Kalinga: Tabuk

Kalinga Province is one of the province in the Cordillera Administrative region, I had thought that this province was one of the most challenging one to visit but it turned out that this province is one of the most beautiful I've ever been and home of the humble yet friendly people, the people of Kalinga. I went to Kalinga from Tuguegarao City, Cagayan Valley, there were vans available bound to Tabuk ,the capital city of Kalinga. It took me 2 hours to arrivein, Kalinga but you wont notice the time travel because of the beautiful view that you can see from inside the van, from the amazing valley of Cagayan to the beautiful high mountains of Cordillera. I was with my friend Mark from Tuguegarao City who had been with me in my tour to Cagayan, We will meet apple a nurse from Tabuk and a great friend who made the tour possible.

St. William Church

Upon arriving in Tabuk , We went to St. William Cathedral to pray for our journey and for safe trip while waiting for Apple. there were tricycles and jeeps bound to different part of the province. Kalinga is  truly a laidback totally different in Manila.



I took some pictures around the city and I noticed a vendor who sells moma a popular chewing stimulant usually use by the people of Cordillera, I thought I could only find this in this region but when I went to Southern Leyte I found some people who were using it as a stimulant like a coffee or cigarette.

Kalinga has a lot of things to offer to tourists.



Typical day in Tabuk

Apple arrived after 15 minutes together with her cousin, she gave me the shirt and keychain that I had requested before I came since I assumed that souvenir shop is rarely available in Kalinga. 

Caution: black pigs crossing

We hopped in a tricycle owned by Apple's relative who became our medium of transportation for the whole tour our first stop the Talama view deck located 20 minutes away from the city center, one of the tiring part of all my travel in Cordillera is walking especially most of the roads are high since this province is surrounded with high mountains. I noticed that Cordillerans has  a strong physical endurance they can walk, run or even jump going up to their house with a hundred steps they are used to this kind of terrain and environment . 

the tricycle could not go up more so we really needed to walk all the way to the top of Talama Deck to view the entire Tabuk and neighboring towns and mnicipality.

on our way to Talama Deck

perfect landscape view on our way to Talama deck.

We reached the top of Talama Deck after the walking for 30 minutes. Unfortunately, the gate was closed we decided to look for another path to get inside.

Voila we fouond a way inside the Talama Deck, the view from the top was amazing and stress-realeasing.

signature pose

My friend Mark used his magic again

the view inside Talama Deck

Canao Bridge

Our next stop was the Chico River and Chico Dam, we only took some shots in the river before we proceed to our next destination.

The biggest rock in formation in the Philippines and of course in Kalinga, I dont remember any name given to that rock but surely it looked massive a big mountain rock, My camera could not show here how big that rock is, I suggest you visit Kalinga to witness it in your own eyes. We only took some photos of the big rock before we headed to the first waterfalls, the Ginugon Falls.

Waterfalls is always really hard to see not only you need to find it through the mountains but it always involves trekking and hiking but this one the Ginugon falls is one of the easiest to visit, I just took some pictures and wash my face from the cold water from the high mountain, it is located just beside the hiway.

Apple invited us on her grandmother's house to take our lunch since we were so tired already, I love the simplicity of life in the province, the fresh air from the mountain and the singing of birds and insect sound like a music.

In case you wonder the meaning of my shirt, CAUTION: Black pigs crossing, well pigs are just scattered in the road in Kalinga they are just like domestic animals like dogs and cats here in Manila where you can find almost anywhere, in Kalinga, they have an old rules or law where if someone accidentally killed a pig by any means, they must pay it with the same pig plus the possible pigs that it might produce for the next generation I am not really sure how many generation but it is no longer their law now.

They prepare a very special lunch for us, Inandela a Kalingan delicacy looks like a Suman, Binungor, a very spicy seafood dish and also a native delicacy in Kalinga, Kalingan native coffee and some fresh fruits straight from the tree. I really enjoyed the lunch and the food that they prepared.

We spent short time in the house and we immediately prepare ourselves to our next destionation the 2nd falls Guilom falls. I was not able to take many pictures due to the complexity of the road going there, It was really a challenge for me to get to that falls,  we were with Apple's cousins and the tricycle driver, for them, it was very easy because of their familiarity of the Terrain but Mark and I were so exhausted upon reaching the falls .the road was not paved yet and there were no stairs. The falls was great and the water was refreshing and cold as ice, it removed our body pain and stress.

We stayed in the falls for an hour before we headed back to the top. if going down to falls had stressed ourselves out, how about going up? well, it was easier to go up than going down to the falls, I was able to take pictures while on our way to the top the kids went on the top first before us. they were born in the Cordillera, what do you expect from these children

Okay after resting for a while we went to our final destination in Tabuk, Kalinga the one of the most beautiful place I have ever been in all my travel, The Naneng Village. What makes it beautiful? because in this place you can see old heritage house, river a beautiful mountain and very hospitable people.  the place was quiet with only few residents resting outside their house, I love the simplicity of their life. the village is surrounded with wide area of ricefield, mountains and the chico river, very blessed place surrounded with natural resources. it took us about an hour to arrive to Naneng Village from Guilom falls.

Upron arriving in the village I quickly went to the oldest church in Kalinga the St.Joseph church like I usually do I pray and ask for the guidance for my journey. Naneng Village was the former seat of the Tabuk government before it was transferred to Brgy. Dagupan.

I also notice that Kalingans only buriied their dead ones just beside their house, that is part of their culutre.

Kalingans children playing

We welcome by the warm smile by the resident of the village, Obviously, we look like from the outide. I was even surpriseed that they offer me to buy native peanut butter and dried chili which I did not expect they have, of course, I bought some.

Mark and I performed magic to those children who welcomed us, it always feel good when I make other people happy through my God-given talent  they were really amazed on our mini-magic show, it was an achievement to be the first person to perform magic in Naneng Village as per the residents, We made a history!

some photos of Naneng Village:





I thanked all the residents of Naneng before I left, We went back to the city proper to catch the van back to Tuguegarao City, my trip in Kalinga wont be possible without Ms.Apple a Kalingan proud citizen, I will always thank her for giving me a chance to see the beauty of Kalinga, I was afraid to visit the city at first because of the negative murmur about the province until I personally visited Kalinga and I can say that it is one of the safest province to visit.  very peaceful place filled with simple yet kind citizen. someday I will go back to Kalinga with my friends or family and go back to the people who welcomed me warmly. that is my journey to the province of Kalinga.


How to get there:
you can go to Tabuk, Kalinga from Manila via bus travel time takes about 10 hours, or fly to Tuguegarao City,Cagayan Valley and catch a van bound to Tabuk.



Thank you reading.