Melo Villareal
Lakbay Norte 7 Day 3: Road Trip and Snack Trip from Tarlac to Laoag City
Most people would imagine their dream hotel by the beach with the smell of the sea in the wind, or a room on the highest floor of the hotel, with a view of the cityscape below. But on our third day of NLEX Lakbay Norte 7, we discovered that sometimes, we can find the best in the simplest places.
Our official accommodation for our night in Tarlac (Day 2) was at EDL Farm, or more formally known as The Farmhouse by EDL (hotel info). This place is exactly what it sounds. In the property, there was a hatchery, a poultry farm, and even a worm-growing facility. But instead of the typical barnyard that one thinks of upon mention of the word “farm”, this farm resort was more like a wide garden with fresh produce and a relaxing, close-to-nature atmosphere.
It was a one-of-a-kind destination that easily stood out among all the beach resorts and world-class casino hotels I have stayed in throughout my travels.
To start Day 3, we had a tour in the farm garden, led by Mr. Ed Duenas. He showed us around the huge property, which had cows, chickens, and whatnot. My favorite was the duck hatchery and the balut-making facility! It felt nice to have an idea how things are grown in the farm before they reach our dining tables.
Roadtrip from Tarlac to Laoag City
We left The Farmhouse shortly after our tour. Day 3 did not have much in the itinerary, since we were en route to Laoag, Ilocos Norte, which was several hours away from Tarlac! We had our breakfast at Jollibee Capas before starting our long, butt-numbing ride to Ilocos Norte.
It was a mostly peaceful trip. We reached Urbiztondo, in San Juan, La Union, just in time for lunch. We parked at Urbiz Garden, one of the most well-known B&B inns in the municipality that attracts thousands of tourists for its beaches and surfing spots.
The rustic Urbiz Garden was very close to nature and open like The Farmhouse by EDL, and we immensely enjoyed our lunch at Paluto, the B&B’s very own restaurant. We had some nice plates of lutong bahay meals, which greatly contrasted with our fast food breakfast earlier!
We had to hit the road again after having our lunch. We had to sit back for another 6 or so hours to get to one of the northernmost provinces in Luzon.
It was late in the afternoon when we reached Ilocos Sur. We stopped by shortly at Bistro Candon for some late snacks. The bistro was very classy and aesthetic, and they had a very wide-ranging menu. Honestly, I had a hard time choosing what I wanted to have because of it!
They offered classic dishes like fresh lumpia and a pasta dish. The next time I’m headed for Ilocos Norte and have the chance to stop over at Ilocos Sur, I will make sure to visit this restaurant again.
Our snacks had settled in our bellies when we reached Sitio Remedios Heritage Village in Ilocos Norte for dinner. The owner himself, Dr. Joven Cuanang, hosted our dinner.
Sitio Remedios is another very unique resort. Stepping into the hotel grounds was like traveling back in time. Gardens are well-kept, and the old-looking buildings were simply elegant. The traditional Ilocano dishes we had for dinner was also very fit for the atmosphere of that rather chilly, quaint night.
It was unfortunate that Sitio Remedios was not our official accommodation. It would have been a lovely experience getting to stay in one of their suites. But, oh well, maybe next time!
We had another short drive afterwards, this time to central Laoag, the capital city of Ilocos Norte. We checked in at our assigned hotels.
I was assigned to Northview Hotel (hotel info), an affordable hotel located at a nice distance from Laoag’s tourist destinations like the Sinking Bell Tower and Museo Ilocos Norte.
The 3-star hotel that opened in 1997 had a homey feel to it. It was the kind of place a tired traveler such as myself, who went from Tarlac to La Union to Ilocos Norte, really needed. I closed my eyes and had the rest of the night to retire for Day 4.
Contact Info:
EDL Agritourism Farm / The Farmhouse (check rates)
Location: Capas, Tarlac
Address EDL Drive, Sitio Nueve, Brgy. Dolores, Capas, Tarlac
Phone (63 45) 206-3345 / 0917-709-6908
Email [email protected]
Uribiz Garden
Address: 134 Beachfront, MacArthur Highway, Barangay Urbiztondo, San Juan, 2514 La Union
Northview Hotel Laoag (check rates here)
Address: 46 Airport Ave, Laoag City, 2900 Ilocos Norte
Also see:
- Lakbay Norte 7 Day 1: Exploring Malolos and San Rafael Bulacan
- Lakbay Norte 7 Day 2: Rediscovering Tarlac
- Lakbay Norte: 11 Things to Do and See in Ilocos Norte
- The Food Project: Newest Food Park in La Union
- Top 8 Beach Resorts in San Juan, La Union
- The Ultimate List of Beautiful Beaches in La Union Province
