Sagada, Mountain Province | Complete Adventure Travel Guide

Recently, Sagada re-opened its doors to tourist. At the same time, me and my friends were looking for an adventure. It’s been more than 10 years since I first visited Sagada, it was the perfect time to revisit and explore this cold and mysterious place.

Back then, it was a challenge visiting Sagada. Now, there are plenty of tour providers that offer a Banaue – Sagada – Baguio tour. For tours, you have the option to join other groups or go private. We opted for the latter for convenience and comfort considering this tour is a long drive.

Our first stop was Banaue Rice Terraces - a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The terraces were carved into the mountain regions of Ifugao more than 2,000 years ago. A man-made structure of this scale is extraordinary given that it was built by hands or simple tools by Igorot People.

We arrived in the view point of Banaue Rice Terraces around 7am. This is the spot of the image included in the old 1,000 bills. It has a short walk to the view point. It is not for the faint-hearted. The spot has the perfect view of Banaue Rice Terraces. Standing at the edge of the view point, everything looks like a painting and it was exhilarating.

We ate our breakfast at the eatery near the entrance. Then, had a scenic drive to Sagada through a zigzag and narrow road. We also noticed the abundance of sunflower in this region during our trip.

Our next stop or our main destination was Sagada. A small laid back town in Mountain Province known for the hanging coffins and caves.

We arrived in Sagada around noon-time. Our tour guide dropped us off in one of the pension houses in the south road.  This is already included in the tour package we’ve availed. We dropped our bags and changed clothes for the adventure set that afternoon. But before that, we rushed to Sagada Hub for a quick lunch.

There are numerous caves beneath Sagada, and the most famous one is Sumaguing Cave or Big Cave. For our first adventure, we did spelunking in Sumaguing Cave. This is a must-try activity in Sagada.

It took us 4 hours to complete the Sumaguing Cave adventure. It was not even the complete trail.

Before we went to our last stop, did a quick side-trip to St. Mary’s Episcopal Church.

Our last stop for day 1 was Lumiang Cave or The burial cave. Coffins stacked on the wall of the entrance and several more hanging at the side of the cliff.  It was already late and almost dark but we pushed thru Lumiang Cave because it’s only a short trek from the road. Here’s a picture of Lumiang Cave from my Sagada trip way back :D

For dinner we tried Yoghurt House, one of the well-known restaurant in Sagada. Yoghurt House is not limited to breakfast or desserts. They also serve other dishes perfect for lunch and dinner.

Before ending the night, we’ve tried Piitik Wines. You can try their traditional rice wine or Bugnay wine. This is an honesty store just along the south road near Sagada Brew.

WATCH THE FULL VLOG HERE

The next day, we woke up around 4am for the Marlboro Hill – Blue Soil Hill Traverse Trek.

Marlboro Hills is Sagada’s highest peak that has a breathtaking 360 unobstructed view of the mountain ranges. It is also a great view point of the sunrise and sea of clouds.

After the photo shoot, we followed the trail from hills to hills to Sagada’s Blue Soil Hills or Kaman-utek Hills.

For lunch, we tried another known restaurant in Sagada. This is Sagada Lemon Pie House.

After we’ve recovered for the strenuous Marlboro Hill – Blue Soil Hill Traverse Trek, we started our next activity.

Our tour provider let us experienced the Topload. Riding on top of the jeep to the registration area of Bomod-Ok Falls.

Bomod-Ok Falls or The Big Falls is situated in the northern part of Sagada near the small towns of Fidelisan and Pide. It is 4.2 kilometer walk from the jump-off point.

On our 2nd night, around 8PM most of the restaurant were already closed or were not accepting any customers. The only option we have was Happy House. We just ordered what is available and call it a night.

WATCH THE FULL VLOG HERE

The plan for our last day was to spend a day in Baguio. We were pretty tired from all the trekking in Sagada that we decided to take it slow and relax. We only ate snacks at Café by the Ruins near Burnham Park before heading back to Manila.

WATCH THE FULL VLOG HERE

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT BANAUE RICE TERRACES

The rice terraces is open all year round. However, the best time to visit Banaue Rice Terraces depends on your preference. March to April, is the time when the terraces are greenest. If weather permits schedule your trip around June or July for the harvest time. But I prefer December to February when the weather is cold.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT SAGADA

The best time to visit Sagada is during the cold season. This is from November to February. Expect this place to be busy during holy week, December and holidays.

WHAT ARE THE THINGS TO PACK TO SAGADA

• Clothes for cold weather but also pack light clothes

• Hiking Wear / gear

• Sandals / Slippers

• Protection from the sun

• Tumbler

• Dry bag

• Camera / Action Cam

• Powerbank

• Toiletries

• Towel

HOW TO GET TO BANAUE FROM MANILA

There are buses that offers a Manila to Banaue Trip but the most convenient way to get to Banaue from Manila is through a tour provider. Banaue is around 350KM north of Manila or a 10 hour drive through zigzag road.

HOW TO GET TO SAGADA FROM MANILA

The most convenient way to get to Sagada from Manila is through a tour provider. Usually the route is Banaue – Sagada – Baguio. But if you hire a private tour, you can modify your itinerary based on your preference.

Banaue to Sagada distance is 83.3km or around 3 hours drive via Mountain Province road.

SAGADA BUDGET AND ITINERARY

The estimated budget for a 3 days 2 nights stay in Sagada is around Php9,000.00 per person. This is computed based on 6 pax and a private tour package.

You can still lower the cost of food, accommodation, transportation and if you do a DIY instead of availing tours

See costs details below:

NOTE: Rates indicated above may change.

IMPORTANT THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN VISITING SAGADA

• Travel time to Banaue is around 10 hours. This will also depend on how many stop overs your group will do.

• Travel time from Banaue to Sagada is around 3 hours.

• Respect the locals. In Sagada, avoid taking pictures of the locals without permission.

• There is no law mandating a tour guide when you explore Sagada. However, I recommend getting a guide if it is your first time visiting Sagada. For Sumaguing Cave, you should always hire a guide. Also by hiring a guide, you are helping the local community.

• You can book your tour directly in Sagada Municipal Tourist Center.

• Sagada is an outdoor destination. Most of the activities requires a hike. You doesn’t need to be expert but expect it will not be easy.

• Wear comfortable light clothes during hike. Expect to get wet in some activities as well.

• There is a curfew in Sagada.

• There are no fast food restaurants in Sagada. The local restaurants also closes early when food runs out.

• There are plenty of convenience stores in Sagada.

• If you like cold drinks, most of the restaurants and stores in Sagada doesn’t have ice.

• Cash basis here. Bring plenty of cash.

• Weak or no signal in remote places.

SAGADA TRAVEL TIPS

• Best to avail a tour when you visit Sagada.

• You can save some cash joining a group tour. But expect that you’ll be crammed in a van for the whole trip. Best to go private if you want comfort and convenience.

• For tours, schedule in the middle of the week or start as early as possible to avoid the crowd.

• Limited options where to eat in Sagada. Always eat early than the regular schedule to avoid long queues.

• Bring a waterproof bag on hikes.

• Do not leave trash behind.

WHAT’S IN MY BAG?

If you want to know more about the cameras, gadgets and travel essentials I use, check out “MY GEAR”

See you on my next adventure…. Peace!