Luzon Summer 2017

Marcos kicks off the summer 2017 season with an adventure in Luzon, Philippines. He explores Ilocos, Abra, La Union, Laguna, Cavite & Metro Manila.
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A call for extreme adventures brought me to Narvacan Outdoor Adventure Hub (NOAH), an up-and-coming tourist destination in Narvacan in Ilocos Sur, Philippines. This is the place to go for an unforgettable paragliding experience as well as other exciting outdoor activities including rock climbing (via Ferrata), windsurfing, ziplining, off-road driving, sailing, and kite surfing.

While I was in Luzon, I couldn't resist going on trips in other beautiful places in the island, starting with a side trip to Vigan and other heritage towns in Ilocos.

Next up was my first visit to Abra. This 5-day trip brought me to remote highland villages and scenic natural views that were still largely untouched by tourist crowds.

My journey continued south, to San Juan, the surfing capital on this side of Luzon, and then to nearby towns in La Union.

Back in Manila, I wanted to explore more places near the metro. I ended up enjoying day trips to Hulugan Falls, historical spots in Laguna Province, and a heritage walk in Cavite.

Route Map

Array

Trip Itinerary

Make sure to click on the series/trip pages posted below to see more details.

Leg 1

Narvacan & Ilocos

Narvacan Outdoor Adventure Hub (NOAH) - Extreme adventures in Narvacan, Ilocos Sur

Places — Narvacan, Ilocos » Santiago » Vigan » Badoc » Cabugao.

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Leg 2

Abra

Abra - Nature and culture trip

Places — Bangued, Abra » Tayum » Kili » Tineg » San Quintin » La Paz.

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Leg 3

La Union

La Union - Weekend trip

Places — San Juan, La Union » San Gabriel » Luna » San Fernando » Bauang.

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Leg 4

Laguna, Cavite & Metro Manila

Laguna & Cavite - On day trips from Manila

Manila - Metro detours

Places — Metro Manila » South Laguna » North Cavite.

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This was the first big trip that I traveled with the Sony A6000 mirrorless camera.

I had been planning to switch from my Micro 4/3 mirrorless camera (DSLM) for a long time. Thanks to the release of the newer Sony A6500, a huge price drop on the Sony A6000 made me purchase a unit, in late-2016.

From a bulky Nikon DSLR, I had switched to a more compact Panasonic Lumix mirrorless, and now to the compact yet powerful Sony E mirrorless. I am really happy with the excellent quality and convenient portability.

Photos posted on this trip series were taken with the Sony A6000 + Sony 10-18mm f/4 ultra wide angle lens, and Huawei P9 dual-camera phone. Post-processing done with Adobe Lightroom.

This trip is part of Marcos’ 2017 Detours series.

Places featured on this trip:

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La Union is the surfing capital of Northern Philippines' west coast. Explore the surfing spots and the province's interesting natural attractions, heritage sites, and food scene.
HIGHLIGHTS: Marcos re-visits Manila. He goes on day tours to Hulugan Falls, and heritage sites in Laguna and Cavite, Philippines.
HIGHLIGHTS: Marcos visits San Juan’s surfing beach and goes on day tours to San Gabriel, Luna, San Fernando & Bauang in La Union Province, Philippines.
HIGHLIGHTS: Marcos visits Abra for the first time. He journeys to Kili Village in Tubo, scenic spots in Tineg, and tours in & beyond Bangued.
HIGHLIGHTS: Marcos enjoys extreme adventures at Narvacan Outdoor Adventure Hub (NOAH) & visits heritage towns in Ilocos.
HIGHLIGHTS: Marcos kicks off the summer 2017 season with an adventure in Luzon, Philippines. He explores Ilocos, Abra, La Union, Laguna, Cavite & Metro Manila.