Driving By Nueva Vizcaya

"Welcome to Nueva Vizcaya," the welcome arch near the historic Dalton pass says with an obelisk marking the gateway to Cagayan Valley with the town of Sta. Fe where Tutubi made a brief stop to take pictures of Balete Pass viewdeck.

Nueva Vizcaya is nestled amid the Caraballo, Cordillera, and Sierra Madre mountains, with Ifugao province to the north, Isabela to the northeast, Quirino to the east, Aurora to the southeast, Nueva Ecija to the south, Pangasinan to the southwest, and Benguet to the west. Three major towns of the province are Bayombong, the capital town, Solano and Bambang.

While driving by Bambang after Aritao town, Tutubi's driver was able to see an old friend in his store just on the main road. It's in Bambang town where cheap vegetables grown in the upland town, with cold weather, of Kasibu are sold (Kasibu, besides boasting a cool weather, also prides itself with the Capisaan Cave system for spelunking). You can also find direction signs leading to Salinas Salt Springs, a mountain topped with salt, actually called travertine, coming from salt spring of the hill.

Signspotting: Don't ever try to sell something here. People are miserly :P

Salinas Salt Spring, anyone?

After Bambang town is Bayombong, the provincial capital but due to lack of time, Tutubi decided not to pass by Bayombong town proper to catch a glimpse of St. Dominic Cathedral, the Nueva Vizcaya Provincial Capitol and People's Museum and Library that showcases the province's history and heritage



Next to Bayombong is the town of Solano, quite progressive judging from various establishments you see on the road. Tutubi passed by an alternate route inside town to avoid traffic and was able to see large hotels and places like Centro (shown below)


an anti-aircraft gun in Solano, probably of WWII vintage, with Scouting references.

Nueva Vizcaya has large eco-tourism potential that can attract adventurers with a list of interesting places and tourist spots. Tutubi hopes to fully explore the place given the chance to return there.

Again, pictures taken inside a moving vehicle with tinted windshield :(

Notes on Nueva Vizcaya Tourism:

For adventurers, trekkers, mountain climbers, the towns of Ambaguio and Kayapa offer an alternate jump-off point to Mt. Pulag, the Philippines' second highest mountain, home of rare plants like pitcher plant and animals like the nocturnal giant cloud rats (locally called buut). Spelunkers can visit Lion-Alayan Cave, Malabing Valley network of pristine underground caves and subterranean river in Kasibu particularly Capisaan Caves visited by one of Tutubi's friends. (Note this is undeveloped and not for the faint of heart but pretty much rewarding for brave souls)

People chasing waterfalls can choose to look for Imugan Falls in Sta. Fe town and Mapalyao Falls in Quezon town

For "hysterical" people, historical sites include Dalton Pass (Balete Pass) in Sta. Fe and Kirang Pass in Aritao, both silent witnesses to bloody battles between the Americans, Filipinos and Japanese at the end of World War II.

For those into Visita Iglesia visiting old churches, the province lists St. Dominic Cathedral and the Dupax del Sur church, St. Vincent Ferrer Church declared a National Cultural Treasure (Tutubi was too much in a hurry he decided not to again pass by this town since it's way too out of way)

Town fiestas and festivals are also present particularly Panagyaman Festival, or Thanksgiving Festival, celebrated on May 19 up to May 23 in Bayombong, the capital town of Nueva Vizcaya with its capitol located in a park.

For the ever-present pasalubong, there's G&B buko pie in Bagabag just before the fork on the road going to Isabela and Ifugao provinces.

Where to Stay in Nueva Vizcaya: Hotels, Inns, Lodges and other accommodations

Finding a place to stay in Nueva Vizcaya is just like most other places in the country. Most of them are located on the main highway, with
no Internet sites to look up information and rely mostly on walk-in guests, a list below may prove helpful with some photos (some items sourced from an old NV tourism brochure that may need updating of telephone numbers):

Bambang Lodge
Bambang Poblacion

Bambang Pension House
Bambang Poblacion

Elnora Zulaek's Rainbow Hotel Serviced Apartments
(Solano?)

Governor's Hotel
Solano
Tel. No. +63.78.326.6053

Juel Garden Hotel
Hilltop, Bambang
Tel. no. +63.78.803.1315



Josefina's Hotel
near the Bayombong welcome arch



MC Capitol View Inn and Restaurant
Bayombong
Tel. No. +63.78.321.2001

Melissa Lodge
Solano
Tel. No. +63.78.326.540

MY Dream Garden Hotel
Solano
Tel. No. +63.78.326.6149

Neptune Hotel
Solano
Tel. No.: +63.78.326.5701

Rafael Inn
Gaddang St., Solano
Tel. No. +63.78.326.7343

Saber Inn
Bayombong
Tel. No. +63.78.321.2222

Sports City Hotel
Bayombong

Villa Margarita Mountain Resort
Tel. No.: +63.78.326.5501

Nueva Vizcaya is composed of 15 towns, namely: Alfonso Castañeda, Ambaguio, Aritao, Bagabag, Bambang, Bayombong, Diadi, Dupax del Norte,
Dupax del Sur, Kayapa, Kasibu, Quezon, Santa Fe, Solano, and Villaverde

How to get to Nueva Vizcaya:

Commute: Bus companies servicing the province include Baliwag Transit, Victory Liner, Royal Eagle and Autobus all bound for Cagayan Valley pass by the province.
Driving Directions: Follow this route going to Nueva Vizcaya:

Driving Directions: On NLEX, take Sta. Rita Exit then just follow the route that will lead to Pulilan, Plaridel, Baliuag, San Ildefonso, and San Miguel, Gapan, San Leonardo, Sta. Rosa, Cabanatuan City, Talavera, Muñoz, San Jose then Sta. Fe town.

Those with motorcycles or want to avoid toll fees on NLEX can opt to go via MacArthur Highway passing through Caloocan, Valenzuela, Meycauayan, Marilao, Bocaue, Balagtas, Guiguinto (Tabang), Plaridel, Pulilan, Baliuag, San Rafael, San Ildefonso, San Miguel , Gapan, San Leonardo, Sta. Rosa, Cabanatuan City, Talavera, Muñoz, San Jose City before seeing the boundary arch of Nueva Vizcaya with Sta. Fe town.