WHAT CAGAYAN PROVINCE CAN OFFER AS A TOURIST DESTINATION

Location: Cagayan Province, Cagayan Valley (Region II), Philippines

Welcome Arch to Cagayan Province (Photo credit:One Cagayan Valley International)

Let's visualize the locations I will be mentioning about the province of Cagayan and its vicinity through a map below:

The Map of Cagayan Province and its vicinity map of the world/philippines/cagayan

I was amazed to know that Cagayan, Kalinga and Apayao provinces also provide the Philippines with rich culture and history. Its key city of Tuguegarao showcases a rapidly developing urban community where its commercial hubs with the two major components of SM Mall and Robinson’s Mall can be competitive with that of Metro Manila.

The vast expanse of rice fields before entering Cagayan province

Since I had a night trip, I arrived early in the morning in Cagayan province but before approaching the province, there were so much I have seen along our way which describe the beauty of the countryside.

The Cagayan River

As our bus entered the welcome arch to the province, I noticed a few vast corn plantations after Barangay Libag Norte. There were some stalls along the highway selling fruits and boiled corns.

The NK6410 Corn Plantation

Part of the NK6410 Corn Plantation

Because of this, I decided to go back at this place and explored it. This is just along the highway and it is accessible. I bought some fresh harvest of corns from the stalls along the highway.

Part of the NK6410 Corn Plantation

Not far from the corn plantation is the famous Josie's Panciteria and Restaurant where one of their specialties is the Pancit Cabagan and my friend, Manuel Bermudez tried it for the first time and it was worth it. Its taste is authentic for a Cagayanon specialty.

Pancit Cabagan: Part of Cagayanon cuisine

My friend Manuel Bermudez with me at Josie's Panciteria and Restaurant

There is one thing I noticed as we passed after the bridge from NK6410 Corn Plantation, there are flood markers erected in some parts near Cagayan river. The driver told us that during typhoons this area along the river is being flooded.

Flood markers as high as 2.5 meters

There are so much to see in the city like cafes, dining and fastfood restaurants, nightlife, museums, banks, gymnasiums, busy public market at the centro and universities at that where these institutions give prominence to the city.

St. Paul Metropolitan Cathedral

The city of Tuguegarao is identified to be as very hispanic as evident of St. Paul Metropolitan Cathedral which can tell that even at present religion is playing a major influence of its people.

St. Paul University Philippines

To support the fact that Catholicism played a major part of its people, St. Paul University Philippines (SPUP)founded by the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres in 1907 is also an influential institution of the city. This is not to mention that the city has also St. Louis University

Cagayan State University - Andrews Campus

In providing educational services, the Republic of the Philippines through former President Ferdinand E. Marcos established Cagayan State University on June 11, 1978 by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 1436 as a result of merger of 8 colleges of the province of Cagayan. This further shows how committed the province is in promoting its quality of education.

Cagayan National High School

But looking back, it can be told that the people from Cagayan valued much education not only because of the presence of St. Paul University since 1907 but public education has since started in this province when Cagayan High School was established ahead of St. Paul University in 1905 which is called at present Cagayan National High School nationalized by virtue of Presidential Decree 1050 on July 1, 1976.

The best place to buy souvenirs at The Lighthouse Cooperative

To choose for a variety of souvenir and pasalubong items, then go to the Lighthouse Cooperative at 39 Luna Street, Corner Taft Street of Tuguegarao City with landline number at (078) 373-0188. The link above is their Facebook page.

The iconic statue of DA CBS in Maguirig of Solana (Photo Credit: Manuel Bermudez)

Just around 13 kilometers away from Tuguegarao City, one can visit the Department of Agriculture's Cagayan Breeding Station (DA CBS) in Barangay Maguirig which they mainly raised there for goats.

A field of blooming flowers at DA CBS (Photo Credit: Manuel Bermudez)

The DA CBS complex has been developed already as it is the source of quality goat stocks that caters not only Cagayan farmers but raisers of Region 2 and nearby areas. In fact, as part of their fiesta celebration, a farm festival has been held to showcase integrated farming with crops, livestock, organic agriculture and fishery in small space at different affordable capital requirements.

The Calvary Hills of Cagayan Valley

At approximately 19 kilometers away from the city is another famous attraction in the name of Calvary Hills of Cagayan Valley which is located in Barangay Ajat of the municipality of Iguig. This showcases the 14 Stations of the Cross

Pottery production in Brgy. Malabbac, Iguig

Along the highway of Iguig halfway to Calvary Hills are dotted with stalls selling pots of different designs and sizes.

Mrs. Marvie Cusipag's house

While in Iguig, we had our host Marvita Labuguin Cusipag Our group had a chance to be hosted by a colleague in Mandaluyong who happened to have her vacation in their mansion-like house in Iguig in the name of Mrs. Marvie Lavide.

The facade of the Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Piat

The Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Piat is located in the Municipality of Piat, a 4th class municipality in the province of Cagayan. Thus, the place is known to be the Pilgrimage Center of Cagayan Valley because of the thousands of devotees and tourists who visit the place to pay their homage.

The interior of the Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Piat

Coming from Tuguegarao City, it takes 33 kilometers for a road travel via Cagayan-Apayao Road.

While at the Municipality of Kalinga Municipal Hall

Kalinga is a neighboring province of Cagayan and I just boarded a passenger jeepney going there loaded with an overloaded number of passengers together with chickens, vegetables and cargoes.

A souvenir photo at PNB Tabuk Branch

Tabuk is a 5th class city and is the capital of the province of Kalinga. Apayao is now a separate province from Kalinga. Its distance is 52.7 kilometers from Tuguegarao for a road travel of 1 hour and 20 minutes via Kalinga - Cagayan Road/Mount Province - Tabuk - Enrile - Cagayan Road and Santiago - Tuguegarao Road.

The interior of Callao Cavas (Model: Manuel Bermudez)

Another exciting tourist destination to visit is the Callao Caves which is 41 kilometers away from Tuguegarao via Larion-Cabbo-Cabasan-Bical-Baliaug Road. It is situated in the municipality of Peñablanca, a first class municipality of the province of Cagayan.

The entry point to Callao Caves

The municipality is home to the Protected Landscape and Seascape which contains the Callao Cave (part of the Callao Limestone Formation Paleolithic Archeological Site). It is also home to the charcoal-drawn Peñablanca petrographs. Both the Peñablanca petrographs and the Callao Limestone Formation are included as tentative sites of the Philippines for future inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Callao Limstone Formation has at least 93 archaeological sites that yielded stone tools of Paleolithic industry and bones and shells of animals still living in the vicinity. (Wikipedia)

Upon entry to the municipality of Tuao

Tuao is a landlocked first class municipality in the coastal province of Cagayan with a land area of 215.50 square kilometers which is 31.8 kilometers from Tuguegarao for 50 minutes land travel via Cagayan – Apayao Road.

PNB Sanchez Mira Branch: A stopover in my Laoag City-Aparri trip

Sanchez Mira is the third municipality of Cagayan province which separates Ilocos Norte province which I passed of my Laoag City - Aparri Trip.

Magapit Bridge of Lal-lo, Cagayan Province Cagayan Province Facebook Page

I visited Aparri in September 2003 as it served as the jump-off point for my trip to Camiguin de Babuyanes island. I just came from my 8-day Batanes trip then. The trip was quite a long road travel as I came from Laoag City for 112 kilometers or 6 hours travel. The bus is going to Tuguegarao and I lifted in Lal-lo where I took a mini bus going to Aparri.

As per my diary, my bus travel from Laoag City had passed the following municipalities, namely: Bacarra, Pasuquin, Burgos, Bangui, Pagudpud, Claveria, Sanchez Mira, Pamplona, Allacapan, Lallo and finally reached the Magapit suspension bridge dubbed as the Golden Gate of Cagayan. It connects the east and west sides of the Cagayan River.

The municipal hall of Aparri

Aparri served as the jump-off point for my trip to Camiguin de Babuyanes Island trip. I just came from my 8-day Batanes trip then. The trip was quite a long road travel as I came from Laoag City

Anguib Beach of Sta. Ana of Cagayan Province (Reddit)

Anguib Beach of the municipality of Sta. Ana which is dubbed as the Boracay of the North rivals its title with Saud Beach of Pagudpud of Ilocos Norte.

Palaui Island at a distance (Photo credit: Manuel Bermudez)

Sta. Ana is on the north-easternmost point or the right horn of the island of Luzon and includes Palaui Island. I first visited the place in 2003 after my Camiguin de Babuyanes and Batanes trip. From Tuguegarao City, one has to take either a bus or van to Sta. Ana for approximately 3 hours for 152 kilometers. However, when I visited Sta. Ana, I came from Aparri. By that time, Anguib beach was simply nothing but white sand beach without no modern resorts but just nipa huts.

Overlooking picture from Cape Engano (Photo credit: Manuel Bermudez)

When I visited Palaui, I just had my 43-day forced vacation from Camiguin de Babuyanes Island. For one to reach Palaui Island, take a tricycle from Sta. Ana proper to San Vicente Port with a travel time of 15-20 minutes. Then, there is a passenger boat going to the inhabited island of Palaui which will take 20-25 minutes depending upon the calmness of the sea.

Cape Engano Lighthouse(Photo credit: Manuel Bermudez)

By that time, there was not even a single place to stay in the island. There was no even single homestay there. The boatman just referred us to stay in a vacation house of an engineer which I forgot the name already.

While at Pinon Islet of Camiguin de Babuyanes Island

Camiguin de Babuyanes is just one of the five islands of Babuyan Group of Islands. The other islands are: Babuyan Claro, Fuga, Dalupiri, and its capital Calayan. I went there boarding a boat from Aparri for a boat travel of 7 hours. I stayed there for 43 days because when I went there, I was the only passenger of the boat and they did not tell me that between the months of September and October, the waves are too high and it is dangerous to travel. Only then I knew that there are no trips going back to Aparri when I was already in the island. Thus, I was forced to stay there until November 2, 2003.