Kitchen Savory

If you've been to Hap Chan in Tuguegarao, Charlie's Kitchen Savory is just within the vicinity. It is located at Pengue Highway. They are open from 8am-10pm, Monday to Sunday.

I like the ambiance of the restaurant. It's clean and simple. It's not very spacious but just enough for family gathering and small group meeting while dining out.

My best pick in the menu is bagnet kare-kare, crispy pata, and fish lumpia made from cream dory.

Pica pica like this would be a good appetizer for group sharing before your main menu will be served.

A closer look of fish lumpia with this sweet & spicy dip. I love it! Try this with your kids who are a picky eater. They might like it. It would be best to give them finger foods especially for toddlers.

Coffeeholics at Barako Boy Coffee

A rustic ambiance for coffeeholics at Barako Boy Coffee is a great place to hang out with friends while drinking your favorite barako blend, hazelnut or maybe a butterscotch. These are the cafe's best seller. The good thing about this cafe is that they also serve food platter, pasta, mami, bread, salad, and desserts. 

 And YES they have your favorite food craze these days, churros with a choice of chocolate or caramel dip! 😀

So you can have your breakfast here and have a cup of coffee. 

Mami topped with dilis, egg, squid balls, and pechay (a green leafy veggies).

One of my best choice for  pasta they serve is the one with chili flavor, the Spicy Tinapa Pasta.

Aside from spicy tinapa pasta. They also serve creamy longanisa pasta and longanisa eggplant pasta. The pasta is healthier option than the usual pasta served in other restaurants.

Kiwee Reyes, the cafe owner is very eager to show us how a civet coffee brewed through a syphone. And she also showed us how a pour-over coffee is made. We've taste the freshness of the coffee they serve.
They have several coffee bean from the local's product and imported from Vietnam.

This summer season, you may opt to try your ice cold coffee or frappe or milkshake or maybe an iced latte with coffee jelly.

Cafe opens daily, from 7am-10pm, located at Caggay, Tuguegarao. Just infront of Hotel Joselina. 

Lakbay Norte 6 in Cagayan

The recent Lakbay Norte 6 traveled Nueva Ecija and Cagayan to promote these provinces as the prime destination North of Luzon. It was organized by the North Philippines Visitors Bureau (NPV), spearheaded by the Manila North Tollways Corporation, builder and concessionaire of North Luzon Expressway.

There were media personnel and bloggers in the group and were able to visit Tuguegarao, Penablanca, Camalaniugan, Iguig and Santa Ana to name a few towns in Cagayan.

During their stay in Cagayan,  they were able to visit historical churches like St. Peter's Cathedral (Tuguegarao Cathedral) which is the longest church in the valley. The well-known Basilica Minore of Piat which houses the 400+ years old image of Our Lady of Piat. The home of the oldest church bell in Southeast asia in San Jacinto church of Camalaniugan. And Calvary hills in Iguig, one of the pilgrimage destinations in Cagayan during lenten season.

Aside from churches, who will visit Cagayan without a taste of the famous pasit Batil-patong? The group was also able to taste the chicha-carabao, the local's carabao chicharon product of Lighthouse Cooperative. And a taste of the flavorful milky carabao candy and mango jello product of Cagayan State University (CSU).

Spelunking adventure in Callao cave was not able to push through because of the reported landslide in the area. The highlight of the tour is an island hopping in Santa Ana. The site of the famous filming location USA Survivor and the pristine white sand beach of Anguib. 

Sumptous lunch was served at Jerolynda Resort, a privately owned by Costales family.

Tour Operator in Santa Ana:  Cagayan Valley Traventures Co. 

                                               1A Montana Place, Brgy. Palawig, 

                                               Santa Ana, Cagayan

                            contact nos: +63927-9253070  (globe)

                                                +63947-3494577 (smart)

Boat Association: SAMOBA (Santa Ana Motorboat Association)

Palaui Anguib Tours in Cagayan

Palaui-Anguib tours in Cagayan is started to be known not only by local tourists but also internationally. Palaui Island was rated as the top 10 beaches in the world by CNN and was the filming location of  US Survivor back in 2013. Season 27 SURVIVOR: Blood vs. Water  and Season 28 SURVIVOR: Cagayan.

Our itinerary of the day is to go island hopping from Cape Engano lighthouse to Anguib beach and a side trip to Crocodile Island before heading home.

It was a memorable experience with friends traveling up north who came home from Doha for a vacation. Who you travel with is the most important part of the journey. When you are traveling with someone who are so fun and will find time to crack a joke anytime, there will be never dull moments. And someone who laughs out loud with you knowing you're the only person in the island. And we now fondly call her "Warda". lol

The hike going to the lighthouse lasted for about an hour. With lots of snapshots taken because of the picturesque Pacific ocean view. We look soo tired! Haha! But it was all worth it after the view of  Pacific ocean and a fresh warm breeze.

This halo-halo topped with caramel serves as our refreshment after the hike. There are local store vendors in the island. 

We also went snorkeling before heading to Crocodile Island. The boatman suggested an area located between Anguib and Nangaramoan beach. Next time snorkeling area  in Isabel garden and Marine  Sanctuary would be a better option. 

Caving Adventure in Cagayan

Cagayan is dubbed as the caving adventure capital of the Philippines, Department of Tourism (DOT) tags the town as never-ending adventure. Callao Cave is one of the most popular cave in the country where the fossilized remains, "Callao man", was found to be at least 67,000 years old.

Callao cave is just one of the 300+ caves situated in Penablanca, Cagayan. It boasts of massive limestone formations, skylight and a chapel on its 2nd chamber.

Towns in Cagayan like Baggao, Sta. Teresita, and Buguey also boasts of caving adventure in the province to name a few. Sta. Teresita recently celebrated the 3rd National Ecotourism Festival where tourists flock on the said event to experience caving and endure the adrenaline test.

One of the most technical cave in the said town is Ari-0 which is a vertical cave. It is a muddy and wet cave where your technical skills in single rope technique is needed. Maquera cave is also comparable to a world class cave as per the British cavers who visited in town.

For beginners, you may opt to visit Tabaco cave with a side trip of Al-lilaw cave, Tangadan cave and Free cave for just a day of exploration. Your exploration will squeeze your body with crawling and creeping through each chamber that will keep you sweaty along the way. Though these are dry caves, expect to get dirty. 

Both foreign and local tourists continue to explore the caves.

Here are some photos inside Tabaco cave, Al-lilaw and Tangadan cave situated in thr town of Sta. Teresita.

Tabaco cave has numerous rock formations that will crack your own imagination.

Entering the last chamber of Tabaco cave.

Tourists flock with awe while looking at wide ceiling in Tabaco cave.

Al-lilaw cave in Sta. Teresita, Cagayan.

Tangadan cave in Sta, Teresita, Cagayan.

Kiteboard and Windsurf Festival 2015 in Cagayan

The first ever kiteboard and windsurf festival is held in Anguib beach, Santa Ana, Cagayan. The said event is organized by the Philippine Kiteboarding Association (PKA) and hosted by North Cagayan & Cagayan Grand Adventure and Leisure (CGAL).

Kite boarding and windsurf tour races on  January 11-13 and January 15-17, 2015 respectively.

Photo Courtesy to Philippine Kite Boarding Association

The first leg of Philippine Kite Boarding Competiton was held at Anguib beach in Santa Ana, Cagayan.  The 3-day tour races ended last January 13. The tour offers $40,000 cash prize ($10,000 for each leg) for the winner sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI).

Windsurf tour races on January 15-17. The event attracts tourists to come. It is now open to the public. So enjoy and have fun! :)

Casagan River

Casagan is one of the filming locations for "SURVIVOR:Blood vs. Water". The river is conducive for kayaking amid clusters of mangrove forests where migratory birds are sited.  You can also cross the Casagan suspension bridge made by the locals.