The uphill climbs, the
winding roads, the exhilarating rides and the long hours on the road appeared
like clinchers of this out-of-the-blue trip but the sceneries that welcomed us at the top resonated like a new civilization waiting to be embraced by every
weary traveler. This is another tale of a travel under a shoestring budget.
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| Early morning, we were welcomed by the cold weather of Banaue. The smiles of excitement won't give you a hint that we just completed bundles of reports including students' grades the day before our flight to Manila. |
I could sort this trip as a spur-of-the-moment journey of
a group of colleagues who wanted to get out of their common shell. Since it was
a group trip, we managed to get an affordable four days and three nights Tour
Package which included a transport van for the entire duration of the tour and
homey accommodations at Sagada and Baguio City. Thanks Kuya Vic of Victor Ticyado Van Rentals and Package Tours.
Arriving from Cebu, we headed to SM Mall of Asia where we
were picked up for our departure for Sagada at 10:00 PM. Making a couple of
stopovers to stretch and freshen up, we reached Banaue, Ifugao around 8:00
AM which was just perfect time for breakfast at one of the hostels at the foot
of Banaue Rice Terraces. Immediately after breakfast, we set our crazy feet to
the viewpoint of Banaue Rice Terraces.
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| The Banaue Rice Terraces in Banaue, Ifugao, Philippines still leaves your mind in awe imagining how the Ifugao tribe engineered these layers or rice fields thousands of year ago. |
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| Tribal Fight. At the view deck of Banaue Rice Terraces, you will see "lolo" who is wearing the traditional Ifugao costume. He's always up for some photo op and he can always act it out. |
Around 12 noon of the same day, we reached Bontoc which
is the capital town of Mountain Province. We stopped by Bontoc Museum where
unique collections of Igorot crafts and historical items are kept. The museum
also displays pictures of tribal
headhunting expeditions and remains including jaw bones which were used as
handles of their gongs, drums and other musical instruments. These bones are
believed to improve the sound of the instrument. After our museum visit, I
wanted to indulge with their local food. I felt like trying Pinikpikan, a dish
popular in the region which is prepared by beating a live chicken with a stick prior
to cooking but it wasn’t available so I tried Etag. Also known as the Igorot
smoked meat, Etag is prepared by rigorously rubbing salt to the meat before
curing it under the heat of the sun. Etag is also a staple ingredient which
adds flavor to the Pinikpikan.
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| The Bontoc Museum in Bontoc, Mountain Province is a replica of the traditional house of the people in the region. |
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| From Bomtoc to Sagada, we passed by this village. I forgot the name of this place so please comment below if you know. |
We arrived in Sagada late in the afternoon already but
that didn’t stop us from pushing through with our itinerary. There’s so much to
do in Sagada that resting in your hotel won’t be a nice idea for a two-day
trip. The group was up at an exhilarating caving adventure at Sumaguing Cave
which, for me, one of the bests so far in the country. The entire Cave
Connection Adventure lasted for almost three hours not because of the level of
difficulty as you do spelunking, climbing and trekking but because of the magnificent
stone formations housed in the cave that one can’t just proceed without taking
photos. In case you would like to experience such kind of adventure, make sure
to drop by at the tourism office to pay for the dues like environmental fee,
entrance fee and guide fee before proceeding to the cave.
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| At the entrance of Sumaguing Cave. This cave has a very big opening so it's not so much of a problem for those who are claustrophobic depending on the degree of the phobia though. The way going down to the cave is slippery so wearing proper gear is a must. |
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| The locals give names to various rock formations inside the cave. There is an area inside that they call "PORN" for some reason. The rock formation in this picture is one of those formations located in the area. |
We were suppose to spend our night at Lake Danum for we
were hoping to camp and experience the sunset of the place but time did not
allow us anymore as it was already dark when we got out from the cave. Instead
of camping at Lake Danum, we strolled around the area where our hostel was and we
found a cozy place at the Yogurt House.
The ambiance of the place fits with the Sagada atmosphere and they serve really
great yogurt.
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| Dinner at Sagada Yogurt House |
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| Camote Fries at Sagada Yogurt House |
Our second day in Sagada was full-packed. We started the
day with sunrise viewing at Kiltepan Peak. I wanted to have a remake of the
scene by Angelica Panganiban and JM de Guzman in the movie “This Thing Called
Tadhana” but all I could manage to do was a selfie and spare me the details of
that. J
Nevertheless, the view at Kiltepan Peak makes you feel that you are at Cloud 9.
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| Sunrise at Kiltepan Peak |
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| Sea of Clouds at Kiltepan Peak |
After Kiltepan Peak, we dropped by at Rock Inn and Orange Farm for orange picking. Sagada orange is pretty expensive for me so instead of picking more oranges to bring , I took advantage of the unlimited oranges that you can eat while in the farm which comes with the entrance fee.
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| Orange picking at Saga Rock Inn and Orange Farm |
Continuing the series of exciting activities for the day,
we headed to our next destination immediately after breakfast. Our service van
brought us to the jump off to Bomod-ok Falls. It took us almost two hours or
more of trek going to Bomod-ok falls but despite the long hike wasn’t boring at
all as you pass by fascinating views and local villages which gives you views
of both natural landscapes and local cultures.
After our trek to Bomod-ok Falls, I tried rock climbing
at the Echo Valley while my travel companions were still with our guide at the
Hanging Coffins. I wasn’t successful at reaching the top though. Since it was
November 1, it was a perfect timing to watch the Panag-apoy after at the
Anglican Cemetery.
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| Rock Climbing at Echo Valley |
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| The Hanging Coffins at Sagada. Local tribes used to hang the coffins of their departed loved ones. According to our local guide, some tribes are still practicing this until now. I asked our guide why there were chairs hanged and he said that these chairs were the ones used during the wake because some tribes usually have the dead corpse sit. |
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| It has always been a challenge for the people in Sagada to light candles in memory of their lost loved ones. The windy weather in this highland town would just blow the candles off. Instead of lighting candles, they burn woods to commemorate their loved ones who passed away. |
We ended the day with a good rest by strolling at nearby
places as we had to leave early the following day for Baguio City where another
set of experience awaits.
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| Before leaving our hostel in Sagada |
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| The Highest Point of the Philippines Highway System. We stopped by the landmark on our way to Baguio City. |
