text | Carla Ocampo
photography | Carla Ocampo and Lester Valle
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There’s a place called Sanchez Mira, and its long stretch of rock-less, reef-less gray sand beaches are unbelievably empty, when they’ve got consistently big, barreling waves during Surfing Season! What gives? Well, Sanchez Mira (or Sanchez for short) is 12 hours by bus from Manila. Or, three hours on a van from the Laoag or Tuguegarao Domestic Airports. Not exactly the shortest trip to surfing paradise, BUT…
As we’ve said, nothing will stop a real wanderer to get to the best places of these islands, not even uneasy 12-hour trips on a bus! Tara, take up those boards and head to this ENTIRELY UNADULTERATED coastal town; Team KT will now bring you what else to expect, with and beyond the waves.
PRACTICAL MUST-KNOWS
We’ve mentioned in our Claveria Travel Guide that Sanchez Mira harbors the only ATM units around the vicinity; residents of Claveria and Pamplona would troop to its town center to withdraw money, from Landbank, or the Philippine National Bank (PNB).
To get there from Manila, RCJ Bus Lines and Florida Bus Lines deploy regular trips to Junction Luna, or Sanchez Mira itself (PhP700-PhP750). You can choose whether to go via Laoag or via Tuguegarao; either way, the land trip will last 12 hours, so you may want to choose Florida’s buses that are fitted with cubicles for relieving yourselves. RCJ and Florida have their designated stations within Sanchez Mira’s Centro Uno, very near their public market and the municipal hall.
The nearest airports are in Laoag, and Tuguegarao, 3 hours away by van.
Within Sanchez Mira, it is more practical to let tricycles take you around town; jeepneys pass by only at set times, because they usually wait for the seats to be filled to capacity. These jeepneys ply the route to and from Claveria, or Junction Luna.
Internet shops are concentrated within Centro Uno, and in front of the Cagayan State University campus, with rates still pegged at PhP10 per hour; surf away in kagalang-galang speeds.
Where ten years ago, there was nothing to do but stare at the empty National Highway that cuts through Sanchez Mira… now, late nights could mean watching your favorite Nat Geo Adventure shows on TV, with a beer bottle at hand. With agriculture and fishing as primary industries, the local economy has improved by leaps and bounds in the last decade, changing the lifestyle of its old riche citizens; yet for the most part, Sanchez is still your typical “hick town”, in the best sense of the phrase. Everyone, and we mean everyone out here has a trusting, ready smile. You just gotta smile back.
GOOD EATS
Sanchez Mira —- given that its first settlers actually came from Paoay, Ilocos Norte —- is more Ilocano than Cagayano, so although we could find some pancit batil patong being served in some eateries, expect typical Ilocano fare to grace your tables, such as their version of the patupat, and the ubiquitous pakbet.
But, the big bang that your palate is longing for can be found within the Sanchez Mira Fire Station. No, the firemen are not toque-wearing chefs. Right in front of the station are stalls serving empanadas that taste and look like those served in Batac, Ilocos Norte, and likewise solidly packed with mung beans, large eggs, and a fistful of longganisa meat.
Ah, and we begin to talk about Sanchez Mira’s longganisa! It follows the age-old Ilocano recipe that would remind you of Vigan longganisa, only slightly juicier. Garlicky, peppery, seamlessly salted and best eaten boiled-in-water-then-toasted-in-deep-oil, this local sausage is the best thing that could ever happen to your rural breakfast. Ay, we drool just thinking about it.
What’s great about eating out here is that you don’t have to squeeze your way through crowds just to find your own space. Sanchez Mira is so far up north, you could still imagine yourself eating with just your barkada and no one else but, say, the smiling Manang Naty of the empanada stalls.
SURFBOARD, SKIMBOARD, AND THE BEACH-SIDE INNS
Two phrases you must memorize to instruct your tricycle driver: “Sa Masisit, sa Masko-op,” and “Sa Carrillo, sa baybay.” If you know the Ilocano equivalent of these, well and good, but Tagalog will suffice.
The first phrase will take you to the beach of Masisit, where the waves are perfect for surfing. The sand dunes present all over the coast of Masisit are powerful proof of the very strong winds that scrape the seascape; and with the shoreface going down with nothing but sand and seagrass, it produces the kind of break that a neophyte surfer would love to try, and that an average surfer wouldn’t mind conquering again and again.
And we can not say this enough: the best thing about this is that the place is entirely unadulterated. You’d have the whole, wide, wide stretch of beach and waters all to yourself. Even 50 surfers doing their thing simultaneously wouldn’t end up preying at the same wave.
The second phrase, as stated above, will take you to the village of Carrillo, where the river calmly melds with the sea. Its uniqueness lies on the geography: think, sandy beach-river-sandy beach again-sea. Weird but true. And the water depth by the sandy banks are ideal for skimboarding, until you get your gliding fix.
On the Carrillo beach is an abandoned Scout Jamboree campsite, where the ruins of a concrete platform makes for a photogenic frame-within-a-frame.
Actually, “Masko-op” is MASCOOP, or the Masisit Cooperative. They run the best beach-side inn in Sanchez Mira. They have lines and lines of double-deckers with very comfy mattresses and linens, with the per-head-per-night rate ranging from PhP200-PhP250. A few cabins made of light materials (bamboo, palma brava, galvanized iron) can also be rented at PhP2000 per night. The thing going for MASCOOP’s inn: it is a sprint away from the Masisit surfing area, and some 30 minutes of walking south from there will get you to Carrillo. Talk about location, location, location!
Aaaand, our itchy feet sprung to action. Ano, tara? Tara!
(Just remember, responsible tourism goes a long, long way. Leave no trace, respect the locals, and have a rad, fine time!)
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© 2011 The Kayumanggi Trails | All Rights Reserved
Looks like a nice place to relax and get away from the city, and that wrap looks delicious!
Yessshhh and while most people would drizzle some sweet-spicy vinegar on it, I like eating MY wrap with… banana ketchup. Nyahahay!
We hope you get to check out Sanchez, soon!
Go onward Sanchez Mira!!! What a beautiful place my hometown is!!!!
thanks for your thumbs up article….sanchez mira a place to remember….my humble home….
Thanks Carla for this article. My teachers enjoyed their R n R in Sanchez Mira, surely its a friendly place to be. My girls love the empanada..Mabuhay Sanchez Mira!
That’s precisely why we keep on coming back
Thanks for reading our blog, Tita, cheers!
You should have tried “Miki laddit”, one of the best noodle soup in town.
Sige po, pagbalik namin ngayong Disyembre
Marami pa pong kailangang galugarin sa Sanchez Mira.
Thank you so much for this wonderful article/blog that you wrote. I am an Expat..but was born and raised in Bangan, Sanchez Mira up until I went to college then America afterwards. Your description of home (as Sanchez will always be to me) together with the pictures made me so nostalgic…wishing to get back to Sanchez right away and experience once again the beauty, the simple yet rich life we have had. Indeed, there is nothing like home. Keep on writing. You have a rare gift and coupled with a partner that has an eye for beauty you can explore the Phil. write about it and advertise it to those who had been gone but still yearning…(I went to the same high school with your mom and Marli was my classmate, BTW)…Looking forward to your next adventure!!! salute!!!
Those are the very reasons for The Kayumanggi Trails’ existence: to explore these blessed islands and show the world how beautiful our country really is.
Thank you for the very kind words, Ma’am. We are humbled.
thank you so much for this wonderful words..i miss this town, my hometown SANCHEZ MIRA…
Nostalgia runs deep, especially when you remember the best moments of your life. And truth be told, some of the best moments of our lives happened in Sanchez Mira.
Let’s all go back there, shall we?
First time ever that somebody featured Sanchez Mira, for those who have’nt been there, you don’t know what you are missing. Thanks or this article.
Hope this will start good comments/feed backs about my hometown..
superb! Onward sanchez mira!!!!
Wow, thanks everyone for liking this blog post. This has become our most-read article so far!
Rest assured that Team KT will be one with Sanchez Mira in the advocacy for responsible tourism. Tulong-tulong po tayo
i just hope more tourists visit sanchez mira soon.
Dur as Sanchez Mira…
thank you for this very nice article. I am from Dagueray, Sanchez Mira but staying in Metro Manila for a long time. As i read your article i felt something that made me decide to go home to our hometown this yuletide season especially when i saw the suman and longganisa… oh SANCHEZ MIRA… i miss u so much.
… i really love and miss My Sanchez Mira….
mabuhay sanchez mira……..the place were i belong……
there’s no place like my sweet home..”SANCHEZ MIRA”
Congratulations for a wonderful blog, Carla! I am so happy someone thought of featuring a blog about Sanchez Mira, my ” home sweet home”. After I started readng the responses I was suddenly reminded of a song about Sanchez Mira , which goes, in part, “There’s a town that i love along the sea, Everybody is happy and gay, All the people there, busy everywhere, friendly smiles you see everywhere…..Town of Sanchez Mira, I’ll ne’er forget, My humble home, where I dearly love to roam. Town of Sanchez Mira , Keep me closer unto thee, Ever and forever, we will sing you MABUIHAY…” .
hello sanchez mira i miss you
the nest in the north stil haunts people…hope you will also love its mother town- Pamplona…a silent and quiet place of vibrant
Ibanags…amidst long -year wet season and typhoons…
Sanchez Mira my hometown…haven’t been there for a long time, longing for the foods, beaches, & most of all the Sanchez Miranian, known for their hospitality, kindness, & love to everyone.
MABUHAY SANCHEZ MIRA!!!!!!!
yes they are hospitable, kind and lovely….tama na un ang ipromote wag ung kung anong meron sa SM na hindi naman sa inyo nag originate…
Agyaman kami amin kinayayo kadagiti komento yo nga talaga met nga makaparagsak. Di bale, agsubli kamin to dita Sanchez Mira ASAP; primer pay laeng daytoy nga article – adda pay follow-up mi nga ag-focus iti adu pay nga napipintas ken unique nga detalye nga haan mi nga na-experience pay.
Maraming salamat po!
copy paste…Beach that soon will be vanished because of illegal mining, .patupat from ballesteros, empanada from ilocos, batil patong tuguegarao, longganisa masarap sa aparri so what’s with sanchez? greedy politicians? serious land grabbers? carabao loggers? you should promote SM by what you really have not this kind of crap!
Hello, “Me you to know”
We believe that the people of Sanchez Mira wish to celebrate the successful convergence of many different culinary and natural treasures within their town, even if these are, admittedly, borrowed from different cultures…
Not because they want to brag about these, but because all these are part of what they call their “home sweet home”.
This is what the whole Philippines is all about, and if you have to be strict about “originality”, ponder on this: every Filipino has embraced borrowed aspects from different cultures and lovingly call these our own, because these are already part of our humanity. Part of our MULTI-FACETED identity.
After all, whether the empanada was from Batac, or the Batil Patong from Tuguegarao, in the end, it boils down to being a SHARED heritage. A SHARED meaning of what it is to be Filipino.
REGIONALISM, and EXCLUSIVISM, have never done our country any good. We hope you could reflect on that.
Right on , Carla! i could not have said it better myself. The Philippines, as is the United States, has been and still is a conglomeration of many different cultures ( Spanish, Chinese, Malaysian, etc.) and this has made them the great countries they are. Such is the case in Sanchez Mira!
To ” me to you” :
So what if the empanada originated from Ilocos, “patupat” from Ballesteros,, the longganisa from Aparri and Ilocos, batil patong from Tuguegarao – IF THEY ARE COOKED IN SANCHEZ MIRA AND YOU EAT THEM IN SANCHEZ MIRA, then they are AUTHENTICALLY FROM SANCHEZ MIRA ! When we were growing up in Sanchez., we ate these foods catering to our native Sanchez Miranian taste,never inquiring from where these foods actually originated,
Greedy politicians? Serious land grabbers? carabao loggers? You might as well be talking about any little old town in the Philippines- there are always these kinds of people no matter what town you’re from !
I don’t get the point of “me you to know”. But if the beach is threatened by illegal mining, I hope tourism can help bring to light these problems and give an alternative. Surfers are among the best types of tourists because they don’t need anything much more than a good wave. I wish to visit Sanchez Mira when I get back to the Philippines!
Precisely, Benedict
Alternatives. Healthy alternatives 
FOR THE CACHAPERO’s Live FOREVER Callungan,Sanchez Mira, Cagayan!
REALLY!!!!!THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME…….BUT SANCHEZ MIRA! AGRANG-AY KEN AGBIAG TAYO!!! THANKS FOR THE VERY SENSIBLE ARTICLE……BANGON BAYAN!!!!!
“me you to know” how pathetic you are!
“me you to know” you are a low life pitiful individual..Grow up dude!
To the blogger, try to go further north of Sachez Mira, you might be missing an important piece in Sanchez Mira’s history..”The ruins of nagsimbaanan” “bantay nagtutulagan” and the Namuac bell. You could help restore these historic sites and someday as a tourist attraction.
I saw the transformation and evolving progress of Sanchez Mira and I believe it will be one of the business hub of the north.
Wow, thanks for the tip, Leo. We’re jotting all these down. We’ll be back in Sanchez soon enough
Thank you very much for the truly exciting and magnificent article about Sanchez Mira and the KT thoughtfulness that inspired it. It beautifully compliments my vision for Sanchez Mira- past, present and future. They are reminiscent of our treasured values and memories. But most important of all, once again I am seriously persuaded to visit my hometown in the not too distant future. God bless Sanchez Mira.
blogger please unblog this. sanchez mira is our secret getaway. our comfort zone. it wasn’t supposed to be advertised.
Hi, elo!
Pardon me for calling this a classic case of “Damned if you do, damned if you don’t,” but with your argument (which is quite valid in many ways), we are now seeing two sides of the coin.
Personally, I agree that sometimes, tourism opens up a once-secret place to the “unwelcome” influx of people. But this is where RESPONSIBLE TOURISM, and RESPONSIBLE TOURISM MANAGEMENT, comes into play.
We have decided to publish this post for many reasons:
1.) Tourism means jobs. In the seasons when agriculture and mariculture yields may dwindle due to bad weather, the people of Sanchez Mira could then turn to other options brought about by tourism.
2.) We need to de-saturate the other surfing areas of Luzon. If beaches were less crowded, environmental maintenance would be an entirely easier job.
3.) With the trend in Sanchez Mira— e.g. there has been evidence of strong political will to uplift the way of life of its people, as seen in its steady but sustainable development— I think it is ready to open its doors to tourism. Sanchez Mira is ready for responsible tourism management.
I may be wrong, I may be right. In any case, would you like to sit down for coffee? Let’s discuss your side of the case. We may actually need to bring this up to the Sanchez Mira LGU. Our communication lines are open.
You’re practically right Carla, Summertime beacons people to the beaches. Our very own beaches can be at par with other popular beaches in the Philippines. They only have to be developed more…There should be more function places as well…. The pagsanaan, The traditional way of making salt has been extinct. This too could have been an added attraction to tourists.. Sanchez Mira is much further ahead of many other towns in terms of development. The existence of two stable banks, a state university and five secondary schools speaks of its sustainable development… We can dream, design and realize dreams for our Sanchez Mira.
beaches should remain open to everybody. it is so sad that some beaches in smc are already privatized due to blogs like this.
Hello, pedro,
If it’s not too much to ask, could you please support your line “privatized due to blogs like this,” with facts?
This blog post was published only last December 3, 2011. Ergo, it could not have had any direct effect on this “privatization” issue, yet.
And if by “privatization,” you mean the entrance fee that is to be paid at the MASCOOP office, I would like to respectfully lay down the following facts:
1.) The fee has existed way before this blog was created.
2.) The fee, we believe, is intended for beach maintenance. Other beaches in the Philippines have this, and the people have successfully kept their shores garbage-free. In contrast, the free-for-all beaches in many parts of the Philippines are now defaced with too much trash out on the sandy coast.
3.) At PhP10 per head, the fee is but a small contribution to the wellness of the beach and the community that surrounds it.
4.) We can’t say it enough, and we dare say it again: the fee has existed way before this blog was created.
This is our reply to your allegation. But we are not Pontius Pilates out to wash our hands off with explanations. In fact, due to the unexpected popularity of this post, we are gearing up to set a meeting with the Sanchez Mira LGU in the coming months. We know that with great power comes great responsibility, and since we “started” this, we might as well finish it off by going hand in hand with SMC in creating sound regulations for RESPONSIBLE TOURISM MANAGEMENT, and helping them implement these regulations.
You are welcome to join us to put in your suggestions. Drop us a line anytime at thekayumanggitrails@gmail.com, or reply to this thread. Thank you!
smc is not just mascoop. there are other beaches. what i am afraid of is that the fishing industry, i.e., daklis, takko, sigay, will eventually die, like what happened to masisit. ever heard of the bangus fry? but anyway, thanks for showing responsibilty to the outcome of this blog.
I can see your apprehensions, and yes, rest assured that we are not just another blog who’d broadcast about secret coves and let all these die in the process.
We are also an advocacy group, and we blog because we want to raise awareness AND enforce responsible tourism by communicating with LGUs. We don’t get paid for helping boost tourism, but we do it anyway.
And “Hit and run,” is simply not our style. We immerse, we see through problems, and we suggest solutions.
Our invitation for you to join us in meeting up with the LGU is still open. We hope you could translate your fears to solid solutions. Let us be united in vigilance.
You’ve been hit by an internet troll, KT. Internet trolls are people who create problems for others on sites while contributing nothing positive.
Ang Pinoy nga naman.
All i can say is SANCHEZ MIRA SUCKS!!!
Wow, you’re one tough cookie.
cnu ba yang “ME YOU TO KNOW” na yan? magpakilala ka nga. Wag kang magtago sa kamoteng pangalan na yan. kaming mga taga SM ay nagkakaisa.. Kung sino ka man at kung taga saan ka man, wala kaming pakialam syo kaya wag mo din kaming pakialaman.. you stupid….
[...] other courier outlets are present within the poblacion. Automated Teller Machines, though, are in Sanchez Mira, Claveria’s twin municipality, some 20 kilometers from the latter’s town [...]
Great article! SMC sounds like a great place. I would really like to go there someday. By the way, does MASCOOP have skimboards and surfboards for rent?
Hello there, hopeless traveler =)
As of this writing, none yet. You’d have to bring your own. Team KT’s been thinking of going back there, with skimboards/ surfboards the next time. We can only imagine: Sanchez MIra kids will have a blast learning the boards with us. We’ll be wiping out and laughing at our silly selves
I thought you might want to read articles regarding skimboarding. Find skimboarding articles on this site (crownprinz.wordpress.com). You will find them useful.
Why did I only see this blogpost now? Haha! Thank you for this, I’ve been trying to research on things to do in Sanchez Mira. I’m actually from Manila but have been based in Ilagan Isabela for almost a year now. I often go to Claveria and Sta. Ana if I want to really get away and relax on weekends. I’ve been thinking about Sanchez Mira but not really sure what to expect there.
Hi, Nicole!
Thanks for dropping by. Claveria-Sanchez Mira is actually a very good combo for vacation, covering everything from great food, to great hikes, to great beaches
we’ll be checking out Sta. Ana soon, and more of Isabela. Fate willing, we’ll see you on the trails! Mabuhay! 
Hi..
nice blog. so happy to read this. sanchez mira is really a nice place. if you want a baguio like temp and a beach. try to go there around november to feb. super lamig. maulan lang. visit our place. just say to the tricycle driver “didyay man Abran’s manong” it’ll take you there wherever in Sanchez mira you maybe.hehe
Hi, James!
Saan banda sa Sanchez ang Abran’s?
Baka dumalaw ulit kami within the year, to surf. We’ll keep your invitation in mind 
ahaha. sa centro po un. wla naman po makikita dun na extra-ordinary os something. naging usual lang kasi na sinasabi sa jeep or trike. kumbaga landmark na.
how many hours from tuguegarao to sanchez-mira
Hello, mhar!
On the average, and including stopovers during commute (for boarding passengers, toilet breaks, etc.) Tuguegarao to Sanchez takes 3 hours. But with a private vehicle, it can all be just in 2 hours.