Sagada, Philippines is a fifth class municipality of the
Mountain Province here in the Philippines. It is famous not just for its
chilling weather, that is very unusual for us Filipinos, but also with its very
famous Kiltepan Sunrise where you can watch the sun rising with an OVERLOOKING
SEA OF CLOUDS. Yes! A sea of clouds that will make you fall inlove with Sagada
and will realize that HEAVEN IS FOR REAL!
How to go there?
If you have a private vehicle and can drive 12 looooooong
hours to Sagada, well you’re good to get there on or before the estimated time
BUT I must tell you that to gain a real time experience of getting there thru
public vehicles then you must try the bus-bus-jeep experience. GET OUT OF YOUR
COMFORT ZONE! :D
First, ride a six-hour provincial bus from Cubao Metro Manila
to Baguio (one way is 400-500 php.) There are 24/7 bus liners there so you will
not have a hard time to find one. When you’re in Baguio, RIDE AGAIN a six hour bus
trip to BONTOC which is the capital of the Mountain Province. Then here’s the
exciting part, the Bontoc-Sagada jeepney trips fill up so quickly so one of the
MUST TRY option is to ride on a jeepney’s roof. It’s a little dangerous but it
is normal for the people there to see and do it.
Where to stay?
Sagada is a fifth class municipality so there are no major
hotels that you can look forward to but I must tell you that there are many
hotels, inns and transient houses that can satisfy you and your needs. Me and
my friends stayed at Mayor’s Inn. It is a newly built inn near the town proper
and all I can say that is really beautiful and relaxing AND IT’S LOCATION is
perfect to catch the OVERLOOKING SEA OF CLOUDS experience. It will cost you 400
php per night, the most expensive that you can get in Sagada.
Tip: Just a tip, even there’s a hot water in your shower
room, It will cool easily once it
touches your skin because of the shivering weather. FACE YOUR FEARS!
Defend your body from bad odors! Go and take a bath! Haha!
MAJOR ATTRACTIONS:
Church of the St. Mary the Virgin
This church is the major Episcopalian church in Sagada. It
was built by American missionaries during the early 1900’s. Most of it walls
are made of lime stones. Mind you, 95% of the Sagada population are
protestants.
ECHO VALLEY and HANGING COFFINS
A 10 minute walk away from the Church is the Sagada’s famous
ECHO VALLEY. Here you can shout everything you want while your voice bounces
back to you. But before you can reach the valley, you will pass by an area
restricted for graves only. It is a beautiful hill covered with green grass
spotted by different white graves in different sizes. It is a little scary here
but one thing that made me realize is that how lucky they are to live in a such
perfect place away from a stressful environment. Ugh, later of that
realization. haha!
Anyway, on the end of the cemetery is a trail of experience.
Here you can walk down the trail while fascinating on the pine trees that are
planted like soldiers of time protecting
the virgin forest. You can also discover the cliffs made of limestones and ask
yourselves why are those limestones are up here in the mountain?
Limestones are
built by nature under water right? So does that mean that the Philippines is a
land down under the Pacific Ocean before it became a land bridge to other
countries?
Tip: Just a tip, any tourist who wish to visit this gorgeous
place should watch his or her step and be careful
At last the echo valley! Here you can shout everything you
want while your voice bounces back to you. At first, I thought it was ECO
valley like a shorter version for ECOLOGY haha and I was like what’s with this
ECO valley but when the tour guide shouted and bounces back I realized that it
was ECHO not ECO! Haha! Poor me!
Few minutes walk down the valley is the famous Hanging
coffins of Sagada. When we reached the hanging coffins, it made us feel scared
for a moment because you can see right before your eyes the coffins. There are
many stories why the natives hanged the coffins. Some says that it is a way of
bringing a deceased closer to heaven, some also says to prevent the bodies to
be eaten by wild animals and another is for a practical way of not wasting the
land for crops. Nevertheless, whatever the reason is, we must respect their
tradition and maintain its sacred culture. Pls. Do not touch some rechable
coffins or take pictures with flash and PLS. NO VANDALISM.
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| Some of the hundreds of Hanging Coffins in Sagada |
Trekking to Bomod-Ok Falls
Another popular activity that one should shouldn’t miss is
the Bomod-Ok falls! Have enough energy when you will try the trekking because
it is a loooong and exhausting trek under the heat of the sun sometimes. But
MIND YOU, these are all nothing compared to the breath taking sceneries that
you will encounter along the way. Here are some of the pictures that I captured
After an hour and 20 minutes of walking, we reached the
Bomod-Ok falls. It is the biggest falls in Sagada. Upon arrival, we quickly
swim in the icy water of the walls. It is worth the trek! All the stress and
exhaustion are driven away by the cool and icy water.
Spelunking in Sumaguing Cave
This is a 4 hour activity that will drain your energy, mind
and power.
I am warning you. THIS IS THE MOST CHALLENGING AND PHYSICALLY
DEMANDING ACTIVITY that I experienced in my whole life! Please listen and obey
your guide. What really worries me when I am going down to the cave is HOW TO
CLIMB BACK! Yes! While the trail is becoming steeper and steeper your mind will
trick you and produce some nerve wracking and death defying imaginations haha! What
ever you hold inside the cave is slippery because of the bat-pooped covered
cliff.
But seriously, it is really hard BUT when you get down under the cave,
it is worth the trail. Inside are different rock formations slowly and
perfectly shaped by mother nature throughout the years plus the very cold water
down under! A perfect spot for nature lovers
But wait! Before I forgot, THE STAIRS from the roadside that
leads into the mouth of Sumaguing Cave will really catch your breath! It is not
hard to go down but the GOING UP part is somehow drained my energy especially
that I am a first time spelunker.
What to buy:
Compared to Metro Manila, vegies here in Sagada are very
cheap by atleast 50-60%.
Vegetables are fresh from the farm. I bought 10 kilos of
garlic for just P100. Potatoes for P20 per kilo. Broccoli 5 kilos for 100 php
and many more. You can also visit the Sagada pottery and be amazed how they’re
doing the pots there. You can also buy at the Woven handicrafts for souvenirs.
OH and DON’T FORGET the I SURVIVED SAGADA T-SHIRT. It is your
pride that you survived all of the activities that Sagada can offer to you.
Overlooking Sea of Clouds
When we got back to our Inn. I quickly took a shower. We
talked and planned together that the first one who will wake up early in the
morning should also wake up others to see the sea of clouds. After some cold
beer drinks and chit chatting we decided to sleep.
I’m in deep sleep when I heard a voice saying “Sh*t ang
ganda! (Very Beautiful!)” I thought that it was just my friend seeing a
beautiful lady passing by the road. I felt somebody grabbed my neck and pulled
me and said “Buksan mo mata mo! (Open your eyes) As I opened my eyes, I thought that our van crashed into and that I
went straight in heaven (wait, am I that good boy? Haha) .the ecstatic chill
came out to my body because what I AM SEEING IS A SEA OF PURE WHITE CLOUDS
moving between the mountains. And I was like IS THIS REAL?! And apparently,
it is real!
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| 5:45 a.m. |
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| 6:30 a.m. |
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| 7:30 a.m |
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| 8:00 a,m. |
Philippines is very beautiful country. It is the pearl of the
orient that no one can conquer. Sagada is one of the reasons why Philippines is
one of the top of the lists of a must try vacation experience. I must say that
Sagada is a perfect place. Why a perfect place? Because television is not a big
deal here in Sagada, WIFI is not a necessity and making friends is not thru
Facebook, Twitter or Snapchat but thru a personal encounter. People here are
friendly and approachable. The environment is clean and perfect for soul
searching and mind relaxing experience PLUS the overlooking sea of clouds! So come and experience it real. Grab those travel bags and prepare to experience and see a gorgeous and brilliant place called Sagada.
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| Indeed, Heaven is real here in Sagada. |
