Off the Beaten Track in the Philippines: June 2011

A map of the area showing our route

This trip started in Cauayan City, Isabela, with a 23-minute Cyclone Air flight to Palanan on the east coast of Luzon, on a single-engine 7-seater plane flying low over the rain forest of the Sierra Madre. From Palanan we took a bangka to Divilacan, and from there land transportation to Maconacon. We then flew back to Cauayan City from Maconacon on the same Cyclone Air flight. There is no road passable to vehicles leading to Palanan, or from Palanan to Divilacan and Maconacon.

THE FLIGHT TO PALANAN

Flying low over the Sierra Madre from Cauayan to Palanan, Isabela

Palanan seen from the air

Our plane at Palanan Airport

The Palanan welcome arch

PALANAN is a town of about 16000 people that can only be reached by boat in 7 hours from Aurora Province, by foot in three days from San Mariano, Isabela, or by plane from Cauayan or Tuguegarao. There is no hotel nor restaurant, but homestays are available and can be arranged by the tourism officer at the Municipyo. Our homestay was the house of Tess and Kikoy Pagigan, who were delightful hosts. Palanan is located a few kilometers inland on the Pinacanauan River, about 30 minutes by boat from the sea. The town is well known in history as the place were Emilio Aguinaldo took refuge in late 1899 and remained until his capture in March 1901. Palanan is an old town that was founded by the Spaniards in 1609. The local dialect, called Paranan, is a mix of Ibanag, Spanish, Tagalog and the indigenous Dumagat language.

Our homestay in Palanan

The historical marker at the Aguinaldo Shrine

THE AGUINALDO SHRINE. A shrine with a bust of Aguinaldo and a historical marker stands where the house of Aguinaldo once stood. Aguinaldo was captured there on 23 March 1901 by American General Funston, who walked from Casiguran with Macabebe Scouts pretending to be a high-ranking American prisoner to be delivered to Aguinaldo.

The Aguinaldo Shrine built at the spot where Aguinaldo was captured in March 1901

THE SIGHTS OF PALANAN

Sunrise on the Pinacanauan River

Dicotcotan Beach in Barangay San Isidro, Palanan

Disadsad Waterfalls in Palanan

A peaceful scene on the Pinacanauan River

THE DUMAGATS

Dumagat families going to a Born-again Church service

A Dumagat Village Chieftain in Barangay San Isisdro, Palanan

The Dumagat Chieftain's happy family

HONEYMOON ISLAND BEACH. The bangka trip from Palanan to Divilacan takes about two hours. A stop on Estagno Island along the way is a must. The island is better known locally as Honeymoon Island and boasts of one of the most beautiful beaches in the country. Totally undeveloped, with pure white sand sloping slowly into a crystal clear water, it is a paradise for nature lovers.

White sand beaches as far as the eye can see between Palanan and Divilacan

The beautiful beach on Estagno Island, locally known as Honeymoon Island

You can walk half way to the other side on pure white sand in crystal clear water

I rate it one of the top ten beaches in the country

A shady spot on Honeymoon Island

DIVILACAN is a friendly town of about 4600 mostly tagalog-speaking people. Like in Palanan, there is no hotel nor restaurant, and homestays can be arranged by the tourism office at the Municipyo. Our host was none other than the Mayor's wife Flor Bulan. Jane, the guide assigned to us during our stay in Divilacan was very pleasant and highly competent. The main means of transportation in Divilacan as well as Maconacan is the three-wheel kuliglig, a derivative of the one used in rice fields in central Luzon.

The friendly town of Divilacan seen from the Municipyo

The Divilacan Municipal Building

The Kuliglig, the main means of transportion in Divilacan and Maconacon

DICATIAN LAKE CROCODILE SANCTUARY

In July 2009, 50 captive-bred Philippine crocodiles (Crocodylus mindorensis) were released in Dicatian Lake in Divilacan. The endemic Philippine crocodile is critically endangered and is the most severely threatened crocodile in the world, with about 100 individuals surviving in the wild. They are not easy to see and at least an overnight stay at the lake is required for a chance to spot them. We didn't see any. We paddled back to the road on a narrow wooden boat, a crossing that was not for the faint-hearted.

Dicatian Lake, where 50 Philippine Crocodiles were released in 2009

Another view of Dicatian Lake

MACONACON is a town of about 4000 mostly Ilocano-speaking people. It is reached in about 30 minutes by road from Divilacan. The town was devastated by Typhoon Juan in October 2010, a direct hit with 305 kph winds. It seems that everyone is still talking about the typhoon all the time. Most buildings and houses were destroyed or badly damaged. Many trees were uprooted and those that remained were thoroughly defoliated. There is a dormitory-type guesthouse for visitors, a wet market and a few restaurants, but no electricity except few a few private generators.

On our way from Divilacan to Maconacon

The road to Maconacon showing the trees damaged by the October 2010 typhoon

The town of Maconacon. The destoyed building on the left was a gymnasium. The municipyo (white building in the center) is just a shell. The Smart tower is new.