The Sierra Madre is a mountain range in the Philippines. It is the longest in the country (about 210 mi) and runs the north-eastern coast of Luzon island. It starts in the province of Cagayan in the north and ends in Quezon in the south, just east of Laguna de Bay. It tails to the west as it reaches the province of Nueva Vizcaya to form the Caraballo Mountains, with which it sticks with the Cordillera Central range.

 

Several of the range's mountains, like Mount Mirador are spectacular. Quezon National Forest Park is situated in this range. Its highest peak is Mount Anacuao. Beyond the lush forest of the Sierra Madre mountains lies a splendid land so unbelievably rich and untouched - Aurora, otherwise known as the “Sanctuary of Nature’s Splendor.”

The Sierra Madre mountain range covers a large part of the province of Aurora. In fact, next to the Aurora coastline, it is the place where flora and fauna are most concentrated. Waterfalls, rivers, crystal clear streams of varying sizes are located within, if not adjacent to, the area of the Sierra Madre mountain.

 

Special interest trips such as mountain climbing, safari, bird watching, ecological studies, or even as simple as picnics could be rolled into one by taking the trails recommended by local nature trekkers in the area. When the northeast monsoon winds blow and the usual tranquil white beaches are transformed into deathtraps by angry waves, it is time to come to Aurora to ride the waves on a surfboard.

Geography

 

Aurora has a total land area of 308,122 hectares. Its main link to the rest of Luzon is a narrow mountain gravel road twisting across the Sierra Madre mountain ranges between Baler and the municipality of Bongabon in Nueva Ecija.

Climate

 

The climate is characterized by rainfall, which is more or less evenly distributed throughout the year. Because the province faces the Pacific Ocean, it is regularly battered by typhoons coming from the east.

How to get there:

By land: You can catch a bus from Manila to Baler. The journey from Manila to Baler will take you about eight (8) hours or more.

By air: There are no commercial flights in or out of Aurora province. There are small airstrips in San Luis and Motyong, Casiguran. A chartered flight from Manila will take about 45 minutes followed by a road trip, which you will have to arrange, of about half an hour.

Getting around by sea is limited to short banca trips. There are no commercial ferry services available.