1. Be aware of travel-heavy season. Expect a long line of people waiting to buy tickets on long holidays, such as the Holy Week, Christmas and other long weekends. You should also take note of the start and end of school semesters. Students usually flock to and from Metro Manila during these times.

2. Book your bus early. It’s good practice to get travel reservation at least two days before your travel to Cagayan Valley. This way, you are sure of your seat in the bus. If you are always a “chance” passenger, you might sit at the rear-most seats of the bus. The worst case scenario is that you will not be able to secure a seat! It happened to me a lot of times already.

3. Bring a jacket and/or a blanket when you travel. The bus can get really cold! Better be safe than sorry. Bring your jacket and a comfy malong or blanket with you. When your bus gets to Bulacan an hour after leaving Manila, you might feel the chill to your bones! So bring out those blankets and stay warm.

4. Florida Bus is probably the best bus company if you ask me! They have a lot of buses. They have penetrated major towns and destinations in the Cagayan Valley region. And they have different kinds of buses—the regular airconditioned bus; the De Luxe bus (with on-board restroom); the Super De Luxe bus, with only three seats in one row (really spacious!) and the Sleeper Bus. You can literally lie down as if you’re on your own bed.

5. Know other bus lines. If you ever run out of seats from Florida Bus, there are several alternatives you can try.

Victory Liner. They have a station in Kamias, Quezon City, which is very near the intersection of EDSA and East Avenue. They also have one near P. Noval Street in Sampaloc, in front of UST.

Dalin Liner. Sorry, I don’t know where their terminal is. But it is also near the terminal of Florida Bus. They also have a terminal in Quezon City near the Dagupan Bus Terminal.

Autobus. Same terminal area in Sampaloc.

Nelbusco. Yup, it is still alive with two buses traveling each night. Terminal is along Lacson Avenue closer to Espana Blvd. than the Florida Bus terminal.

Northstar. This one used to be the EMC bus line, or so I was told. They have one terminal in Sampaloc along Espana Blvd. very near the train station in Espana. They have another terminal in Lagro, Quezon City along Quirino Hi-way.

Dagupan Bus Line. If you have a really tight budget and you can let go of some comforts, you can go to Dagupan Bus Line. Their buses are ordinary—meaning, they don’t have airconditioning. They do not have reclining seats. And five people are seated in each row. The fare to Isabela is roughly fifty percent cheaper than that of AirCon buses. Terminal is also in Cubao.

Baliwag Transit. Baliwag buses also travel to Tuguegarao and other places in Region 2. Terminal is in Cubao, a few blocks away from Aurora Blvd.

Do let me know if I missed anything. I’m pretty sure that other smaller bus players are operating in the Cagayan Valley region.

image credit

In Nueva Vizcaya, the two churches worth visiting are the St. Dominic Cathedral in the province’s capital, Bayombong; and St. Vincent Ferrer Church in Dupax Del Sur.

St. Dominic is the first cathedral in the province. Before it was wrecked by fire in 1986 and by the powerful earthquake in 1990, it boasted of having the best sounding bells in the country. The church has been rebuilt in the same old site, retaining its original 18th century Spanish style façade.

St. Vincent Ferrer Church, on the other hand, is one of the oldest churches in Northern Luzon. Constructed in the 16th century, it is declared as a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum. It has an underground museum that houses centuries-old artifacts, and the statue of St. Vincent Ferrer, the town’s patron saint.

In Isabela, four of the churches we have visited were: Our Lady of Atocha Church, The Shrine of Our lady of Visitation, The Parish Church of St. Mattias, and the San Pablo Church.

Located along the national highway in Alicia, Isabela, Our Lady of Atocha is a 19th century church built under the leadership of Fr. Francisco Gainza, OP. Inaugurated in 1805, it is a Dominican church, like all the other old churches in Cagayan Valley. With its bricked façade, it is a magnificent sight, diminished by the green tarpaulin posted at the front which we chanced upon on our visit.

The Shrine of Our Lady of Visitacion in Gamu houses the Miraculous Lady of the Visitacion, hence it is a famous pilgrimage site. Located along the Maharlika Highway, travelers frequently stop over at the shrine, but the busiest month is July, when most pilgrims come to offer their thanks and make personal appeals.

Built in 1783 and completed in 1805, The Parish Church of St. Mattias features a cylindrical bell tower, a one of its kind in the country. A baroque church, its façade is made of customized clay bricks stamped with finely designed ornaments like cherubs and saints, and flowers and foliage. Like the façade, the interior is also veneered with ornately designed bricks. The fence that enclosed the church complex also used ornamented bricks like the ones used in the church façade as evident in the distinguishable designs in the fence ruins. Partly damaged during the Second World War, the church was restored to its original form by the People of Tumaini. It was declared a Historical National Landmark in 1989 by virtue of Presidential Decrees 260 (1973) and 1505 (1978).

The San Pablo Church in San Pablo town is the oldest church in the province, built in 1624. It is a church within church ruins. Its six-layer bell tower with a circular apex made of adobe is the tallest in the region. From the outside, the church looks imposing (which it was before it was razed). But as one lets himself in through the gate, one would be welcomed by what remained of what was once a magnificent church. But while the relatively new church inside the ruins is much smaller now, it commands a different kind of awe, as the ruins surrounding it have added a different kind of character to it — one that is hard to define, but good nonetheless.

Cagayan is home to numerous old churches, but we have managed to visit only two so far: the San Jacinto de Ermita Church in Tuguegarao City and the Iguig Church in Iguig town.

Currently being managed by the St. Paul Sisters, the San Jacinto de Ermita Church was constructed in 1604. It served as headquarters by the American soldiers in the Filipino-American War (1899). It was reconstructed after the Second World War.

The Iguig Church was constructed from 1765 to 1787. It is unique in that it is the only centuries-old church in the country that features flying buttresses behind it. But more than that, it is also believed that the church houses the Jubilee Cross containing relic of the True Cross of the Lord Jesus. A certification is displayed inside the church.

Imugan Falls in its full glory

Nueva Vizcaya is a place for the adventuresome. It’s for those who love to experience nature in its unadulterated form and who love seeking sanctuary after hiking through rugged terrains.

Among the things that Nueva Vizcaya has to offer are its pristine rivers where water flows through big rocks, forming falls-like water flows, especially in high places of the province, like Kasibu, some parts of Bambang, and Sta. Fe.

Among the most promoted falls in Nueva Vizcaya is the Imugan Falls. Located in the province’s southernmost town, Sta. Fe, Imugan Falls is a 35-foot spring waterfalls flowing between two mountains. The falls is about seven kilometers of unpaved road from the national highway, and about a kilometer hike from Imugan Proper.

The narrow trail leading to the falls is well-maintained and the temperature is much cooler than in low-lying parts of the town. The view below the trail is of magnificent rocky stream and above is of tall mountain range that stretches into the horizon. Everywhere is a lush foliage accentuated by colorful flowers and fruits.

Except for occasional squeals of delight at the magnificent painting of Mother Nature before us, we were generally quiet as we walked, listening to the chirping of the birds and the steady flow of water about 30 feet below the trail. It took us about an hour to cover what normal hikers would have walked in less than thirty minutes because we had with us my 1.5-year-old nephew who insisted on walking on some parts of the trail. But our aching legs were readily forgotten when we got to the falls, with its crystal clear and cold and refreshing water.

Indeed, Imugan Falls is a sanctuary for weary souls. It is like a magnified zen water fountain, except that it is by far more enthralling. Besides a comfort room and a couple of waiting sheds, there is nothing artificial in the place.

Hiking…                         Hanging bridge along the trail…