Calayan is the farthest and the only island town in Cagayan province. It is nestled at the bosom of the treacherous Babuyan Channel. While it is the most inaccessible town, especially during the monsoon months, it is endowed with natural attractions any Calayano can be proud of.
The standard of living on the islands is very basic and bereft of amenities even in the growth areas on the mainland. Such a laidback existence, however, is compensated with a gift of nature, which one must see and experience.
In its 1998 report, the World Wide Fund said the waters between the Babuyanes group of islands and the Bashi Channel around Batanes, are the feeding and breeding grounds of at least 14 species of dolphins plus a good population of the gentle sea giants, the Humpback whales.
By now, people know that inside the deep jungles of mainland Calayan lives the world’s latest bird species, the Calayan rail (Garillalus calayanensis) locally known as Piding.
Aside from these fauna, the island is blessed with beautiful and breathtaking sand beaches like Sibang Cove at Barangay Dadao. It won’t be a surprise when, in the coming years, Sibang will call the tourism shots because of its pristine and unadulterated environment.
At the right side of the cove is the Nagudungan Hills where a lighthouse stands guard for passing ships, particularly during bad weather. The site can be a miniature Malboro Hills of Batanes.
Sibang Cove is no longer alone in the continuing search for potential destinations on the island. The recent one has been identified as Layag White Beach. The Lussok Cave is another potential after netizens feasted on it recently. The cave was created by the formation of rocks at the shoreline which likewise gave birth to a subterranean pool.
A few kilometers from the cave is the Batarao Falls, another exciting area for exploration and enjoyment. It can be reached by sea and land transport from the town proper. Like all waterfalls, boulders characterize the way to its catchment pool. The waters are extremely cool as they cascade into your bodies, temporarily massaging them.
On the other side of the island, the Malangsi cave and waterfall await the adventurous. The cave is bigger than the Lussok Cave and with wider and deeper pool-like chamber. The underground pool has been turned into a training area for would-be-swimmers. Foreign visitors who posted the site on Facebook claimed the cool water in the area is therapeutic.
The Dipari at Barangay Dilam is an uninhabited islet. It is a ‘game fishing destination’ where intruders and game fishing enthusiasts try their swimming prowess.
“During fair weather, yacht and private fishing boats visit the Dipari to fish. These are prominent individuals who travel that far to satisfy their hobbies,” Medy Singgun, a boat operator and a native of Calayan, said.
Like some isolated islands in the Asia-Pacific region, indigenous means of livelihood and production are still prevalent in the island including salt-making at the seashore. Sea water is cooked for days to produce rock salt. Traditional fish preservation through sun-drying is likewise still practiced by some fishermen.
Maryjane Espanol, mother of a fishing family, narrated how they used to come down from the mountain abode to catch fish and dry them for days. The dried fish would be enough to supply their needs for a couple of weeks.
These and more await the visitor to this enchanting yet unexplored destination up north. For now, the mystery continues. (OTB/PIA Region 2)
