1.  Mudeng River Banks, La Paz

Just two kilometres from the centre of Bangued is the Abra River, a short walk or tricycle ride away, is one of the Bangueds favourite cooling spots. Water is abundant here.

The Abra River banks underneath Calaba Bridge teem with life during the summer months. Floating and fixed bamboo houses line the shoreline on both sides of the river.
The Calaba bank is more popular and tends to be crowded at weekends, as it is easier to get to. The current is slightly stronger on the Calaba side ,so care needs to be taken whilst swimming.
The La Paz bank of the river on the otherside of Calaba Bridge has shallower water which is ideal for swimming and kayaking. Mudeng Bank is not as crowded as the Calaba side. 

 Getting to the Mudeng Bank

Cross Calaba Bridge and turn left  at the end. Go down the hill and drive under the bridge following the track. Look for the Kubo with a red flag or a blue tent. Kubos and Kayaks are for rent there.
Tricycle fare is P25.

2.  Piwek Rock Formations, Tineg

These limestone rock formations make for a great trip out. The ride here takes around three hours and you can stop off at the Apao Rolling Hills viewpoint along the way near Vira, the new Municipal Centre of Tineg. 
Once you reach the jump off point in Alaoa there will be a short crossing of the Salakop River by bamboo raft and hike to the Piwek Rock Formations 

Once at the natural karst limestone formations you can swim in the river, or trek carefully along the rocky trail leading to an 11 metre cliff jump. Do you dare to jump? 
Don’t forget to bring your camera to capture the beautiful scenery that abounds here.

Post your photos on Instagram using the #AbramazingSummer hashtag

3.  Basakal Falls, Daguioman

Daguioman is known as Abra’s Hidden Paradise. The small municipality is around 4 hours away from Bangued and involves one river crossing along the way.
Summer in Abra is not complete without a trip to Basakal Falls which is an hours hike from Brgy Ableg. The trail takes you through rice fields, along the river bank and over hanging bridges.

If you do not want to hike all the way, there is a bamboo raft which will carry you upstream, but you will still need to do some rock climbing and bouldering to reach the 35 foot Basakal Falls. Once there you can enjoy swimming in its cool waters or sunbathing on the rocky riverbed.

4.  Sinublan Falls, Lablabinag, Lacub

This is for the really adventurous only and will involve a minimum three day round trip. 
Lablabinag is a small community along the Binongan River, a three hour hike from Lacub. The only way in and out is to walk. There are no roads going here and once you arrive there is no mobile signal or mains electric. However, households do have small solar panels to charge their lights and phones.

The community is self-sufficient, quiet and very friendly. 

Close to the settlement, just a 20 minute hike away are the Sinublan Falls which very few outsiders have seen. Surrounded by trees the water is the coldest that I have experienced in the Philippines, making it perfect for swimming and to keep cool during Summer in Abra. 

The Binongan River is just a few minutes walk from the village. Rock formations and boulders line the river. Sit on top of the boulders to catch some sun and dive and swim in the rivers cool waters. If you have the time Lablabinag is the perfect place to getaway from the crowds for a few days to unwind and rejuvenate yourself.

Lablabinag can only accommodate a small number of tourists at a time and has limited food supplies. Please take some basic supplies with you like canned goods, coffee, sugar, soap, sweets for the children, noodles, etc.  Also if you can buy some fresh meat  in Lacub before you leave for the 3 hour hike to Lablabinag, i know that they would appreciate it very much 🙂

The best way is to coordinate with Abramazing Tours who will be able to arrange guides and accommodation for your stay in Lablabinag.

5.  Kinaud Pool & Rock Formation, Malibcong

The long journey to Malibcong is worth all the effort when you see what’s waiting for you when you arrive. The trek down the Malanas River to the Kinaud Pool and Rock Formations takes little more than an hour.
A pleasant, relatively easy hike downstream, which involves some rock climbing, bouldering and a few river crossings is guaranteed to keep you cool. You’ll be hiking in the river for most of the way.

After an hour you will arrive at a pool with a natural rock water slide, and a cliff jumping spot. Summer in Abra has never been better fun.

*** Don’t forget your dry bags to keep your valuables safe

6.  Kili Falls and Hotspring, Tubo

A trip to Abra is not complete without a trip to Tubo and the Kili Falls.  This is best with an overnight stay in Kili, and if possible you should sleep in the Kubo near the Falls. The sound of Nature will help you sleep soundly.

Tubo is the home of the Maeng tribe and Kili is a remote village, two hours from Tubo Poblacion, set  in a valley full of rice terraces beside the Kili River.

Wonder in awe at the Quartz Diorite rock outcrops surrounding the Falls and then treat yourself to a Sauna courtesy of Mother Nature. Bathe in the Natural Hotspring, and then walk down to the river to cool off in the flowing water.Return to the Hotspring to soak some more. Repeat.     #TuboPoweredbyNature

7.  Buliracay, Brgy Buli, La Paz

If it is exclusivity you are after for your family reunion, friends meet up, team bonding or anything similar then the popular Buliracay Hideaway in Brgy Buli, La Paz is the place for you and your event.
Bring your own food and drinks, light a camp fire and cook. Keep your drinks cool in the river and sing kareoke all day long. Organise some water based games to keep everyone amused. 

With the shallow waters of the Tineg River flowing close by, Buliracay is also a very safe place for children to have fun splashing and playing.

There is a simple kubo with bench seats, a kareoke machine, a cooking area and CR available to hire for the day.

Contact Person
Alicia Garcia, Buli Barangay Captain – Contact via Facebook

8.  Gitup Falls, Agsimao, Tineg

This trip to Upper Tineg is not for the faint hearted. Agsimao is a greulling 8 hour jeepney ride from Bangued up and over dusty and muddy mountain tracks. The highest point along the way is around 1000masl.
But, once you arrive you will not be sorry. This remote area of Abra has very few tourists and is totally unspoilt. Waterfalls and Rivers abound.. There is no mobile signal and no mains electric. Most houses have solar panels which deliver power for lights and for charging gadgets.

Agsimao used to be the Municipal Centre for Tineg until it was moved to Vira a few years ago.

One of my favourite Falls is called Gitup Falls. The way there involves a little bit of everything – hiking, swimming, bouldering, and rock climbing.
The Falls emerge from a very narrow gorge high on the cliff and tumble 10 metres into the deep cool basin before flowing onwards again downstream. It’s hard to describe the Beauty of it all and really has to be seen to be appreciated.

9.  Abra River Kayaking

Don’t forget to use the hashtag  #AbramazingSummer in your Instagram photos