el toro bumingo 2: Our 3 Days Trip to Cagayan Province

My balikbayan aunt from the US of A asked me if I can accompany her to Tuguegarao City, Cagayan. It’s where my other aunt (her old sister) resides. I’ve been to Tuguegarao City when I was Grade 2 and it’s been so long since that time. I said yes hoping that she would ask me to visit some tourist spots in Cagayan.

My aunt paid for the two-way fare for both of us and it cost P9,757.92. We left Manila on February 4, 2020 and returned February 6, 2020.

By 6:19 AM of February 4, 2020 we were already at the Domestic Departure Area of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). Our plane is Cebu Pacific. By 7:38 AM we were already boarded and by 8:44 AM we were already at the Tuguegarao Airport. That’s a little over 1-hour trip by plane. If we took the bus, it will be a grueling 12 hours trip on land.

The Tuguegarao Cathedral

After meeting my Cagayan-based aunt and all her relatives, my US-based aunt and I decided to tour Tuguegarao City. We visited the famous Tuguegarao Cathedral, the Cagayan Museum and Rizal’s Monument. In the afternoon of our Day 1 in Cagayan, we went to the famous Our Lady of Piat Church in Piat – a town west of Tuguegarao.

The Basilica of Our Lady of Piat, Cagayan

We left Tuguegarao around 3PM via van. Waiting time look about 30 minutes because there’s a certain number of people required before the van would start the travel. The trip between Piat and Tuguegarao is not 24/7. Public transportation is scarce in this province. The last trip to Piat from Tuguegarao is about 3:30 PM and the last trip from Piat back to Tuguegarao is about 5:30 PM.

Here’s more information about Our Lady of Piat Church.

Day 2

We left Tuguegarao City early in the morning to the town of Peñablanca. It’s where the famous Callao Cave is located. I’m not fond of visiting caves and other natural wonders because it requires trekking and lots of walking. Good thing the Callao Cave is walking distance from the parking lot of the National Park.

Callao Cave is a seven-chamber, limestone cave in Peñablanca and is one among many in the area. It’s part of the town’s protected landscape. Recently, the National Museum declared the place as an “important cultural property” of the country. Last year, scientist confirmed the discovery of a new human species that lived there. The inquirer has an article about it that you can view here.

I’ve seen a lot of pictures of Callao Cave on the Internet but the feeling of visiting the place is way better. It’s so huge that a chapel is located in one of the chambers. Before you reach the cave by the way, you have to climb about a hundred steps.

I was impressed by the tourist guides in Callao Cave. They have a very nice presentation on the history of the cave and of Cagayan in general. They are also well verse on how to take good pictures and videos using smartphones. The guide asked us to do certain poses that brought up amazing pictures of Callao Cave.

In the afternoon of February 5, 2020 (our Day 2), we visited the town of Iguig, Cagayan. The famous tourist spot there is the Calvary Hills. It features life-size statues from the Passion of the Christ (The Way of the Cross). If you’re Catholic and religious, you would really appreciate this place.

During out time in Tuguegarao City, we stayed at the Casa Angela in Aguinaldo corner Taft St, Downtown Tuguegarao. It’s not the best hotel in the area but the staff were friendly and accommodating.

Day 3

February 6, 2020

We spent the morning with my Cagayan-based aunt and our other relatives. We had lunch at Kusina Cagayana which is near the Cagayan Airport. We also had the time to visit the Tuguegarao City Hall. The capital of Cagayan Province is Tuguegarao City, and the capitol is located a few kilometers away from the town center.

By 2:30 PM we were already boarding the Cebu Pacific plane that will take us back to Manila. By 4:19 PM we were at the NAIA. That’s about 1.5 hours trip. My US-based aunt attended her college reunion and some other events. About a week after our trip in Cagayan, she went back to the US.

About a month after our Cagayan Adventure, the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) was declared in Metro Manila. I haven’t gone outside of Metro Manila ever since. It’s been 8 months.