If there is one place you should visit in the Philippines, that is Sagada. You have to at least go and see this place and natural wonders it can offer. Sagada is a 5th class municipality in the province of Mountain Province, and is located 275km north of Manila.
There are two ways to travel to Sagada from Manila: (1) via Baguio route or (2) via Banawe-Bontoc. I prefer the the second route because for me it is a much faster route and going back to Manila you can choose to have a side trip to Baguio and get to travel the whole cordilleras region just like what i did. :)
The place is so laid back and the climate is soooo nice. Sagada is 140km away from Baguio but it is much cooler here than in Baguio. The crops are like those of Baguio and Benguet: cabbage, tomatoes, green pepper, potatoes, carrots, beans, and other temperate products. But they have a special Arabica coffee as well. And they have rice terraces in Sagada to, though the terraces in Sagada are smaller than the Banawe rice terraces.
According to our guide, Sagada used to be submerged in water hence the abundant limestone mountains at Sagada, kinda hard to believe considering how high is this place but you have to because how else would there be limestones without water right? Also if you look closely in the above photo there are "hanging coffins" in this limestone which is also one of the famous tourist attraction in Sagada.
Sagada is famous for its hanging coffins and burial caves. This was a traditional way of burying people that is not being practiced anymore. But the photo above is the burial cave, you can found this hundreds year old coffins at Lumiang Cave entrance.
Sagada has many natural wonders. Backpackers and tourists can enjoy spelunking, rappeling, trekking, seeing the Bokong and Bomod-ok Falls (which unfortunately i havent got a chance to see when i visited Sagada, but there's still next time hehehe).
A street in Sagada, the red "house" is actually a Sagada weaving house.
Sagada Church
Sagada Hospital
Sagada was also featured on a local film Don't Give Up on Us.
5 comments:
I was in Baguio in the early 1960's... wonderful then but I am not so sure today. I missed Sagada and wish I had gone there.
How much walking do you need to do to get to Sumaguing cave? Btw, your photo inside the cave was super.
@dennis - unfortunately baguio has become s commercialized today, less trees but still beautiful.
@bertN - it took us 4 hours to finish the cave connection, kapagod but sulit naman :) thanks
the sagada photos are beautiful!!! i like it a lot! i havent been to sagada....the pics makes me want to go there and take photos too! :)
hi happymil - thanks! you should go and visit sagada, totally worth the travel time :)
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