What I like most about Ilocos Norte is the abundance of Philippine Baroque churches. Due to distances between churches, it's best that you skip the walking part and use a car for convenience. To make the trips more interesting, I climb the bell towers to give me a unique view of the town, and see up close the old bells. San Agustin Church of Paoay is probably the most popular church in this province being part of the UNESCO World Heritage List. However, as with most old churches in the Philippines, the interiors were cemented, thus losing its old charm. The main doors are no longer made of wood, to my disappointment. However, just viewing the exteriors is definitely worth the trip since it's very much unique in it's own way. Other churches that you can visit is Sarat and San Nicolas. You can also try the sinking belltower in Laoag. You just have to ask permission from the church office for them to open the gates. Ilocos Norte offers a variety of beaches that you can explore offering a variety of experiences. For the usual beach experience, you may go Pagudpud. Easily accessible is the more popular Saud Beach. It can be accessed easily by tricycle from municipal hall of this town. When I first came here in December of 2003, the beach was ours alone to enjoy. It was a perfect example of an isolated tropical beach that you can see in postcards. It was truly fascinating, When I got back there in summer of 2009, it was a as crowded as a city street. It's hard to avoid bumping into some people as you walk along its shores. It was no longer possible to get a scenic beach photo. There's an entrance fee of P20.00 and parking fee of the same amount that you have to pay. There were lots of booths to buy foods and drinks. And did I say it's just way too crowded? Alternative to Saud is Blue Lagoon. It's on a more isolated location. You'll have to cross mountains. On the road, you can view from the top this beautiful beach. Since it was also summer when I got here, it's pretty crowded too and parking is a problem. 
Not far from Pagudpud is Kapurpurawan Rock formation in Burgos or more popularly known as White Rocks. You can go down from the bus and cross the long unpaved road or rent a tricycle to lessen the trek. There are some lined up in this corner during peak season. If none, you can rent it from the town proper. It's rocky shores is not good for swimming but nice for pictures and playing around on the different formations of its rocks. I think its best to go here early in the morning.. Another place that you can go to is the La Paz Sand Dunes, where there is a beach at the end of a dessert. Visitors usually bring their own 4x4 vehicles to drive along its rolling sands. A rented tricycle can take you here as well, but with limitations on the area you can reach. You'll have to cross a narrow bridge which can challenge your guts in driving if you're the typical person who is used to driving in the city. I found amusement just by running in its sand, recalling scenes from FPJ's movie Panday. Perfect time to get there is in the afternoon so you can catch a glimpse of the sunset. Don't wait until its get dark so you won't have difficulty driving back. Another beach for perfect for photos is the Bangui Windmills (Bangui Bay Wind Power Project). You can read a short desciption of this place here. I did not see anyone swimming in its beaches, visitors are just here to take pictures. If you're lucky enough to meet the technician, you just might have a chance to view the machines inside. Pictures are not allowed though. Close to it is "Kangkang Windmill Café". The name of the store was enough for us to try it. The fruit shakes it offers is a good relief from the heat of the summer.
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