# Laoag City, is it a good place for tourists from America?



## kaitlin12210 (Jul 11, 2018)

Hello, I have a family friend who has her home in Laoag City Philippines and invited me and my mother to come vacation with her there in December 2019. We are from America, have not been to Southeast Asia before, and don’t know much about the weather, tourist spots, or if there are any safety concerns except that she mentioned storms are frequent during certain times of the year. Any info would help! Thanks.


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## Manitoba (Jun 25, 2014)

I have traveled around the world a few times, lived in some places most people would consider extremely dangerous (Kandahar and Helmand provinces, Afghanistan) and in some considered extremely safe (rural parts of Canada).

*There is no 100% safe place, all have their dangers.* You need to be aware of them and take the necessary precautions. Most places are relatively safe if you take the necessary precautions and be situational aware at all times. (i.e. pay attention to that is happening around you. If all the locals suddenly leave, best to follow along.)

In general just about every place there are areas where you don’t want to go, some only with special precautions and sometimes these precautions vary with time of day and some places where you can walk around freely with no worries. (or very little worry, no place is 100% safe.)

If you are staying at a hotel where expats stay or wealthy locals stay then the biggest, realistic, worry will be hotel staff committing petty theft. Lock stuff up. 

The Philippines in general is prone to some natural disasters in the form of earthquakes and typhoons, with resulting flooding. The infrastructure and adherence to building codes can make this worse. However much of the world is prone to earthquakes and storms but this does not stop people from living in them.

Crime in the Philippines is higher than in a lot of developed countries (but I don't think any worse than countries and area of countries, with similar social economic profiles.) but like in most places crime is generally opportunistic in nature. Don’t flash a lot of money around people who have none, that includes wealth like fancy cameras, watches and cell phones, don’t go down dark alleys at night when drunk with strangers. Just take the same simple precautions you would take in any city and keep a low profile and you will be OK.

Weather here is tropical, think south Florida and you will be about right. Generally hot and humid December is in the dry season but it still can rain, lots of people carry umbrellas even in sunny weather to protect against sun, cheap ones will cost only $2 or $3 US on the street. Temperatures will be around 30 to 35C dropping only slightly at night 25C is a cold night.

As for tourist spots, that depends on what you want to do. Metro Manila or Cebu are huge cities with all that a city has to offer and all the drawbacks. Great restaurants and things to do but terrible traffic., more in Manila than Cebu. 

IF you like the outdoors, especially beaches then this is the place, There are over 7,000 islands and lots of unspoiled beaches. Some world class scuba and snorkeling here too.

There people here are great, very accepting of outsiders in their culture, just keep an open mind and do not be constantly comparing what is happening here unfavorably to how you do things at home. Of course there are scammers here so watch out for that as well, as a foreigner you will be seen as a walking ATM by a lot of locals.


Some suggested reading, available on Kindle or elsewhere. (I am using Kindle links because they are easier to find, these books and many similar ones are available many places.)

https://www.amazon.com/Philippines-...F8&qid=1531442446&sr=1-3&keywords=philippines

https://www.amazon.com/Lonely-Plane...F8&qid=1531442446&sr=1-4&keywords=philippines

https://www.amazon.com/Culture-Shoc...531442493&sr=1-2&keywords=philippines+culture

There are lots of others available as well.

For further reading ask Mr. Google, he knows everything and is willing to tell you all he knows.

I strongly encourage you to get out of the US, see the world and you will soon see that it is not as scary a place as some people claim it is, in many ways other parts of the world are safer and much more enjoyable.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Laoag City is in the very far north of Luzon and should be safe for the seasoned traveller. I've not been that far north myself and suspect it's getting a bit away from the big amenities. The only way you will get any trouble is if you attract it yourself. Just be humble and you will get on just fine.


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## kaitlin12210 (Jul 11, 2018)

Thank you so much for this information! It will help me a lot!


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

kaitlin12210 said:


> Hello, I have a family friend who has her home in Laoag City Philippines and invited me and my mother to come vacation with her there in December 2019. We are from America, have not been to Southeast Asia before, and don’t know much about the weather, tourist spots, or if there are any safety concerns except that she mentioned storms are frequent during certain times of the year. Any info would help! Thanks.


Hi Kaitlin,

If you are actually just eighteen (18) years old {as you posted on the France page} I would in the strongest possible way suggest you not travel to ANY part of the Philippines unless you have a male companion or several other "older" female friends along. Yea I know that sounds sexist and all. But imagine you get on a jet there in Norcal and fly down to LAX or Burbank. Now your purpose in going there is to tour down town {South Central} Los Angeles at 2:00am in the morning. Traveling to any part of this country without someone a lot older and more experienced would be just about the same thing and having about the same result---PLUS you would be in a foreign, 3rd world country where law means very little and the US govt has no way to help you. This is just a caution and heads up as I have lived here now for the past 15 years and know these things happen here to even people much older than you.



Best Of Luck :fingerscrossed:

Asian Spitit


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## kaitlin12210 (Jul 11, 2018)

Thank you for this word of caution!


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

If you are travelling with your mother and are being met and rscorted by a local I don't see a problem.


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## kaitlin12210 (Jul 11, 2018)

Thanks


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## Pakwaan (Oct 14, 2017)

I have a bunch of employees in a call center in Laoag and go there frequently. It’s far from the beaten tourist path. I’ve never felt unsafe in Ilocos. I’m sure your friend will take good care of you. President Marcos’ old northern presidential palace is there and has become a museum, and one of the oldest churches in the Philippines is there. Ilocano food has some delicious regional specialties; I found the food to be excellent. And the beach at Pagudpud is beautiful. Enjoy yourself!


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## kaitlin12210 (Jul 11, 2018)

Thank you for the info Pakwaan!


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