Sagada: Where It All Began
Originally published on 2/20/16
I’ll start up my first travel blog by writing about my trip to Sagada in the Mountain Province that really got me into traveling and outdoor adventures.
I was invited by some friends to join a group tour to Sagada over the weekend. I had my doubts at first, not being much of traveler at the time and knowing spelunking was one of the primary activities to be done in Sagada.
Here is some trivia about Sagada:
- It is a fifth class municipality in the province of Mountain Province, Philippines
- It has a population of 11,244 people (2010 consensus)
- It is located around 380 km north of Manila (9-10 hour drive)
Prep and Research
I did a bit of research about spelunking and read a few blogs about Sagada and the general idea I got was that it was a a challenging, but worthy experience. So I made up my mind and decided to join my friends on the trip.
I started preparing for what would be a life-changing (okay I’m dramatizing a bit) experience for me. I was up for the challenge, but I wanted to make sure I was prepared in the best possible way I could. I purchased the necessary gear and equipment for spelunking.
- Headlamp (useful for spelunking)
- Aqua shoes (helpful in slippery areas in the caves)
- Gloves (gives you better grip, and keeps your hands clean)
- Rash guard & inner leggings or arm & leg sleeves (for protection)
- Dry bag (to keep your personal belongings dry)
- A couple of water bottles (hydration is important)
- Snacks (optional)
I purchased most of my gear from Lagalag Exploration and the rest was from the department stores in malls. Lagalag is a pretty useful store for outdoor activities with friendly and helpful staff members.
The Journey Begins
Next up was the journey itself. It was an overnight drive that began at around 10pm in a Toyota Hiace van which to be honest was quite tiring, especially if you’re a bit taller than average. The leg room isn’t enough and keeping them bent for long hours can take its toll. I suggest getting out and stretching a bit at every stop the driver makes (if you’re awake, that is).
Banaue Rice Terraces
Early next morning, we stopped for breakfast at the Halfway Lodge and Restaurant in Banaue before heading to the rice terraces for admiring the beauty, the view, the creativity borne out of necessity and to take a few pictures as well.
We jumped back on the van for a few more hours heading to Sagada. We had a homestay accommodation near the Sagada Lemon Pie House, a famous bakery and restaurant. I noticed that people in town are living quite a simple life and are polite in tone and nature, quite the change from the metro.
Echo Valley and Hanging Coffins
The first place we headed to was the Echo Valley and The Hanging coffins at the foot of the Valley Trail. It was a short 30-odd minute trail downhill if memory serves me right. The local tour guide gave detailed explanations about the historical and cultural significance of the tombs and the coffins along with a few jokes here and there. The coffins are a traditional way of burying people and there are some conditions which must be met before one can be allowed to have a hanging coffin burial.
Sagada Pottery
Next up we visited the Sagada Pottery and got a quick demo of how pots are made and a display of their craft and skill. There is a dedicated area where you can buy (they are pricey) various cups, mugs, tea pots and other pottery creations. There were also kids around here selling chocolate filled bread which tasted pretty good.
Lumiang-Sumaguing Cave Connection
Next morning, we finally tackled the elephant in the room (more like in my head) and headed to Lumiang cave to traverse across caves and exit from Sumaguing cave. This journey was about 5-odd hours long and it’s a bit hard to describe the various emotions you go through while spelunking. Exhilarating, thrilling, energizing, consuming, stimulating… I don’t think I’ll run out of superlatives, but in essence it was adventure with ups and downs (literally) and highs and lows (also literally) like the journey of life. It is one to be experienced.
Remember to wear the proper gear, it helps a lot. The gloves and aqua shoes were a real help to me as I saw fellow spelunkers having a hard time gripping on rocks and boulders without gloves and unable to get a firm grip on the surface due to wearing sandals or slippers. I have to mention that there comes a point during the traversal where the guide instructs to take of your shoes, unless of course you’re wearing aqua shoes. There are a couple areas with ropes that you have to rappel as well.
The rock formations inside are quite beautiful and the tour guide often had some trivia as well as some jokes about the formation, like one formation being a male because he had an Adam’s apple. During the second half of the cave, you’ll notice a lot of bats flying around as well. Don’t be alarmed though it does get a bit creepy, they’re harmless (in my experience) and there will be bat poop all around, but you gotta do what you gotta do. You can wash up right after you exit, and there is a restaurant nearby to fill up your tummies and recharge your exhausted bodies.
Bomod-ok Waterfalls
After the tiring but fun-filled cave connection traverse, we headed to the Bomod-ok waterfalls. It is also known among the locals as the Mother Falls. At the start of the trek, the locals give you a wooden stick, but it would be better with a proper trekking pole as it was extremely lengthly and tiring, there were what seemed like a billion steps downwards followed by crossing a river stream and a short trek toward the foot of the falls.
The Bomod-ok is quite scenic and grand, and the pictures I took don’t do it justice. There is a pool area right beneath the falls with chilling waters. There is also a small hut on the side selling food. That’s all fun but the trek back is what really kills, and more so for our group because it got dark by the time we headed back up.
Kiltepan Viewpoint
The sun didn’t show up
The final morning in Sagada, we headed to Kiltepan Viewpoint before sun dawn to catch the crepuscular rays, that is, when the sunlight breaks through the clouds. We took a jeepney ride and then a short trek uphill to reach the viewpoint. Some people were camping there overnight as well, which must’ve been a cool experience. Unfortunately, the sun never showed up in its full glory. We did get a few glimpses though, but that was all. There is a restaurant at the viewpoint as well as an instant coffee stall to keep you going. There were few horses around as well for picture taking purposes.
Heading back home
After a couple of days of fun-filled adventures and an aching body, we finally headed back home to Manila. We had a pit stop at the Strawberry Farm in Baguio to pluck some berries and try out everything with a touch of strawberry ranging from ice creams to even a strawberry flavored taho (soy based snack food).
It was another long and tiring ride in the van which lasted the whole day. Thankfully I had this wonderful sophomore album by The Killers frontman Brandon Flowers loaded up on my phone to keep me company.
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