Narvacan is a town in Ilocos Sur with extensive beaches, a Spanish-era church and some of the best bagnet (deep-fried pork belly) in the Ilocos Region.
Understand
[edit]Narvacan is one of the oldest settlements in Ilocos Sur, having been founded by the Spanish in 1574. Its name derives from the Ilocano word for shipwrecked, referring to the inauspicious arrival of Spanish settlers led by Juan de Salcedo to the area following a storm that sunk their ship off the town's coast in Sulvec Beach.
The town prospered as a center for growing tobacco during the Spanish era, and is now cashing in on the 21st century tourism boom across Ilocos Sur as a rustic alternative to urban Vigan.
Get in
[edit]Narvacan is along Route 2 (Manila North Road). Buses also ply this highway, with some bus companies operating limited direct services from Metro Manila. A junction in Barangay Quinarayan leads to Abra province and its capital, Bangued.
Get around
[edit]Tricycles are the main form of transportation in town, particularly as downtown Narvacan is further inland from the coast.
See
[edit]- 1 Sulvec Watchtower (Baluarte), Manila North Road, Sulvec. The remains of a Spanish-era watchtower and fortifications meant to guard against pirates and foreign invaders from the South China Sea. The site was declared a National Cultural Treasure by the Philippine government in 2015.
- 2 Narvacan Church (Saint Lucy Church), Narvacan Park, Santa Lucia. Narvacan's main Roman Catholic church, built during the Spanish era in the Baroque style.
- 3 Paraiso ni Juan, Sulvec. Meaning "Juan's Paradise", it is a grotto built on top of a protruding rock off Sulvec Beach, itself a popular swimming spot, marking the spot where the Spanish conquistadores who first arrived in Narvacan were shipwrecked. It is a picturesque venue for sunsets, but the site itself is only accessible during low tide.
- 4 Mount Noah, Bantay Abot. A towering hill with views over Sulvec Cove, the Cordillera Mountains and downtown Narvacan.
- 5 Northern Luzon Heroes Hill National Park. A 1,316 hectares (3,250 acres) ridge that is popular among hikers and motorists for the dramatic coastal views along Manila North Road. While most of the park is located in Santa, its southern tip lies at Barangay Sulvec in Narvacan.
- 6 Tangadan Tunnel, Ilocos Sur-Abra Road, Ambulogan. A road tunnel cut through a stretch of the Cordillera Mountains to bypass the narrow treacherous stretch of the Abra River Gorge. The tunnel marks the approximate boundary between Ilocos Sur and Abra provinces and has rest stops on the Ilocos Sur side.
Do
[edit]- 1 Narvacan Tobacco Farmer's Tourism Park & Commercial Complex, Manila North Road, San Antonio. A sprawling mixed-use commercial and tourism complex featuring a farmers' market, civic monuments, a dancing fountain, and a replica of the shipwrecked vessel carrying the Spanish conquerors of Narvacan.
Buy
[edit]- 1 Narvacan Mall, Manila North Road, Margaay.
- 2 Narvacan Public Market, Old National Highway, San Jose.
- 3 Narvacan Farmers Market, Manila North Road, San Antonio (inside Narvacan Tobacco Farmer's Tourism Park & Commercial Complex).
Eat
[edit]Drink
[edit]Sleep
[edit]Connect
[edit]Go next
[edit]| Routes through Narvacan |
| Vigan ← Santa ← | N  S
|
→ Santa Maria → Candon |
| END ← | W  E
|
→ San Quintin → Bangued |