Tara! Abra: Lagayan Spring

YOU'RE one lucky kid if you had a provincial town you kept going back to while growing up. In your memory, this would be covered with the greenest rice fields as few wooden houses stand silently in the middle. In the background, mountains tower and white clouds contrast blue skies. Come summer, your days would be spent swimming in shallow rivers. Never mind if the sun burnt your skin. What mattered was that you felt like it’s the greatest day of your life. Finally, you play and play to your heart’s content—climbing trees and boulders, running barefoot on the soil, and pretending to be a superhero.

For me, this place is San Quintin in Abra where Papa was born. And I am forever thankful of him for sharing his roots to us his children. I may not be born nor raised there but I consider it as my very own hometown as well.

As homage to Abra, I am writing a blog series titled “Tara! Abra” to show everyone—my fellow Filipinos most especially—that the landlocked province in the Cordillera Administrative Region is more than its bad image of political killings. While this cannot be disputed, I personally believe that things have improved in recent years.

With proper preparation and the right connections, there are ways to explore the province and I promise you, it will be worth it. Awaiting you are some of the most beautiful, natural destinations—mostly hidden—and cultural and historical immersions in key municipalities.

Let’s begin with the town of Lagayan in the western side of Abra where a spring at the foot of the mountain sprouts cold and clean water into a semi-manmade pool.

Sounds nice? Well, Lagayan Spring is truly, very nice. Take a look and agree:

The natural spring pool has been developed as a resort in the 1970s, and since then, has been a favorite place by locals and tourists hailing from nearby towns and even provinces of Ilocos Sur, Mountain Province and Ilocos Norte. 

There are different sizes of cottages available for renting by small or big groups of family and friends.  

Crystal clear and drinkable clean water, not to mention freezing cold too! 

The water is so clear that you can see the very bottom. But don't be fooled because most part is at 10-feet  deep or more. 

This deep, and yes, the spring water runs down the Abra river. 

Abra River, the beautiful view just below Lagayan Spring

***

Would you like to visit Abra too? Then follow Tara! Abra Travel & Tours, which is to launch soon!

(TEXT AND PHOTOS ©EUDENVALDEZ)

RELATED STORY:
Tara! Abra: La Paz Weaving