Monday, August 13, 2007

Sagada, Philippines

A small town about 160km north to Baguio. Not a well-known travel spot for Taiwanese travelers, but western travelers. You can go to Sagada by two ways, one is from Baguio, about 6 hrs distance; and take jeepney or bus from Banaue to Bontoc, then transfer to other jeepney to Sagada.














I went to Sagada from banaue. The first jeepney from banaue is 8:30AM, it stay and wait passengers in front of banaue market, look for the jeepney to "Bontoc". If there are only few passengers on the jeepney, they would ask you to wait for the bus which usually arrive banaue around 10-11AM to Bontoc. The last bus to Bontoc is 3:30PM, and you have no jeepney to Sagada if u take this bus, u have to stay in Bontoc for one night.















I stayed in Sagada guest house for one night, it's onyl P150 for single person ordinary room with shared cool water shower outside the room. I don't recommend people to stay here because here is so noisy, and i can't sleep even i was very tired after uncomfortable jeepney trip to sagada and caving in Big cave in one day.















Most tourists are only stay here for one or two nights, and prefer to go caving than trekking. Try to look the register book in tourist information center, more tourists go caving than trekking; however, my guide told me that trekking is also a nice tour here.
























You can see some famous coffins here on the way to Big cave.















I can't describe how beauty inside the Big cave, and how nice feeling when you make something that you thought impossible to yourself. You have to go inside the Big cave at least one time in your life, it is a really nice place. Hire a guide for P400 to guide you inside Big cave. It is about 2 hours tour, and be careful in the cave, it's quite dangerous and slippery. Heavy guy is not recommend to go because there are some small tunnels and holes that you have to pass.
















======Bus and Jeepney schedule========
Sagada to Bontoc: 6:00AM, 6:30AM, 7:00AM, 7:30AM, 8:00AM, 8:30AM, 9:00AM, 10:30AM, 11:00AM, 12:00AM

Bontoc to Sagada: 8:30AM, 9:30AM, 10:20AM, 11:10AM, 12:00AM, 12:50AM, 1:40PM, 2:30PM, 3:20PM, 4:10PM, 5:00PM, 5:30PM

Sagada to Baguio: 5:00AM, 7:00AM, 8:00AM, 9:00AM, 10:00AM, 1:00PM

Bontoc to Banaue: 7:30AM, 8:00AM, 8:30AM, 9:00AM-11:00AM, 12:00AM-1:00PM