Palaui : Cagayan's Best Kept Secret

In the northern part of the Philippines lies the province of Cagayan, famous for its milk candies,grand cathedrals and the sprawling Sierra Madre mountains, it still has many secrets to unravel.

The stunning view of Dos Hermanos

About 4 hours from the capital of Tuguegarao is yet another heaven on earth.

Upon arriving in the Tuguegarao airport, I felt delighted to again be finally setting foot on this side of the country. Tumauini,a town in the province of Isabela known for the baroque confectionery like tower of St.Mathias Church,was just a mere 1 hour van ride away.

St. Peter 's  Cathedral in Tuguegarao

Upon checking in to our hotel, we immediately strolled the streets of downtown Tuguegarao and feasted on their delish Batil Patung. The servings were big!

Famed Batil Patung of Tuguegarao

 I wanted to visit Callao Cave again but it started to rain and I knew it wasn't a good idea since we would be trekking a plight of slippery stairs to get there (300 plus steps I think).

My first full rainbow  enroute Sta. Ana:)

I didn't plan on going to Tumauini but something told me that I should pay my grandparents a visit. It seemed like the heavens really wanted me to go because the sun showed its glory the rest of the afternoon.

Morning came and though we were still nursing a headache we were already in the van terminal bound for the town of Sta.Ana. It was a 4 hour butt numbing trip.

After buying our supplies in the Sta. Ana Public Market,we went to this eatery and finally met Kuya Edwin. He will be our captain and host for the overnight trip to Palaui.

According to Kuya Edwin, they no longer allow overnight campers in the area.

The waves were not as rough as I thought and the island was approx 15 minutes away. After unloading our things to his Manong's house we were already on our way to Cape Engaño. We opted for the boat ride instead of the 2-3 hour trek. I know that I would've tried the latter but Kuya Edwin said that the mud could be knee deep or even worse because of the rain.

Okay rest muna :)

Treking uphil was quite a challenge though. No training, no experience, pure beach bummers. haha.. But upon reaching the weather beaten lighthouse and witnessing how the waves crash on the side of the cliff, it was just amazing. The islands of Dos Hermanos served as a beautiful backdrop against the stunning Cape Engano. 

No chocolates, no flowers for Heart's Day.Just this.

Standing still.

My favorite Magin Pers Y Pers.

At one thought, if the walls of the silent sentinel could talk, I could have stayed overnight to listen. I felt nostalgic at one  moment. I felt the gentle breeze while admiring the rolling hills, the panoramic view of the Dos Hermanos Islands and the warmth of the beautiful Cape Engaño made me promise to be back again.

If only they could talk

Picture perfect.

One of the best things of always being on the road is meeting genuine people. They lend us the only working flashlight they had, cooked rice and didn't want us to pay for it, made us wear their raincoats as we sailed towards the mainland while they were drenched in the rain. Small things for some but these small genuine gestures will always be remembered and appreciated.

Kuya Edwin Tabucol, me and hubby

Still enthralled by your beauty, we vow to spread the the news. That you are all worth it.The serene views and the simplicity of life made us realize that indeed, the best things in life are free.

*Kuya Edwin Tabucol : 09269064657

*Thank you CEZA for helping the locals of Palaui. Kudos!
* For my Palaui travel guide, click here.