Northern Luzon - Baler, Pagudpud, Vigan, Baguio & Hundred Islands Tour - 10 days

We take the expressway out of Manila to skip the city traffic, then cut east through flat farmland before the road starts climbing into the Sierra Madre. The mountain section has flowing corners, jungle on both sides, and a few viewpoints where you can see all the way to the valley floor. Once you crest the range the Pacific appears below and the road drops into Baler, a laid-back surf town on the east coast.

• Sierra Madre mountain riding
• Pacific coast arrival
• Baler surf town

Morning ride along the coast north of Baler with the ocean on your right and coconut palms lining the road. After about an hour you turn inland and cross back over the Sierra Madre on a quieter, less-traveled route. The road winds through thick forest with almost no traffic. You come out on the western side into the wide Cagayan Valley and roll into Santiago City for the night.

• Coastal morning ride
• Remote Sierra Madre crossing
• Cagayan Valley plains

A relaxed day on smooth, straight roads heading north through the Cagayan Valley. Rice paddies and farmland stretch out on both sides. In the afternoon we stop at Callao Cave in Penablanca, a massive limestone cave with a chapel inside lit by natural light from a hole in the ceiling. From there it is a short ride into Tuguegarao.

• Cagayan Valley farmland
• Callao Cave visit
• Easy riding day

The longest day on the bike but worth every kilometer. You ride north through the valley, then the road turns toward the coast and climbs onto the Patapat Viaduct, a bridge that hugs the cliffside high above the ocean. The views here are some of the best riding scenery in the Philippines. The road eventually drops down to Pagudpud where you check into a beachfront place right on the sand.

• Patapat Viaduct cliff road
• Ocean views from above
• Beachfront overnight

Head south along the Ilocos coast. Early on you pass the Bangui Windmills lined up along the shore. The rest of the ride follows the coast through fishing villages, past sand dunes, and along open two-lane roads with the South China Sea on your right. You end the day in Vigan, a UNESCO heritage town with cobblestone streets, Spanish-era buildings, and great street food in the evening.

• Bangui Windmills
• Ilocos coastal highway
• Vigan heritage town

You leave the coast behind and start climbing into the Cordillera mountains. The temperature drops as you gain altitude and the landscape shifts from lowland heat to pine forests and cool air. The mountain roads have plenty of corners and the scenery keeps changing. Baguio sits at around 1,500 meters and feels completely different from the rest of the trip. Good restaurants and a relaxed evening up in the hills.

• Cordillera mountain climb
• Pine forests and cool air
• Baguio hill station

A shorter day. You ride down from the mountains through winding roads back to the lowlands, then continue west on flat countryside roads through small towns and rice fields. You reach the Hundred Islands area by early afternoon, giving you time to settle in and relax before the next day's island hopping.

• Mountain descent
• Rural countryside riding
• Early afternoon arrival

No riding today. You take a boat out to the islands and spend the day hopping between them. The water is clear and warm, the islands are small and covered in jungle, and you can swim, snorkel, or just sit on the beach. Seafood lunch on one of the islands, then back to shore with the rest of the afternoon free.

• Island hopping by boat
• Swimming and snorkeling
• Seafood lunch on the water

Head south through the Central Luzon plains on wide, easy roads. Not the most exciting riding but a good wind-down day after nine days on the road. You arrive in Angeles City by early afternoon with time to rest, eat well, and enjoy the last evening of the tour.

• Easy Central Luzon roads
• Early check-in
• Final night dinner

Sleep in and take a late start. The ride back to Manila is a simple expressway run, about an hour and a half. You hand the bikes back in the afternoon and that is the end of the tour. If your flight is later you have time to explore Manila or grab a meal before heading to the airport.

• Expressway ride to Manila
• Bike return
• Tour complete