Exploring Lesser Known Destinations: Tumauini, Isabela

When people are asked about tourist destinations in the Philippines, the usual answers would be Boracay, Palawan, Baguio and the likes. The few times that you will hear Isabela in the discussion of tourist destinations will come from talking with someone who is from the province or someone who seeks relatively unknown tourist spots.

 My family spent last Christmas on my mother’s hometown of Tumauini, Isabela.  Judging from my visits there, Tumauini consists mostly of farmlands, with commercial areas located at the center of the municipality, commonly referred by locals as ‘sentro.’

 According to the official website of Isabela province, Tumauni is inhabited by 66,812 people. Most of the locals here are Ibanag-speaking so it might come in handy to pack some Ibanag words before coming here although a lot of the locals already know how to speak Filipino due to interactions with Filipino-speaking people.

 While the information provided above hardly projects Tumauini as an interesting travel destination, this seeming non-descript place actually features several travel-worthy destinations, some of which have a special connection to me and my family.

Church of Saint Matthias

(Photo Credits: Jose B. Cabajar/Commons.wikimedia.org)

Commonly referred to as ‘Tumauini Church’, the Church of Saint Matthias was designed by Dominican architect-friar Domingo Forto in 1784 and construction was completed in 1805, according to an article by Inquirer.net. The church, which was declared a National Historical Landmark by the National Historical Commission in 1989, stands out for its reddish-brown color due to the red bricks that it is composed of. The cylindrical bell tower beside the church provides a stark contrast. The shape of the bell tower is unique, closely resembling cakes served during weddings.

The church was where my grandparents married for the second time in celebration of their 50^th wedding anniversary. Saint Matthias Institute, a school behind the church, was where my mother studied in high school. After visiting the church, travellers can eat the famous Pancit Cabagan in nearby eateries.

(Photo Credits: Rowena Bicera)

Magoli River in Antagan I is the ‘unkown in the list. Why it is not more known to tourist is a wonder because it truly is magnificent scenery. The water in this river lives up pretty well to the description of ‘crystal clear.’  The sandy shore can compare to the better known beaches in the Philippines and you will bathe with a relaxing view of the mountains that line the river from the side opposite the shore.

There are huge white stones at the right side of the shore near the entrance which is a good picture-taking site. The air is the very definition of ‘presko’, and you can see the bottom of the river through its waters which looks greenish from afar because of the reflection of the trees in the mountains (see the background of the photo).

Visitors don’t have to pay any entrance fee to see this place. The water is icy cold at first dip but you will get used to it after a while. There are plans to further develop Magoli River as a tourist spot which will hopefully catapult it to the limelight. The only catch is that there is no lifeguard so visitors have to be extra careful.

Camp Samal 

(Photo Credits: fantastic10.wordpress.com)

Rounding up the list is Camp Samal, an elevated area that gives you the overlooking view of the entire municipality of Tumauini, the Cagayan River and other nearby places. The National Boy Scout Jamboree in 1977 was hosted in this place. According to the official website of Isabela province, Camp Samal covers an area of 23.50 hectares and is situated 500 feet above sea level.

I have yet to come to this place but it would be in my list of places to visit when I come to Isabela next year. The photos of this place in the web are limited yet, it sure looks like a relaxing place with a nice view to boot.

How to get to Tumauini:

The usual mode of transport to got to Tumauini from Metro Manila is to take buses. Bus stations in Cubao like Victory Liner have trips bound to Tuguegarao, Cagayan. Tumauini is located along the way to Cagayan so you can ask the bus conductor to drop you off.

Price of the trip to Tumauini from Cubao in air-conditioned bus range from P500 to P550.