SAGADA "Shangri-la of the Philippines"

via MANILA-BANAUE-BONTOC-SAGADA route
The Philippines version of Shangri-la, Sagada may not be Utopian but it is definitely remote and exotic. Located 275-km north of Manila (100-km from Baguio) near the provincial capital of Bontoc it's a long day's bus ride starting from the Dangwa bus station in Baguio over the narrow mountain tracks traversing the Cordilleras.

BANAUE RICE TERRACES

breakfast @ HIDDEN VALLEY RESTO, BANAUE (fried chicken w/ rice and veggies)

CUTE LITTLE IGOROT KIDS


TOPLOAD ADVENTURE


DIRECTION

Popular as a destination of foreign adventurers, Sagada features caves that can be explored (even by non-experts) with the aid of local guides,The forebears of the current residents practiced an unusual burial practice by hanging and stacking coffins, hewed from tree trunks, in the limestone karst cliffs and caves near town.

lunch @ YOGHURT HOUSE (chopsuey, curry veggies, rice)

...an interesting hike along an underground river, a waterfall and pool to cool off in after a day of exploring, and a quiet serenity only found off the beaten path.
behind us is the BANGA-AN RICE TERRACES

dinner (veggies & adobo), cooked by BAG-ILAT (he's now working @ DALICAN RESTO)

INSIDE SUMAGUING CAVE

breakfast @ LEMON PIE HOUSE (egg pie, lemon pie, blueberry pie)

ITINERARY (revision c/o Gareth C. Likigan of SAGGAS)

ECHO VALLEY with GARETH C. LIKIGAN

Day 0, Wednesday April 8
08:00 PM Meeting Time at the Bus Terminal
09:00 PM Boarding of Passengers ETD Manila to Sagada

Day 1, Thursday April 9
06:00 AM ETA Banaue
06:30 AM Banaue to Sagada
10:00 AM ETA Sagada. Free Time/Rest/Prepare (registration fee at the municipal hall = 10/ head)
12:00 NN Lunch
01:00 PM Banga-an Rice Terraces, Trekking and Swimming Bomod-ok Big Falls (guide fee = 600(group) vehicle hire = 800(group)) toll gate fee = 10/head)
06:00 PM Sunset at Lake Danum (better put this down to day 2 as what we talked about)
07:30 PM Dinner

Day 2, Friday April 10
04:00 AM Wake Up
05:15 AM Sunrise at Kiltepan Viewpoint (guide fee = 200)(group) (ill need you guys to wake up early so that at 5:15, we start early
08:00 AM Breakfast (mag breakfast sa Rock Inn, Masaya din dun)
09:00 AM Cave Connection Adventure (400 / head) no need to hire a vehicle
12:00 NN Lunch
01:30 PM (okay so Mount Ampacao Trek na, passing by Demang Old Village to Ampacao, to
05:00 PM lake danum for sunset) guide fee = 600(group))
Prepare/Take a Bath
07:00 PM Dinner / Bonfire Night

Day 3, Saturday April 11
06:00 AM Wake up
07:00 AM Walking Tour: St. Mary's Episcopal church, Calvary Hills, Echo Valley, Hanging Coffins, Sagada Weaving (guide fee = 200)
11:00 AM Start of Bag Packing
12:00 AM Brunch
if AUTOBUS TRANSPORT:
01:00 PM - Leave Sagada for Bontoc (jeepney ride) (45mins) Php 45.00
03:00 PM –Leave Bontoc to Banaue / Cable Bus - terminal: infront of cable cafe near churya-a hotel (3hours) Php 150.00
06:30 PM– Leave Banaue to Manila (8 hours) Php 425.00
02:00 AM – ETA MANILA Sunday

if CABLE TOUR TRANSPORT:
01:00 PM - Leave Sagada for Bontoc (jeepney ride) (45mins) Php 45.00
03:00 PM – Leave Bontoc to Manila (11 hours) Php 750.00
02:00 AM – ETA MANILA Sunday

if LIZARDO or GL TRANS (Route going to Baguio/6hrs ride)
10:00 AM - Leave Sagada for Baguio (jeepney ride) (6 hour) Php 250.00
05:00 PM – Leave Baguio to Manila – VICTORY LINER (6 hours) Php 445.00
11:00 PM – ETA Manila Saturday
01:00 PM - Leave Sagada for Baguio (jeepney ride) (6 hour) Php 250.00
08:00 PM – Leave Baguio to Manila – VICTORY LINER (6 hours) Php 445.00
02:00 AM – ETA Manila Sunday

(im sure, eto ang isang pinakamasakit na time, "knowing that you will be leaving the Shangrila.. hahahaha.. anyway, you will know this when you experience it, and im very sure of it) :D

well, that’s just about it, so I saved you the problem of solving
sa guide fee and vehicle hire each of you would be having a damage of 1020 pesos (4pax yan ha) if 5 kayo, the damage = 880 pesos