Badoc Tourist Spots

        

The municipality of Badoc, may be overlooked by visitors because these is one of those towns that you pass by when you go to Laoag or to the Northern part of our Province . Badoc is the first town upon entering Ilocos Norte so you may make it as your first destination once you get in the Province or your last on your way out.

Places to go to there are the  Juan Luna Shrine, the Luna Park, and  the Roman Catholic Church wherein the statue or image of the miraculous La Virgen Milagrosa de Badoc, all of them are within the Poblacion.


          La Virgen Milagrosa de Badoc

  

The Badoc Churh wherein Virgin Mary Statue houses

The mini altar beside the Badoc Church.

  Being the southernmost town of Ilocos Norte, Badoc is the gateway to the province; however, most travelers bypass it and head straight to the tourist hotspots further north, such as Laoag, Paoay and Pagudpud. So I was curious to find out what this unassuming town had to offer.

  As we go to this town, the first place who attract us is the  Badoc Church (St. John the Baptist Parish Church ), whose facade has been gaudily painted in white and blue.They say that it is the place where Juan Luna was baptized but aside from it this Spanish colonial church also houses the La Virgen Milagrosa de Badoc, a 400-year-old image of the Virgin Mary found by fishermen in the 17th century. 

  The Diocese of Laoag proclaimed the wooden image of La Virgen Milagrosa de Badoc as the Patrones Of Ilocos Norte every  2nd day of May.

Juan Luna Shrine
                                      

The ancestral house of Luna

              The Wishing Well, one part of Luna's House.

   The Juan Luna Shrine is a two-storey structure made of clay bricks and molave wood. This restored ancestral home of the Luna clan is itself a life-sized historical artifact that speaks of affluence and classic elegance. The first floor is where the treasure trove of collections is categorically displayed, while the second floor is divided into 4 sections: the living room, the bedroom, the chapel and the azotea.

The main entrance of the Juan Luna Shrine opens into the alcove just before the family gallery. Photographs on the walls show the damaged original house and how teams of construction workers rebuilt it. In the family gallery are vintage photographs of the Luna clan, including Juan Luna’s son, Andres. The museum also uses the family gallery to display household artifacts from Luna’s time. Another section of the lower floor holds reproductions of Luna’s two large works – “Spolarium” and “El Pacto de Sangre.” There are also portraits of his wife, Paz Pardo de Tavera, and national hero Jose Rizal.


Saud Sand Dunes

                         

     Another surprising discovery, unknown to the tourism circuit, are the Saud Sand Dunes, similar to the touristy ones found in Paoay, where sandboarding and 4X4 rides are popular activities. Exploring the sand dunes is best done in the late afternoon, when the dunes cast dramatic shadows across the landscape. Besides the sand dunes, there's more to discover for the intrepid visitor. Not far away, there are the coral rock formations, tidal flats and gray-sand beaches of Pagsanahan; and offshore, the uninhabited island of Badoc, which offers a nice place for swimming and snorkeling.

HOW TO GET THERE: From Manila, ride a Partas or Florida bus bound for Laoag, and alight at the "Badoc Detachment" bus stop (9 hours). From here, tricycles can take you around town.