Photos by Nueva Vizcaya Provincial Tourism Office
Embraced by the mighty mountain ranges of the Cordillera, Caraballo and Sierra Madre, Nueva Vizcaya is among the country’s culturally diverse, yet unheralded provinces.
It might not possess powdery beaches and luxe hotels which are the usual come-ons, but this frontier destination of sort is a merry mix of nature, adventure and culture—the perfect blend the new generation of travelers look for.
The gateway to the Cagayan Valley region, it prides itself with the “Naturally Vibrant” tag, owing to its God-given lush allure tucked in the bosom and the sprawling land between the mountains.
Visitors are welcomed at Balete Pass, Santa Fe, at 914 meters above sea level, the provincial and regional boundary which is the usual pit stop for motorists because of its stunning panorama worthy of Instagrammable snapshots. A new attraction in the area is the zip line that goes two ways: the 150-meter glide over for a breath taking view of the zigzag, and 200-meter ride going back.
It is commonly known as Dalton Pass, where some 17,000 Japanese and US-Filipino Allied troops were killed during World War II and that includes Gen. James Dalton to whom the place was used to be named after.
For a refreshing dip, bask in the icy waters of Imugan Fall in Santa Fe, a two-level fall with shallow catch basin where you can enjoy trekking, swimming, fishing and immersion with the community, including the Imugan Mountain Fresh Factory, which produces spreads and jams from wild berries and other fruits.
A must-try adventure is Capisaan Cave in Kasibu, the Philippines’s fifth-longest cave system and considered as a geologist’s paradise with its rare calcite formations, sharp, pointed stalagmites, stalactites and speleothems arranged in amazing sequences. From the lion-shaped opening called Lion Entrance, spelunkers will be treated with otherworldly surprises, starting with its 4.2-km subterranean river where explorers have to wade for most parts.
The provincial capital of Bayombong is the proverbial big surprise in small packages. This compact town is home to the majestic Saint Dominic Cathedral, seat of the Catholic diocese and the People’s Museum and Library, the repository of Novo Vizcayano heritage, which was declared by the National Museum as an Important Cultural Property.
Its Provincial Capitol Complex has earned the moniker “Luneta of the North” because of its tree-lined park ideal for a promenade and public recreation, man-made lagoon with rowboats and the newly opened convention center which aims to make it a vital hub for conferences and exhibitions in Region 2.
The town is also an alternative entry point to Mount Pulag, the country’s second-highest peak, via the equally exciting Ambaguio trail.
Not to be missed is the Lower Magat Eco-Tourism Park in Diadi, the provincial government’s flagship attraction within the 24,000-hectare portion of the Lower Magat Forest Reserve, which provides watershed protection to Magat Dam in nearby Isabela province. Comanaged with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, this sprawling hideaway has a fishing lagoon, camping grounds, swimming pools, ethnic-themed cottages, recreational facilities, and trails for hiking and biking for an interlude with nature.
The province is also being groomed as a regional site for paragliding with the series of test flights by Korean paragliders in the uplands of Aritao town. Once fully established, tourism and allied services are expected to flourish with the arrival of high-end adventure for domestic and foreign tourists looking to take travel to new heights, quite literally.
But perhaps Nueva Vizcaya’s most exotic trait is its being the domain of 18 indigenous people’s groups who have settled here—the Ifugaos, Gaddangs, Isinais, Dumagats, Kalanguyas and Bugkalots, to name a few. This cultural diversity was put to the fore once more as the province recently held the 11th Grand Ammungan Festival to mark its 180th founding anniversary when it was created as an independent province from Cagayan in 1839 by a Spanish royal decree.
The five-day festivity is coined from the words ammungan of the Gaddang tribe and ummungan from the Ilocanos, which both mean “gathering,” and showcased the strides made by the province in terms of economy, tourism, governance and indigenous people’s rights.
Festivities covered an agri-trade fair, Gawang Vizcayano exhibit, landscaping contest, family day, Laro ng Lahi, a three-day Arts & Music Festival, the Saniata ti Vizcaya pageant, community medical services, evening musical shows and a bevy of special events.The local way of life wasalso recreated at the municipal booths, which displayedthe agricultural produce, processed food, and ethnic souvenirs and crafts.
The locus of the cultural extravaganza was the parade of floats and the street-dance competition on May 24, which featured municipal contingents with their contemporary interpretations of ethnic dances, as well as visiting troupes that represented award-winning festivals from all over the archipelago.
With nature, adventure and culture coming into play, this Naturally Vibrant province may yet be your next playground.
Image credits: Nueva Vizcaya Provincial Tourism Office