My Calayan Island Travel Guide and Experience

Calayan Island Overview

Floating in between the Luzon Strait and the Balintang Channel, Calayan Island is part of the Babuyan group of islands in the northernmost portion of the province of Cagayan. This hard-to-reach island is unsuspectingly one of the hidden gems of Cagayan province and its simple island life is just relaxing – a total getaway from the busy city life.

The GPS Coordinates of Calayan Island are 19°15’43” N, 121°28’31” E. Coming from the Ibanag word ‘laya’ meaning ‘ginger’, as it was once abundant on the island, Calayan is home to some of the most scenic viewpoints and not to mention, some of the most pristine shorelines in the Philippines, i.e. Sibang Cove. The island is also known for its natural waterfalls and underwater caves that are yet to be discovered by locals and visitors alike.

As for my experience when I visited Calayan Island with The Northern Nomads last 28 to 31 May until 2 June 2026, our itinerary kept on changing due to erratic weather conditions. But the highlight tourist spots in Calayan were prioritized except for Lussok Cave as the weather and logistics were challenging during our visit. We were stranded for two additional days as there was a typhoon nearby the island that’s why the local Coast Guard did not allow us to sail.

It was really one for the books as the travel to and from Calayan Island is heavily weather-dependent. It was my first time to be stranded on a remote island (not complaining, though!) while just making the most out of what we can do since there is a limited range of phone signals, too! During our stay, it was mostly sunny but afternoons and early evenings got moody at times (especially as it was the onset of the Southwest Monsoon season when we visited).

Read also: Itbayat Island: 12 Places to see in PH’s Northernmost Town

Best time to go to Calayan

Since the Philippines generally has two seasons, it is best to travel to Calayan Island during the Dry Season (March to May) and possibly avoid the months of June to February (Wet Season and onset of the Northeast Monsoon, aka “Amihan”). The window months of February and March can be unpredictable at times and allot at least 1 to 2 buffer days for possible cancellation of trips.

The average annual temperature range in Calayan Island is around 25 °C to 33 °C (77 °F to 91°F). It is best to visit the island during off-peak season (avoiding holidays and long weekends) to maximize your stay on the island. Peak season can be a little crowded and passenger boats may be cramped during these times.

How to get to Calayan Island

Since Calayan is the remotest municipality in Cagayan province, there are several ways on how to get to see the beauty of this island:

By Land

• Coming from Pangasinan / Baguio City / Ilocos Sur / Ilocos Norte

– Via private car or van: Just traverse the Manila North Road (plus Naguilian Road if you are coming from Baguio City) and move past Laoag City and go to Taggat Sur Fisherman’s Port in Claveria. There are also trips from Aparri Port but may be overloaded with cargo.

– Via bus or public transportation: If coming from Baguio, ride a bus bound for Laoag City. From Laoag City, ride a bus (usually Florida Bus Line) bound for Tuguegarao and tell the conductor to drop you off at Taggat Elementary School. From there ride a tricycle going to Taggat Sur Fisherman’s Port.

• Coming from Nueva Vizcaya / Isabela / Cagayan mainland

– Via private car or van: Traverse Maharlika Highway until you reach the Aparri Port going to Calayan (just across the Aparri Provincial Hospital). These trips are also seasonal and highly weather-dependent and some trips would also have a stopover to Babuyan Island.

– Via bus or public transportation: Ride a bus along the Maharlika Highway bound for Aparri (usually Florida Bus Line). Option B is to ride a bus bound for Tuguegarao then ride another bus going to Aparri. From there, alight at the Aparri Provincial Hospital and walk to the port and ride a boat bound for Calayan Island.

By Air

• Via Tuguegarao Airport (Closest Port: Aparri)

From Manila, take a flight bound to Tuguegarao (Cebu Pacific). Travel time is approximately 45 to 50 minutes. From Tuguegarao Airport, you can:

– Go to Aparri Port to Calayan (around 2 to 2:30 hours travel time)

– Go to Taggat Sur Fisherman’s Port in Claveria (around 3:30 to 4 hours travel time)

– There are also seasonal flights from Tuguegarao airport to Calayan Airport via SkyPasada. As these airplanes fly on-demand, it is the fastest way to get to Calayan but trips are not frequent.

• Via Laoag Airport (Closest Port: Claveria)

From Manila, take a flight bound to Laoag (Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines). Travel time is approximately 45 to 50 minutes. From Laoag Airport, you can:

– Go to Taggat Sur Fisherman’s Port in Claveria (around 2:30 to 3 hours travel time)

– Go to Aparri Port to Calayan (around 4 to 4:30 hours travel time)

By Water

There are two main ports servicing Calayan Island:

• Calayan Port

One of the easiest ways to go to Calayan is via the Taggat Sur Fisherman’s Port in Claveria. It will only take around 5 to 6 hours boat ride, depending on passenger load and weather conditions.

• Aparri Port

I have not personally experienced riding from this port but some sources say that the boat ride going to Calayan will take around 6 to 7 hours, depending on passenger load and weather conditions.

Places to Visit in Calayan Island

Bangaan View Point

The first order of business when we arrived in Calayan Island was to visit the Bangaan View Point. Just a short 15 minute walk from our accommodation, this gated view point has an entrance fee of ₱ 50 and a guide will escort your group upon entering. From the farthest point of Bangaan, you can see the nearby Calayan Airport and the vast Luzon Strait. If you are lucky enough, you get to see the clear sunset from this place (which we did!)

Kannaway Cave

Located somewhere between barangay Dilam and Dibay, the Kannaway Cave is also a hard-to-reach tourist destination. This underwater water boasts a natural pool inside, a perfect spot to chill during a warm day.

Nagudungan Hills and Nagudungan Lighthouse

One of the highlights of visiting Calayan Island is the Nagudungan Hills. If ever you will be searching about Calayan, this tourist spot will be the first thing to appear on your feed. These limestone cliffs are some of the most interesting features of the island and are similar to the cliffs of Itbayat in Batanes. It also features the Nagudungan Lighthouse, a defunct lighthouse that serves as the hills’ centerpiece. This vantage point is also a good spot for sunset chasing.

St. Bartholomew Parish Church

The St. Bartholomew Parish Church is the biggest catholic church in Calayan Island. Established in 1845, this church is now administered by the Franciscans.

Sibang Cove

Sibang Cove, for me, is one of the best beaches in the Philippines. Even though the place is becoming an up-and-coming eco-tourism spot in Calayan, its fine white-sand shores and cerulean waters is just calming to see. Its secluded feature makes the adventure more worthwhile and is the perfect spot to relax after exploring the whole island. This is the nicest place to beach bum and enjoy the beauty of Calayan.

Sibang Cove Summit

One of the hidden gems of Calayan Island is the Sibang Cove Summit. This viewpoint offers a 180-degree view of Sibang Cove below, overlooking the Luzon Strait. It is just around a 20-30 minute ascent to the summit from its unsuspecting entrance. The starting point is just a few meters away from the drop-off point going to Nagudungan Hills.

Olen’s Miki House

If there is one staple food that can be found in Calayan – it must be Miki! And Olen’s Miki House is one of the popular miki houses on the island. They offer a variety of ways to serve miki and their price range is from ₱ 40 to 150 (Atom Miki Special)! This miki house was also featured in the documentary “Atom Araullo Specials.”

Cafe Flora

One of the most affordable cafes I have visited in Calayan is Cafe Flora. They offer several coffee and non-coffee specials plus hearty snacks while you play board games with your friends. They offer their flavorful pancakes for as low as ₱ 30! (Yes!)

Other places to visit:

– Bataraw Falls

– Caanawan Falls

– Lussok Cave

– Nagsarmingan Falls

Things to know about when visiting Calayan Island

Land Area	*196 km² (76 mi²) – Calayan Island only *494.53 km² (190.94 mi²) – whole municipality of Calayan
Languages / Dialects spoken	– Filipino, English, Ilocano – Ibanag, Ivatan
Cellular Signal	Globe: No Signal Smart: Poor to Fair (in town center) Dito: N/A
Socket Standard, voltage (V), frequency (Hz)	Type A: 2 parallel flat pins Type B: 2 parallel flat pins, 1 round pin Type C: 2 round pins Voltage: 220 V Frequency: 60 Hz
Modes of Payment	Cash is still king in Calayan Island. Some establishments also accept Digital Wallets (i.e. GCash). You cannot use your credit cards here.
Currency used	Philippine Peso (PH₱)

Exploring in and out of Calayan Island

Exploring in and around Calayan Island can be a bit challenging, especially if you are alone. There is no existing public transportation on the island and almost all residents have their own private motorcycles and makeshift motors with sidecars. Luckily, our resort, AC Lance Resort, has an open-air taxi service (similar to a tuktuk) to and from the main town (around 10 to 15 minutes away).

If ever you are planning to do a DIY tour, make sure you have a contact person on the island who will tour you around because upon registration at the Tourism Office, they will ask who your travel coordinator is and where you will be staying. Also make sure that you have a contact number of the boats servicing Calayan as travel days and times are highly variable depending on the weather and passenger count.

If you want to explore the beauty and surprises of Calayan Island, I suggest booking a tour with The Northern Nomads. They offer Calayan Island and Calayan-Babuyan Islands trips during summer (dry) season!

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*Note that the places, prices, and information written as of publication date and time are true and are given best during my visit. Changes may occur without prior notice. If you notice any changes to the information given above, you can e-mail me here so we can dish things up!*

We’re born to travel!