I, being a semi non-conformist and all-out weirdo declared that my summer this year would be May 'til August. For one thing these are the months that the crowds will thin. Second, you won't kill yourself for not getting a seat sale at Cebu Pacific. Thirdly and importantly, the hotels go into lean season - you mostly get 50% off on room rates.
Of course when being crazy and a scrooge, you tend to tempt fate when travelling at these times of the months. Try to restrain doing rain dances if you're like me.
The Banaue-Sagada Adventure
My visit to the 8th wonder of the world, Banaue Rice Terraces, was accidental. Our main objective was to get to Sagada, a place in Mountain Province, known for its cool weather, pine trees, limestone caves, waterfalls, culture, and yoghurt. Since we were on a road trip and veered away from the usual Baguio-Sagada Route, we took the the Cabanatuan-Nueva Vizcaya-Banaue-Bontoc-Sagada route.
Banaue is a cool serene place. Clearly it's beautiful and indeed a wonder. Standing in front of a 2,000 year old man-made beauty carved on the mountains of Ifugao is a photo opportunity not to be missed.
After Banaue, we continued our climb to the Cordilleras. The path becomes a muddy dirt road. We passed by several landslides and "waterfalls" along the way. My 4x4 took a beating, but proudly plodded on. Our almost 5-hour journey was quite scary yet rewarding. The place on a sunny day was so picturesque. Amidst all the dangers, there were pockets of small towns with beautiful rice terraces.
Arriving at Sagada was a relief. We stayed at The Rock Inn, an orange grove and one of the nicest places in Sagada. The staff was friendly, but worth noting is the food - really good. There are other places in the town proper where accomodations are more on the backpacker crowd. We spent the 1st day hanging out at the inn and enjoyed the cool weather.
Since we came on a week day and on lean season, we missed the Saturday Market and the fruit-picking season. So for our 2nd day, we decided to try the outdoor activities that the tourist center provides for the visitors.
Things to note while you're in Sagada:
1. Visitors should register at the municipal hall.
2. There is a 9PM curfew in Sagada.
3. You should go to the municpal hall and get a guide. You cannot go out trekking or caving without a guide.
4. This is a highly traditional and cultural site. Respect the locals and watch your words and actions - this is not a place for PDA couples. You will be reprimanded.
5. Maps are available everywhere in the town, price ranges from 25 pesos to 30 pesos (July 2009). Check with the tourist center to organize your activities to make the most of the day.
For the morning activities, we decided to trek to Echo Valley and check the Hanging Coffins, and then do another trek to the Small Falls. For the afternoon, we went caving at Sumaguing.
Echo Valley is a sacred place for the Igorots. This is where you will see limestone caves with hanging coffins. According to our guide, not everyone gets the honor of having his body and coffin "dangle" at this place. Only persons with good track records get this treatment. Apparently, when a person of honor is "buried" in this place there is an offering of 20 plus pigs, a number of chickens, and an elaborate ritual.
There are many waterfalls in Sagada. There's a big waterfall on the northern part, which is a 2-hour trek. Since me and my party are out-of-shape city dwellers, we opted for the small waterfalls near the town proper. Though it was a short trek down the hill, the muddy trail and the height made it difficult for us. However the reward reaching the waterfalls was worth it. The river and the water was cool, and the sight was refreshing for the soul.
The afternoon adventure turned out to be the scary, interesting, exhausting, yet the most awesome experience I've had. We went exploring Sumaguing cave. The entrance of the cave was foreboding and dangerous. The trek down involved managing carved limestone stairs which were slippery with bat poop, water and mud. They tend to be sharp too, and there's quite a fall in the dark if your feet loses its grip. The inside of the cave made me feel like Gollum groping and clambering in the dark. The 30 or 45-minute trip down felt like forever. Aside from grabbing and trying not to slip, there's rapelling involved - just a warning for those who don't get into that kind of stuff. When we hit the eroded, roughed out, limestone bottom - the sight was worth it. I felt like I was in an LOTR adventure.
After enjoying the cool water, taking pictures, and marvelling at the place, we got out of the cave - same route, only difference is CLIMBING to the light of the outside.
We trooped to The Yoghurt House and wolfed down sandwiches and the prided yoghurt. Truly, the taste is different from the yoghurt that I get from the grocery store. For heavier menu, we suggest Masferre's Restaurant - where we had our late lunch on our first day in town.
Souvenirs can be found anywhere in the town, but if you want the true Sagada souvenir go to Sagada Weaving. They have bags and other stuff made of cloth traditionally weaved from the loom.
We spent our last night enjoying the wonderful curry and beers at The Rock Inn Cafe.
Of all the experiences I've had travelling in the Philippines, this one I won't forget. Captivated by Banaue's terraces, getting lost in the mountains of the Cordilleras, caving and trekking in Sagada - it was an adventure!
Having had enough of the rough roads, we went home driving up and down the Sagada-Mountain Province-Baguio route. This is the route where the buses pass, and the road where we will recommend our friends to take if they want to go to Sagada.
If you seek adventure take the road we took and you'll get the complete Mountain Province experience - Banaue-Sagada-Baguio with the Cordillera mountains. Do it in summer. The good news is that they are actually constructing the road - so next year, it might be finished. Hopefully, there wouldn't be too many storms to cause landslides to make the road unpassable.
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