Tabuk (Kalinga) Voyage Tips and guide

Tabuk is a town, the capital of Kalinga province, in the Luzon Cordilleras. It is known for its whitewater rafting

Tabuk is a relatively young city, having been established as a municipality in 1950 and attaining cityhood after a prolonged legal battle in 2013.

Tabuk lies at a strategic junction with multiple branches leading to northern Kalinga and Apayao, western Kalinga and Abra, western Cagayan, Tuguegarao, northwestern Isabela, and southern Kalinga and Mountain Province. It has two distinct town centers: Dagupan, where the city government is headquartered, and the larger Bulanao, which is where most visitors first arrive and where the provincial government of Kalinga is based. Both barangays are located on a flat grassland plateau, with the Cordillera highlands rising west past the Canao Bridge over the Chico River.

The nearest airport is in Tuguegarao, Cagayan, a 1- to 2-hour drive.

• Victory Liner. Has daily trips from their Manila terminal. There are two terminals, one at Bulanao and another at Dagupan Oestre. (updated Aug 2019)
• From Bontoc, you can take a bus going to Tabuk via Tinglayan from 7AM to 10AM, or take a jeepney to Tinglayan from 8AM to 3PM.

Passenger vans operate daily from Tuguegarao in Cagayan to Bulanao and Dagupan.

17°24′56″N 121°26′37″E

Map of Tabuk (Kalinga)

Both Bulanao and Dagupan are typical drab Filipino commercial hubs that serve as a stopover for visitors rather than tourist attractions in themselves. Most attractions are located outside the city propers.

• 17.405646121.2712161 Naneng Heritage Village, Mountain Province-Tabuk-Enrile Road (Drive 45 minutes west from Bulanao.). The oldest barangay of Tabuk, it served as the town center during the American era. It is one of the few settlements in the Cordilleras with a mostly intact colonial center, with the Chico River and the Cordilleran peaks as a backdrop. Expect to be invited to participate in the traditional rituals and chores of the Kalinga villagers and be encouraged to buy handicrafts, textiles and other items made by the community.  (updated Jan 2026)
• 17.453658121.5379922 Nambaran Cemetery (Ileb Cemetery), Sitio Ileb, Barangay Nambaran, Mountain Province-Tabuk-Enrile-Cagayan Road (20 minute drive east of Bulanao). Established in 1986, the cemetery is a stopover for motorists coming from Tuguegarao who are attracted by the various and sometimes wacky sculptures and artworks on top of the graves to commemorate those interred, ranging from everyday tools to signify the deceased's occupation to beloved pets even liquor bottles to commemorate their favorite vices.  (updated Jan 2026)

• Chico River White Water Rafting

Gin here is the favorite among the locals, so expect to get offered a cup when you're visiting.

There are homestay services in Naneng, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the community also.

As Kalinga is a hotspot for the illegal cultivation of marijuana, it is not uncommon for visitors exiting Tabuk to be flagged down at police checkpoints in the city, especially if you have come from upland regions such as Tinglayan, Lubuagan and Bontoc. Do not accept offers to buy or transport the drug, as possession of marijuana is punishable by imprisonment.