Sagada

I could still feel the coolness of the dew from the night as I watched the sun emerge behind the mountain ranges, pouring yellow and orange to the scene. I took a deep breath of fresh air and enjoyed the tranquility, which was so uncommon in the city. I was in the Mountain Province of the Philippines, in the seemingly isolated village called Sagada.

I booked another trip with Tripinas for my Sagada-Banaue trip. I’m not usually a fan of tour groups but my previous trip with Tripinas in Pinatubo went well and it was Holy Week in the Philippines, which meant that bus stations were crowded and probably fully booked.  As it was almost summer in the Philippines, it was scorching hot in the capital. However, it was cool and drizzling in Sagada. It was a perfect getaway for the Holiday.

We left Quezon City in Metro Manila at around 8:00 in the evening and traveled for over 10 hours in a private van. But as we approached Sagada, the view was scenic. We passed through mountains and mountains of trees.

After settling in our rooms in our rooms, the village tour started at St. Mary’s Church. While majority of the Filipinos are Roman Catholic, most people in Sagada are Anglicans, as influenced by the missionaries that went to Sagada. Then, we hiked Echo Valley and visited the Hanging Coffins, which showed the unique burial tradition of Sagada.

The Hanging Coffins

After lunch, we trekked Aguid Rice Terraces to reach the Bomod-ok Falls, otherwise known as the Big Falls, where we jumped off a rock and went swimming. To my friend, the trek was just like a walk in the park. But, as somebody who is very much physically unfit, I was completely worn out. It rained on our way back so the trek going up was a bit slippery and muddy. We were soaked from tip to toe after the trek but I enjoyed the experience.  I doze off almost instantly that night.

Bomod-ok Falls

Day 2

We visited the caves on our second day. There’s an option to do cave connections, where you start from one cave, go through holes inside the cave, and end up in another. But since it was peak season and there was “cave traffic”, we decided to visit the caves the normal way. The first cave we visited was Lumiang Cave, where numerous coffins can be found stacked up inside.

Lumiang Cave

Then, with cave guides, we went spelunking at Sumaguing Cave where we found interesting rock formations.

Spelunking at Sumaguing Cave

After the cave adventures and good ol’ siesta, we spent the rest of the day just strolling around the village. There are no fast food establishments or convenience stores in Sagada. But there are several good restaurants in this little village, notably, the Lemon Pie House. I just love their sour lemon pie.

Day 3

We left early the next day, just in time to watch the sun rise over the mountains of Sagada.

Sunrise in Sagada

On our way back to Manila, we stopped by the Banaue Rice Terraces viewpoint. The Banaue Rice Terraces, its photo found at the back of the old 1000 peso bill and the new 20 peso bill, is a long stretch of rice terraces extending through several mountains.

The Banaue Rice Terraces and the 20 peso bill

Sagada is just a small village in the mountains but the charming narrow roads, and cool, fresh and quiet environment is the reason why it’s my new favorite place in the Philippines.

See all photos here.

Summary of Expenses

Item		Cost (PhP)
Tour Package (Tripinas Sagada-Banaue)		3890.00
Entrance Fee (Banaue Rice Terraces)		10.00
Transportation			66.00
	Bus, Ayala Ave. to North Ave.	36.00
	Bus, North Ave. to Ayala Ave.	30.00
Food			548.00
	Vincent’s	105.00
	Salt & Pepper	150.00
	Yogurt House	50.00
	Lemon Pie	60.00
	Snacks, etc.	183.00
Others			229.00
	Toilet	29.00
	Souvenirs & Gifts	200.00
Total			PhP 4,743.00