JUST A QUICK ESCAPE TO SAGADA (PHILIPPINES)

Location:  Sagada, Mountain Province, Philippines 

The grandeur of Bomod-ok Water Falls

This was an unplanned tour with Rome Frias as we wanted to enjoy it cold weather of Sagada which is a part of Mountain Province.  This province is comparably colder than Baguio City, tagged as the country's summer capital.  Sagada, generally has a temperature which ranges from 15 to 28 degrees Celsius year round, while Baguio City has an average temperature of about 20.6 to 21 degrees Celsius.  Cooler months (December to February) in Sagada has average lows drop from 13 to 14 degrees Celsius and highs reach from 20 to 21 degrees Celsius.

Second bus stop-over after passing Banaue

Our trip started from HM Transport Terminal at Monte de Piedad Street corner EDSA, Cubao Quezon City (Near Victory Liner).  It has to be noted that there is only nightly schedules typically running between 8:00 to 10:30 P.M.  We booked our ticket 4 days earlier.  Unfortunately, earlier schedules were fully booked already and we landed getting the 10:30 P.M. trip.

At this point, we already passed Banaue Rice Terraces and the junction road heading to Batad Rice Terraces.   Both tourist attractions are from the province of Ifugao.

My travel buddy Rome Frias while at our second bus stop over at 7:19 A.M.

We bought a ticket boarding a Super Deluxe Bus (with an onboard comfort room) for P1,200 or US$19.52 for a one-way terminal booking.  Online ticketing platform like 12Go Asia  has a rate of P1,226.42 or US$19.95 due to processing fees.   The travel duration was more than 12 hours.  Our first stopover was in Aritao from the province of Nueva Vizcaya for a late dinner.  This direct bus from Cubao (Metro Manila) to Sagada via Nueva Vizcaya passes through 5 provinces in total: Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Ifugao, and Mountain Province for a total of 462 kilometers.

Approaching Bontoc town of the Mountain Province at 8:44 A.M.

At this point in time, we already passed Bay-yo Rice Terraces which can be viewed along the highway.   Bontoc town proper is 18 kilometers for 40 minutes bus travel from Sagada.

Arriving in Sagada at 9:48 A.M.

Including the 2 bus stops, it took us 11 hours and 18 minutes for our travel to Sagada.  Upon our arrival, we paid a mandatory tourist registration fee of P100 or US$1.63 at teh Sagada Municipal Tourist Information Center.   Tourists should bear in mind that they have to keep their registration receipt at all times since officials and tour coordinators might ask to see it when they visit local spots like caves, waterfalls, or viewpoints.  Another thing is ATMs are very limited in Sagada, so they should have enough physical cash for the registration, local guides, and food.   When paying the registration fee, you will be asked if you need a guide and your accommodation.  On our part, we have already arranged bookings for our accommodation, transportation within Sagada with guide and itinerary.

Our first destination after resting in our accommodation at 1:06 P.M.

After having our lunch, we headed to the Pattong Sacred Area, a culturally significant indigenous site, where according to oral tradition and ancestral belief, it is regarded as a sacred ground that unseen village or ancestral spirits quietly dwell to watch over and protect the local ili (village).   The elders pass down stories that the unseen inhabitants of Pattong guard the community with timeless patience.

Passing thru Pidlisan Rice Terraces to Bomod-ok Water Falls

Since Bomod-ok water falls is 5 kilometers from Sagada Poblacion (town proper), tourists has to board a transport going to its primary jump-off point in Barangay Bangaan, where it is the start of the trail to Bomod-ok Falls.  It has an alternative or extended paths passing through neighboring village areas like Barangay Aguid.  Tourists has to pay a barangay entrance/registration fee of P10 or US$0.16 per person.   There is also a guide fee of P700 or US$11.39 for a group of 1 to 7 people.   If tourists would really need transport from Poblacion to Barangay Bangaan, they need to pay P500 or US$8.13 or P650 or US$10.58 for a two-way jeepney or van rental to and from the jump-off point.   But trekking is still required from the jump-off point to the water falls for 45 hours to 1 hour going down.  Going back to the jump-off point may take longer, since it has strenuous uphill climb cutting through the scenic Pidlisan Rice Terraces.

The hanging bridge

There is no need to pass thru this hanging bridge heading to the water falls, but this can be seen just few meters along the way heading to the falls.

Still at the hanging bridge with Rome Frias

This hanging bridge connects two cliffs of about 50-meter deep and from this vantage point will give the tourists an opportunity to capture the totality of the Big Falls or Bomod-ok Falls.

Still 3 minutes trek away from the water falls

Reaching this point completed my trek along stone steps, rice paddies (rice terraces), and indigenous villages like Pide and Fidelisan.   We cut through the villages of the locals and witness the simplicity and indigenous way of living.