Sagada, Mountain Province

I'm not going back to Sagada again anytime soon, that's for sure.

Let me set the record straight though that I absolutely love Sagada - it's one of the best places I've been to. It's nothing short of awesome to say the least. It's got a perpetually cold weather, enchanting caves and stunning mountain panoramas. But getting there can be a painful ordeal especially for an acrophobic like me. If your fear of heights is as acute as mine, then there's absolutely no way you can sleep off the grueling road trip when you know you're rolling down and clambering up the highway with deep ravines left and right - not to mention the aggressive bends and twists, unless of course you pop a pill that will send you to oblivion for the entire journey.

Bound for Sagada

That was my plan, sure. An antihistamine should do the trick. Take the pill before getting on the bus. Yeah, I do consider myself a big wuzz when it comes to heights, but I just couldn't afford missing the chance of seeing the breathtaking views along the way. So even if I was palpitating like mad, fidgeting in my seat as if suffering from a bad bout of diarrhea, I still had a swell time marvelling at the incredible scenery we passed by.

Photo credit: Lira de la Cruz

But hey, don't let my personal issues with traveling on high roads ruin your plans of going to Sagada. It's an incredible destination, that I can tell you for sure. And so here's a long overdue travel-guide-cum-travel-experience that will hopefully help you plan your trip to this laid-back town.

Getting There

There are no trips that will directly take you to Sagada but there are three available routes you can choose from if you're coming from Manila - these are bus lines that ply via Bontoc, Banaue or Baguio. Bontoc is a 13-hour ride from Manila give or take (including a 1-hour jeepney ride to Sagada); Banaue is roughly 9 hours (3-4 hours of travel via vans or jeepneys) and Baguio, approximately 6 hours (and another 6 to Sagada). See what I did there? Giving you estimates because transportation system in the Philippines is a bit flaky and inconsistent.

Photo credit: Lira de la Cruz

We opted for the Manila>Baguio>Sagada route because it sounded more comfortable. My travel buddy was not a fan of long bus rides so I reckoned it would be a great idea to do a stop-over in Baguio. Cut the travel time in chunks, it felt relatively much shorter. And the upside? We got to spend a night in the summer capital of the Philippines, stroll along the crowded Session Road and bring home a slice of strawberry shortcake from Vizco. (Although, by taking the Manila>Banaue>Sagada route, you're also in for a visual treat as you'll pass by the magnificent rice terraces that Banaue is known for.)

We arrived at the terminal quite early.

After taking breakfast at some eatery near the terminal (oh they serve great tapa!), we embarked on a 6-hour journey aboard a non-airconditioned bus that zigzagged in a long winding road, passed by at Halsema Highway, the highest highway system in the country, and finally arrived in Sagada at mid-day just in time for lunch. I practically heaved a sigh of relief right after stepping out of the bus.

Sagada, finally!