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| Sunrise at Mt. Kiltepan | |
Have you heard of the phrase, “I touched the
sky”? When I went to Sagada, Mountain Province, I did not just experience
touching the sky, I saw a glimpse of heaven.
When I read blogs and articles about Sagada,
most of them quoted “it feels like you are in a different world.” At
first I thought they were exaggerating. What could you possibly see in
mountain ranges? I know what mountain ranges look like!
When I set foot on Sagada on November 4th,
2015, the first thing I felt was the cool breeze, the bracing air. I looked out
and I was literally on top of the world. From the highway, I can see the
terraces down below and houses along the mountain trails. There is nothing in
town that will remind you of the city. Not even one convenience
store! Ran out of money? No worries, they have the Rural Bank of Sagada
with 2 ATMs. There are also 2 branches of Western Union. One is
located in the bank, and the other one on the 3rd floor of the pink
building. (I forget the name). This is really a perfect place to let go
of the stress of the city. I proved myself wrong – the bloggers, the reviews
were not full of lies. I cannot describe this very mysterious, serene,
and heavenly town.
Sagada is most
famous of its Hanging Coffins, their traditional way of burying people.
When we went there, the last time they buried someone the traditional way was
in 2010, and most of them were their elders. Sagada became more popular
because of the movie, “That Thing Called Tadhana."
How to Get to Sagada? (from Metro Manila only)
There are various ways to get to Sagada.
You can pass through Baguio, which will take 6 hours,
taking the Victory Liner bus that will cost you PHP 450-470. Once in Baguio,
you have to take the GL Trans to Sagada. This is for another 6 hours, at PHP
220.
You may want to try the Banaue route. I have never
taken this route, so I just researched about it. From Manila, take the Mayami
bus going to Banaue, then take the jeepney going to Bontoc, Mountain
Province. While in this town, you can drop by the Bontoc Museum. It
has a vast collection of antiques, photos, and documentaries about the Igorots
and their land. It is very educational. This is only a 5-minute walk from the
Sagada jeepney terminal located near the All Saints’ Mission School. The fare
from Bontoc to Sagada is around PHP 70-80.
I chose CODA Lines. They have a direct 13-hour
trip from Manila to Sagada. The terminal is located at the Anglican
Church compound in Quezon City, right next to the Trinity University of Asia.
Take note, it costs only PHP 720! The have only ONE trip, which is at 9 PM
every day.
What to do in Sagada? (LOTS!)
I suggest that you do
some warming up before going up to Sagada because most of the activities are
physically demanding.
Hanging Coffins
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| Hanging Coffins |
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After 13 long hours of
trip, we stopped by our Lodge (Misty Lodge) to eat brunch.
Then we went straight to the Hanging
Coffins. It was a 30 minutes to an hour’s trek! You need to pay PHP250
for the entrance/tour fee. Since I just came from a 13-hour trip and my body
was not ready for this kind of activity, we rested for 15 minutes on our way
back. I got really tired and my heart started to pound really hard and there
was discomfort. But if you feel you can do it, just go! The bodies inside the
coffins are in a fetal position, according to our tour guide. He said
when you die, you will go the way you were born. On the way to the
Hanging Coffins, you will pass by the Episcopal Church and Echo Valley. (Echo
Valley is where the actress in the movie I previously mentioned actually yelled
making her declaration of whatever. It was just edited in the movie.) We, too,
shouted at the top of our lungs. We enjoyed how loud the echo was. You
can hear your voice being repeated 3 times!)
Mt. Kiltepan
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| Mt. Kiltepan |
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After a good
night’s sleep, we woke up at 4:30 in the morning to prepare and go to Mt.
Kiltepan, the highest point of Sagada. We rented a van for PHP 450. We left at
5 AM and arrived at 5:20. You can also reach Mt. Kiltepan by walking for 45 minutes. I saw a lot
of people walking at that time. Don’t forget to bring a flashlight, it would be
a big help. Mt. Kiletepan is my favorite, I waited patiently for an hour to see
the sun slowly rise. Even with the long wait, I enjoyed the view and how quiet
the place was. It was so placid - the weather, the ambience. I could stay there
for one whole day without talking. I feel I could write a book if I stayed even
for a day. Without the sun, the sea of clouds was very captivating. I enjoyed
watching them move and cover the mountains like a blanket. The experience, the
FEELING – is unexplainable. I loved just being there and embracing it.
Sumaguing Cave
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| entrance of Sumaguing Cave |
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| Rappelling in Sumaguing Cave |
After our
breakfast, we went straight to Sumaguing Cave. We spent PHP 850 for the tour
fee and the van rental. Luckily we found a friend to share the expenses with.
At first I thought it was just easy, but as I mentioned earlier, most activities
in Sagada are physically demanding. At the entrance of the cave, I had goose bumps.
It was so dark and the smell was not so pleasant because of the thousands
of bats living inside the cave. Plus, it was my first time there! You can
hear the bats upon entering the cave. Among all activities, this is where
I got so nervous, so tense, and so rigid – whichever you want to describe it.
Every step I took, I felt my body shaking but when I loosened up, I finally
enjoyed it! It was not that scary after all. I had confidence in our
guide, and I listened to him sensibly. In fact the rappelling part, I took the
lead! Be prepared to get wet and cold! It was a good thing I wore my dry-fit
clothes when I did this.
Orange Picking
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| The Green Oranges of Sagada. |
Our next stop was
the most relaxing orange picking activity. For PHP 50, you can eat all oranges
you can for the 30 minutes you are in the farm. You can also take oranges home
but you need to weigh and pay for them. Price depends on the variety of the
orange.
Bokong Falls
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| Bokong Falls |
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It is a smaller
waterfall compared to the Bomod-ok Falls, and it is nearer to town. It has a
good scenery, but requires a little trekking before you get to the falls. You
can rent a van for PHP 450, good for 4 people. You can swim, but with the kind
of climate in Sagada, I wish you the best of luck!
Other Activities in Sagada:
- Cave
Connection (Lumiang to Sumaguing Cave)
- Bomod-ok
Falls
- Lake
Danum
- Pottery
- Underground River
- Lumiang Burial Cave
Just a heads up, the tours are not
expensive but it comes on package, minimum is 4 pax. Aside from the tour fee,
you need to rent a vehicle on each destination. I hope next time, they will
have a vehicle that can be rented for the whole day or for at least 3-4
destinations.
Overall, the experience was amazing
and I felt really good about this vacation. This is what I call “THE VACATION!”
where to stay in Sagada? Click here.
