Aurora – Sanctuary of Nature's Splendor

Named after former First Lady Aurora Quezon, the wife of Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon, this province is filled with natural wonders waiting to be explored. Aurora boasts of several unique beaches, falls, and reefs. These attractions offer tourist a multitude of water-related activities such as swimming, snorkeling, and surfing.

Demographics

1. Population – 187,802 (as of 2007 Census)
2. Land Area – 3,239.5 sq. km
3. Capital – Baler
4.Language/Dialect – Ilocano, Tagalog, English, and Filipino
5. Divisions

Municipalities (8)

• Baler
• Casiguran
• Dilasag
• Dinalungan
• Dingalan
• Dipaculao
• Maria Aurora
• San Luis

President Quezon Memorial Park
The park was made in honor of Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon, who was also a native of Aurora.

Baler Catholic Church
Once a subject of an award winning movie, the church was used as a garrison of the Spanish soldiers during the attacks of the Filipino Katipuneros during the war.

Caves, Beaches, Falls
Aurora has an array of beautiful and unique beaches, caves, and falls which allows tourists to temporarily escape their busy lifestyle and commune with nature.

Historical

Baler Catholic Church
Location: Poblacion, Baler, Aurora
The church served as the last Spanish garrison of four officers and 50 men who were besieged by Filipino insurgents from June 27, 1898 to July 2, 1899. The Spanish soldiers later surrendered to the American troops.

President Quezon Memorial Park
Location: Poblacion, Baler, Aurora
The park was developed in honor and in memory of former President Manuel L. Quezon. A marker commemorating his contributions to the country was built at the center of the plaza, fenced by concrete and set on a circular cement platform. It also serves as the landmark of Baler, the birthplace of Pres. Quezon.

Lt. Commander James Gilmore Marker
Location: Baler Catholic Church, Poblacion, Aurora
The marker, found at the left wall of the church is in remembrance of Lt. Commander James Gilmore and his men who were captured when they came to Baler in April 1899 to relieve the Spanish soldiers besieged in the church of Baler.

Aurora Quezon Marker
Location: Poblacion, Baler, Aurora
This historic marker was built in honor of Doña Aurora Aragon Quezon, the wife of Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon, in recognition of her efforts to uplift the lives of the people of Aurora Province.

President Quezon’s Resthouse
Location: Poblacion, Baler, Aurora
Found just across the Baler Church and the Baler Municipal Hall, it was where the Quezon couple, their family, and relatives stayed during their vacations in Baler.

Natural

Sierra Madre Mountains
Location: Brgy Ditumabo, Dingalan, Aurora (jump off point)
The mountain range covers a large part of the province. Mountain climbing, safari, bird watching, ecological studies, and picnics are some of the well loved activities done here.

Ampere Beach
Location: Brgy. Ampere, Dipaculao, Aurora
The beach is covered with smooth, dark colored rocks of various sizes. Locals use a certain part of the beach, called the Bunga Point or Ampere Point, to determine to forecast weather.

Aniao Islets
Location: Off the coast of Barangay Zabali, Baler, Aurora
Locals and tourists visit these two bullet-like islets for snorkeling and scuba diving. The place is a notable spot where Kingfishers, gulls, and hawks stay while they look out for fish.

Banju Springs
Location: Brgy. Real, San Luis, Aurora
A mass of ferns surrounds the springs, which stretch up to a hundred meters toward the source of the spring. The spring itself is bound by natural terraced steps.

Borlongan Beach
Location: Brgy. Borlongan, Dipaculao, Aurora
Gray pebbles and smooth, fist-size stones cover the whole stretch of the beach.

Cemento Beach & Reef
Location: Brgy. Cemento, Baler, Aurora
White sand, seashells, and crushed corals fill up the stretch of Cemento Beach. It is a surfer’s haven from October to February, when waves tower up to 14 feet high. Snorkeling and wall diving is recommender here during summer season.

Ditumabo Falls
Location: San Luis, Aurora
Approximately 140 ft. high, the falls is surrounded by huge cliffs, covered with green shrubbery and vines. The water from the falls twists among rock and boulders.

Dimadimalangat Islet
Location: Off the coast of Barangay Cemento, Baler, Aurora
This serves as the point identifying the southernmost tip of Baler Bay. During low tide, this islet becomes a peninsula, of sorts, where one could walk and wade from the reef shore to this natural rock formation.

Digisit Beach
Location: Brgy. Zabali, Baler, Aurora
The upper landward shore is mostly sand, while the water shores are barricades of corals forming a protective reef that prevents strong waves of the Pacific from smashing onto the shore.

Religious

Santo Entierro
Location: Baler, Aurora
It is a statue of dead Jesus Christ encased in a glass casket. In a makeshift wooden chapel. Locals believe that the statue is a channel of Christ’s miraculous powers.

Ermita Hall
Location: Poblacion, Casiguran, Aurora
Ermita Hill is known as a sacred haven for religious activities by devotees of the Miraculous Mother Mary, of whom a life-size statue is situated in a grotto on top of the hill.

Aurora Day / Suman Festival
Place: Baler, Aurora
Date: February 14 - 19
The weeklong celebration commemorating the birth of Aurora Quezon is highlighted by the Moro-moro Zarzuela, a combined presentation of drama and dance, called the Zarzuela, with the Moro-Moro or Moslem-Christian conflict as the main storyline. During the festival, main streets and homes are decked with suman (sweetened rice concoction).