Nueva Vizcaya is a province in the Philippines located in Cagayan Valley Region in Luzon famous for its delicious citrus and interesting tourist spots. It is the main producer of citrus crops in the county and dubbed as the Citrus Capital of the Philippines. The province is a great destination for outdoor and environment enthusiasts because the mountainous province is blessed with many majestic waterfalls, caves, mountain peaks and eco-parks.
Nueva Vizcaya is a landlock province bordered by the provinces of Benguet (west), Ifugao (north), Isabela (northeast), Aurora (southeast), Nueva Ecija (south) and Pangasinan (southwest). It is a home of 450,000+ people and they speak mostly in Ilocano, Tagalog and English languages. The capital municipality of the province is Bayombong.
The province of Nueva Vizcaya is surrounded by Cordillera mountains, Sierra Madre mountains and Caraballo mountains. If you want to visit its beautiful places soon, below are the famous tourist spots in Nueva Vizcaya.
10 Best Tourist Spots in Nueva Vizcaya
1. Capisaan Cave System
Photo courtesy of Rhaine Pineda on Flickr
Capisaan Cave System is one of the most popular tourist spots in Nueva Vizcaya, the best spelunking destination in the province. It is a 4.2 kilometers cave system making it the 5th longest cave system in the Philippines and most spelunking tours last for 4 hours. It is made up of 8 interconnected caves and the Lion and Alayan Caves are the 2 main entry and exit points. Rare calcite, magnificent stalactites and stalagmites, interesting columns and rock formations can be found inside the cave. The cave system is considered as one of the country’s best cave systems and even called a “geologist’s paradise“.
Capisaan Cave System is located in Barangay Capisaan, Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya.
2. Balete Pass National Shrine
Photo courtesy of Darwin Lucena on Flickr (embedded image)
Balete Pass National Shrine is one of the historic sites in Nueva Vizcaya. Balete Pass, also called as Dalton Pass, is a mountain pass that connects the Nueva Vizcaya and Nueva Ecija provinces. During the WWII, a strategical Battle of Balete Pass happened in the site where Filipinos and American soldiers fought against the retreating enemy forces which later on led to their surrender. The summit of the mountain pass is the Balete Pass Tourism Complex where the local government erected the Balete Pass National Shrine and markers as a tribute to the fallen soldiers. A viewdeck at the top with huts were built and gives a majestic view of the mountain ranges and forestland.
Balete Pass National Shrine is located in Santa Fe, Nueva Vizcaya.
3. Imugan Falls
Photo courtesy of Wana on Instagram
Imugan Falls is one of the famous tourist spots in Nueva Vizcaya, a 35-foot waterfalls in a dense forest surrounded by lush foliage. The rock formations along the bank serve as a picnic grounds for day visitors. The clean and cold basin of the falls is good for swimming since it is not so deep so visitors can enjoy more the cascading waters. A trail leading to the top of the falls was also made for adventure seekers to explore more. Going to the falls in not difficult since the local government have established a trail and erected bathroom and toilet near the area. One can reach the falls in approximately 30-minute hike from the jump-off point.
Imugan Falls is located in Barangay Imugan, Santa Fe, Nueva Vizcaya.
4. Dumli-ing Falls
Photo courtesy of Maan Villamor on Instagram
Dumli-ing Falls is a known waterfalls in Nueva Vizcaya, a 98-meters waterfalls making it the highest waterfalls in the province. The falls is enclosed by mossy cliffs and boulders surrounded with healthy plants. Locals believed that it was a dwelling place of spirit people few years back but were gone when a strong earthquake happened on 90’s. The falls is not yet recommended for family bonding or swimming since it still needs development by nature itself of by human interference. But for adventurers and environment enthusiasts, sightseeing and gazing at the grandeur of the falls are the best things to do. One can reach the falls following an established trail in approximately 1-hour hike from the registration area.
Dumli-ing Falls is located in Barangay Balete, Kayapa, Nueva Vizcaya.
5. Mount Palali
Mount Palali | Photo courtesy of Beautiful Kitkhat of Diary of an Outdoorgirl
Mount Palali is one of the most-visited tourist spots in Nueva Vizcaya standing 1,715+ meters above sea level. It is once a hunting grounds for the early settlers in the province. To conquer the mountain, one would pass though dense forest, boulders, cogon grassland. A huge boulder named Haring Bato (a halfway point landmark) is a vantage point offering scenic views the province: the Magat River, plains and looming mountains. Haring Bato offers more beautiful views than the summit since it is forested but there are some viewpoints around.
Mount Palali is falls in the borders Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya and nearby Quezon province.
6. Mount Ugo
Sea of Clouds in Mount Ugo | Photo courtesy of Dennis Balinhawang
Mount Ugo is also a favorite mountain climbing destination in the province of Nueva Vizcaya standing 2,150 meters above sea level. The main features of the mountains are its pine forest, highland villages and splendid view of Cordillera mountains. Mountain climbers can witness the beautiful sunrise and “sea of clouds” in the early morning. The mountain was discovered by the rescuers and mountaineers when an aircraft crashed on site few years back. One would pass though pine forest, mossy forest and steep ascent to reach the summit. Conquering the mountain is challenging and 2-day hike is recommended.
Mount Ugo is falls in the borders of Kayapa, Nueva Vizcaya.
7. Lower Magat Eco-Tourism Park
Photo courtesy of debitford on Instagram
Lower Magat Eco-Tourism Park is one of the best tourist spots in Nueva Vizcaya, a 1120-hectare eco-park situated at the lower part of Magat River. It is being decorated by beautiful landscapes, plants and flowers. There are plenty of things to do in the park which includes swimming in their huge swimming pool, boating in the small lake, fishing at the pond and visiting the animal zone. One can explore the area following a hiking trail leading to the nearby hills for sightseeing and bird-watching. A vast camping ground can also be found but there are different types of accommodations available for overnight stay.
Lower Magat Eco-Tourism Park is located in Diadi, Nueva Vizcaya.
8. People’s Museum and Library
Photo courtesy of Jeffrey Galino on Instagram
People’s Museum and Library is being considered as one of the Important Cultural Properties of the country. It is a 2-storey building which houses the Novo Vizcayano’s history and heritage. The exhibits include traditional hand-woven clothes, jars and relevant artifacts used by the indigenous tribes. Every town in the province were encouraged to share their cultural and historical artifacts to be displayed in the museum. The site where the museum is located was the former seat of Provincial Government.
People’s Museum and Library is located in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya.
9. Saint Dominic Cathedral
Photo courtesy of Saint Dominic Cathedral on Facebook
Saint Dominic Cathedral or Bayombong Cathedral (formerly known as Saint Augustine Church) is one of the tourist spots in Nueva Vizcaya. It is an 18th century Roman Catholic Church where Saint Dominic is the patron saint of the town whose feast day is celebrated every August 8. The church is a Baroque architecture with beautiful facade and octagonal bell tower made of red bricks. The church is still active though earthquakes and fire incidents happened several years back that severely damaged and destroyed the church. Reconstruction has been made on the same site but the bell tower and facade remained in its original state.
Saint Dominic Cathedral is located in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya.
10. San Vicente Ferrer Church
Photo courtest of JP Manzon on Instagram
San Vicente Ferrer Church, commonly known as Dupax del Sur Church, is another remarkable 18th century Roman Catholic church. It is a well-preserved church complex which is considered as a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines. Saint Vincent Ferrer is the patron saint of the town whose feast day is celebrated every April 5. The Baroque church has also a beautiful facade and 4-storey bell tower made of red bricks. Beside the church is the 18th century acacia tree and claimed as the oldest one is Luzon.
San Vicente Ferrer Church is located in Barangay Dopaj, Dupax del Sur, Nueva Vizcaya.
