Kalinga is a province that has a rare kind of geography. The western portion of the province has several steep slopes, valleys, and plateaus, while the eastern portion boasts of flood plains and flat lands. If you look closely at the Philippine map and are familiar with the Filipino dictator Marcos, you will see a similarity of the province’s physiography to the bust of Marcos. At present, Kalinga is known as the Land of Living Waters because of its river rapids that are perfect for whitewater rafting enthusiasts.
Ilokano is largely spoken in the province but this should not be seen as a problem because locals understand Tagalog and English as well. While in Kalinga, you can visit some local production plants of rattan baskets, banana chips, and loom weaving. Gold jewelry and coffee-making are also some of the industries you can see here in this Philippines travel destination.
Kalinga is located at an elevation range of 300 to 5,000 feet above sea level and is aptly called as the “Prince of the Highlands “. As with any other high elevation province, the climate is cooler here but sunshine is to be expected as well. Plenty of accommodations are available in Kalinga, but don’t expect it to have five star amenities. You are here to enjoy mountain-living so might as well experience it like all the other people here do. Don’t forget to arrange for a white-water rafting trip and experience the rapids that the province has to offer.
If you are interested in visiting this Philippines travel destination, you can get here by riding a bus or a plane. However, you must get a reservation on a bus liner to secure a seat. If you’d rather take a plane, airlines ply the Manila-Tuguegarao route three times a week. From Tuguegarao, you can take local jeepneys which will take you to Kalinga in ninety minutes.