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Vigan

Philippines travel guide

What to see in Vigan

The best-preserved Spanish colonial town in Asia, with horse-drawn carriages and cobbled streets.

Updated 18 October 2026 · How we make our guides

  • 5 must-see places
  • Best time: from December to May
  • Typical food: Vigan empanada
Photo: Ralff Nestor Nacor · CC BY-SA 4.0

Vigan highlights

The places you can’t miss. In the app we sort them by day and close to each other.

  1. Calle Crisologo

    Wood and stone houses from the 18th and 19th centuries.

  2. Plaza Salcedo

    With its fountain, which puts on a light show at night.

  3. St Paul’s Cathedral

    In “earthquake baroque” style, with very thick walls.

  4. Calesa ride

    Horse-drawn carriages through the historic centre.

  5. Burnay kilns

    Workshops making clay jars as they did centuries ago.

Day trips from Vigan

We take you straight to the best-rated tour on GetYourGuide, with its reviews and dates.

Some links are affiliate links: if you book through them, Bagintravel may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

When to travel to Vigan

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Vigan are from December to May. If you can, avoid from August to October (typhoon and monsoon season).

  1. Jan no warnings
  2. Feb no warnings
  3. Mar no warnings
  4. Apr no warnings
  5. May no warnings
  6. Jun with warnings
  7. Jul with warnings
  8. Aug with strong warnings
  9. Sep with strong warnings
  10. Oct with strong warnings
  11. Nov with warnings
  12. Dec no warnings
  • from June to November

    Typhoon and monsoon season

    From June to November typhoons and the southwest monsoon arrive: ferries and flights between islands are often cancelled, especially from August to October.

    What to do: Leave a spare day before your international flight home and don’t chain too many island hops together.

Typical food of Vigan

The dish you have to try there and how to make it at home, to whet your appetite before the trip (or to go back to Vigan from your kitchen).

Vigan empanada
Photo: Jessartcam · CC BY-SA 4.0

Vigan empanada

A fried rice-flour pastry, orange from annatto, filled with green papaya, Vigan longganisa and a whole egg. A Spanish legacy in the colonial town of Vigan.

  • Serves 6
  • 1 h

Ingredients

  • 300 g rice flour
  • Water, salt and 1 tablespoon of annatto oil
  • 200 g grated green papaya (or finely shredded cabbage)
  • 200 g longganisa or fresh chorizo
  • 6 eggs
  • Oil for frying
  • Cane vinegar with garlic and chilli for dipping

How to make it at home

  1. Knead the flour with the water, salt and annatto oil into an orange dough that can be rolled out.
  2. Roll out a thin circle on a banana leaf or paper, add papaya and crumbled longganisa and crack an egg on top.
  3. Fold it in half and press the edges to seal.
  4. Fry in hot oil until crisp.
  5. Serve with the garlic and chilli vinegar.

The trick: With the banana leaf underneath it’s easy to fold without tearing.

Where and what to eat

To eat like a local: the carinderia (local canteen). The dishes you can’t miss are in the Philippines guide.

Frequently asked questions about Vigan

What to see in Vigan?

Calle Crisologo, Plaza Salcedo, St Paul’s Cathedral, Calesa ride and Burnay kilns.

What to see in Vigan in one day?

Don’t miss Calle Crisologo, Plaza Salcedo, St Paul’s Cathedral, Calesa ride and Burnay kilns. To split it into days and areas without crossing the city back and forth, the Bagintravel app plans your trip in a minute.

What’s the best time to travel to Vigan?

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Vigan are from December to May. If you can, avoid from August to October (typhoon and monsoon season).

What day trips can you take from Vigan?

Vigan.

What is the typical food of Vigan?

Vigan empanada. A fried rice-flour pastry, orange from annatto, filled with green papaya, Vigan longganisa and a whole egg. A Spanish legacy in the colonial town of Vigan.

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Guide reviewed 18 October 2026. Places, areas and seasons: the same data the Bagintravel app uses. Sources and method.