Ilocos Region · Philippines
San Carlos travel guide
San Carlos is a city in Ilocos Region, Philippines, home to about 208,000 people.
- Nearest airport
- CRK86 km · Clark International Airport / Clark Air Base
- Currency
- PHPPhilippine peso
- Time zone
- Asia/Manila
- Language
- English, Filipino, Taglish
About
About San Carlos
San Carlos, officially the City of San Carlos (Pangasinan: Siyudad na San Carlos; Ilocano: Siudad ti San Carlos; Filipino: Lungsod ng San Carlos), is a component city in the province of Pangasinan, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 208,330 people.
San Carlos predates colonial times in the Philippines, as it was early on a center of trade with China, Japan, and southeastern Asian principalities, particularly with regards to mung bean production that was prolific in the area. It was then known as Binalatongan.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in San Carlos
See
- Minor Basilica of Saint Dominic
- Saint Vincent Ferrer Parish Church
- Saint Joseph the Patriarch Parish Church
- San Carlos Plaza
Do
- Mapita Falls
- Mount Zion Pilgrim Mountain
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit San Carlos
San Carlos has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. April is the warmest month, with average highs of 33 °C; August is the wettest, with about 734 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to San Carlos: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Clark International Airport / Clark Air Base (CRK), about 86 km from the city centre in a straight line; Subic Bay International Airport / Naval Air Station Cubi Point (SFS, 126 km) is also within reach.
Getting in
San Carlos is at a junction in central Pangasinan, with roads spreading out to the rest of the province, including the economic capital Dagupan. From Metro Manila, travelers usually take the Rosales exit of the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX) and head west towards San Carlos, passing through Carmen Junction, Villasis and Malasiqui. There are direct bus connections with Metro Manila.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
CRK · Clark International Airport / Clark Air Base
SFS · Subic Bay International Airport / Naval Air Station Cubi Point
Questions
San Carlos: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit San Carlos?
San Carlos has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. April is the warmest month, with average highs of 33 °C; August is the wettest, with about 734 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to San Carlos?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Clark International Airport / Clark Air Base (CRK), about 86 km from the city centre in a straight line; Subic Bay International Airport / Naval Air Station Cubi Point (SFS, 126 km) is also within reach.
What currency is used in San Carlos?
Philippine peso (PHP).
Nearby
Destinations near San Carlos
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.