Tourist Attractions
Susong Dalaga
One of Cabarroguis’ most popular natural tourist attractions is Susong Dalaga, twin conical mountains that resemble a young woman’s breast. Its name actually means “maiden’s breast” in Filipino.
Located in Barangays Gundaway and Zamora, within the heart of the town’s urban core, these twin peaks, both rising 182 meters above sea level, are separated by a creek that runs between them. Once a hunting ground for monkeys, wild boars, snakes and deer and a rich source of wood and white stones the early settlers used to build their homes, Susong Dalaga is now a protected area.
Still thickly covered with endemic trees and dotted with giant boulders, amazing rock formations and limestone caves, the mountains remain an ideal eco-tourism destination. They also provide an exciting but relatively easy climb for visitors as there is a 275-step man-made trail from the jump-off point on the northern part of the twin peaks that leads to the first cave. The Quirino provincial government has, in fact, included Susong Dalaga among the province’s trail destinations.
The summit, reachable after a one-and-a-half to two hours hike, offers a breathtaking 360-degree panoramic view of Cabarroguis’ mountainous landscape, rolling hills, lush forests, gleaming creeks, rice fields as well as the nearby villages.
Dibiwen Falls
Located in Barangay Dingasan, just an hour’s drive from the town center of Cabarroguis is a natural attraction that is starting to draw the interest of a growing number of visitors. This is the Dibiwen Falls, a 20-meter high twin waterfalls situated in the middle of a lush forest. Roaring waters cascading into a crystal-clear stream make this an ideal swimming and picnic spot, as well as a perfect venue for selfies and groufies.
While this twin natural wonder is the much-prized destination, the journey to get there is a thrilling adventure in itself. For those with brave hearts and strong legs, the falls can be reached after a one-hour trek that follows a river from the barangay proper of Dingasan. This entails hopping from one boulder to another and passing through numerous smaller but equally picturesque waterfalls. The excitement is, of course, heightened by views of the rich flora and fauna along the river trail. But like all pulse-pounding adventures, the climax of this journey comes just before the falls can be seen in all its magnificent glory.
At this point, visitors can choose from two options: grab a vine a la Tarzan and clamber up a 12-foot high boulder or climb up a staircase of boulders to finally see the exquisite twin falls of Dibiwen.
The Quirino provincial government has made sure though that the falls would be accessible to all nature-lovers, including the less adventurous, non-Tarzan types, by building a so-called Tourism Road. Through this route, a visit to Dibiwen Falls just requires 30 minutes of easy hiking. Along the way, visitors also pass by numerous basins of cool, blue water where they can enjoy a refreshing dip.
Quirino Watersports Complex
Blessed with many natural wonders, Cabarroguis also offers a number of man-made attractions. Chief among these is the Quirino Watersports Complex, the province’s newest tourist magnet that, in just a few short years, has already earned for Quirino the undisputed title of “Water Sports Capital of Cagayan Valley.”
A cluster of tourism and water sports facilities, the complex is located on the 101-hectare compound of the provincial capitol, a mere one kilometer away from the national highway and within view of Susong Dalaga. It has hostels and villas where visitors can book accommodations, a clubhouse, event halls and multipurpose rooms where meeting and seminars for small groups can be held, and an al fresco restaurant that can comfortably fit 100 guests. This restaurant has become a popular venue for weddings and other events, such as the Cagayan Valley leg of Miss Asia Pacific International 2019 beauty pageant that the Quirino provincial government hosted.
For sports enthusiasts, the complex also offers an infinity pool. But its biggest attraction – and the feature that has made Quirino “The Wakeboarding Capital of the North” – is its wakeboarding facility. This is a natural lagoon that the provincial government has developed into a world-class 2.6-hectare aqua sports playground. It has a 250.75-square meter wakeboarding deck area, a 150-meter wakeboard cable, locker rooms for men and women, a first-aid clinic, and quarters for the staff, including safety and rescue professionals. There is also a storage area from where visitors can rent wakeboarding gears.
At night, when everything quiets down, the complex turns into an ideal spot for relaxing and communing with nature. The gentle sound of the water lapping against the lagoon’s walls, the chorus of crickets chirping and the unimpeded view of the clear starry sky that is reflected on the lagoon’s smooth surface transform the place, especially when bathed in moonlight, into a peaceful lakeside retreat.
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Quirino Province Museum and Library
Another tourist attraction is located in the provincial capitol itself. This is the Quirino Province Museum and Library, a must-visit destination for visitors who are interested to know more about Quirino’s storied past and rich culture.
The province is home to many indigenous peoples – the Agtas, Bugkalots, Ifugaos, Igorots, Ibalois, Kalingas, Kankana-eys, Tuwalis, Ysinais and Gaddangs – who settled in Quirino long before it became a province. And although they all now consider themselves as one people – as proud Quirinians – they continue to observe the customs, arts and crafts, and even some of the practices of the ethnic tribes from where they came.
Prime representations of all of these, together with valuable relics of the province’s past, are on display in the museum. Meanwhile, books and computers can be found on the second floor which serves as the e-library.
Ginnamuluan Festival
However, for visitors who are really interested to learn about Cabarroguis’ history and culture, the town offers a second and, definitely, more fun way of doing this – by joining and experiencing the thrill of its “Ginnamuluan Festival.”
Throughout the year, Quirino celebrates a number of festivals that have made its towns tourist magnets as well. And every year, on June 19-21, Cabarroguis takes the limelight with its Ginnamuluan Festival. Ginnamuluan comes from “gamulo,” an Ilocano word that means offering a hand to get things done. It is often used to refer to the common practice in family and community festivities where a family assigns a member to help in the preparation of the venue or the food that will be served.
Thus, the Ginnamulan Festival, Cabarroguis’ town fiesta, is the time and season when the townsfolk come together to help one another to get things done. It is also a season of fellowship, of coming together, and, in the early days, it served as a traditional venue for courtship. This three-day festival showcases all the desirable and admirable traits, characteristics and virtues of Filipinos who deeply care for their families and neighbors, and who have a strong social awareness and concern for the general welfare.
Restaurants
Cabarroguis also has a number of restaurants where visitors can dine and savor culinary delights with family and friends.
Below is a list of a few of these:
Capitol Plaza Hotel and Restaurant
Located in Capitol Hills, Barangay San Marcos, this place, which, as its name makes clear, also offers hotel accommodations, is known for its beef kare-kare, fresh lumpia, chopsuey and the Ilocano staple dinengdeng. It likewise serves dinakdakan, another Ilocano favorite which it has transformed into two unique specialities: dinakdakang puso ng saging (dinakdakan with banana blossoms) and dinakdakan pancit sotanghon (dinakdakan with vermicelli or glass noodles).
Palm Restaurant
Also situated in Capitol Hills, this eatery offers crispy pata (pork leg), sinigang na baboy (pork stew), pancit malabon (a noodle dish with plenty of seafood), pancit canton, sweet and spicy seafood, and chicken Alfredo pasta. It also serves Filipino and American breakfasts.
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Faith Grace Restaurant
Part of the Capitol Hills restaurant row, this place specializes in pancit which it serves in a variety of ways: batil patong, palabok, bihon, canton and cabagan. It also offers kare-kare, papaitan and bulalo.
Badz Restaurant
Also located in Capitol Hills, this eatery is known for its savory snacks. Its menu includes burgers, including a shawarma version of this popular American dish, fries, tacos, nachos and milktea.
Panfe
For lovers of Japanese food, this is the place to go to. Located in Barangay San Marcos, this restaurant has an extensive menu of Japanese dishes.
Tea Empire Quirino
Operating in Barangay Gundaway, this restaurant is known for Chinese food, specifically with a Taiwanese touch. Its offerings include Taiwanese pork chops and Taiwanese pork adobo which should go well with what it calls “authentic Taiwanese milktea.” Its international menu also has German sausages served by themselves or in a sandwich, as well as Empire burgers. In addition, it serves creamy mushroom dory, fried dory, carbonara, crispy sweet fries, chicken nuggets and cheesy chicken pie.
H&E Pizzeria
Located in Barangay Mangandingay, this is a popular pizza place and is best known for its sausage overload top pizza. Its best-sellers also include baked macaroni and a variety of pasta dishes such as spaghetti, carbonara and shawarma pasta. Like most restaurants in the province, it offers pancit in various forms: bihon, canton, sotanghon, palabok and malabon.
Desstea
Well-known for its cakes, this Capital Hills restaurant serves cheesecake, Nutella, red velvet and salted caramel cakes. It also offers sweet chili buffalo wings, mushroom and beef burgers, and Korean barbecue. For refreshment, it has milktea.
The Noshery
True to its name, this is a snack bar located in Barangay San Marcos. Its offerings include buffalo wings, sisig and milktea.
Cabarroguis Gallery
