The SAN PABLO CHURCH in Isabela was built in 1625 and said to be the oldest in the province and its bell tower is the tallest in the Cagayan Valley. San Pablo is the oldest town of Isabela and it was founded by Padre de Sto. Tomas, 210 years before Isabela was made a province.
The PARISH CHURCH OF ST. MATHIAS in Tumauini, Isabela was built in 1753 under Dominican Supervision and was completed in 1805. It is an ultra-baroque church unique for its extensive use of baked clay both for wall finishing and ornamentation. Clay bricks come to life in concentric circles on the facade, spiral curves on the finial serpentine reliefs and many finely molded details flowers, foliage, surfaces, cherubs and saints. Its architecture bears Chinese ancestry. This church of stone features a unique cylindrical bell tower that is the only one of its kind in the Philippines. Its exquisite ornamentation makes this church in Isabela one of the most striking and interesting churches.
GUIBANG CHURCH houses the Miraculous Lady of the Visitacion. It is located along the national highway of Gamu, Isabela. Every month of July, religious pilgrims come to offer prayers of thanks and to ask for another year of good fortune. The Miraculous Lady of the Visitacion was canonically crowned on May 26, 1973 and acknowledged as a National Shrine on January 24-26.
Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park (Palanan Rainforest) is the largest protected area in the country with more than 300,000 hectares of rainforest, and the lowest at 800 feet above sea level. Declared number one in biodiversity and also one of the top 10 biodiversity “hotspots” in the world. Research showed the existence of unknown and unnamed species of flora and fauna. A confirmed habitat of the Philippine Eagle and the Cloud Rat. Its coastal areas host whales and dolphins and other cetaceans. Ideal for scuba diving and other water sports, and a mountaineering/trekking challenge.
Accessible by light aircraft from Cauayan Airport (Cyclone Airways), pumpboat from Sta. Ana in Cagayan and Baler in Aurora Province, and trekking from San Mariano, Cauayan and Ilagan in Isabela. Also accessible by air transport from Tuguegarao City Domestic Airport through CHEMTRAD.
Sta. Victoria Caves and Environmental School at Fuyo National Park features naturally formed lattices and sparkling rock formations. Visitors are given lectures and allowed to plant their own seedlings, and those enrolled at the Environmental School are given certificates. Within the area is the Pinzal Falls conducive for swimming and other recreational facilities like carabao-drawn carts and horseback riding. The park is 15 kilometers from Ilagan town proper.
BONSAI FOREST at Sumanget, Dinapigue is about 20,000 hectares. The area is accessible by land transport from Baler in Aurora Province and by air from Cauayan Airport.
Isabela Museum and Library is the repository and custodian of the rich historical and cultural heritage of the Isabelinos. Features a gallery exhibit & collection of antiques such as artifacts, fossils, ethnographic items, heirloom pieces, visual arts (photographs, paintings, sculpture, graphic arts); historical and cultural dioramas, miniature models of provincial landmarks, among others. It was inaugurated on May 11, 1999 and is housed at the old capitol building in Ilagan. Open from Mondays to Saturdays from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Aguinaldo Shrine in Palanan, Isabela is the historical place where Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo was captured by the American forces, thus ending the Philippine Revolution in 1901. It is accessible by aircraft, pumpboat and trekking thru Sta. Ana, Cagayan, San Mariano/Cauayan and Ilagan, Isabela respectively.
Caraballo Mountains are mountains in central Luzon inhabited by a community called Ilongot. These are thickly forested mountains close to the upper end of Cagayan Valley; separating it from the Central Plains of Luzon. Caraballo reaches an elevation of about 5,500 ft or 1,680 m. and joining the Central Cordillera to the north and the Sierra Madre to the east. Drained by the headwaters of the northward flowing Cagayan River, the mountains are heavily forested. Trails and roads did develop through these mountains but they were difficult to cross and many times would be destroyed by rain and mud slides during rainy season. Because these mountains offered no known economic benefits, people were also left isolated from the lowlands. They also serve to discourage travel between central Luzon and Nueva Vizcaya.
Source: Camperspoint
Now a 1st class municipality in the province of Isabela, the town of Tumauini has a population of 55,041 people in 9,239 households according to the latest census. The Tumauini Church built in the 1870s by the Dominicans has a unique cylindrical bell tower made of bricks and a famous historical landmark in the town.
The 46 barangays of Tumauini are Annafunan, Antagan I, Antagan II, Arcon, Balug, Banig, Bantug, * Bayabo East, Caligayan, Camasi, Carpentero, Compania, Cumabao, Fugu Abajo, Fugu Norte, Fugu Sur, Fermeldy (Hcda. San Francisco), Lalauanan, Lanna, Lapogan, Lingaling, Liwanag, Santa Visitacion (Maggayu), Malamag East, Malamag West, Maligaya, Minanga, Namnama, Paragu, Pilitan, Barangay District 1 (Pob.), Barangay District 2 (Pob.), Barangay District 3 (Pob.), Barangay District 4 (Pob.), San Mateo, San Pedro, San Vicente, Santa, Santa Catalina, Santo Niño, Sinippil, Sisim Abajo, Sisim Alto, Tunggui, Ugad and Moldero.
The municipality of Santo Tomas in the province of Isabela is a 4th class town with a population of 22,172 people in 3,864 households according to the latest census. The 27 barangays of the town are Ammugauan, Antagan, Bagabag, Bagutari, Balelleng, Barumbong, Bubug, Bolinao-Culalabo, Cañogan, Abajo Norte, Calinaoan Centro, Calinaoan Malasin, Calinaoan Norte, Cañogan Abajo Sur, Cañogan Alto, Centro, Colunguan, Malapagay, San Rafael Abajo, San Rafael Alto, San Roque, San Vicente, Uauang-Tuliao, Uauang-Galicia, Biga Occidental, Biga Oriental, Calanigan Norte and Calanigan Sur.
The town of Santa Maria in the province of Isabela is a 4th class municipality with a population of 20,695 people in 3,280 households according to the latest census. It has 20 barangays namely Bangad, Buenavista, Calamagui North, Calamagui East, Calamagui West, Divisoria, Lingaling, Mozzozzin Sur, Mozzozzin North, Naganacan, Poblacion 1, Poblacion 2, Poblacion 3, Quinagabian, San Antonio, San Isidro East, San Isidro West, San Rafael West, San Rafael East and Villabuena.
One of the 3rd class municipalities in the province of Isabela is the town of San Pablo. It has a population of 20,561 people in 3,466 households according to the latest census. The 17 barangays of San Pablo are Annanuman, Auitan, Ballacayu, Binguang, Bungad, Dalena, Flaviano, Caddangan/Limbauan, Calamagui, Caralucud, Guminga, Minanga Norte, Minanga Sur, San Jose, Poblacion, Simanu Norte, Simanu Sur and Tupa (San Vicente).
San Mateo town in the province of Isabela is a 1st class municipality with a population of 57,885 people in 11,283 households according to the latest census. It is pronounced locally as San Ma-cho rather than San Ma-te-yo. The town has 33 barangays as follows: Bacareña, Bagong Sikat, Bella Luz, Dagupan, Daramuangan Norte, Daramuangan Sur, Estrella, Gaddanan, Malasin, Mapuroc, Marasat Grande, Marasat Pequeño, Old Centro I, Old Centro Proper, Barangay I (Pob.), Barangay II (Pob.), Barangay III (Pob.), Barangay IV (Pob.), Salinungan East, Salinungan West, San Andres, San Antonio, San Ignacio, San Manuel, San Marcos, San Roque, Sinamar Norte, Sinamar Sur, Victoria, Villafuerte, Villa Cruz, Villa Magat and Villa Gamiao (Buyon).
The logging lair in the province of Isabela is the town of San Mariano. It is a 1st class municipality with a population of 44,718 people in 7,796 households according to the latest census. The 37 barangays of San Mariano are Alibadabad, Balagan, Binatug, Bitabian, Buyasan, Cadsalan, Casala, Cataguing, Daragutan East, Daragutan West, Del Pilar, Dibuluan, Dicamay, Dipusu, Disulap, Disusuan, Gangalan, Ibujan, Libertad, Macayucayu, Mallabo, Marannao, Minanga, Old San Mariano, Palutan, Panninan, Zone I (Pob.), Zone II (Pob.), Zone III (Pob.), San Jose, San Pablo, San Pedro, Santa Filomina, Tappa, Ueg and Zamora.
