Nueva Vizcaya

Nueva Vizcaya is a province in the Cagayan Valley region of Luzon.

• 15.793333121.30251 Alfonso Castañeda — A rural municipality at the southern edge of the Nueva Vizcaya panhandle that is only reachable on the highway between Nueva Ecija and Aurora.
• 16.531608121.0281692 Ambaguio — Highland town with a less-frequently used trail to Mount Pulag.
• 16.297258121.0338193 Aritao — The junction between Maharlika Highway (Asian Highway 26) and Benguet-Nueva Vizcaya Road.
• 16.387222121.10754 Bambang — The economic hub of southern Nueva Vizcaya and a crossroads for those heading to Kayapa, Kasibu and Dupax.
• 16.4839121.15015 Bayombong — Provincial capital.
• 16.6075121.25436 Bagabag— site of Bagabag Airport, gateway to Ifugao.
• 16.66121.3686117 Diadi — Highland town sandwiched between Isabela, Ifugao and Quirino. Home to Lower Magat Eco-Tourism Park.
• Dupax — Rather two municipalities, named 16.3075121.1019448 Dupax del Norte (27,500) and 16.284167121.0916679 Dupax del Sur (19,000) since the 1970s, It has Spanish-era relics such as the San Vicente Ferrer Parish Church and Dampol Bridge.
• 16.318056121.29583310 Kasibu — Remote municipality with mountains and caves.
• 16.358333120.88611111 Kayapa — A highland town along the Benguet-Nueva Vizcaya Road.
• 16.489444121.26388912 Quezon — Remote municipality with mountains and caves.
• 16.159167120.93777813 Santa Fe — The gateway to Cagayan Valley from Manila.
• 16.518333121.18111114 Solano — Main commercial town of the province.
• 16.606667121.18277815 Villaverde

• Southern Nueva Vizcaya — A largely rural and remote area bordering Central Luzon, dominated by the Caraballo mountain range. It is composed of the small towns of Alfonso Castañeda, Aritao, Bambang, Dupax del Norte, Dupax del Sur, Kayapa, and Santa Fe, and two nature reserves, Casecnan Protected Landscape and Salinas Natural Monument.
• 16.583572120.8835921 Mount Pulag National Park — the third highest mountain in the Philippines, and also the highest in Luzon. It also forms the triboundary between Nueva Vizcaya, Benguet and Ifugao.

The province's name derives from the province of Vizcaya (Biscay) in Spain's Basque Country. During the early Spanish colonial era, Nueva Vizcaya used to be a part of a larger Cagayan province, along with Isabela — named after Queen Isabella II of Spain. When Nueva Vizcaya was created in 1839 through the advice of the alcalde mayor of Cagayan, it included the present area occupied by the province plus present-day Mountain Province, Quirino, northern Aurora, and much of Isabela up to Ilagan. Its area was significantly reduced to its present size following the creation of Isabela province in 1856 and Quirino province in 1971.

Nueva Vizcaya is mountainous, full of steep mountain ranges, rolling hills, and valleys and plains between them. Mountain ranges form the provincial boundaries: the Caraballo Mountains to the south, the Luzon Cordillera to the north and west, and the Sierra Madre to the east. The Caraballo range has Dalton Pass, which carries Asian Highway 26 between Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon.

The weather is a bit complex. It can get hot in the summer but not that scorchingly hot unlike the rest of Cagayan Valley. In the rainy season it can be terribly hot at noon, only for torrential rain to fall an hour or two later. In the cold season it can get foggy and borderline freezing, while mountainous areas such as Kayapa, Ambaguio and Santa Fe resemble conditions in Baguio and the Luzon Cordilleras. You may need to wear a jacket throughout the year in these places.

Nueva Vizcaya has a population of 452,000 (2015 census figures) and is sparsely populated, with urban centers squeezed along the narrow 70 kilometres (43 mi) Magat River Valley. The Novovizcayanos — as the residents identify themselves — are largely ethnically Igorot, coming from tribes like the Ifugao, the Isinai, the Dumagat, the Kalanguya and the Bugkalot, and these indigenous peoples hold ancestral land claims for most of the province. The remainder of the population are Ilocano settlers, brought to Nueva Vizcaya during Spanish times to work in tobacco plantations and help with construction of Catholic missions to evangelize and pacify the Igorot. Therefore, Nueva Vizcaya is culturally closer to the Cordilleras than to Cagayan Valley, and many Novo Vizcayanos support the inclusion of their province into the Cordillera region.

The primary language spoken in Nueva Vizcaya is Ilocano, brought by settlers, but is not native to the region. Most Novo Vizcayanos speak indigenous Igorot languages like Isinai, Bugkalot (or Ilongot), and Ifugao, but they switch to Ilocano, Tagalog or English when dealing with visitors.

All the towns along the Maharlika Highway are served by buses from Manila to destinations such as Banaue, Kalinga, and Tuguegarao further north. Victory Liner provides much of the services that travel Maharlika Highway all the way through the province, while GV Florida and Ohayami Transport ply the Manila-Banaue route. Most buses have a food stop on Dalton Pass, Santa Fe or Aritao, and another major stopover at Solano or Bagabag.

Maharlika Highway (Asian Highway 26) traverses the province all the way from both the boundaries with Nueva Ecija and Isabela.

From the Cordilleras, Benguet-Nueva Vizcaya Road (Route 110) provides a scenic route from Baguio and passes directly through Kayapa before joining Maharlika Highway in Aritao, while Nueva Vizcaya-Ifugao-Mountain Province Road (Route 109) is a north-south route that serves Banaue and Bontoc from a junction with Maharlika Highway in Bagabag. Malico Road also provides a scenic route from Pangasinan and joins Maharlika Highway in Santa Fe, but is open only to light vehicles due to frequent landslides and its narrow two-lane carriageway.

The town of Alfonso Castañeda is only reachable through a road from Pantabangan in Nueva Ecija to Baler in Aurora.

• 16.619167121.2522221 Bagabag Airport (no IATA, ICAO code: RPUZ). Has charter flights from Clark on Platinum Skies.  (updated Aug 2019)

As a bottleneck for traffic heading to the rest of Cagayan Valley, the section of the Maharlika Highway that runs through the province is both a notorious accident-prone area for vehicles (mostly trucks) that stall, overturn or plunge off the mountain passes with alarming regularity, while at the same time being one of the most chronically under-repair sections of the route. Bring lots of patience when driving around, especially in Dalton Pass and in Diadi.

Jeepneys run the course of the Maharlika Highway from Bagabag to Santa Fe. From Bambang, take separate jeepneys to Kasibu or Kayapa. Tricycles are the main public transportation modes within towns, as well as those seeking to enter the Dupax towns from Bambang or Aritao.

Mt. Palali stands at 1,705 m (5,594 ft) above sea level. The municipalities of Quezon and Bayombong bound Mt. Palali. Once the hunting ground of the Bugkalots, Gaddangs and the Ifugaos, the mountain offers a magnificent view of the low-lying municipalities of Nueva Vizcaya. Its dipterocarp forest contains unique diversity of flora and fauna and is a crash site of a World War II tora-tora plane.

Ambaguio is the gateway to Mount Pulag, the second highest in the country at 2,922 m (9,587 ft) above sea level. The route from Ambaguio is less visited compared with those in neighboring Benguet. Guided tours offer treks along hanging bridges, climbing through mossy forest and remote farming barangays with friendly Kalanguya tribe. Walk through an area of bonsai forest and grasslands of dwarf bamboos over a horizon of clouds. Mt. Pulag is a perfect eco-tourism destination and is home to the pitcher plant, giant cloud rat and whiskered pitta. Ambaguio is 20 km (12 mi) from Bayombong and is home to four indigenous tribes namely Kalanguya, Ibaloy, Kankanaey and Karao. For trips and arrangements contact the Municipal Tourism Council.

People's Museum and Library in Bayombong stands beside the St. Dominic Cathedral. A two-storey historical building which houses the Novo Vizcayano’s history and heritage. The former seat of the provincial government now showcases the culture and tradition of the tribes of Nueva Vizcaya.

Paraiso Tribu Vizcayano (also known as Lower Magat Ecotourism Park) is being developed as a high-end back-to-nature resort facility showcasing the rich culture and natural attractions of the province.

Rizal Shrine in Brgy. Casat, Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya is one of the tallest statues of José Rizal.

Bangan Hill National Park is a historic landmark and cultural treasure. It is the site of the annual "Stations of the Cross" staged by the local Catholic church during the Lenten season using live actors depicting the last moments leading to Jesus Christ's crucifixion. Also great for hiking enthusiasts.

PLT Wellness and Resort in Brgy. Bascaran, Solano. Known for the longest zip line and biggest swimming pool not only in the province but also in the Cagayan Valley region.

Other sites of interest include Salinas Natural Monument, Casecnan Protected Landscape, and waterfalls in the province which include Mapalyao Falls and Señora Falls both found in Quezon; Uddiawan Falls in Solano; and Edralin Falls in Kasibu.

• 16.282744120.8491871 Kayapa Quad Peak. A nice loop hike that goes over the ridgeline of the four peaks in the area - Mt. Tugew, Mt. Kuban, Mt. Cabo, and Mt. Sadjatan. The hike is around 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) long and takes approximately 5-6 hours, excluding breaks. The starting point is at the Alang-Salacsac Barangay Hall. A guide, available at the barangay hall, is required, in addition to the entry and environmental fees. The barangay also provides some food after the hike, for a price.  (updated Apr 2026)

This landlocked province is famous for its high quality citrus fruits. Unsurprisingly, this has given it the nickname of “Citrus Capital of the Philippines.” Another famous fruit is coconut, in which Bagabag excels in making pies out of.

Being in the midway point for journeys between Metro Manila and Tuguegarao, Nueva Vizcaya is chock full of restaurants and bus stops catering to motorists. These are mostly cafeterias serving typical Filipino, Ilocano and Cordilleran dishes, although hygiene and quality may not be to everyone’s taste. If in doubt, these restaurants also sell hot coffee and instant cup noodles, both of which require boiled water.

For the squeamish, there are fastfood chains and upscale restaurants in Bambang, Bayombong and Solano.

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, and bring enough supplies to outlast a traffic jam, which can range from an hour at best to 18 and longer in the event of a major vehicular pileup or landslip.

There are a few New People's Army guerrillas in the Caraballo mountains.

Respiratory illnesses are common in the mountain areas, particularly in Ambaguio, Kayapa and Santa Fe. Wear a jacket when going to those locations.

Mining is a sensitive environmental issue in the province, with the Roman Catholic church vocally opposed to it. Protests against mining are held frequently in Bayombong as well as in Quezon, Kasibu, Dupax del Norte and Dupax del Sur. Caution is advised when discussing the issue.

• Banaue, via Rte 109
• Benguet, via Rte 110
• Isabela, via AH26
• Nueva Ecija, via AH26 down Dalton Pass