Baluarte ni Singson
Harry the friendly tiger
A new attraction around the Vigan area in Ilocos Sur is Chavit Singson’s Baluarte. If Ilocos Norte is Marcos territory, Vigan is where the Singson’s rule. The Baluarte is a 20 hectare land with a mini zoo, shooting range, and a chapel. It is also known as Chavit’s Fortress. Access to the mini zoo, where Singson’s numerous pet tigers and other animals are found are free for the public, as he considers this as a gift to the people.
Even if the place is still being developed, the place does look good. Harry, the friendly tiger is found at the entrance. Unfortunately, the handler isn’t around because I’d really want to touch that tiger. Seems like a giant stuff toy. I must warn though that if you are going to bring children, watch them closely as the cages for the wild tigers aren’t safe. The cages are too accessible and a child can easily slip their hands as the bars are too wide apart.
Ruffa, the lonely orangutan
There’s also Ruffa a lone Orangutan nearby Harry. She’s quite gloomy at that time as we found out later that her companion orangutan just died.
The Butterfly Garden
A butterfly macro shot
There’s also the butterfly garden there. A walking tour inside would be worth a while. See how they breed and grow their butterflies from cocoons.
A free palomino ride
Also enjoyable for the kids and kids at heart is the free palomino ride where it will take you to a large field where ostriches are free to roam around. Although it’s free, it would be courteous to give a tip to the driver.
A towering Ostrich
Singson’s Baluarte
There are still more animals and sights to see at the Baluarte, and I bet once the place has finished in development it would draw more crowds as a recreational activity from visiting Vigan. We asked our caretaker-slash-guide on how much is it to maintain the place, he said it takes around a million pesos a day to maintain the place. Wow! Singson indeed has a lot of money to spare.
Tags: Baluarte, Ilocos Sur, Vigan, Zoo
Posted on
Friday, July 21st, 2006 at 10:17 am 
Subscribe through 
July 21st, 2006 at 1:10 pm
natuwa ako sa protrait ni ruffa, naalala ko tuloy yung titanic.
di ba kulay red yung ano nya, lagot ka ferdz.
July 21st, 2006 at 7:52 pm
di natin napuntahan yan nong north luzon venture, maganda pala talaga ang zoo na yan…
buti maamo oyng butterfly…hirap maka tiyempo ng ganyang shot! mailap lahat ng butterfly na nakikita ko eh…
July 21st, 2006 at 9:00 pm
been there lasat 2003 pero hindi pa siya ganyan ka ganda. very nice framing…
July 21st, 2006 at 9:29 pm
nice cat u got there ferdz! sayang, i missed going there last holy week when we took a road trip to ilocos sur & norte
July 22nd, 2006 at 1:10 am
wow ang ganda! reminds me of my visit to zoobic
July 22nd, 2006 at 8:03 am
i love the zoo, i can spend whole day there….fun to watch and take photo of the animals, u capture beautful photos here. orangutang shot is adorable:-)
July 24th, 2006 at 8:55 pm
hmmm, mukhang maganda nga ah… ganda nung tiger, orangutan ang butterfly shots….
July 25th, 2006 at 1:33 pm
harry doesn’t look friendly but it’s a beautiful picture of him. did you get to pat harry and the rest of the gang?
August 16th, 2006 at 10:18 pm
Harry is super friendly and he likes it when you scratch him between “the toes”. He was just a cub the first time we met and cute as a button. At that age tigercubs are just like a human baby so when he he took my hand in his mouth my comment was “his teeth are itching just like any kid that age”. He loves having his belly scratched and if he licks your face it’s as if you polish your face with sandpaper. See you later this year my friend! Yes Harry is a friend – it just so happens that this friend has 4 legs and can growl.
September 1st, 2006 at 12:50 pm
does the baluarte of chavit singson far from the town of vigan? do they have an entrance fee?i’d like to go there on september. please send me an info, anyone, HELP!!!
September 5th, 2006 at 9:49 pm
Baluarte is not far away from the center of Vigan.
There’s no entrance fee lang………….
November 21st, 2006 at 5:28 pm
maglagay naman kau ng telephone number and where abouts nyo plsss…
January 24th, 2007 at 11:21 am
great photography!
February 26th, 2007 at 6:47 pm
ang ganda
February 26th, 2007 at 6:52 pm
c ej mukang ungoy
February 26th, 2007 at 6:53 pm
c tito ko na c piolo packul naghahanap ng asawa gwapo un
July 6th, 2007 at 12:30 pm
good pm were from bmgtravel and tours in cavite. we are requesting for your contracted rates.. we do have clients barangay captains from castillejos zambales this july and we refer them to visit baluarte
October 6th, 2007 at 12:27 pm
grabeh,ang laki po talaga ng mga leon ni Sen. Chavit..i like his butterfly garden…lalo nyo pa po pagandahin ang buluarte…
December 23rd, 2007 at 12:23 am
MAY KULANG NA POSTER SA BALUARTE NI CHAVIT…. DAPAT MAY NAKA POST NA
” THIS IS WHERE YOUR TAXES GO ” DAPAT NAKA TATTOO RIN YUN DUN KATAWAN NUNG TIGRE. TAPOS ANG NAKA SABIT SA OSTRICH… “KATAS NG JUETENG”
January 20th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
I’m lucky i have met ruffa, she is a cutie believed me lol….baluarte is truly a relaxing place…I love your pages..looking forward for some updates soon? well done !
February 25th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
helo! My group is planning to go in ilocops come april so i wud like to ask if you cud give me any contact number for chavit singson’s baluarte.
February 26th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
well maganda po yung place at mabuti na lang e2 yung napiling puntahan lugar namin sa seminar and tour ng ceu makati tsaka ang cute ng ostrich nag-byubyutipul eyes pa! >_<
and maala hollywood pa yung pangalan BALUARTE!
March 10th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
pwd po bang makuha fax no. ng baluarte
March 10th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
grabe sa ganda ang baluarte…ito ang isa sa mga nagus2han koh sa lahat ng pnunthan nmen sa ilocos…grabe sa ganda…gus2 kong bumalik sa su2nod…
March 16th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
ganda jan..
ive been there last feb..
love the place..
April 6th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
nice place in BALUARTE NI SINGSON…njoy ang mga kidz….pati na rin kami…kagulo sa picture-picture…..and d most we like it kasi open for public….NO ENTRANCE FEE…
May 14th, 2008 at 8:42 am
OLA! baluarte ni singson is very very a nice place for the family to have have and enjoy takiong picture taking with the animals..but sad to say my didicam corrupted so i was not able to print it…anyways, i’ve been there last may 11 and my daughter enjoyed very much that she wanted to touch the big snake..hehehe….next year we will visit again BALUARTE… see you all there…
May 30th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
mas maganda sana ang baluarte ni singson kung si chavit kasama din sa mga nakakulong dun sa zoo. ipamigay mo na lang kaya sa mahihirap yang yaman mo. dahil ang kayang makapunta din lang naman dyan ay yung may mga pera lang. pakitang tao ka naman masyado..
May 30th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
totoo bang sariling pera mo ginamit mo dyan???? baka naman puro nakaw lang yan sa kaban ng bayan…
July 20th, 2008 at 11:15 am
dear sir i have offer my profession as a taxidermist my experience since 1997, if you have mortality please contut me to preserve the speciemen 09289930594
thank you very much see you soon.
Jonathan C. Joven
Taxidermist
August 10th, 2008 at 11:13 am
i think hehe maganda pumasyal jan kso wla kming pamasahe
August 10th, 2008 at 11:20 am
im hrm student here in pangasinan in alaminos city if ill grauat ths aprl can u help me to fnd a job if its okey bec. its hrd 2 fnd a job .maganda sana mag trabaho sa barko kaso mahrap mag aply kapag walang baker pls just cantck me sir……09097175355 thk u sir tatanawin kung malaking utang na luob ito kung ayaw nio po okey lang thk u sa pag basa ng msg ko.pero umaasa po me thk u gud blees u
August 10th, 2008 at 11:26 am
09097175355
number q poh
August 10th, 2008 at 11:27 am
thx a lot
September 10th, 2008 at 10:43 am
npka gnda tlga jn ngtour kme jn last aug. 16
December 29th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
anung skul ung nag ojt as toursim last december 28, 2008?? pls get back to me asap 09153966585..pls pls pls…. thnx… friendster din zyru_0005@yahoo.com thnx ng marame….
March 6th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
i’ve gone to this place. so cool!! such a lovely place.
April 20th, 2009 at 9:28 am
ang saya saya dito.. the best part is, the animals are really there! (hehe, zoo nga nOh?!)
I really enjoyed theplace.. kung pwede nga lang tumira na dun eh, wehehe..
Definitely and strongly recommended!
May 5th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
sobrang ganda ng place na ‘to. ok lang kahit sabihin nila na katas ‘to ng jueteng or “this is where your taxes go.” the thing is this is not an ordinary zoo, unlike other zoos in the metro na may entrance fee na may “this is where your taxes go.” medyo dapat lang bilisan ang improvement ng parking kasi dumadami patronizers nya.
May 5th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
grabe saya d2 sa labas kita na ang hayop may tiger sa entrance sa gilid may ostrich na libre pa ride sa kalesa na t2lak ng donkey yung mga deer lumalabas pa , tas pwede pa pakainin ang camels ang cute nung parang lama sana pag punta kami completo na para mas enjoy.may dino pa kaya lang hindi gumagalaw . hihihi.
May 7th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
hndi lang si ruffa meron din si ruffo baluarte is so beautiful naka punta na ako dyan….
June 11th, 2009 at 10:18 pm
ang bait talaga ni harry. may picture pa kaming dalawa.
August 26th, 2009 at 10:54 pm
_w0nderful..
iv g0ne in baluarte just this 21 of august 2009
with my c0-t0urism students since its our educational tour..