"Vigan Travel Diaries: Bantay Belfry Watchtower"

Bantay Belfry Watchtower is yet another tourist spot in the city of Vigan which is located in Ilocos Sur, Philippines. This tower was built on 1591 and served as one of the city’s defense a few years ago since it has a wide view of the city.

Today, this historic place has become one of the city’s top tourist destinations because of the scenic view that it offers.

It was a hot afternoon when we got here and so the short walk going up the tower became a struggle to me but it was all worth it when I finally saw the view on top. You’ll get to see a nice view of the city- calm, quite and beautiful.

And since the locals also call this a bell tower, you’ll see the famous bells inside the tower.

Again, it was a really hot afternoon so this would be a really nice spot to cool off while enjoying the quietness of the view.

The garden outside the tower is also nice and it’s a nice place to walk or hang around.

Just like most of the tourist spots in Vigan, there is no entrance fee to visit the tower but you can give a donation which they use for maintaining the place.

A little back story though, just before me and my cousin enter the tower, we were approached by a man who said he wants to take our pictures (using our camera of course?) we hesitated but eventually gave in. ( I believe this is his source of living since I saw him approach a few more tourists after taking our pictures). The guy won’t ask a fee so it’s up to you if you would give him a tip but after seeing the pictures that he took, he deserve a nice tip.

Bantay Belfry is indeed a must sight to see in Vigan. Make sure to include it on your itinerary if you are planning to visit this city. It is just a good 10-15 minutes away from the town proper.