There's A Lot of Cool Tours Out There - Exploring Callao Cave

So it's been 2 months since our last adventure in Batanes and guess what? We're off to another adventure!

I've been searching the internet for other tour agencies who provide packages to this certain destination since our previous travel group, AWNW Travels, has failed us yet again in providing such a tour. Here is where I've found Travel Tayo, or what we'd internationally say as, Let's Travel!

They're more active with their FB Page though...

Now you're probably wondering where in the world we're off to that made it hard for me to find a travel group that provides tours there, well it's in Cagayan Valley, mainly known for its Callao Cave and having beaches that get nicknamed as "The Boracay of the North". Now who wouldn't get their curiosity tickled?

First off, negotiating with Travel Tayo Tours was fast enough and they were also accommodating. Once you've chosen you're desired pick up point and made the full payment for the tour, they give you a travel voucher containing your vehicle and driver details as well as accommodation details and tour itinerary.

I love a good old fashioned itinerary..

Like our previous travels via land, we got ourselves ready for another 12-hour overnight trip on the road with various stopovers here and there. We later managed to freshen up and change into new sets of clothes once we stopped for breakfast at a quaint diner.

We arrived at Tuguegarao City at around 10AM, where our tour of Cagayan officially starts!

Churches are quite common in communities here in the Philippines, and they're usually surrounded by basic facilities needed in a bustling city, like a hospital right across and a supermarket beside said establishment. So after buying several bottles of water, we were off to our next stop. (Tip: Bring plenty of water for hydration since it's super hot here up north)

At least an hour later, we found ourselves at the bottom of Callao Cave where we were given a few safety guidelines before having to climb up a hundred and eighty four steps to the cave entrance.

No bats near the cave entrance... hmmm...

No worries about having to pack flashlights and such since the cave is well illuminated by natural sunlight from the cave's numerous holes on the ceiling, where certain shapes have formed when photographed at a certain angle.

The light at the top of the cave...

Queue Circle of Life music...

Even caves have hearts too, you know...

Green life has even managed to grow inside the cave since the place gets to have a healthy dose of sunlight; they've also set up an area for mass to be held every once in a while.

Green on the inside..

Chapel area

It was nearing noon, and since it was becoming too hot for any outdoor activities, we decided to stop over for lunch.

Some local Pancit Batil (order the Special to get the small eggs..)

Our last stop before driving further up north was the Calvary Hills of the town of Iguig, a place of solemn reflection as long as you didn't mind staying under the scorching heat of the afternoon sun.

The ancient St. James the Apostle Church just in front of the Calvary

Off to the side of the hills was a set of ancient looking stairs which led to the Cagayan River, which is mostly dry out due to the intense heat during this summer season.

The brick staircase ruins with what's left of the Cagayan River in the distance...

Back inside the comfort of the airconditioned van, we settled down for a 4-hour drive to the coastal town of Sta. Ana, where our accommodation was waiting.

The villas nearby (perfect for family outings of 7 people)

The "container" rooms..

Clean room and some air condition!

Our room was comfortable enough with an AC unit that made you just want to lie down and sleep till morning, but just as I was contemplating to try out the heated shower, the electricity went out. So rather than wait around for the lights to come back on, we were told to get ready for dinner. (Note: Food establishments are a good 20-minute walk away from the resort if you don't mind the dim highway, also tricycles are far in between.)

I later realized that Waiting for dinner while feeling tired and grimy from the day's activities was no easy feat, especially if said dinner was taking an hour and so to prepare. So we walked out and decided to just order take-out from the establishment we saw a few steps back while the other tour members were already finishing off their plates. The nerve! (P.S. DON'T eat at Jaja's Resto Grill if you want fast service)

We ate our take-out back at our room, (good thing the electricity was back on), and I finally had the luxury of taking a much needed shower. That night, I felt that our first day in Cagayan didn't end on a high note, but I hope the next morning will prove to be better. Up next, island hopping to Palaui Island!

The Boracay of the North???