Carved by nature is Burgos, Ilocos Norte’s Kapurpurawan Rock Formations. Visually, it’s the closest to Ireland’s northern coast I’ve been–inclusive of occasional squalls, sans freezing wind.

Seeing it makes you want to break out in song the way Tolkien wrote his hobbits, though Middle Earth’s an altogether separate universe and not yet accessible via plane rides. Just disregard Bangui’s Windmills sprouting along your skyline though, I must admit, they’re a pleasant view, too.  

Getting here isn’t too easy. Taking a bus from Clark International Airport would shave ten hours off your life. Unless you’re willing to sit for that long a period I’d suggest skipping Clark and booking tickets for Laoag International Airport. You’ll still need to take a bus to Burgos, Ilocos Norte but travel time’s only around 4 hours at this point.

Plenty of other sights to offer from this corner of the world but I’ll reserve pictures for upcoming posts.