The whole of today morning was spent in a jeepney – first from Banaue to Bontoc, and then again from Bontoc to Sagada. After checking-in to George’s Guesthouse, I went downstairs for lunch.
The George's Guesthouse restaurant had Filipino curry and it was the first time I saw curry in a menu here. I had to try it! It was quite spicy, mostly because of the pepper. Not bad.
I sat at the table and had a slow lunch (even though I couldn’t honestly afford to). My plan was to try and see if I could finish seeing Sagada’s famous caves and hanging coffins by end of day. Both attractions were among the “must see” sights for me on this Philippines trip.
Today was a Tuesday and I had to be in Angeles City at the most by Thursday, because on Friday, I needed to be in San Fernando town for the Good Friday activities. Trouble is, I was really worried about the Holy Week national holidays and all the talk of everything shutting down as Good Friday neared. So I wondered if I could finish seeing everything by today evening and then leave for Angeles City tomorrow itself, just to be safe.
At 2:30pm, I decided not to waste anymore time and decided to begin my tourThe perks of living in a hilly villageI went to the guides' office because I read that you are not allowed inside the caves without a guide!
Inside the office, I speak to the guides and I tell them what all I want to see first. They told me the caves are doable but I may not be able to see the hanging coffins by sunset — nor the church (which wasn’t high up on my list of things-to-see anyway). I told them I needed to be in Angeles City by Thursday and the guides informed me I first would have to go to Baguio city and catch another bus from there to Angeles City. It was going to take an entire day, and if I had to see the church or the hanging coffins, I would have to do it before the last bus to Baguio leaves in the afternoon.
I thought to myself about the journey to Angeles City and realized I would be cutting it a little too thin if I left Sagada in the afternoon (and I may have to spend the night in Baguio if I miss the last bus from there to Angeles City!)
So I decided not to waste any more time ‘thinking,’ hired a guide and told them I’ll try to see everything I wanted to see today itself. The other guides were pessimistic, but I was quite adamant.
The guide and I walked down the road towards the cavesJason, my guide, pointed to these limestone rocks and asked me if I could spot the hanging coffinsThere they were. (By the way, these are not the main hanging coffins site)
I was impressed by how clean and neat Sagada village wasAfter 10 minutes of walking, Jason asked me to wait here while he went inside the store to get his lamp
Jason led me up the path to Lumiang burial caveIt was a short walk
We slowly climbed downLumiang burial cave...and this is what it's famous forHundreds of coffins which have been placed here for more than 300 years, the last one being in 1986The coffins are made of pine wood and have stood the test of time quite well(Panorama comprised of 8 shots)
For more on the Lumiang burial cave, check out this video.
We climbed back upWalked back out to the main roadJason pointed out to me coffins buried below here as well (bottom right)
I sat a few minutes for a breather. As it turned out, my body hadn’t fully recovered from its abused state from yesterday.
But I couldn't afford to sit around for too long, as I was the one who told the guide I wanted to see as much as possible by sunsetIt only looked like the views were going to get better on this tourWalking these neatly paved roads, all I could think of was: "Wow, a village here has such nice roads where as many Indian cities don't even have them!"
Looked beautiful even through these treesWowEven their rice terraces are prim and properPanorama comprised of 8 shots
Another 10 minute walk later, we reached the entrance to Sumaguing cave.
Down we went againThis was the big one (Panorama comprised of 3 shots)First step: Take a lot of steps down
Second step: Wait for guide to light the lanternWaitingOkay, I guess we're readyFinal step: Descend into the darknessI used the lantern as the point for the camera's auto-focus to lock on toJason told me from here on, it's best that I walk barefoot -- and be prepared to get all dirtyVisitors are advised to walk barefoot because the grip is betterAs for the getting dirty bit, the rocks at first are all covered in bat droppings (a.k.a bat shit)The bat shit-covered rocks eventually give way to the smooth limestone rocksWe kept descending furtherThe rock surface is super-smooth... and wet, with water dripping from aboveJason would stop at places to show me unique formations inside the cave. Guess what this looks like?And it's highly unlikely that a T-Rex dinosaur took a stroll through these cavesWe still had more darkness to cover
One of the few photographs taken using flash. Most of the photographs I took using the tripod and on long exposures -- and some even hand-held. (Most were shot at f4-4.5 and exposure ranging from 1/10 to 1 second)Jason helped carry my tripod so my hands were free to climb down (the camera was on the neck strap)Be prepared to get wet tooIt was quite chilly inside and you could see vapour every time you breath out or speak. Even the rocks were cold and walking on them felt really soothing.I got this blur-free shot after six attemptsEven the chilly waters felt therapeutic, don't know if it was the minerals or notThis is for those asking why there isn't one single photo of me in these postsHere's an example showing you how the caves look with flash and without. See how the characteristics of the cave differs?A formation that resembles molar teeth (Panorama comprised of 4 shots)
Yes, there was more going down to do
There were few other tourists/visitors inside the caves as well, mostly FilipinosThe guides all knew each otherAnother shot which took up to five attempts to get right
You reach all the way down when you get to this pool of water, in which you can swim if you wish. Given how cold the water was (and given the lighting conditions), I chose not to.It was time to head back (Panorama comprised of 2 shots)
One of the most photographed rocks from inside Sumaguing caveThe moisture in the air when you breath out inside this chilly environment. Amazing thing is, despite the chill factor, you don't shiver one bit!Jason, my guide, isn't much of a 'smile' person
There was water inside this, making it a jacuzzi of sorts (minus the bubbles)The obligatory "Hey foreign guy with DSLR, take photo of us" shotTried a shot without flash on long exposure before this, but all I got were the people in the backThat's the only way to go back up
It must be a challenge to visit this cave with family
Jason suggested we wait for other groups to go firstIt was our turn nowI can't remember what this rock shape resembled but Jason did say it looked like something (a hippo?)The stars alignOh look, Jason is smilingBack up to bat shit territoryI know using flash would be wrong (and Jason reminded me not to do so) so I tried my best to try and capture the bat clusters using long exposure. I wasn't in a position where I could set up the tripod well.
Another attempt to capture the bats (ignore the large shadow, that's me). The bats weren't flying about inside. Maybe they were camera shy.And then there was light...We had spent nearly 2 hours doing the Sumaguing cave part of the tourBut the reason why it takes that much time is because you have to tread very carefully! This is why they insist you hire a guide, because they know the caves and the trail to follow.I had never been inside a cave like this before so this was quite an amazing experience!This is an Inn just outside the caves (thus the clever name)Shot this at 5pmSagada is a truly beautiful place to visitThese trees are everywhere here in Sagada (Are they a type of pine trees?)I can highly recommend Sagada as a pleasant trekking destinationHad to stop and get one final look of the rice terraces as we walked past it againReally beautiful
Pff, so outdatedAs we walked back to town, I asked Jason if there was anyway we could go to Echo valley and see the hanging coffins today itself as I didn't feel like staying back another day just to see them -- and I REALLY wanted to see them!Jason, took a pause and said: "Sure". I told him I wouldn't mind walking a bit faster, and then he told me there was a shortcut we could take.So I followed my guide, through small alleyways and past village houses
This is the famous church. You normally come here through another path from the village center.We were nearSigh, I officially hate climbing nowThis is Sagada's main cemetery, where they bury people nowadays
After 15 minutes of 'speed walking,' we were in Echo Valley
Echo valley earned its name for obvious reasons. You could see visitors shouting to hear their echoes in return. Though, I’m not sure the dead who were laid to rest here really wanted to hear “I love Justin Bieber” and the equally famous “Justin Bieber sucks”. I’m not kidding, Filipino kids were having a blast shouting it out.
See, even the dead aren’t spared from the Bieber.
Jason pointed to the coffins... and if you can't spot them...
(takes out the 70-200mm zoom lens…)
There!The lens was at 200mmThere were a few older coffins a bit further away
Even after witnessing the hanging coffins from up here, I still felt ‘incomplete’. I knew I would feel like this unless I went all the way to the coffins and took photos from up close, because that’s how I saw them online. And I wanted that.
I asked Jason if we could get a lot closer. He sighed and asked me if I was willing to climb down (he knew I was a bit tired). I told him that I had come this far already, no point in coming back tomorrow just to go up close to the coffins.
And down we went, to get a closer look at the coffins. Took just 5 minutes.
Eerie as it may sound, I felt much better coming down hereEven though this is originally a centuries-old Chinese tradition, it isn't practiced anymore. Despite that, the brown coffin was the most recent addition as the person insisted on being laid to rest here, along with her ancestors.The rest are decades old, some even centuries oldBecause it was getting dark, I set the camera on the tripod and shot these at f4, 1/2 second exposure to absorb as much light as possibleAnd this is what happened when the camera nearly fell to the ground after I clickedIf you are tall enough, you could touch the lowest hanging coffin (but that would just be disrespectful)It was nearing 6:30pm, so we had to head back before it got too darkTook this using flash so that you get an idea of just how dark it really was
The climb back up was tough for me, simply because there were no proper steps. I found myself panting for breath, but in some ways, I now felt ‘complete’. I had accomplished everything I wanted to see in Sagada.
We walked back, a bit slower this time…
... and this is how dark it got by the time we were out of the woods
When we got back to the main road, Jason said he would be heading straight home from there. So I paid him the ₱700 ($16/€11) guide fee, plus a ₱100 tip, and thanked him — for putting up with me and my demandsrequest to see everything I wanted by the end of daylight.
Took this photo from where we got down to the main roadThis is George's Guesthouse... at 7pm
Back in the room, I rested my feet briefly, took a hot shower to cleanse myself of all the bat shit, and then stepped out again for dinner, because Sagada (like Banaue) has a 9pm curfew.
I had read a lot of good recommendations for a place called the Yoghurt House, so I went there for dinner just as it was winding down for the night.
I had the apple ham sandwich...... and the banana yoghurt with granola topping. It was alright. Cost a total of ₱180 ($4/€3).
On the way back, stepped into a souvenir store, bought a neat-looking ‘I Survived Sagada’ t-shirt (₱180) and some biscuits to have tomorrow morning as I was going to be waking up really early to catch the first bus to Baguio city.
Back at George’s Guesthouse, even though the doors were shut, men were drinking and having a jolly time proving that despite the 9pm curfew, the night doesn’t end early for the locals. I copied over today’s photos from the camera to my laptop and made the most of the wi-fi to make bookings for the coming days.
Today was yet another stupendous and memorable day for me. Like yesterday, despite how tired I was trying to see as much as possible, I felt glad at end having accomplished everything I came to experience. Sure, Sagada has some famous waterfalls too, but the trek to the waterfalls was surely not possible today and I had no regrets about missing it either. The main attractions on my Sagada checklist were Sumaguing cave and the Hanging Coffins of Echo valley. And I couldn’t be more pleased with the photographs I took of both the places.
Sagada makes for a perfect weekend getaway for Manila’s residents but even as a foreign tourist, I would still recommend one make the effort to come all the way here.
I was tired, sure, but with nothing else to do in Sagada’s chilly nights, I cuddled up and went to sleep satisfied. Only dreaming this trip would keep getting better.
After yesterday’s epic (and mad tiring) day, I woke up relaxed at around 5:30am. Quite early, I know, but necessary as I wanted to catch the first jeepney to Bontoc, to get to Sagada by afternoon. (All transportation to Sagada passes through Bontoc)
Went to Greenview Lodge's restaurant for breakfastSkipped filipino food and opted for a fluffy pancake with maple syrup instead
After breakfast, I ‘booked’ my seat in the jeepney. In quotes because it’s really on just a ‘first come-first serve’ basis. So you just drop your bag in, tell the driver and reserve a space for yourself. (Banaue to Bontoc cost ₱150)
Once I was assured a spot, I decided to walk around town a bit, as I still had some time.
This lane pretty much houses all the lodges
The Tourist Information Center is right in the middle
Moma (beetelnut) spitting is a big issue up here and so, the municipality has warned locals from doing so on roads and buildingsSo they made designated spitting areas for the moma-chewers... which in this town, is practically everybody!The town resembled a lot of the small towns in the North East of India (and so do the people to some extent)
As it neared 8am, the jeepney managed to fill itself with enough passengers and we left Banaue town.
I hoped to see the Banaue rice terraces in today's sunny weatherI tried my best to shoot through the opening behind my seatThe jeepney would stop to pick up passengers along the wayThe rice terraces looked greener today
Aftermath of landslidesThe American girl I was sitting next told me some of these landslides were recent and that she couldn't go to Sagada the last few days because the roads were blockedI assumed we were travelling today because they had cleared the debris by nowWork was on-going
It was mostly tourists inside, and a few locals outside (seriously)See, I told youIt was, for the most part, smooth roads all the wayWe stopped at this market for a few minutes as farmers got down with their produce
Occasionally we would stop to remove the blockades from the roadPassed by some beautiful villagesOn this stretch too, the jeepneys do not ply on the roads beyond sunset
This was a beautiful valley
Saw a few construction firms on this route. With all the landslides and the subsequent road repair work, it seems like the only thriving business in these parts.
Beautiful
To say this ride was an eyefull of beautiful scenery is a bit of an understatement
We neared BontocThe journey from Banaue to Bontoc took around 2 hours
The jeepney stopped at a junction in Bontoc town and we were told we would have to wait for more passengers before it set off again to Sagada. Those who wanted to get down at Bontoc, got down.
The fares from Bontoc to Sagada for those who want to knowThere wasn't a whole lot to see from where we were standing
After waiting for around half-an-hour in the mid-day heat, the jeepney managed to get enough passengers to leave Bontoc and head for Sagada.
This stretch seemed a lot drier
The roads to Sagada were mostly roughAn hour after we left Bontoc, we arrived in Sagada
I didn’t have any hotel reservations but I had listed down a few names of recommended guesthouses and lodges. A lot of the places in and around the main bus stop (essentially where you board the buses or jeepneys to get to other towns) were full, so I walked downhill a little bit and took a room at George’s Guesthouse.
At ₱400 ($9.4/€6.5) a night, this was a higher price compared to the others at ₱200 to ₱300, but were full because of the Holy Week holidays.But I didn't want to waste time hunting for cheaper places to stay, even if it was for just one night. Anyway, they had hot shower, cleanliness and free wi-fi: all essentials in my book.
I freshened up and headed downstairs for lunch.
(This concludes the first half of this day; the sights I saw in Sagada will be in my next post)
Another 10 minute walk later, we reached the entrance to Sumaguing cave.
