Vigan Transportation

There are many transportation going to Vigan from Baguio City. You can take Partas and or Viron. These are the buses that directly bring you to Vigan City.

You can also take buses that are bound only to San Fernando or Bauang, La Union. Then from Bauang, you can catch more buses to Vigan (those buses coming from Manila: Farinas, Partas, Viron, etc.

When I went home to Ilocos Sur last year, I took the Partas bus from Cubao. They have newer fleet and they stop at excellent restaurants with cleaner bathrooms!

First of all, the Partas Bus Line have different prices depending on which bus you are going to take. There is the deluxe airconditioned bus and their is also the regular bus. Either way, it's up to you to decide which one to take. But before you choose, remember how long it will take you to get to Vigan. The buses have many stops. They basically stop in every city or town that they have a bus station.

Second of all, there is one reason why I like Partas. It's not about the price or the service. It's the connection of the owner of Partas! Partas is owned by Chavit Singson, a kingpin of the Ilocos region. When a Partas breaks down on the way, you know that you can hop in to the next bus because they have the most numbers of fleet going to the Ilocos Region.

Also,for safety reason. The bus stations of Partas are heavily guarded especially in Manila (sometimes not in uniform) and you know that you and your luggages are safe. You won't hear any complaints of a lost luggage. Nobody would dare to mess up with the Singson's.

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In front of the Divine Word College in Vigan or in front of the Vigan Hotel, there are caritelas or horseback ridden carriages. These guys are waiting for tourists or local visitors to go inside the Villa Hernandina (that part of Vigan where the roads are made of bricks). As per City Ordinance, the caritelas are the only once allowed to get into the brick roads! Tricycles (motorcycles with cabs or the local transport) are not allowed to go there including other vehicles).

The caritela drivers charges 150 pesos per trip to go around the brick road but this fee does not include if you ask them to wait for you while you shop at the souvenir stores.

You should make a deal/contract with the caritela drivers first before you hop in. During low season (not a lot of visitors (rainy season May, June, July, August, Sept, Oct), not a lot of visitors come visit Vigan, so you can bargain to the drivers. Sometimes, I was told, that they don't have passengers in so many hours. These caritela drivers wait in line to get their own customers!

For us, I bargained for 75 pesos "just to look around" and gave the driver a tip for waiting for us while shopping!

Cheaper mode of transportation compared to calesas. PhP10/person around the City.

Going to Baluarte costs PhP20/head (minimum of 2 persons)

From Baluarte to Hidden Garden, we paid PhP15/person. Same rate applied from Hidden Garden back to Vigan proper.

From Laoag to Vigan, the trip is almost 2 hours and we highly recommend Partas Aircon Bus. Comfortable and clean... Adult fare is less than PhP150/person.

Don't be hesitant to tell the driver to remind you if you've reached Vigan bus station already... All of you might fall asleep throughout the trip.

From the bus station in Vigan, take tricycle to your pension house/hotel. Fare is between Php10-15 each if you are at least 2 people.

It is 7 to 10 hours drive from manila to vigan, Fare should be around P650-P750.

Busses from Manila To Vigan vice versa
PARTAS BUS LINES #816 Aurora Boulevard cor P. Bernardo St., Cubao QC Tel. No.: (02) 725-1740
DOMINION BUS LINES New York Street, Cubao, Quezon City Tel. No.: (02) 741-4146, 731-4180
VIRON TRANSIT #1209 Blumentritt Cor. Dapitan St., Sampaloc 1000 Manila Tel. No.: (02) 741-0405

REGULAR BUSES PLYING THE MANILA-LAOAG ROUTE WHICH PASSES TO VIGAN
PHILIPPINE RABBIT BUS LINES, INC. 819 Oroquieta Street 1000 Manila Tel. No.: (02) 734-9836
FARIÑAS TRANS Laong Laan corner M dela Fuente Street, Sampaloc, Manila Tel. No.: (02) 743-8582
MARIA DE LEON Gelinos Street 1000 Manila Tel. No.: (02) 731-4907

I know that kalesa is more commonly seen in Manila but riding the kalesa is a far more different experience especially when you're in Vigan. Instead of taking a cab/tricycle to the bell tower, St. paul's and the other tourist spots in Vigan, we decided to rent a kalesa for an hour.

Since it was only the two of us who took the trip, we had no one to take our pics together. Thanks to our manong driver, who acted as our tourguide slash photographer. :D

Vigan to Laoag buses are available 24 hours/ The ordinary buses are available until 4pm or so and Partas aircon buses are available round the clock. But Partas buses arrive only every hour/ Fares as January 2009 :
ordinary buses - 120p
Partas - 117p ( i have no idea why)
Partas terminals have a tv and a clean (sort of) washroom so it's not that much hassle to wait