Nueva Vizcaya – Mountains, Caves and Nature

Mountain ranges define Nueva Vizcaya: the Sierra Madre lies to the east, the Cordillera to the west, and the Caraballo Mountains to the south. The province offers a variety of reasons to include nature, culture, and activities in your travel plans. For families, it can be helpful to first weigh their interests: Are caves and waterfalls, outdoor activities, or insights into the region’s history the priority?

Caves, Waterfalls, and Forests

The Capisaan Cave System is located in Barangay Capisaan in Kasibu. The cave is 4.2 kilometers long and is considered the fifth-longest in the Philippines. Its size makes it a notable destination for travelers with a particular interest in caves. In Santa Fe, the Imugan Waterfalls offer a different natural highlight: the two-tiered waterfall is 35 feet high and has a shallow basin. Visitors can hike along the streams and rivers fed by the waterfalls.

Another extensive natural area is LMET Park in Diadi. It covers 1,200 hectares within the 24,000-hectare Lower Magat Forest Reserve. This makes it different from a single natural destination such as the waterfall or cave system: the park itself encompasses a large area.

Activities for Different Interests

Nueva Vizcaya Paragliding offers pilot training and tandem flights, as well as paramotoring. At Balete Pass, there is an 800-meter-long zipline with views of the lush, forested landscape. These activities offer a different way to include the scenery in your trip than hiking along the waterways at Imugan Waterfalls. When planning, you can decide whether to focus on flying, riding the zipline, or hiking.

Macababbad’s Orchidarium, Cacao, and Coffee Farm in Bayombong offers another distinctive experience. The two-hectare site includes orchids, a cacao farm, and a coffee plantation. At Imugan Mountain Fresh Factory, wild berries and other fruits are made into jams and fruit spreads. For travelers interested in plants and local products as well as landscapes, these themes add to the range of activities and experiences to choose from.

Culture in Bayombong and Dupax del Sur

The People’s Museum and Library in Bayombong houses culturally significant ethnographic and historical artifacts from Nueva Vizcaya. Its exhibition areas cover topics ranging from agriculture and rituals to accessories, weapons, weaving, and textiles, as well as the Ilocano collection. Church-related materials and a section on World War II are also included. This variety gives families with different historical and cultural interests specific topics to consider when choosing their excursions.

St. Vincent Ferrer Parish Church, a national landmark, is located in Dupax del Sur. Along with the museum’s collections, it offers another cultural focus in the province, without implying that both places need to be visited on the same excursion.

Getting There and Finding Accommodation

Bus services connect Nueva Vizcaya with routes to Cagayan Valley; the province can also be reached via Cagayan Valley Road, also known as Daang Maharlika. The nearest commercial airport is Cauayan City Airport in Isabela, a three-hour drive away. When searching for a vacation rental, the names of the different locations can help guide your search by theme: Kasibu is associated with the cave system, Santa Fe with the waterfalls, and Bayombong with the museum and farm.

More destination pages: Bagabag, Cagayan.

For the regional travel overview: Cagayan Valley.