Sagada was one memorable birthday getaway. The isolation and peace of this picturesque town were exactly what I needed. And most of all, the adrenaline rush of traveling solo and doing adventurous activities gave me a full human experience. It is a place that I do not mind coming back to over and over again. Watch my video blog!
The opening of Halsema Highway in 2010 and the film showing of That Thing Called Tadhana in 2014 undeniably sky-rocketed the number of local tourists in the area. But before Sagada became a favorite place for Filipino tourists, the place was first popular among the thrill-seeking Western backpacker crowd. I think one of the reasons was because it was featured in the book Lonely Planet.
Because of the Western tourists abundance, as well as the influence of American missionaries who stayed at Sagada for a long time, Sagadans had adapted very much to the Westerners. You can notice it from the way they speak to their food. Almost all Sagadans, particularly the older men, speak fluent English. Mind you, they have really good accent. And almost all restaurants serve big portions of food too!
Another interesting tidbit about Sagada is their houses. Common houses in Sagada are walled with pine logs. One cannot, however, see it because it is covered with galvanized iron sheets from the outside for protection to the cold weather. The overall plain aesthetics of the houses resonates Sagadans’ simple way of living.
A popular option in getting to Sagada nowadays is to get a tour package that includes transportation from Manila to Sagada. But for those who prefer to have this adventure on a solo flight like me, I suggest to take the Manila-Banaue-Bontoc-Sagada route.
From Manila to Banaue. I took the Ohiyami Bus bound for Banaue at 9pm. I bought at the terminal in Sampaloc ahead of time because it is often, if not always, full. To get to the terminal, I rode a UST, Espanya-bound jeepney from Quiapo. Just confirm with the driver if it will pass by Lacson. Get off at Lacson street, and walk your way to the terminal. You may also ride a tricycle from Lacson.
Ohiyami Bus Terminal
Address: Lacson Avenue, Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines
From Banaue to Bontoc. We reached Banaue at around 6 in the morning. Ohiyami Bus dropped us in front of the Banaue Tourist Information Center. From there, I had two options. One is to take a van straight to Sagada, or take two jeepneys. I picked the jeepney option because I wanted to experience top loading. I just walked down to the jeep terminal and waited for the Bontoc bound jeepney to arrive.
There were some locals who tried to lure me to take the van that goes straight to Sagada; they told me that there was no jeepney bound for Bontoc that day. I found it quite rude that they had to lie and trick me to take the van. Good thing the Tourism Office was nearby, and they assured me that there would be a jeepney leaving that day.
The Bontoc-bound jeep arrived at around 8:30am, but we had to wait till the vehicle gets filled with passengers. Thus, we got to leave at around 9:50am. The jeepney driver that day was kind enough to stop at the Banauae Rice Terraces View Deck. We also had a quick stopover at the the crash site of the recent tragic bus incident involving the late Filipino comedian, Tado.
Go topload! Jeepneys bound for Bontoc and Sagada allow you to go climb up on the roof of the jeepneys. Wear a jacket because the wind can be freezing!
From Bontoc to Sagada. When we reached Bontoc, they just transferred us to another jeep bound for Sagada. It was a total 16-hour commute to Sagada (including the waiting time), but it was oh-so worth it. I loved riding topload because it gave me a scenic and panoramic view of Banaue and Bontoc rice terraces.
From Sagada to Manila. GL/ Lizardo bus goes to Baguio daily for P220. First trip is at 5:00am. Come a few minutes early because the seats are on the basis of first come, first served. From Baguio, there will be a lot of buses that will bring you back to Manila.
On my first night, I could not find an available room because there were a big batch of university students from Baguio who were on a field trip. Thank goodness for new found friends, they took me in at Shamrock Tavern Inn for one night.
My room in Ganduyan Inn.
Our room in Shamrock Tavern Inn looked new and clean, and it had a balcony. If you are traveling in a group, I suggest to avail the tour package that they offer. The owner of the inn, Gareth Likigan, is also a tour guide of Sagada Genuine Guides Association (SAGGAS). You would be traveling comfortably around Sagada via a van, and the van would also pick and drop you off at Baguio.
On my second night, I stayed at a single private room with public toilet for P200 at Gayundan Inn. The room and private toilet were simple and okay. I could not find a socket in my room though. I would recommend Canaway Resthouse. Their basic room with private toilet and hot shower for 2 pax was only for P250.
Sagada is definitely a place for nature lovers. It has caves, waterfalls, a lake, an underground river, mountains, and rice terraces that are open for public. Because I was on a budget, I preferred visiting places that are accessible and did not require a tour guide. (Refer to my two walking tours.)
Like a true backpacker, I experienced spontaneity at its best. I was so happy that there were two groups of friends who adopted me in their group. On the first day, I was with a group of friends from Batangas. This gave me the opportunity to visit Lake Danum and Kiltepan for free. That night, I met Kai and joined her colleagues the next day.I also got to experience Cave Connection for only P350.
I highly recommend this itinerary for first-timers in Sagada. This itinerary provides a little bit of everything that the municipality offer, and it also includes the popular tourist attractions such as the Hanging Coffins, Cave Connection and Kiltepan viewpoint (a recent crowd-favorite because of That Thing Called Tadhana).
My total expense for this trip was Php 2,815. It was definitely cheap because I got to visit some spots for free. And I also had a one night free stay.
Saturday Market. Sagada turns into a busy marketplace every Saturday morning. Buy different fresh produce, fruits, jams, souvenirs and clothes here. It is the best place if you want to buy something to cook during your stay. You can see stalls standing from the Municipal hall down to the main road of Sagada.
Church of Saint Mary the Virgin. This century-old stone Anglican church built by the American missionaries is definitely an eye-candy to the visitors of Sagada. It symbolizes the great Christian influence to the community. Outside the church, you can find towering pine trees where you can also enjoy the overlooking town.
Baseball Field. Located a few meters from the church compound is a baseball field. Baseball is the main sport in Sagada. You can head down the field to have a rest or maybe join the locals play.
Find this “Rock Climbing” sign to get to the cemetery.
Mission Compound Cemetery.A few steps after the church is the first cemetery in Sagada. Embracing modernity, many Igorots now choose to be buried in this Anglican site. One thing I noticed here are the pieces of charcoal scattered around. Kuya Gareth said that they prefer to light woods instead of the traditional candles for a very practical reason; the latter often gets blown out by strong winds.
Hanging Coffins of Echo Valley. A unique and interesting tradition of the animists in Sagada lies hangs in the Echo Valley. Getting to the Hanging Coffins was a 20-minute trek down the place from the cemetery. On our way there, we walked past the rock climbing activity. The Tourism Office requires tourists to hire a local guide because the path towards the place can be misleading. It’s also a bit steep!
Shout and you shall hear the echo of your voice. The place is not called “Echo” Valley for no reason.
The world-famous hanging coffins was definitely a fascinating sight. I noticed a lot of interesting things in here. Most of the coffins were visibly labeled with their Igorot names. Some of the coffins were undeniably small in size because the dead inside was placed in a fetal position. They prefer to assume this position because they believe that they should leave the world in the same position as they entered it.
So why hang them up in the mountains? Animists believe that it will bring them closer to the heavens. Another practical reason was to protect it from animal scavengers, thieves and headhunters. I also noticed that some coffins had wooden chairs suspended with them. Part of the funeral rites was to sit the dead on a chair. Thus, the families who wouldn’t be needing the chair after the funeral would just hang it with the deceased man’s coffin.
Spot more hanging coffins by the mountains cliffs. The other ones are very difficult to see because it’s far away.
Underground River. Our trek to the valley ended in the underground river. Somewhere along the way, I found our group following a rocky stream of water that eventually led us to the mouth of Latang cave. Something that caught my eye were the balancing stones around the place; this activity seemed to be very popular to people visiting this place.
Lake Danum. “Danum” translates to water in the Ilocano dialect. It’s an hour walk for the baratpackers. During the time I visited, they were now paving the roads in this area. It should be completed by now. I say this is the picnic-perfect setting because of the luscious green grass that surrounds the lake. This place is also regarded as the most beautiful spot in Sagada for sunset chasers. But note that the sun does not fall down the lake; we had to face the other side.
The sun was setting down, and it was getting colder. Our ever-ready guide made us a bonfire.
Ganduyan Museum. What is a trip without a stop to a museum? The Ganduyan Museum is a small museum that is conveniently located at the town proper. It is rich with artifacts for your imagination and appreciation. Displays ranges from kitchenware, clothing and accessories. My favorites were the warrior shields and weapons formerly used by headhunters.
Mt. Kiltepan View Point. Kiltepan is already a big hit to tourists even before the film That Thing Called Tadhana showed. It was a 20-minute quick ride from the town proper. When we arrived, I saw a couple of tents that were put up at the parking area/campsite. I could understand why it is a popular site for campers —the cold weather, serene surrounding, and the beautiful sunrise over sea of clouds that one could witness is truly magnificent.
Catching the sea of clouds, however, is a hit or miss. Unfortunately for us that day, it was a miss. It was very foggy. The place also did get a bit busy wherein people just enjoyed the time taking lots of selfies and group photos. My friends were heading back to Baguio after the visit to Kiltepan, so they dropped me in the middle of the road after we said our goodbyes.
I was having a good and quiet morning stroll until four dogs suddenly ran and barked towards me when I was nearing an abandoned property along the road. They were persistent in not allowing me to pass through. I was so scared to suddenly get bitten and die in the middle of nowhere. So I just decided to hail a random passing van, and took a chance at hitching a ride. Thank goodness the van stopped. When the door slid open, it revealed a group of middle-aged moms who were on a vacation trip to Sagada as well. What an experience!
Cave Connection. They say, your Sagada trip is not complete without going on a spelunking adventure at the famous Sumaguing and Lumiang Caves. This was one of the highlights of my trip because my fear of heights and lack of stability were, once again, challenged.
We started by trekking down to Lumiang Cave. We had a short stop at the entrance of the cave that houses numerous coffins. Another traditional way of burying the dead is to put it at the mouth of the cave. This area also marked the beginning of our spelunking adventure as our tour guides started to light up their kerosene lamps and gave us pointers.
Our head tour guide said that the pace of the group depends on the weakest link. So that no one gets left behind or wait too long, the weakest link should go first. And for that, he pointed at me. What! I thought I looked strong and athletic with my sporty attire! I think that he managed to somehow notice my struggle to walk down the first few big boulders at the entrance of the cave.
We did a lot of squat walking, crawling, climbing and side stepping through the holes, big boulders and rocks. There was also a vertical ascend with a rope and a vertical climb down that gave everyone an adrenaline rush. At most times, I was pretty much on my butt because my legs were too afraid and shaken to go down the steep and slippery rocks. I also didn’t care touching the bat droppings anymore while I was working my way up and holding on to the rocks. All I cared for was my survival.
I particularly remember a part wherein we had to traverse a big slab of slippery rock with a steep slope. The rock was standing over a pitch-black darkness. I literally could not see what was down there. A body of water? Sharp rocks? I didn’t bother knowing. The guide instructed us to sit down, lean a little bit forward to gain stability (which just gave me vertigo by the way), and move down 30 degrees towards left until we reach the other side. The problem was my butt was sliding down and my foot could not find a grip on the smooth and small dents of the rock.
So there I was, frozen. My friends tried giving me more instructions. But I felt that if I tried moving again, I would just slip all the way down and be engulfed in darkness. The tour guide had to move in. He climbed towards me, literally grabbed my left foot, moved it and held on to it so I could move my butt. This was the time I accepted my fate as the weakest link.
Beyond the death-defying experience, the over spelunking adventure was very satisfying and fun. The tour guides gave us plentiful time in our stopovers to take photos, to plunge into the freezing cold water and to appreciate the different rock formations with quirky names. It was not physically tiring for me because of the steady pace and an occasional time to relax while waiting for the rest of the group. It was only towards the end that I had to take a few seconds to catch my breath because we had to climb up a 275-step stairway to reach the exit.
Sagada Weaving. The souvenir shop stands along the Staunton Road so it was not hard to miss. I saw various woven apparels from sandals, slippers, coin purses, pouches, wallets, bags and many more. It is a good place to stop by regardless if you are planning to buy or not. I heard that you can also watch the women manually weave.
Find this steel railing along Staunton Road.
Bangaan Rice Terraces. There were no signages directing to Bangaan Rice Terraces, so I resorted to asking a local kid. Walking past Sagada Weaving store, there would be a narrow concrete path with steel railing on the left. I was directed to follow this path until I get sight of the terraces. There is another entry/exit point (the more known one) if you walk further along Bangaan Road after Pine’s Town; again, find a small trail on your left. But I suggest taking the former for a more adventurous experience through the rice paddies.
The rice terraces were a very breathtaking sight. I had never seen so many butterflies in my life till then. There were not much tourists here in sight compared in Aguid Terraces near Bomod-Ok Falls. I could only recall two other tourists and a couple of farmers who were plowing the fields with their carabao and hand bolo.
Bokong Falls. There were no signs and clear paths to get to Bokong Falls from Bangaan Rice Terraces, so I just followed the two middle-aged female foreigners ahead of me and trusted their judgment. We took on a very muddy trek. I was sinking up to my knees while traversing through the thick mud paths, which was pretty embarrassing but fun at the same time.
The falls was definitely a good eventual destination to freshen up and clean myself from the mud. There were a number of local Sagadan boys who were enjoying the cold water when I arrived. They were all diving and jumping off at different points. I had fun just watching and taking a video of them. Exiting the place, a local taught me an alternative and quicker way that led me to Bangaan Road. Just follow the path going up.
You’ll never run out of food in Sagada! Some gastronomical finds you should try are the pinikpan, organic bed rice, mountain coffee and yogurt. An amusing dessert I tried was their halo-halo that had macaroni pasta on it. Halo-halo stalls are just scattered along the side street. I tried the one located along the road before entering Saint Mary the Virgin Church.
Salt and Pepper Diner. I went to eat here on the first night. The diner is located at the second floor, beside SAGGAS. The place was packed when we came, so it took a long time for us to receive our food. I treated my foster friends a plate of pancit guisado here. It was so funny because after the whole day of being together, it was only this time that I told them it was my birthday. They were all shocked, and started singing “Happy Birthday” to celebrate my day. The entire diner ended up joining the song.
This is also the place I met Kai. She was traveling in the mountain province with her colleagues to do a series of talks in the towns. They just had a side trip in Sagada for a quick vacation. She mentioned that they were going to the caves tomorrow, so I decided to join them.
Kusina Ysagada. The place looked bright and warm with its cute artificial sunflowers and yellow walls. We went here to have a late lunch after the cave connection. Nothing special here, and it costs more than Salt & Pepper. We just needed to fill up our tummy fast.
Yoghurt House. I went here for the yogurt. I got the banana-granola-strawberry yogurt, but the yogurt was too sour for my taste that I only finished half of my cup. If you’re not a fan of sour yogurt, just go to some place else. It was nice to people-watch at the alfresco area though.
Sagada Lemon Pie House. The best meal I had on this trip was the red spicy chicken with salad and brown rice at Sagada Lemon Pie House. I think everyone in the restaurant ordered for it. The fried chicken was coated with a tangy and sweet red sauce that is perfect for the brown rice. The portions were too big for my frame that I did not manage to finish it.
El Cubano Bar. This quaint log cabin offered a very mesmerizing view of the Bangaan Rice Terraces. Go here for the view and the beer. From Bangaan Road, just find the path going to Bokong Falls. I stumbled upon the bar while I was heading back to Bangaan Road from Bokong Falls. It is definitely worth having a cool drink there before hitting the road again.
Watch out for my Sagada 2.0!
The Baratpacker 