A Vacation up North: Cagayan Valley and side trip to Ilocos Norte 2015 (Day 1 of 4)

It's summer here in the Philippines meaning it's super hot weather again. People are planing their summer outing near the metro. Beaches in Batangas, Subic, Pangasinan and Bataan are already populated with people. Boracay, Puerto Galera and other tourist center/place/attractions are getting jammed pack with lots of locals and foreign tourists. Whew! Where to go?

Taggat Norte, Claveria, Cagayan Valley

Have you gone up North already? Most known tourist spots in the North are Vigan, Laoag and Pagudpud. But little do people know that there are more places yet to visit.

So, if you haven't gone there, then let me walk you thru nice places up North of the Philippines where we had our summer vacation a week ago (April 15-18).

Our destination is Claveria, Cagayan Valley and the northern part of Ilocos Norte 

Claveria, Cagayan Valley

Before anything else let me just tell you that traveling up north is so tiring so be ready for a 13 hour drive/travel time (or 14 hours, depending on the driver) either via bus or private vehicle. There are alot of stop over so you'll have time to go pee or buy anything you want. And be sure to have at least 5 days off (work leave) for you to enjoy your Ilocos and Cagayan Vacation.

You can also book a flight from Manila to Laoag then take a 4 hours bus ride to Claveria, Cagayan Valley or a flight from Manila to Tuguegarao, Cagayan Valley then a bus ride to Claveria (just not sure how many hours from there to Claveria).

There are many bus lines who travels from Manila to Cagayan Valley.  We chose RCJ Bus Lines because we are already accustomed to their service. They are a small bus company located at M. Earnshaw st. corner Lacson Ave and España Blvd. in  Manila. Fare to Claveria is Php750. You can contact them at 741-2994 if you want to reserve your seats 2 days before your travel date.

Credits to the photo owner

Their Cagayan trip has only 2 travel time: one is at 4:30pm and the other is 6:30pm. When returning home they also have Pamplona, Claveria, Pagudpud and Laoag terminal where you can book your travel back to Manila.

We prefer traveling via bus (land travel) vs. air because when it reaches Ilocos Norte you will see many interesting views there. 13 hours travel is very tiring so be ready but they do have alot of stop over so you'll have time to go discharge, to eat dinner, evening snack and breakfast. 

Our scheduled travel time was 4:30pm so we arrived at Taggat Norte, Claveria 5:45am of April 15, Wednesday. There are tricycles waiting upon our arrival. Since our aunt lives at Taggat we did not have any problems on where to stay but if you plan going, some homestay/lodges are available there and also in the "Bayan" where market, churches, and park are located.

 The beach is just a few steps away from my aunt's house. So everytime me arrive we just run to the beach and splash ourselves into the water. 

This view is taken from the left side of the beach. There you will see the "Pantalan" or Pier where the boat docks. Most boat that docks here came from a tour to Fuga Island. Some boat ships live pigs and other poultry to Fuga. See my cousin is so awed with the place.

And here you will see the other side of the beach. Sometimes at 5am-9am you will see fisherman gathering for their daily catch. You get the chance to experience pulling the fishnet with them.

 This is where the boat docks. (another view of the Pier/"Pantalan")

The sand in Taggat.

Some wacky shots we made just a few hours (around 7am or 8am) after we arrived. Mga sabik sa dagat hahaha...

This is how high the wave are at that time. Those waves we love alot and never getting tired of it. Mas masarap yung waves dito kesa sa mga napuntahan kong mga beach. Iba parin talaga ang Taggat.

 Included in the picture is my aunt, my cousins and me. We enjoyed the waves so much that we forgot it was already 1pm. So we went back, showered and ate lunch at 2pm. After lunch we were all wasted because of (almost) lack of sleep from our travel. In the afternoon around 4pm we went back to the beach. Aside from the beach there is also a Lagoon. We also went there to stroll around and see the sunset

Panoramic view of Taggat Lagoon

I didn't have the chance to take a picture of the Lagoon since I left my camera in my aunt's place so I just searched and found this panoramic view of it. Credits to Estan Cabigas, the photo owner.

Here you can ride a boat going to Fuga Island. My aunt said it takes 4 hours to reach Fuga.

At the lagoon you can also see the lakay-lakay (from the root word Lakay meaning Man.) and the baket-baket (from the root word Baket meaning Woman). Lakay-lakay is a mountain islet/rock formation in the western end of Claveria Beach. There is also a rock formation there called Ubing-ubing. Ubing-Ubing, (from the root word Ubing meaning offspring) as told in the legend, is the offspring of Lakay-Lakay and Baket-Baket, who in their greediness was turned into stone. I haven't gone there yet but maybe someday will get the chance. They said you have to give offerings so that your boat will not be wrecked by stones and big waves.

Also in the Lagoon you will see the Man-made pool at the farther west end. The forest up in the mountain supplies water to Taggat Falls that is dammed at the pool basins. But since a storm hit there few years ago the basin is now broken and some large stones are already scattered everywhere.

Taken at 4:30 to 5 o'clock in the afternoon at the Lagoon.

My cousins and I (the one in blue shirt) toying around and dancing. 

Then in the evening we get the chance to eat some sea food that are abundant there like the Paros shells or Guinocan in ibanag, Pokpoklo (a kind of seaweeds), Adobong pusit, Pakbet na sili and more Ilocano dishes.

...... Stay tune for Day 2 of our 4-day vacation.