Jones

Day Trips

You’ll arrive at Tuguegarao Airport or bus terminal before dawn and meet your local homestay host in Jones. The winding mountain roads offer glimpses of terraced rice paddies and distant peaks as you drive. You’ll settle into a quaint nipa hut overlooking lush fields and unwind with a warm cup of kapeng barako.

After checking in, you’ll stroll through the barangay plaza to meet friendly vendors selling fresh fruits and snacks. A simple lunch of pancit batil patung and banana cue at a roadside carinderia immerses you in local flavors. You’ll then take a short bike ride along dirt tracks to explore neighborhood farms and grazing carabaos.

As the sun dips behind the hills, you’ll gather around a bamboo table for a hearty tinola soup dinner prepared by your host. The community hall lights up with laughter as neighbors strum guitars and sing folk ballads. You’ll end the evening stargazing on a hammock as fireflies dance in the night air.

An early breakfast of freshly baked puto and filter coffee fuels you for a guided trek to Sabangan Falls. You’ll hike through shaded forest trails, listening to the chants of birdlife and the rustle of bamboo groves. Upon arrival, the cascading falls reveal a crystal pool perfect for a refreshing swim.

You’ll set up a riverside picnic of suman, longganisa, and ripe mangoes beneath broad-leafed trees. A knowledgeable guide shares stories of the falls’ role in local folklore and points out endemic orchids along the path. You’ll have free time to float on the water or explore hidden grottoes behind the cascade.

Returning to Jones as the sky turns pink, you’ll enjoy grilled tilapia and ensaladang talong served al fresco. A sudden rain shower enhances the scent of damp earth, and you can opt for a warm cup of salabat afterward. You’ll cozy up in your nipa hut and listen to distant sounds of frogs and insects.

You’ll head to the nearby barangay of Palagaan to join villagers in morning chores like feeding chickens, collecting eggs, and harvesting vegetables. You’ll learn traditional rice planting techniques if the season allows or help sort harvested rice grains. Morning prayers at the small chapel end with friendly waves from neighbors.

After a lunch of carabao meat stew and gabi greens, you’ll visit the weaving center where matriarchal artisans demonstrate backstrap loom techniques. You’ll try your hand at weaving thin bamboo strips into colorful placemats and learn the symbolism behind each pattern. The afternoon continues with a walk along an irrigation canal lined with blooming water lilies.

You’ll return to Jones in time for a community fiestas rehearsal, complete with folk dance steps and drum beats. A dinner of inihaw na liempo and atchara is followed by a spontaneous night market with local dancers. You’ll join the circle for a few dance moves before heading back under an open sky dotted with stars.

At sunrise, you’ll board a small boat for a tranquil tour of the Magat Reservoir, watching egrets and kingfishers skim the glassy water. Your guide explains the dam’s engineering marvels and its role in regional irrigation. You’ll disembark at a small islet to stretch your legs and photograph panoramic lake views.

After a lakeside picnic of tinapa sandwiches and coconut water, you’ll visit the dam’s visitor center to see scale models and historical exhibits. You’ll climb to the observation deck for a bird’s-eye perspective of cascading spillways. A local engineer shares insights into sustainable hydroelectric power generation.

You’ll dine at a floating cottage restaurant where the breeze cools your grilled bangus and pinakbet. The reservoir’s surface shimmers under lantern light as you sample homemade sago atup. Wrapped in a light shawl, you’ll drift back to the shore at dusk, lulled by gentle waves.

A short tricycle ride brings you to Yamang Bukid Herbal Farm, where rows of lemongrass, peppermint, and turmeric stretch across rolling hills. You’ll join a guided herb walk, smelling freshly crushed leaves and tasting edible blooms. Morning tea is served in a bamboo pavilion overlooking the lush fields.

You’ll participate in a hands-on workshop creating herbal salves and essential oil blends using farm-fresh ingredients. A local agronomist explains organic farming methods and the medicinal properties of each plant. Lunch features organic vegetable wraps and herbal iced tea infused with local flowers.

The farm helipad offers a perfect vantage point for sunset, painting the sky in orange and violet hues. You’ll savor steamed okra in garlic sauce and herbal chicken tinola as you watch dusk settle. You’ll retreat to a candlelit bungalow built from bamboo, listening to the rustle of leaves.

At dawn, you’ll meet a certified guide for a kayaking adventure on the mighty Cagayan River. After safety instructions, you’ll paddle downstream, passing limestone cliffs and mudflats alive with shorebirds. You’ll pause at an isolated bend for mid-morning snacks of buko juice and local rice cakes.

The journey continues through gentle rapids, where you’ll learn basic maneuvers from your guide. You’ll beach your kayak on a sandbar for a riverside lunch of grilled squid and tanglad-infused rice. An interpretive guide shares local myths about river spirits and the river’s importance to indigenous communities.

You’ll set up camp on a pebbled bank and gather driftwood for a communal fire. Dinner is a shared feast of river fish tinapa and fresh salad, accompanied by storytelling under the Milky Way. You’ll sleep in a riverside tent, lulled by the gentle murmur of flowing water.

You’ll depart early to the Callao Caves National Park, a network of majestic karst formations northeast of Jones. After registration, you’ll navigate through Chamber 1’s winding tunnels, guided by natural light filtering through skylights. Your guide explains prehistoric human remains and cave art discovered in these limestone halls.

A hearty lunch of dinuguan and puto sits well before you venture deeper into the cave system. You’ll climb wooden stairways to reach Chamber 5, the largest cavern with cathedral-like proportions. Inside, stalactites and stalagmites create a surreal cathedral ambiance, perfect for photography.

On the way back, you’ll stop at a roadside eatery for fresh seafood and grilled corn. As dusk falls, you’ll enjoy a bonfire at your homestay with local coffee and cassava cake. The echo of distant calls from nightjar birds accompanies your evening reflections.

You’ll drive to Tuguegarao City for a guided heritage walk, starting at the centuries-old San Jacinto Cathedral. You’ll explore Calle Rizal’s Spanish-era houses and learn about the city’s role in northern Luzon history. A local guide will introduce you to the city’s blend of colonial and modern architecture.

Lunch features the famed Tuguegarao pancit batil patung and soft buchi buns from a family-run bakery. You’ll visit the Cagayan Provincial Museum to see indigenous artifacts and historical dioramas. A short drive takes you to the iconic Buntun Bridge for panoramic river vistas.

You’ll return to Jones in time for a street food crawl—tasting tamilok, isaw, and taho. The barangay plaza lights up with a night market selling crafts and snacks. You’ll sample the region’s specialty peanut brittle while listening to live acoustic performances.

An early drive brings you to Balli Falls in nearby Bambang, where a short jungle trek leads to a 200-foot cascade. You’ll swim in the cool, emerald pool and explore hidden grottoes behind the falls. A guide shares stories of indigenous Aeta communities who once inhabited the area.

You’ll picnic on the falls’ rocky ledges with grilled corn, fresh coconut meat, and sweet calamansi juice. The journey continues to the rice terraces of San Pablo, where you’ll wander narrow ridges bordered by terraced paddies. You’ll meet farmers tending heirloom rice varieties and learn about age-old irrigation methods.

Back in Jones, a farewell dinner of pinaputok na tilapia and sautéed kangkong awaits you. You’ll light bamboo torches for an impromptu lantern parade through the fields. Under the glow of lantern light, you’ll share highlights and memories with your host family.

You’ll enjoy a final homestay breakfast of fresh fruit, suman, and brewed coffee with your host family. A short gratitude ceremony follows, where you’ll exchange tokens and heartfelt thanks. You’ll pack up your belongings and bid goodbye to the nipa hut perched over the rice fields.

On your way to Tuguegarao, you’ll stop at a roadside market to pick up last-minute pasalubong—local pandan cookies and garlic peanuts. You’ll reflect on your immersive journey as you drive along scenic country roads. Lunch features a final taste of carabao’s milk ice cream at a rural dairy cooperative.

You’ll arrive at the bus terminal or airport as the sun sets, marking the end of your northern Philippines adventure. You’ll receive a traditional handwoven scarf as a parting gift, reminding you of Jones’s warm hospitality. As you board, you’ll promise yourself a return trip to this hidden gem in the Philippine highlands.