malacanang of the North, you will proceed to Paoay Church, located about 11km away. This Roman Catholic church was built in 1710 and became popular for its distinctive architecture. The last leg of the tour will be a visit to the Museum Marcos. The facility, which is dedicated to the political doings of the former President, houses some of Marcos' memorabilia and cenotaph.

Your guide will bring you from your hotel in Laoag to the town of Burgos on the third day. The tour will begin with a visit to the Cape Bojeador Lighthouse, dating back to the Spanish Colonial period. It is located high on Vigia de Nagpartian Hill and offers a beautiful view of Cape Bojeador.

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You'll also see the well-known Bangui Windmills of Ilocos Norte. Standing at 70 meters high, the windmills form a continuous line along Bangui Bay's 9-km shoreline. The Patapat Viaduct will be your next stop. This coastal bridge connects the Ilocos Region to the neighboring province of Cagayan Valley.

Following your trip to the bridge, you will make your way south to Agua Grande, where you can relax in the picnic park's natural beauty. You'll then take a short stroll to the nearby Paraiso ni Anton, well-known for its miraculous waters.

Afterward, you'll go to the Kapurpurawan Rock Formation. This creamy white and streamlined limestone formation was sculpted by different oceanic and weather forces. Your tour will conclude at the Pasuquin Salt Stand to buy some bags of freshly made sea salt. If you want to do something more adventurous, you can take a 4x4 trip across the La Paz Sand Dunes before returning to your Laoag hotel.

Your guide will pick you up from your hotel in Laoag and take you south to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Vigan. Once here, you will drop by the National Museum Ilocos Sur Complex to learn more about the region's history and heritage. You will then stop by the Bantay Church and Bell Tower, which features a Neo-Gothic design mixed with pseudo-Romanesque materials and elements.

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From there, you will visit the Syquia Mansion Museum. This facility is devoted to the life of Elpidio Quirino, a Vigan native, and the Philippines' sixth president. Following your visit to the presidential museum, you will head to the Pagburnayan Jar Factory to see how the locals make beautiful handmade jars.

About a ten-minute walk from the factory will lead you to the Crisologo Museum, the ancestral home of former Ilocos Sur Representative Floro Crisologo. Today, the house serves as a museum containing the family's memorabilia. From there, proceed to Calle Crisologo next, where you can see age-old Spanish houses lining the street.

Your next stop will be the St. Paul Metropolitan Cathedral, also known as the Vigan Cathedral. To cap off your tour, you will drop by Baluarte for a safari experience. You will then return to Calle Crisologo to check into your hotel.

After leaving your hotel in Calle Crisologo, you will travel to Sagada in the Cordillera Mountains. This rural town is famous for its scenic mountain valleys, long stretch of rice fields, and sea of clouds. When you arrive, you will first visit the Sugong Cave, one of 60 caves in this rustic area. This natural cave is located beyond Sagada's graveyard and is well-known for the coffins that hang from the limestone cliffs.

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On the way back to town, you'll walk through Echo Valley, a gorge densely forested with towering trees and lush greenery. The shouts that echo here gave rise to the valley's name. From there, prepare for a spelunking adventure next as you make your way to Sumaguing Cave, Sagada's largest cavern.

This is also referred to as the Big Cave and houses millions of ancient stalactites and stalagmites, as well as rare geological forms. There are also ice water natural ponds found inside the tunnel.

To cap off your tour, you will drop by the Bontoc Tribal Museum. This museum was established by a Belgian nun to conserve the heritage and traditions of the Cordillera region's indigenous people. You can find traditional artifacts here that represent the Ifugaos' history and traditions. You'll then take a van to your hotel in Sagada.

After checking out of your hotel in Sagada, you will travel south to the town of Banaue, home of the beautiful rice terraces. One of the places you will visit here is the amphitheater-style rice terraces in the village of Batad. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this attraction is the pride of the Luzon highlands.

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From there, you will proceed to the Batad Banaue Viewpoint. This view deck is about a half-hour walk from the main road. If you want a clearer view of the terraces, this is the best place to visit. However, you can also opt to skip the viewpoint and hike to Tappiya Waterfall instead.

If you prefer not to go trekking in the woods, you can head to the peaceful village of Banga-an, a small and quaint farming village below the Batad junction. You will see some traditional Ifugao houses here and learn about the locals' way of life and rice terrace farming scheme.

Your Banaue tour will come to an end at the Banaue Museum. You can find a collection of artifacts from ancient Igorot tribes inside. Aside from the objects, there is also a section of the museum devoted to the capture of Japanese Imperial Army General Tomoyuki Yamashita.

You will leave your hotel in Banaue and make your way to Baguio City. On the way, you will first drop by the town of Kiangan to visit the Ifugao Museum. This two-story ethnic museum is filled with priceless Ifugao items, such as clothes and musical instruments. Along with the museum, you will visit the General Yamashita Surrender Site.

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From there, you will then travel to Baguio and make your way to the Philippine Military Academy, where you will observe Filipino cadets' training. You'll also visit The Mansion, the Philippine President's official summer residence. After posing in front of The Mansion's gates, you will make your way to Camp John Hay.

This entertainment area was once a rest and recreation center for US military personnel before it was converted into a mixed-use land with restaurants, a shopping center, and a conference center. Afterward, continue your trip to Mines View Park and Wright Park, where you can enjoy Baguio's scenic landscape.

You will also drop by the nearby Centennial Park. Formerly used as a zoo, Centennial Park is now a favorite venue for tribal gatherings and rituals. Before retreating to your hotel in the downtown area, you will head to the Good Shepherd Convent for some delicacy shopping.

You'll depart from your Baguio hotel and travel to Tarlac for a day hike up Mt. Pinatubo. Located more than 170 kilometers from the City of Pines, this active volcano is well-known for its devastating 1991 eruption. It was even dubbed as the second-largest terrestrial eruption of the twentieth century after it damaged over 8,000 homes and caused losses of more than ten billion pesos.

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After reaching Tarlac, your guide will bring you to the Sta. Juliana Tourism Center and take you on a 4x4 ride to the mountain base. You will travel through the bumpy and dusty Crow Valley, renowned for its moon-like landscape. You will then disembark at the mountain base and begin the trek after about an hour of driving.

The trail to Mt. Pinatubo is a 3.4-mile point-to-point walk with moderate traffic. It usually takes about an hour and 1.5 hours to reach the summit. Along the way, you'll come across some lava sand formations from the 1991 eruption.

Once you hit the end of the trail, the turquoise waters of the crater lake will be the first thing you will see. You'll have plenty of time to dig into your lunch while taking in the peaceful surroundings. Before beginning your descent and returning to your Manila hotel, make sure to take plenty of souvenir photos.

On Day 9, you will check out of your Manila hotel and board a plane to Panglao International Airport in Bohol. You will then start your tour of the province's countryside at the Corella Tarsier Sanctuary. Managed by the non-profit group Philippine Tarsier Foundation, this forest area is home to a large tarsier community. Feel free to take tons of photographs of the cute tarsiers as long as you turn off your flash.

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Following your visit to the googly-eyed primates, you will continue your tour with the Loboc River Cruise. As you eat your sumptuous buffet lunch at the floating restaurant, the locals aboard will perform native Filipino songs and dances for your entertainment. Enjoy the quiet scenery of the riverside, as well, before you disembark and go to Baclayon Church.

This church, which was built of coral stones in 1595, is considered the country's second-oldest stone church after San Agustin Church in Manila. From there, your guide will take you to the Butterfly Conservatory to see how locals protect and breed butterflies. You will then take a brief break at the Bilar Forest before concluding your journey at the world-famous Chocolate Hills. Afterward, you will retire to your Panglao hotel.

For Day 10, you will discover Bohol's aquatic paradise when you visit the idyllic island of Pamilacan. Pamilacan is about 12.5 kilometers from the mainland and is situated in the middle of the Bohol Sea. It is well-known for being a whale shark and dolphin haven, so you will most likely see these aquatic mammals on the way to the island.

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As soon as you dock on Pamilacan, you will be welcomed by its enticing waters and pristine white-sand beach. Feel free to dip into the sea upon arriving. You don't want to miss seeing Pamilacan's colorful underwater paradise, as well, so have your snorkeling gear ready. Apart from numerous fish species, you will find some starfish, seagrasses, crinoids, and Gloria Maris seashells here.

Your guide will take you to some diving sites around Pamilacan if you want to have a more adrenaline-filled experience on the island. After your beach excursions, you can take a short walk to the 200-year-old Spanish Fort. This National Cultural Treasure, situated on the northeast coast of Pamilacan, was originally used as a deterrent against Moro pirates. From there, you will then sail back to the mainland and return to your Panglao hotel.

You will now leave Bohol and return to Manila. After checking out of your hotel in Panglao, you will make your way to Panglao International Airport, where you will board a plane bound for Ninoy Aquino International Airport. You will arrive in Manila after less than two hours of flying.