The Philippines is one of the famous holiday destinations among the tourist. One of the most popular tourist destinations in the Philippines is Laoag. Laoag is a third-class component city and capital of the province of Ilocos Norte, Philippines. It is well-known as the “Sunshine City” and “City of Lights and becomes the heart and capital city of Ilocos Norte. This city is bordered by numerous municipalities such as San Nicolas, Paoay, Sarrat, Vintar, and Bacarra. The foothills of the Cordillera Central Mountain range to the east and the West Philippine Sea to the west acts as its physical boundaries.

Laoag is the province's political, commercial, and industrial hub and the location of the Ilocos Region's busiest commercial airport.

Best time to fly from Cotabato to Laoag

The best time to fly to Laoag is during summer season because it is suitable for outdoor activities and water activities. The peak season in Laoag is from March to July and during this season, the flights and accommodation become more expensive. Therefore, to avoid many tourists, it is advisable to visit in August to September.

Main airports available in Cotabato and Laoag

Cotabato Airport – This airport is an airport that generally serves Cotabato city and it is also known as the Awang Airport. It is classified as a major domestic airport by the Philippines's Civil Aviation Authority. Cotabato Airport is also the 20th busiest airport to operate in the Philippines with an annual number of passengers of nearly 300,000 people, aircraft movements of nearly 3,000 and these numbers are increasing year by year. However, it does not serve the city by handling major international flights. It is located in the Maguindanao province, about 7 km away from the centre of Cotabato City. An international airport is expected to be built in June 2019 to serve the Cotabato City.

Laoag International Airport –Laoag International Airport is the main airport located in Ilocos Norte, serving the general area of Laoag, the capital city of the province of Ilocos Norte in the Philippines. It is situated at the northernmost international airport in the Philippines by geographical location.

It was built by Americans before World War II as Gabu Airfield. The Japanese occupied the base in December 1941 and subsequently used it. The airfield was converted into a civilian airport after the major war. Besides that, it has regularly scheduled flights that serve the capital Manila, from Laoag and further connections. The main airlines that operated at the airport are Etihad Airways, Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific Air.

Climate pattern in Cotabato and Laoag

Laoag has a tropical savanna climate with warm to hot temperatures year-round. It is divided into dry and wet seasons. The dry season usually starts in November until April and wet during the rest of the year. The rainy seasons, which has an average monthly rainfall of more than 100 millimeters is from May to September with its peak in June, July and August. Rainfall during the peak month represents 68% of the annual rainfall.

Laoag also experiences the monsoon climate of Northern Luzon and occasionally visited by powerful typhoons. The city is shielded from northeast monsoon and trade winds by the mountain ranges of Cordillera and Sierra Madre, but it is exposed to the southwest monsoon and cyclone storms.

The maximum temperature is 36.2 °C and drops down to 11.4 °C in the early mornings of January. The city recorded an average temperature of 27.25 °C with a relative humidity of 75.5% in 1996. Also, Laoag experiences an average of four to five tropical cyclones every year.

Highlights attractions in Laoag

• La Paz Sand Dunes – The La Paz Sand Dunes forms a part of the Ilocos Norte Sand Dunes which stretches from the town of Currimao, north of Laoag, to Pasuquin, south of Laoag The sand dunes are a protected sandy coastal desert in Laoag which offers a heart-racing ride on a buggy or a 4×4 and a sandboarding activity. The best time to visit the dunes is in the afternoon to avoid the scorching heat of the sun and to catch the fascinating sunset at the desert after the activities. The standard rate for activities is 2,500 peso for 3-5 persons, 2,000 pesos for the buggy ride and 500 pesos for sandboarding.
• The Sinking Bell Tower - A notable attraction at the heart of Laoag City, the 90-meter high Sinking Bell Tower has been drifting further into the earth each year due to its heavyweight digging slowly into the soft soil to where it was built since 1612. As of late, tourists are not permitted entrance to the tower.
• Malacanang of the North – This attraction was built by the Philippine Tourism Authority and currently, referred to as the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority or TIEZA in 1977 for Marcos's 60th birthday. It served as an official residence for the president's family. This museum is rich with culture and heritage and can be seen through each piece of memorabilia and architecture. The entrance fee to the museum is 30 peso and opens from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm from Tuesdays to Sundays.