Sagada and Banaue are majestic wonders which can be found in the mountainous region of Cordillera. Banaue Rice Terraces has been referred to as the “8th Wonder of the World” while Sagada is known for its mystifying hanging coffins. Beyond that, these two man-made wonders are surrounded by pleasant sights like waterfalls, limestone karsts, springs, hills, rivers and caves. These are also being taken care of by ethnic communities that are rich in history, culture and arts.
Banaue is a municipality in the Ifugao province and the natives here are called Ifugao. This English term Ifugao was derived from the local term I-pugo where “I” means “people” and “pugo” means “of the mountains.” Sagada is a municipality in the Mountain Province where the natives are called Igorot. Ifugao and Mountain Province are both under the Cordillera Administrative Region.
Our journey here was definitely an adventure. Getting here alone is already a stunt because of the zigzag roads and high cliffs. The speedy bus travel on the dizzying roads can trigger an adrenaline rush and can even upset your stomach if you’re a bit sensitive. But once you’ve reached your destination and start to get a glimpse of the magnificent rice terraces—you’ll be able to say that it was all worth it. And it’s just the beginning of your quest.
Don’t miss that moment to pay Thanos a visit. For those who are not familiar with Thanos, he is the main villain in the blockbuster hit movie Avengers: Infinity War. It was confirmed in the news that the scene in the movie where he went to rest is in Batad Rice Terraces which is one of the many rice terraces in Banaue. This is just an introduction to our Banaue-Sagada travel blog series. We will feature each attraction in detail in our upcoming posts.
How To Get There:
From Metro Manila, you can take a bus from either Ohayami Trans or Coda Lines, depending on your preference and closeness to their bus stations. We picked Coda Lines because their buses have restrooms, unlike Ohayami Trans. The advantage of Ohayami Trans is their cheaper fare. Coda Lines’ bus station is located in Cubao, Quezon City while Ohayami Trans’ bus station is located in Sampaloc Manila. The travel time from Metro Manila to Banaue is approximately 9 hours while the travel time from Manila to Sagada is approximately 12 hours.
Ohayami Trans:
Station: Sampaloc, Manila
Ticket Price: Php 490.00
http://ohayamitrans.com/
Coda Lines:
Station: Cubao, Quezon City
Ticket Price:
Bus with Comfort Room: Php 650.00
Regular Bus: Php 555.00
http://codalinesph.com/
From Banaue, we took a van to Bontoc which took around 3 hours then took a jeepney to Sagada which was around 40 minutes.
Banaue to Bontoc Van Fare: Php 150
Bontoc to Sagada Jeepney Fare: Php 50
Explorer’s Tip:
We recommend getting an overnight bus schedule to save time. It’s really nice to sleep in one location then wake up at another. We couldn’t afford to take a 9-12 hour bus ride during the day because of our limited time in Metro Manila so we used that time to add another day in our tour. We took the 9:00 PM to 5:00 AM schedule to have a quick morning tour around the Banaue area then we headed to Sagada after lunchtime.
As the title suggests, we also recommend doing a combo trip of Banaue and Sagada to optimize your time in the mountain province area. In just half a day, we were able to explore the famous Banaue Rice Terraces viewpoint and Batad Rice Terraces. We were able to quickly visit Bayyo Rice Terraces when we passed by Bontoc. We had to skip visiting Tappiya waterfalls because its hour-long trek would be too much for our child.
What we did is do a half-day tour in the Banaue area then booked our hotel in Sagada. If you don’t feel that half a day is enough for your trip to Banaue, you can also book hotels there for a day or two then have a separate booking in Sagada.
Tourist Attractions:
Banaue Rice Terraces Viewpoint
Batad Rice Terraces
Tappiya Falls
Bayyo Rice Terraces
Hanging Coffins
Sagada Cemetery
Episcopal Church
Echo Valley
Underground River
Bokong Falls
Sugong Hanging Coffins
Bomod-ok Falls
Sumaguing Cave
Ganduyan Museum
Kiltepan
Orange Picking (Seasonal)
Sagada Map
Where to Stay in Sagada:
Agape Log Cabin And Restaurant
South Road, Dagdag, Sagada, Mountain Province, Philippines, 2619
Mobile: 0917 990 6039
AJjaa’s Place
Atey, Demang, 2619 Sagada, Philippines
Contact number: 0936 301 7221
Big Dipper Sagada
Staunton Road, Mabbay, Poblacion, Cordillera Administrative Region, 2619 Sagada
Contact number: 0916 755 3414
Rocky Valley Inn and Cafe
Staunton Road, Barangay Poblacion, Sagada, Mountain Province, Philippines, 2619
Mobile: 0915 181 8698
Sagada Heritage Village
Mampukong Balugan, Mountain Province, Philippines, 2619
Mobile: 0921 219 8385
http://www.sagadaheritagevillage.com/
Shamrock Tavern Extension
South Road, Makingking, Barangay Demang, Sagada, Mountain Province, Philippines, 2619
Mobile: 0915 823 1408
Coffee Heritage House and Hostel
Sitio Nadatngan, Brgy. Madongo, Sagada, Mountain Province, Philippines, 2619
Mobile: 0917 837 3835
http://www.coffeeheritagehouse.com/
SEE TOO VILLE-STV Home
Besao Road Ato, Poblacion, 2619 Sagada, Mountain Province, Philippines, 2619
Mobile: 0956 960 7934
Pinewood Lodge
Dao-angan, Dagdag, Mountain Province, Philippines, 2619
Mobile: 09174186869 or 09171103303
Isabelo’s Inn and Cafe
Poblacion, Mountain Province, Philippines, 2619
Mobile: 0928 951 7153
Masferre Country Inn and Restaurant
Poblacion, Sagada, Mountain Province, Philippines, 2619
Mobile: 0917 431 5225 and 0939 462 8775
http://www.masferre.ph/
Kanip Aw Pines View Lodge
Atey, Dao-angan, Mountain Province, Philippines, 2619
Mobile: 0926 609 2960
Kenlibed Inn
South Rd. Sagada Kinlibed, brgy. dagdag, Mountain Province, Philippines, 2619
Mobile: 09950131543
http://kenlibedinnsagada.strikingly.com/
George Guest House
Dao-angan, Mountain Province, Philippines, 2619
Main Building: (63) 918-548-0406 / (63) 920-948-3133 (Look for Dora)
Annex Building: (63) 920-607-0994 / (63) 939-902-0996 (Look for Irenuis)
http://georgesagada.blogspot.com/
Woodhouse Transient and Restaurant
Dao-angan, Dagdag, Mountain Province, Philippines, 2619
Mobile: 09126198961 / 0915 600 3817
Mother Mary Inn
Makingking, Mountain Province, Philippines, 2619
Mobile: 0912 300 3994
Bagalima Riverside Inn
Atey, Demang, Sagada, Mountain Province, Philippines, 2619
Mobile: 09477046613
http://bagalima.blogspot.com/
Mary Hillz Homestay
Ambasing, Mountain Province, Philippines, 2619
Mobile: 09153794860
Grandma’s Yellow House Inn
Makbas, Dagdag, Mountain Province, Philippines, 2619
Mobile: 0949 301 7508 or 0919 411 6289
Rock Inn and Cafe
Orange Drive, Rock Farm, Batalao, Mountain Province, Philippines, 2619
Mobile: 905 554 5950 – Wanda
http://rockinnsagada.com/
Saint Joseph Rest House
Poblacion, Mountain Province, Philippines, 2619
Mobile numbers:
Smart: +63 918 559 5934
Globe: +63 927 236 0344
http://saintjosephresthousesagada.blogspot.com/p/contacta.html
Sagada Guest House
Poblacion, Mountain Province, Philippines, 2619 (Beside the Municipal Hall)
Mobile numbers: 09162872325 / 09219694053 / 09189385601 / 09193002763
http://sagadaguesthouse.blogspot.com/
Hidden Hill Inn
Ambasing, Sagada, Mountain Province, Philippines, 2619
Mobile: 09107967073
http://hiddenhillinn.blogspot.com/
Ganduyan Inn
Besao Rd, Mountain Province, Philippines, 2619
Mobile: 09212738097
Alfredo’s Inn
Halsema Highway, Mountain Province, Philippines, 2619
Mobile: 09185883535
Alibama Inn and Pinikpikan Haus
Dao-angan, Mountain Province, Philippines, 2619
Mobile: 09208135797
http://sagadapinikpikanhaus.blogspot.com/p/faqs.html
Residential Lodge
Dagdag, Mountain Province, Philippines, 2619
Mobile: 09196728744
http://sagadaresidentiallodge.blogspot.com/p/room-rates.html
Where to Eat in Sagada (Please click for the extensive list and restaurants review)
Sagada Tour Rates
SPELUNKING (CAVING)
Last Entrance to the Cave: 4:00 PM
CAVE CONNECTION
– 40 min walk to Lumiang Burial Cave Entrance, passing by Dokiw Hanging Coffins, emerging at Sumaguing Cave
– 3-4 hours exploration inside the cave
– physically demanding.
Guide Fee: P1,000.00
– for 1 or 2 visitors.
Php: 500 each for additional visitors
Optional:
Two way Transportation: P400.00
SUMAGING CAVE/SHORT COURSE CAVING
– 1-hour walk from the town center, passing by the Dokiw Hanging Coffins and Lumiang Burial Cave Entrance. 1.5 hours exploration inside the cave
Guide Fee:
P800.00 – 4 visitors or less
P900.00 – 5 visitors (1 Guide)
P1,600.00 – 6-9 visitors (2 Guides)
P1,800.00 – 10 visitors (2 Guides)
P2,400.00 – 11-12 visitors (3 Guides)
P200/person for 13 visitors or more
Optional:
Two way Transportation: P350.00
BALANGANGAN CAVE
– 30 min drive to Balangangan
– 1.5 hours exploration inside the cave
Guide Fee:
P650.00 – 4 visitors or less
P800.00 – 5 visitors (1 Guide)
P1,300.00 – 6-9 visitors
P150.00 each for 10 or more visitors
Transport Fee:
P650.00 – 10 visitors or less
Reminders for Caving
Attire:
– shirt (loose t-shirt), shorts/loose pants
– rubber sandals/flip-flops/rubber shoes
No entrance to the cave after 5:00 PM
Expect waist-deep water in some parts of Sumaging Cave
No urinating inside the cave
Don’t leave your trash inside the cave
WATERFALLS
BOMOD-OK
-3 hours hike (back and forth) from Banga an
Guide Fee: P500 for 1-7 visitors
Barangay Fee: P10 / visitor
Transportation Fee:
P650 two-way vehicle hire (via Aguid)
P500 two way vehicle hire (via Bangaan)
PONGAS
– 1-hour hike from Brgy. Suyo
Guide Fee: P600 for 1-10 visitors
Transportation Fee: P650 two-way
BOKONG
Guide Fee: P300 for 1-10 visitors
Transportation Fee: P250 two way
ECHO VALLEY WALKING TOURS
ECO-TOUR
– 3 hours of loop bike to the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Echo Valley Hanging Coffins, Sagada Underground River entrance, and Bokong Natural Swimming Pool passing thru small river, valley/canyon, rice fields and Sagada Weaving
Guide Fee:
P800.00 – 10 visitors or less (1)
P1,600.00 – 11-20 visitors (2)
P 2,400.00 – 21-30 visitors (3)
*31 pax and above will pay 60 pesos each
ADVENTURE TRAIL
-3 hours trek to the Echo Valley, Hanging Coffins, passing by the Church of St Mary the Virgin, enter the Sagada Underground River. Includes forest trails, river crossing before reaching Bokong Waterfalls.
Guide Fee:
P1,000.00 for 10 visitors or less
*31 and above 100 pesos each
ECHO VALLEY HANGING COFFINS
– A short hike to the viewpoint and a slippery walk to have a close-up view of the coffins.
Guide Fee:
P300.00 for 1-10 visitors (1)
P400.00 for 11 visitors (1)
P600.00 for 12-20 visitors (2)
P700.00 for 21 visitors (2)
P800.00 for 22-30 visitors (3)
P900.00 for 31 visitors (3)
P1,000.00 for 32-40 visitors (4)
*41 pax and above— 30 pesos per head
KILTEPAN SUNRISE
Leave for Kiltepan at 4:30 AM
15 min drive from the town center
Transport Fee: P500.00
P50. 00/person for 11 visitors or more
LAKE DANUM/SUNSET
Leave for Lake Danum at 4:30 PM
20 min drive from the town center
Transport Fee: P550.00 1-10 Persons
P55.00/person for more than 10 visitors
MOUNTAIN TREKKING
1) Mt. Ampacao Traverse — 3 hours loop hike from the town center to Lake Danum viewpoint then to Mt. Ampacao and down to the village of Demang or Ambasing or vice versa.
Guide Fee: P1,200.00 -10 visitors or less
2) Grassy Land /Marlboro – 2-3 hours of back trekking. It is also a sunrise viewpoint.
Guide Fee: P650.00 – 10 visitors or less:
Shuttle Fee: P650.00
3) Langsayan Danum Traverse – 3 hours hike or more, passing through mossy and pine forest.
Guida Fee: P1,000.00 – visitors or less
4) Mt. Polis is nestled between Mt. Ampacao and the “Grassy Land” Marlboro. It provides a good view of Sagada.
Guide Fee: P1,500.00—3 visitors or less
5) Marlboro Hill – Blue Soil Traverse Trek – a 4-5 hours trek passing through limestone formations.
Guide Fee: P1,600.00 for 5 visitors or less
P300.00 each for 6 pax and above
Shuttle Fee: P1,350.00
Boodle Fight Meal… includes a Bonfire at any preferred site (Kiltepan Peak or Danum Lake). An early arrangement is required.
Minimum of 4 for only P1,800.00
1 DAY TOUR FOR SHUTTLE ONLY:
Php 2,400.00
1 DAY TOUR FOR GUIDE:
Php 2,200.00
ROCK CLIMBING AND RAPPELING
No time limit, equipment provided.
Around 30 M High
Fee: P800.00 for 1 visitor
P400.00 each for 2 or more visitors
SIGHTSEEING
Route: Dokiw Hanging Coffins viewpoint
Lumiang Burial Cave entrance
Guide Fee: P200.00 for 10 visitors or less
Optional: Two way Transportation: P250.00
HOTLINES!
Sagada PNP – 09082258115
Municipal Tourism Office – 09171486327
Fire – 09279855328
Hospital – 09176296084
Emergency Response Team – 09999943282 or 09068220044
https://securehealthorganization.wordpress.com