Breathtaking landscapes, refreshing waters, and exciting trails. Who wouldn’t want to visit a place with such views and wonders? Take a break from city life and experience the adventures awaiting in Quirino Province.
Also known as the Forest Heartland of Cagayan, the province of Quirino offers a series of breathtaking waterfalls in the heart of its rainforests, clear as crystal river waters with magnificent rock formations, exciting trekking, and caving experience.
How to get there
Whether private or public land transport, you can access the national road from Cordon, Isabela to Dipaculao, Aurora, and Santiago City to Maddela via Jones and San Agustin, Isabela. There is a daily schedule for Maddela-Metro, and vice-versa, bus routes available to everyone planning to go to the province. Also, other buses en route to Tuguegarao City pass by Cordon and Santiago City, where you can rent vans to save travel time to Quirino.
Eco-adventure Guide
- Aglipay Caves and Campsites
- Diamond Cave
- Pensal Falls
- Mabo Falls
- Quirino Watersports Complex
- Ganano falls
- Batumbaket Rocktower
- Governor’s Rapids and Maddella Eco-Tourism Park
- Landingan Viewpoint
- Siitan Nature’s Park
Aglipay Caves and Campsites
The municipality of Aglipay offers a series of 38 caves, 7 of which are developed as tourist spots. These interlinking caves run about 20 meters deep. And exhibits a spectacular formation of stalagmite and stalactite that leaves you in awe and wonder. Surrounded by hills and vibrant forests, you can also swim in its underground springs with the help of experienced tour guides. The environment also provides opportunities to connect with nature through camping and outdoor activities.
Diamond Cave
Filled with “sparkling” cave formations, the Diamond cave in the municipality of Nagtipunan offers one of the best spelunking experiences in the Philippines. The exploring experience is excellent for both beginners and novice spelunkers. With the help of your tour guide, you can take pictures of the glistening stalactite and stalagmite columns of the cave system. After your cave adventure, you can proceed with a trekking adventure further and finish the tour by jumping off a natural pool. If you’re into discovering hidden gems, you must include the properly-preserved Diamond Cave in your bucket list.
Pensal Falls
Located at San Benigno, Aglipay, these waterfalls stack three tiers high with a nice rock formation suitable for cliff jumping for adrenaline junkies. If cliff jumping is not for you, Pensal Falls never fails to make up for the lack of activities you can enjoy. It has multiple layers of refreshing spring pools that can relax your stiff muscles from your trek.
Mabo Falls
If you want to literally chase waterfalls, Mabo falls may be perfect for your journey. The high falls, measured at approximately 150 meters high, are located in the middle of the forest, essentially making it a paradise. Getting here might be exhausting, so better prepare some trail snacks to fuel your trekking adventure.
Quirino Watersports Complex
The Quirino Watersports Complex is located in the Provincial Capitol complex. It holds promise to be the future center of wakeboarding competitions. The world-class water playground hosts many water sports activities such as wakeboarding and winch park, a scenic pavilion, and a hilltop infinity pool surrounded by greenery perfect for Instagram, special events, and photo/video productions.
Ganano Falls
One of the rising tourist attractions in Quirino, this towering waterfall is approximately 80 meters in height and is surrounded by stone formations, forests, and fish sanctuary creeks. Along with the trekking journey, you can occasionally see exotic birds inhabiting the forest.
Batumbaket Rocktower
Complementing Ganano Falls, the Batumbaket falls, also known as rock towers, reach about 200 feet up into the sky. The surrounding forest preserves exotic flora and fauna because it is a remote tourist spot in the Quirino province. Of course, remember to leave only memories and not trash to maintain the pristine environment.
Governor’s Rapids and Maddela Eco-Tourism Park
As part of the municipality of Maddela, the rapids are found along a stretch of the Cagayan River.
The cruise starts at the gigantic limestone formations that serve as the shelter for the conquerors of the raging rapids of the Cagayan River. Like a rollercoaster, you will encounter smooth waters and raging rapids that will make you scream at the top of your lungs!
They say that you haven’t truly experienced the province if you did not ride the rapids of the Cagayan River. Along with the experience comes stopovers where you can swim, cliff jump, and explore shallow cave pools.
After the adrenaline rush from the rapids, you can explore the seven-staged waterfalls in Maddela Eco-tourism park. It will only take you a short trek to reach the falls, and it will be a perfect opportunity to relax with nature. Also, you can swim and have a picnic in its crystal pools.
Landingan Viewpoint
Before you indulge in the rapids and other outdoor activities, it’s best to start your day by catching the sunrise at the Landingan Viewpoint. The ambiance gives the essence of the beauty the province provides. Along with the view of mountain ranges and blooming flowers, it’s nice to breathe in the fresh air with a steaming hot coffee or chocolate.
Siitan Nature’s Park
Did you know that “Siit” in Ilocano means fishbone?
If not, you might as well guess why the place is called Siitan. That’s right, this part of the Cagayan River is named after its abundance of fish. You can ride a native kayak and experience the abundance of marine life in the area.
Aside from the river tubing activities, you can explore the caves, cliff dives and just relax in front of the Bimmapor Rock Formation. To add to the experience, you can listen to the tunes of wild birds living on the forested river banks.
Key Takeaway
Quirino Province is filled with eco-adventure activities that can be enjoyed by everyone. If you’re a person up for an adventure, Quirino should definitely be on your radar. At Quirino, you can experience nature at its finest with minimal distractions that usually go with tourist spots. Fill the day with excitement and adventure. End your day by catching the sunset before heading home or your guesthouse to rest and prepare for another day of adventure.
