A Hidden Paradise - Palanan, Isabela

We've tried to surf in the net about Palanan and have neither seen much of its images nor videos about this very promising place. How we wish that we could travel to the place soon to document the municipality and its surroundings like what we did during our 1st expedition, gathering images and footages of the places in Isabela . We, however, came accross Vic Albornoz Lactaoen's blog about the place. Vic, a travel writer for Cebu Pacific Airways new inflight magazine-Smile and contributor for Manila Bulletin’s Travel Section and The Business Mirror, gave us a very beautiful picture of Palanan: ". . . there are the virgin white sand beaches of Dicotcotan and Didadungan, probably Isabela’s best kept secrets. The coastline of both beaches are very much exposed to strong waves from the Pacific Ocean, perfect not only for swimming but also for surfing. Dicotcotan beach has a three-kilometer coastline with coral reefs, sea grass beads and sandy shoreline that is fringed with a coastal forest and a a village. According to Reynante de Veyra, a staff from the city hall, there has been frequent sightings of pointed nosed dolphins and hump back whales aside from the various species of fishes and shellfish, and marine turtles that can be seen from the surface . . . . (click here and know more about Palanan) . Marlet D. Salazar, a travel writer of Inquirer described Palanan as . . . a "Hidden Paradise". Because of its diverse environment, Palanan was declared Wilderness Area in 1979. You may also view Palanan's geographical location at Google Earth.

(Upper inset picture by: Vic Albornoz Lactaoen, Pinoy Travel Blog)

Palanan, Isabela by: Wilfredo Pascual, Jr.

One of the main objective when we started this project is to bond together the Ibanags and those of their descendants including those who, has adopted Cagayan Valley as their place of abode. For the people therefrom to rekindle their origin, culture and tradition and to take pride of their past. One video we stumbled upon was that by Wilfredo Pascual, Jr., entitled: "PALANAN, ISABELA". It depicts Palanan, Isabela, its culture and its people. The fact that it was in Isabela, which was actually part of Cagayan Valley - where the oldest human remains was found in our country, where the Spaniards actually set up forts even prior to or just within the same period with the forts in Manila - only proves that Cagayan Valley has its own culture, commercial and political system even before the coming of the foreigners. It is where the Philippine revolution might have actually begun and the last bastion of freedom where Emilio Aguinaldo was finally caught by the Americans in his struggle to save the Philippine Republic: "PALANAN, ISABELA", the video of Wilfredo, Pascual, depicts Palanan, Isabela and Cagayan Valley per se:

A TRIP TO CAGAYAN

We stumbled upon this video posted by alvin905297 in You Tube about their 2004 trip to Cagayan. For those from abroad, its nice to imagine if you're with alvin in this trip. Two years is not bad enough to plan a trip back home. Join Alvin in this memory lane to Cagayan: