Ganano Falls, Quirino | Exploring the Majestic Cascade of Diffun

November 29, 2020July 25, 2021 Rex Lim Lim CABBAROGUIS, DIFFUN, GANANO, GUIDE, HOW TO, ITINERARY, NANTUGAW, QUIRINO, SABANGARAN, tourist spot, TRAVEL, waterfall

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All I could do at that moment was just stare at the immensity of Ganano Falls.

What we thought as just another small road going into some town from the junction in Cordon, Isabela, became one of the best decisions we’ve ever made.

Ganano’s Offsprings

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Culled out from Nueva Vizcaya, the province of Quirino is now becoming a haven for explorers and adventure junkies.

The road from the town of Diffun became narrower and muddier as our tricycle navigated the arterial road going to Brgy. Don Mariano Perez. A few minutes earlier, we kept circling around the town hall as we try to hail a ride going to Ganano Falls. As it turns out, the waterfall is also unknown to the local drivers.

From Baguio Village, we now had to go on foot and cross a hanging bridge. Twenty minutes had passed before we even realized that Ganano Falls do have three beautiful offsprings, she was not single afterall. #SanaAllTaken

Sabangaran Falls is the closest waterfall from the village. It falls at a measly three (3) meter height and gushes down into a wide pool which goes deeper as you get close to the flowing water. It was cold and inviting that we wasted no time and just swam around albeit the impending rain that’s about to come.

The foliage along the trail kept getting denser as we moved closer to the heart of the forest. Not far-away from Sabangaran, battling the currents upstream, is the wide cascade called Sinipit Falls. Water oozes from all sides, there’s a misplaced boulder cutting the flow of the waterfall in half.

As we got closer to Ganano Falls, the last underling welcomed us, the Nantugaw/ Nantugao Falls. The water at this small waterfall flows gently along the sloping riverbed.

Quirino, Numero Uno!

An hour and a half passed from the jump-off point, a thunderous sound emanated from afar. As we climbed from one mossy boulder to another along the river, the towering waterfall came into full view.

At a height of 70-80 meters tall, Ganano Falls flows down a steep precipice then it hits a large boulder some 50 meters below. The flowing water at that point splits at the side of the rock, spraying mist all over the place.

All I could do at that moment was just stare at the immensity of Ganano Falls.

What started out as a spontaneous Plan B, turned out to be a rewarding adventure all along. Quirino may not be on the tourist radar and also not a usual sightseeing haven for tourist, but has so much to offer once explored even more. This landlocked region still haunts my adrenaline-junkie spirit every time I think of it. With no questions asked: Quirino, Numero Uno!

P.S. Cagayan Valley still haunts my appetite and makes my mouth water with their overloaded servings of Pancit Batil Patung and Pancit Cabagan. HAY

How To Get There

Ganano Falls is located in Baguio Village, Brgy. Don Mariano Perez, Diffun, Quirino. Going to the waterfall takes an 1-1.5hrs by foot

Quirino is a landlocked province in the Cagayan Valley Region bordering the provinces of Aurora, Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya

By Air: There are no direct flights going to Quirino, but the nearest airport is in Cauayan City in Isabela which is two hours away from Diffun (65.7kms)
- Cebu Pacific flies 4x a week to Cauayan Isabela, please check flight availability and local qurantine restrictions and regulations

By Land: Several buses go directly to Quirino, scheduled daily and usually leaves at night:
- Five Star – 911-7359 ,(Globe) 0927-712-4349, (Sun) 0943-7065083 (24/7)
  - Cubao Terminal to Cabarroguis, 8pm & 10pm (Fare: 611.00, Travel Time: 8 ½ hrs)
  - Cubao Terminal to Maddela, 8pm & 10pm (Fare: 672.00 , Travel Time: 9hrs)
  - Cubao Terminal to Diffun, 8pm & 10pm (Fare: 596.00, Travel Time: 8hrs)
- GV Florida – (02) 743-3809 & (02) 781-5894
  - Sampaloc Terminal to Maddela 9:20PM (Fare: 500.00+, Travel Time: 8-9hrs)

What we did: We hopped on a Tuguegarao bound Victory Liner bus in Cubao and alighted at Cordon Junction in Cordon, Isabela. From there, we hailed a tricycle that took us to Diffun
From Diffun, hire a tricycle to take you to Baguio Village in Brgy. Don Mariano Perez, register at the barangay hall and secure a guide (Guide Fee:500php/5 pax)

***The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has completed the concreting of the access road leading to the Ganano Falls in Diffun, Quirino, providing locals and visitors easier travel to the tourist destination. According to Secretary Mark Villar, the recently completed 540-meter section of the access road supplements the 1.02-kilometer portion that was paved last 2019.