Free tours for Ilocos Norte tourists this Holy Week

The newly-opened ‘Balay ti Dingras’ which houses traditional Ilokano lifestyle.
(Photo from Ilocos Norte gov’t’s Flickr account)

LAOAG CITY – The provincial government of Ilocos Norte is offering free tours to its popular tourism destinations this Holy Week.

Starting March 24-27, government-owned “SIRIB” buses painted with red will be parking in front of the provincial Capitol from 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. to transport passengers visiting various church pilgrimage sites here and some tourism landmarks along the way.

Organized by the Ilocos Norte Tourism Office (INTO), interested groups and individuals who are visiting the province this week may avail of early reservation or just check the bus scheduled trips.

For northbound passengers, the route and stop over for at least an hour for every destination include the Bacarra church, Cape Bojeador Lighthouse and museum and Kapurpurawan Rocks Formation in Burgos, windmills of Bangui and the public beach of Saud and then back to Laoag.

Southbound passengers may also avail of free rides going to the Malacañang of the North, Paoay sand dunes, the UNESCO-world St. Augustine church in Paoay, Ferdinand E. Marcos museum in Batac City, La Virgen Milagrosa Shrine in Badoc, Pinili tourist center and depart for Laoag at 6:00pm.

Also starting at 8:00 a.m., the SIRIB bus will be picking up eastbound passengers in front of the Capitol and transport them to Sarrat where they may experience the so-called Sarrat Heritage Walk all the way to the Sta.

Monica Church located in this town.

After that, they may proceed to Banna, Ilocos Norte to try their zipline for a fee, visit the eco-park and tribal village in Nueva Era, have a stopover at the Dingras Plaza and Escoda Shrine and the newly-opened ‘Balay ti Dingras’ which houses traditional Ilokano lifestyle.

In previous years, the INTO again organized free rides for tourists to further promote the province as an alternative destination for pilgrimage during Holy Week and for new and returning visitors to enjoy the beauty of the province, even on a low budget.

For reservations, the INTO may be reached through this hotline number: 0917 550 0946.