Philippine Destination Less Traveled: Region II

Most of the Philippines Region II is off the main tourist trail so is rather a destination less traveled. Also known as Cagayan Valley or “Lambak ng Cagayan,” the region encompasses five provinces: Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, and the Batanes Islandsin the Luzon Strait.

Located in the northeast portion of Luzon Island,the region has the Cordillera Mountain Range to the west and the Sierra Madre Mountain Range and Philippine Sea to the east. In between the mountain ranges, the region is made up of extremely fertile flatlands formed across the wide valley of the Cagayan River - the longest river in the Philippines.

Travel through Region 2

Given the roads needed to transport food products from the region’s highly productive farmlands, road travel into and out, north and south through Region II is extremely simple and easy. Traffic flows quickly with few problems on the wide, concrete and asphalt highways that stretch the whole length of the Cagayan Valley.

Major roads to the west lead from Nueva Vizcaya to Ifugao, Isabela to Kalinga, and Cagayan to Ilocos Norte. There is a west-leading road from Cagayan to Apayao, but this deteriorates to rough, loose gravel in the Cordilleras. Travel east of the valley flatlands is very restricted as there are no paved roads, just a few dirt tracks leading across the Sierra Madre Mountains. However, all major roads, and the majority of secondary roads throughout the Philippines Region 2 are paved. In general, the region's roads are of a high quality and very well maintained.

If traveling to Northern Cagayan, upon reaching Santiago in Isabela, there are two main travel options. The westerly, National Highway through Ramon, while well surfaced and maintained, is the preferred travel route for many large trucking companies. Although traffic flows efficiently, congestion on this route tends to increase travel time. The easterly National Highway through Cauayan is slightly less traveled; in addition, it appears to provide more scenic views most popular with tourists along its route.

Expect traffic delays within all of the large towns and cities that have high numbers of trikes, for example, Santiago and Tuguegarao are particularly congested. Also, be aware that in the early morning and late afternoon it is common practice for farmers to ride out to their fields on trailers pulled by small, 5- or 10-horsepower field cultivators - along the National Highway! Use caution as these small contraptions are slow moving, have no indicator signals, brake lights (or effective braking system), and the person steering has no rear-view mirrors.

Another road hazard common throughout Philippine Region 2 is the placement of rice or corn to dry on the National Highway. After harvest, you are likely to find one whole lane of a highway filled with drying crops for long stretches. If on a two-way road, on-coming traffic may mean that you must drive over the crops. If required, do this slowly, and always remember that farmers often place large logs or stones at the end of the road area on which their crops are drying. Take care to avoid these as they can easily cause vehicle damage and may well cause a crash!

Although its location in Northern Luzon means that Philippine Region 2 is off the normal tourist travel routes, with ease of travel, much to see and plenty to do, it may be worthwhile to include a visit to Philippines Region 2 as part of your vacation. 

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