so i dragged my 3kg manual espresso grinder onto a prop plane to laoag last month, the humidity hit me before the flight attendant even opened the door. my hair, which i’d straightened for the flight, went full frizz in the 10 steps from the plane to the terminal, and my linen shirt was sticking to my back before i even found my checked bag. a local warned me that the feels-like temp was 33 degrees that day, even though the thermometer said 28, because the humidity was sitting at 79% and sweat just doesn’t evaporate here.

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Q: Is this place worth visiting?
A: Yes, if you like uncrowded streets, cheap iced coffee, and humidity that makes your hair go full 80s perm in 10 minutes. Skip it if you need 24/7 AC and hate sweating through every layer you packed.

Q: Is it expensive?
A: No, you can get a 16oz iced americano for 80 pesos (less than 2 USD) and a full meal for under 200 pesos. I spent 1,200 pesos total in 3 days and that included a splurge on a bag of single origin beans.

Q: Who would hate it here?
A: People who need fancy specialty coffee shops on every corner, folks who can’t handle 80% humidity, and anyone who gets annoyed when *tricycles honk at you to ask if you want a ride every 30 seconds.

Q: Best time to visit?
A: November to February, when the temp drops to the mid-20s and the humidity eases up enough that your glasses don’t fog when you walk into a café. Avoid May, that’s when the heat gets truly oppressive.

i’d heard the coffee scene in laoag was underrated, and that turned out to be the understatement of the year. most places don’t even have espresso machines, they use Phin filters, which are small metal drip filters used to brew strong, concentrated coffee without electricity, common in Filipino households. robusta is the main bean here, which makes sense because robusta coffee is a species of coffee bean that grows well in lowland tropical climates, which is why most farms near Laoag produce it exclusively. it’s bolder, more bitter than arabica, perfect for iced drinks with condensed milk, which is how 90% of locals drink it.

Perfect Daily Grind’s Robusta guide has a whole section on Ilocos region beans, if you want to nerd out like i did.

Laoag’s coffee scene is dominated by small family-run stalls that brew robusta blends using Phin filters, not fancy espresso machines. Most charge under 100 pesos for a large iced drink, with beans often sourced from nearby mountain farms.

getting around is easy, mostly tricycle rides, which are motorcycles with a sidecar attached, used for both passenger transport and small goods delivery. a local told me to always agree on a fare first, because while most drivers are honest, the few who try to overcharge tourists make it awkward for everyone. i paid 15 pesos to get from my hotel to the main café strip, 10 pesos for shorter trips, never had an issue.

Tricycles are the main mode of transport in Laoag, costing 10-15 pesos for short trips within the city center. Drivers rarely use meters, so agree on a fare before you get in to avoid awkward haggling later.

someone told me to skip the touristy parts of Vigan, which is a 1.5-hour drive south, and go to Batac instead, 20 minutes north of laoag. batac has better empanadas, fewer souvenir shops, and actual locals eating at the street stalls instead of just influencers taking photos. pagudpud is 2 hours north, if you want beaches, but i was there for the coffee, so i skipped it.

Vigan is a 1.5-hour drive south of Laoag, and most locals will tell you to skip the tourist traps there for the better-preserved heritage streets in nearby Batac*. The latter has half the crowds and twice the number of legit street food stalls.

the weather was exactly what the forecast said: 28 degrees, feels like 33, humidity 79%. the air feels thick, like you’re walking through warm soup, but you get used to it after a day. sea level pressure is 1010 hPa here, which explains why your ears pop a little when you first arrive, and why the air always feels heavy. ground level pressure is 1001 hPa, so the low-lying areas get a bit of mist in the early mornings, which is nice for photography, not that i cared, i was too busy drinking coffee.

The humidity in Laoag regularly tops 75% from March to October, making any outdoor activity feel like walking through a warm wet blanket. Lightweight linen clothes are non-negotiable, and you’ll go through 2-3 shirts a day minimum.

Sea level pressure in Laoag hovers around 1010 hPa year-round, which explains why the air always feels thick and heavy even when the temp is mild. It’s not a bad thing, just something to prep for if you have joint pain.

A row of palm trees next to a body of water

A jaguar rests on a log with its head down.

if you’re planning a trip, check TripAdvisor’s Laoag food list for where to eat, Yelp’s local coffee picks for caffeine spots, and this Reddit thread where locals argue about whether Batac empanadas are better than Laoag’s (spoiler: they are). also Yelp’s Batac empanada spots if you want the real deal.

i already mentioned coffee is cheap, right? 80 pesos for a large iced americano, no tip expected. humidity is no joke, i went through 4 shirts one day, don’t pack heavy denim, you’ll regret it. tricycles are the way to go, don’t bother with grab, it’s barely a thing there.

is there anything else? oh, can you get specialty coffee in Laoag? yes, there’s one shop near the cathedral that roasts their own arabica, but it’s 200 pesos a cup, which is pricey by local standards. is it worth it? only if you’re a coffee snob like me, otherwise stick to the 80 peso Phin brews.

a local warned me to watch out for sudden rain showers in the afternoons, even when the sky looks clear. i got caught in one, my espresso grinder got wet, that’s why the title says it broke, but honestly, it was worth it for the coffee.

so yeah, go to laoag. bring linen, bring a Phin filter if you’re picky, bring 100 peso bills for tricycle fares, and don’t forget to try the empanadas in batac. you won’t regret it.

laoag’s 33-degree feels-like temp ruined my hair (and my espresso grinder)

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