For those who will visit Vigan or have visited before, The Baluarte or Fortress of Vigan is always a must-see destination.
Lying in hectares of land that stretches from the rolling plains towards the hills and offering a grand view of Vigan and the South China Sea, Baluarte or Fortress of Vigan is a resort complex featuring a mini zoo with animals endemic to the Philippines and from other countries. It is owned by a well-known person of Vigan, Mr. Chavit Singson, and continuously being improved by the city government.
Things to Do
1. Tourists can start the tour by visiting the row of cages where they can see lions, Bengal tigers, peacocks, civet cats, iguanas, pythons, and other reptiles and birds. They could see also the Philippine Cloud Rat which is a nocturnal animal endemic to the Philippine Cordillera region.
2. Tourists can feed the monkeys, swans, flamingos, parrots, hornbills, ostriches, albino and spotted deer, and the one-hump camel. Animals are usually placed in a more open area where visitors can approach them with bananas and seeds.
3. If you want to experience a ride, visitors are allowed to sit on top of the bigger animals. For children, they can go to the tracks to ride the small horses.
4. For those who want to observe thousands of butterflies, the park has a butterfly farm featuring the good serene interaction of animal species.
5. One interesting activity in the park is the Live Animal Show which is held 4 times a day. Visitors are allow to come up closer with 8-10 exotic creatures. Information about these animals are taught by the tourist guides. After the show, guests are given a chance to have photos with the animals with the assistance of the care takers to guarantee both the safety of the visitors and the animals.
Entrance is free! Rides are free!
The best about Baluarte is that its admission and the rides are free of charge. It is open to the public everyday from 7am to 6pm. This place is Governor Chavit's gift to the people of Vigan where residents are accorded free use of spaces for their livelihood programs.
How to go to Baluarte?
By Land: There is a nine-hour overland trip via Philippine Rabbit Bus line, Dominion Bus Corporation, Partas Transportation Company.
By Air: Fly to Ilocandia instead. Laoag International Airport has three times a week 70 min. flight via Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific. Public transport is an 80-kilometer trip to Vigan and 10-minute drive to Baluarte. We recommend the comfortable air-conditioned Partas buses with only three seats across and have better reclining positions.