Ilocos Sur, Administrative province in northern Luzon, Philippines
Ilocos Sur is an administrative province in northern Luzon, Philippines, stretching along a narrow strip between the coast and the mountains of the Cordillera range. The landscape shifts from flat rice paddies and sandy coves by the sea to green hills and mountain villages inland.
The region was organized by Spanish colonial rulers in the 16th century and developed into a center for tobacco cultivation and trade with Manila. Uprisings against colonial rule flared several times during the 18th and 19th centuries before the Philippines came under American control in the early 20th century.
The name comes from the Ilocano language and means "from the marshy land," a reference to the wet soils along the rivers and coves of the coastal plain. In villages, craftspeople still weave Abel textiles on traditional looms and paint pottery with geometric patterns.
Public buses and minibuses run along the main road that links coastal communities with the interior, with trips most frequent during daytime. Travelers should start early to allow time for stops in smaller towns and factor in extra time for winding mountain roads during rainy weather.
Two sites within the province's borders have been recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage locations: the colonial old town of Vigan and the baroque church of Santa Maria. The church stands on a hill and is reached by a brick stairway built like a fortress into the landscape.
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