DiscoverCalanasan
Discover the natural beauty, culture and heritage of Calanasan.
Book Now Pay Later
Loading traveller reviews…
Join Our Newsletter
Get tailored flight deals, travel tips & inspiration straight to your inbox.
HandpickedCalanasan HolidayDeals
Complete holiday packages with flights, hotels and experiences in Calanasan.
Stays AcrossCalanasan
From luxury beachfront resorts to city hotels and budget stays.
UnforgettableExperiencesin Calanasan
Search and book amazing activities and tours across Calanasan.
Top 10 Reasons to Visit Calanasan
Reason 01
A Sneak Peak into Calanasan
- The remote Apayao town of Calanasan is located in the uppermost parts of the Cordillera, and when planning you will find a landscape that is almost a living postcard of foggy mountains and values that are clean.
- The Last Frontier of Northern Luzon as it is commonly referred to, this municipality is home to pristine forests which appear like whispering ancient tales, and those who have been spending their holidays to Calanasan, Apayao will be given a feeling of adventure both exciting and relaxing.
- The mountainous geology here puts Calanasan on the head of the Apayao River system, which grants the traveller an opportunity to observe the origin of a significant waterway in an almost pre-historic ambiance.
- Here, the Isnag people (also referred to as Isneg) preserve their ancestral traditions, and visitors during their will have the rare privilege of discovering how they have a strong spiritual connexion to this land.
- The high altitude is also a blessing that presents the cool year-round climate, whereby explorers can pack layers and experience the fresh mountain air that revitalises the mind and the body.
- World Pinoy Flights is also a good place to book your trip should you be planning to travel to Calanasan, Apayao to have a smooth journey that can take you to this gem of an island, making the beginning of your holidays in Calanasan, Apayao as easy as the rest of your travels.
- Capital (of the province): Kabugao
- International airport: None in Calanasan
- Currency: Philippine Peso (PHP)
- Time zone: UTC+8 (Philippine Standard Time)
- Driving side: Right-hand side
- Main electricity: 220 volts, 60 Hz (mostly residential generators in remote barangays)
- Official / local languages: Isnag, Ilocano, Filipino, English
- Major religion: Predominantly Roman Catholic, with indigenous animist practices among some communities
Reason 02
Highlights
- One of the places that a nature lover must see is Calanasan-Apayao Protected Landscape and Seascape (CAPLAS) which is a vast natural reserve that harbours numerous rare species of flora and fauna.
- Isnag Ancestral Domain is a living museum of the Cordilleran culture where people can see old houses, weaving workshops and communal ceremonies still living.
- The primary forests of holidays to Calanasan are one of the most pristine forests in the Philippines and offer an uninterrupted wilderness hiking to the hikers, as though time has gone back.
- This is due to the mountainous terrain and the cool weather conditions that Calanasan enjoys that is unlike its neighbours who are located in lowlands.
- The waters of Apayao River are clean and flowing swiftly providing a relaxing environment to fish, take a kayaking trip or just take a relaxing reflection moment along the banks.
- The strategic position of the municipality as an entry point to Ilocos Norte and the Cordillera also means that it will serve as a great base when one wants to explore the rest of the northern Luzon.
Reason 03
Seasons to Travel
- The safest and most comfortable time to go through the steep mountain roads that are prone to becoming slippery or even impassable during heavy rains is the dry season, which is experienced between November and April.
- The temperatures remain low even in the dry season at the high altitude, particularly in the morning and evening, so packing smartly layered clothes in order to keep warm during the day is a good idea.
- The morning dawn during dry seasons brings forth mist-covered forests to produce a dreamy outlook, which is excellent to both the photographers and nature lovers.
- The winters, though short, have the perfect conditions of viewing the wild birds which depend on rich forest environment.
- The green cover is lush and during wet season, the area is most appealing to botanists and people who have a stronger desire to have a greener background.
- If there are clear skies and low humidity which occur during the dry season, the remote night skies also permit uninterrupted trekking and stargazing.
Reason 04
Worth A Visit
Calanasan -Apayao Protected Landscape and seascape
- There will be guided forest trekking trips where visitors can be shown by local specialists the different rare plants and the slightest noises of wildlife found to survive in this biodiverse enclave.
- The safarium promotes responsible viewing of the wildlife and has strict rules that ensure that the fragile ecosystem is not destroyed but instead the tourists get to see it closely.
- The thick canopy and the freedom of nesting will mean that the endemic species that are hardly seen in other parts of the country will be enjoying by the birdwatchers.
- The scenic routes are made of moss trees and crosscutting crystal streams; they provide a natural playground both to families and individuals.
- The visitors can hear the conservation activities first hand through the park rangers who relate the storey on how the community preserves this precious natural treasure.
- The diversity of elevations in the landscape presents the panorama of breathtaking appearance of the Cordillera and gentle curves of the Apayao River valleys.
Apayao River Headwaters
- The higher parts of the river are clear and sparkling water that has not been contaminated by industrial runoffs, thus forming a pristine fishing area by the locals.
- A climb to the headwaters provides an opportunity to observe the collection of rainwater by mountain springs and meandering to a large, slow moving river, further downstream.
- The community has designs of small huts and community areas along the banks of the rivers where tourists are able to take a rest and have a taste of the locality.
- The plants that surround it create a natural filtration system, which means that the river is an essential consumption of clean water to the municipality.
- It is possible to do a guided river walk with stops at major ecological sites, including wetlands which are the homes of unique amphibians.
- The fact that the visitor can stand at the beginning of the river enables them to have the feeling that they are part of the greater watershed that sustains an innumerable number of communities.
Villages and Cultural Sites of Agricola Nag Isl
- Tours of Isnag settlements will allow tourists to see traditional architecture, such as stone foundations and thatched roofs that are centuries old.
- The visitors will be able to watch the everyday life, including rice paddies and handcrafted baskets, and how the community is able to live based on farming and fishing.
- Cultural activities including the Say-am ritual give a glimpse of the beliefs and social connexions of the community and thus serve as a living lesson on the heritage.
- The culture of storytelling by the Isnag people encourages tourists to sit around a fire-place to listen to the storey of their ancestors and the experience that a visitor goes through.
- Art craft It can be seen that local artisans showcase woven fabrics and carved wood pieces where the tourists can buy the authentic, hand-made souvenirs directly at the sources.
- The dignified dealings with the Isnag guides will help to make the cultural exchange substantive and the values of the community are respected.
Reason 05
Discover More
Rugged Mountain Roads
- The twisty trails that pass through the uplands of Calanasan are an adventure to the sightseeing tourists who like taking long rides with the rough terrain.
- A different turn of the roadway presents new views of thick forests, great mountains and the misty light of the Apayao River.
- The local transport is usually conducted by $4\times4$ vehicles and therefore offers the traveller an adventure but a comfortable experience of exploring the hidden side of the region.
- The roads particularly are enjoying when the sun rises, and the mist has risen to give the mountains a soft glow of gold.
- The drives are also a special view of the way the Isnag people have settled their day-to-day lives based on the rugged terrain.
- Tourists will be able to visit small highway restaurant to taste the harvests and feel the hospitability of the community on the route.
Indigenous Handicrafts
- The Isnag people weave blankets, baskets, and mats of natural fibres in intricate designs, and each of them is a manifestation of the strong attachment to the land.
- Tourists have the opportunity to observe the process of weaving and get acquainted with the types of patterns and symbols that have cultural meaning.
- The carvings are handcrafted and designed using wood that is also available in the area and reflect the local artisans and the vast forest cover in the area.
- By buying them, one helps the local economy to grow and also helps in maintaining the traditional crafts that can be lost to modernization.
- Most artisans also have individual workshops where the tourists get the opportunity to test their hand at weaving or carving with instruction.
- The completed products are beautiful besides being actual reminders of the culture experience that has been taken in Calanasan.
Bird Watching
- The Calanasan forests are remote and support a range of endemic and migratory birds, which makes it a great destination among the bird watchers.
- Early mornings are also excellent in the occurrence of timid species that usually cannot be seen in the daytime.
- Local guides are knowledgeable of the most important observation sites, and will assist in locating some of the most difficult to see birds, like the Apayao Finch or the Cordillera Warbler.
- The silence of the place creates a chance to observe the birds without being noticed and this way the birds are not affected.
- Birdwatching would be combined with mild trekking here and this would offer physical fitness as well as an opportunity to enjoy bird species.
- Amateurs may carry binoculars and field books, or they may use local professionals, who will introduce them to the call and behaviour of each species.
Provincial Gateway
- The frontier of Calanasan and that of Ilocos Norte is a dramatic location where the rugged mountainous area is overridden by fertile valleys in the lowland.
- Tourists will be able to observe the divergent scenery and see how the weather and altitude impact the domestic agriculture and way of life.
- Small guesthouses on the provincial border provide an opportunity to the traveller to spend the night before venturing further to the Cordillera.
- There are numerous fresh produce, handcrafted items, and local delicacies that can be tasted on local markets along this route.
- These crossroads of the roads are some of the cultural crossroads where the traders and travellers exchange storeys and this results in the sharing of ideas and goods that are lively.
- This gateway can be effectively utilised by visitors to organise their multi-day adventures that will involve the peaks of the Calanasan and also the hills of Ilocos Norte.
Reason 06
Culture Traditions
- The native Isnag language, combined with Ilocano and Tagalog, can be considered an expression of the multicultural patchwork of the area and/or enhance communication with locals.
- Social dinners, mostly done to mark harvest seasons, feature traditional food and communal songs that hold the community members together.
- The Isnag people have special burial ceremonies that commemorate the dead and have a spiritual contact with the ancestors.
- The traditional marriage rituals include very large ceremonial procedures which include the presentation of woven cloths and love storeys told in the form of songs.
- The community values nature as seen in their sustainable farming methods of managing soils which keep them healthy and also in the conservation of biodiversity.
- Tourists who embrace such traditions will better understand values that inform the Isnag way of life.
Reason 07
Food Fun Fashion
Food
- Pinikpikan is a dish of chicken made in the region, and it is cooked by beating the chicken in order to soften it and then cooking it with the local vegetables and sometimes smoked meat.
- Indigenous rice that is harvested in terraced plots go hand in hand with warm sweet potatoes or taro which serve as wholesome and nutritious meals.
- The Apayao River fish, which are freshly taken out of the river, are mostly grilled or steamed, which makes them taste clean and in addition to that they are also delicious.
- The traditional sugarcane wine of the North Luzon, Basi, is occasionally provided at the times of community festivals, which means that the visitor can also taste a local delicacy.
- Fresh market and homemade preserves are available in the local market, providing the traveller with the feeling of the local culinary variety.
- The meal in a Isnag house may be a personal affair whereby the hosts invite their guests to have a common meal, which stresses on generosity and solidarity.
Fun
- Hiking in the preserved environment is a combination of excitement and peaceful experience, and each path opens new views and experiences with nature creatures for holidays to Calanasan.
- Cultural immersion tours gives visitors the opportunity to learn the daily life of the Isnag people, rice planting to weaving, which would give them authentic learning experience.
- The distant highlands can be resorted to quiet contemplation, and the silence of the mountains offers introspection and the strong feeling of peace.
- Hot springs of the region provide a very invigorating bath after day of trekking to the region.
- There are also local fests and particularly the town fiesta which are colourful in their nature and involve music, dance and communal feasting.
- Outdoor activities including kayaking Apayao River or watching birds in the forest make each day itinerary more diverse.
Fashion
- The dressing code of visitors should be warm and breathable, which can be taken off or put on depending on the changes in temperatures at different times of the day.
- The trekking boots or heavy shoes have been developed practically to safeguard the feet on the rough and muddy paths making it safe and comfortable.
- Even though it is in dry season, rain gear is recommended since any showers in the mountain can happen suddenly, and the traveller may not anticipate them.
- Insect repellent is lightweight and prevents insects and mosquitoes that multiply in the humid microclimate of the forest.
- Big hat or cap also provides extra sun protection and shade on early morning or late afternoons.
- Small backpacks with snacks, water, a first-aid kit and a camera would enable travellers to carry the necessary items without having to bring it on themselves.
Reason 08
Nature Safari
- Holidays to Calanasan Calanasan is set against Cordillera Central which has immense heights that break the skyline.
- The headwaters of the Apayao River form a clean water system containing a rich supply of fish and vegetation.
- Primary forests are also biodiversity rich habitats where rare birds, unique orchids and mammals can be found in this safe environment.
- The cool climate of the region ensures the integrity of the forest ecosystem making the region a living laboratory of ecologists and naturalists.
- The light and shadow effect in the mist-covered valleys provide the photographers with an indefinite chance to capture the beauty of nature.
- Tourists are able to see the way people in the localities are living in peace with nature, and applying sustainable methods that conserve nature to unborn generations.
Reason 09
Events Fiestas
- The holidays to Calanasan Calanasan Town Fiesta is a celebration on the 17 to 19th of March in honour of St. Joseph, where parades, music and communal feasts are held to display the talents of the locals.
- Say-am festival is a cultural event of the Isnag people which involves traditional songs, dances and ritualistic show with honour of ancestors.
- Live shows of native music are common in community events, and tourists experience the culture fully through such events.
- These festivals attract people of the neighbouring towns and this brings about a feeling of unity and heritage over the region.
- Tourists who visit these shows are able to buy local delicacies and handcrafts which helps the local people in their cultural economy.
- The festive mood, combined with the picturesque mountainous setting leaves the guests with long-term memories of their interaction with the life of Calanasan.