Cagayan Valley, Administrative region in northeastern Luzon, Philippines.
Cagayan Valley is an administrative region in northeastern Luzon, Philippines, sitting between the Sierra Madre and Cordillera mountain ranges. The region includes five provinces with wide valleys, rice fields, and forested mountains crossed by a major river.
Spanish colonizers established the Province of Cagayan in 1583, an area much larger than the modern region. Over the centuries, the territory was divided into several separate provinces, creating the current administrative structure.
The name comes from the Ibanag word "kagayan," which refers to a river. Visitors today see this connection in how communities along the Cagayan River still live and work close to the water, with fishing and farming shaping daily routines.
Domestic flights to Tuguegarao connect the region with Manila, while bus services run along major roads throughout the valley. The dry season between November and May is the best time to visit, when roads and trails are accessible.
The Cagayan River flows through the heart of the region and is the longest river in the Philippines. Archaeologists have found remains along its banks that point to human settlement tens of thousands of years ago.
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