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Kiangan is a town in Ifugao, a province in the Cordillera mountain range in the north of the island of Luzon, in the Philippines. One of the province's cultural capitals, it is famous for its rice terraces and for being the site of Japanese general Tomoyuki Yamashita's surrender at the end of World War II.
Understand
[edit | edit source]Kiangan has long been a major settlement since precolonial times and is regarded as the cradle of Ifugao civilization. During the Spanish era, it was the capital of the Kiangan military district, the predecessor of today's Ifugao province, but was never fully occupied due to the strong indigenous resistance that sometimes drove the Spanish out.
The Americans pacified Kiangan and were able to manage their occupation better, but during the closing days of World War II, it became the final redoubt of the Japanese forces led by the feared General Tomoyuki Yamashita, the "Tiger of Malaya", who surrendered to Allied forces on September 2, 1945 and was subsequently hauled down to the lowlands for his trial and execution for war crimes.
In 1949, Kiangan lost its status as provincial capital to neighboring Lagawe.
Get in
[edit | edit source]Kiangan is at the crossroads of two of Ifugao's major highways, namely the Nueva Vizcaya-Ifugao-Mountain Province Road, which is traversed by buses from Metro Manila, and the Tinoc-Kiangan-Lagawe Road, which connects Ifugao with Halsema Highway in neighboring Benguet province. The junction for these roads is near the Ibulao Bridge marking Kiangan's eastern boundary with Lagawe, the capital of Ifugao. Downtown Kiangan lies further west along the Tinoc Road.
Get around
[edit | edit source]There are tricycles in town, but a 4WD or any vehicle suitable for mountain roads is best used. Most attractions in town are accessible following extended hikes.
See
[edit | edit source]- 1 Nagacadan Rice Terraces, Nagacadan. A rice terrace complex covering 150 hectares (370 acres) of mountain slopes. It is one of five rice terrace complexes in Ifugao included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, but is overlooked by tourists in favor of the more accessible ones in Banaue.
- 2 Kiangan Shrine (Yamashita Shrine), Sitio Linda, Poblacion. A war memorial commemorating General Yamashita's surrender in 1945.
- 3 National Museum of the Philippines - Cordillera (Ifugao Museum), Sitio Linda, Poblacion (inside Kiangan Shrine Compound), ☏ +63956 872 1928, [email protected]. 8AM–5PM; closed M. The regional branch of the National Museum of the Philippines system, featuring artefacts on Cordilleran natural history, art, ethnography and culture. Free. Donation optional.
- 4 Uto Falls, Sitio Bae, Ambabag. A secluded cascade.
- 5 Pangagawan Caves, Bolog. A pair of caves (Bat and Labrynth) with an underground river and waterfall.
- 6 Ambuwaya Lake, Ambabag. A pristine lake which is said to have inundated a village as part of a curse according to local legend.
- 7 Bagnit Falls (Mumbungug Falls), Julongan. A 100 metres (330 ft) cascade whose waters irrigate the rice terraces downstream.
- 8 Mount Kapugan, Ambabag. A towering 1,305 metres (4,281 ft) peak.
- 9 Imbuliklik Rock, Tinoc-Kiangan-Lagawe Road, Nagacadan. A giant roadside boulder large enough to accommodate a viewdeck on top. It overlooks a highway curve and provides panoramic views of the Nagacadan Rice Terraces.
- 10 Saint Joseph's Church (Kiangan Church), Father Moerman Road, Pindongan. Kiangan's main Roman Catholic church. Its present octagonal and spired structure dates back from 1956, when it was rebuilt by Belgian missionaries following its destruction in World War II.
- 11 UCCP Church, Tinoc-Kiangan-Lagawe Road, Poblacion. A gabled Protestant church built by American missionaries in 1926.
- 12 Yamashita Surrender Site, Tinoc-Kiangan-Lagawe Road, Poblacion (inside Kiangan Central School). An old school building where General Yamashita formally surrendered in 1945. It houses a few artefacts from the event.
Do
[edit | edit source]Buy
[edit | edit source]- 1 Kiangan Public Market, Poblacion.
Eat
[edit | edit source]Drink
[edit | edit source]Sleep
[edit | edit source]There are several homestays in Kiangan.
- 1 Kiangan Inn & Events Place, Poblacion (near Kiangan Gymnasium), ☏ +63 945 154 4636, [email protected].
- 2 Kiangan View Point Homestay, Ambabag, ☏ +63 995 094 5639, [email protected].
- 3 Habiatan Homestay & Event's Place, Poblacion (near Kiangan Gymnasium), ☏ +63 995 366 9812, toll-free: +63 36 837 4633, [email protected].
- 4 El Kikasa Homestay, Tinoc-Kiangan-Lagawe Road, Poblacion (near Kiangan Central School and Ifugao Academy), ☏ +63 975 730 9687.
- 5 Kiangan Panoramic Homestay, Veterans Loop, Sitio Linda, Poblacion (near Kiangan Central School and Ifugao Academy), ☏ +63 917 837 7951.
- 6 Jamiko Kiangan Homestay, Sitio Boboc, Pindongan (near Saint Joseph's Church and Pindongan Elementary School), ☏ +63 917 563 6610, [email protected].
- 7 Lucky Star Hotel-Lodge, Nueva Vizcaya-Ifugao-Mountain Province Road, Sitio Uto, Hucab, ☏ +63 969 184 7265, [email protected].
Stay safe
[edit | edit source]Accidents and landslides are common along the mountain roads, with the danger compounded by low or nonexistent guard rails and fog. Ensure that your vehicle is in good condition.
Connect
[edit | edit source]Go next
[edit | edit source]| Routes through Kiangan |
| Banaue ← Lagawe ← | N  S | → Lamut → Bagabag |
