Trifter

Set on the cordillera mountain ranges in the Philippines, Sagada has a mystique charm that attracts even the most highly urbanized individual as magnet attracts the hardest of metals.  With its numerous caves, its majestic falls and its rich culture, the once quiet Igorot village is now one of the Philippines’ top destinations.  However, special preparations need to be done for a perfect Sagada holiday.  Here are some real travellers’ tips:

Consider the Weather

While people might say that a visit to Sagada can be done any time of the year, there are places in Sagada that cannot be reached by the ordinary visitor when it is raining.  The following places may be impossible to visit:

1. Bomod-ok Cave aka Big Falls – the trek is partly cemented but partly rocky.  The latter becomes very slippery during a downpour.  However, during a sunny day, one needs to be equipped with a hat or an umbrella and some sunblock because the sun could be scorching at times. 
2. Sumaguing Cave – there are 3 parts of the cave.  The first part is very steep and slippery even without rain.  Thus it becomes more treacherous with additional water seeping in.  Plus, a storm can make the visit fatal.  There was a tragic incident that happened there when a guide gave in to the request of a visitor.  Both the guide and the visitor died inside the cave during a flash flood. 
3. Lake Danum – though not much harm can befall a tourist during a downpour, a visit to the lake may not be as beautiful if the purpose is to see the sunset.  It gets really foggy and cold out there.  However, the cold night could be perfect for a great camp out too.
4. Kiltepan, Mount ampacao and the Marlboro country are all on elevated areas that need to be trekked.  Thus, when it rains, the paths get slippery and foggy too which, like Lake Danum, will block the view.  
5. The pottery may be closed during a rainy day because the area has but a roof with nothing else to protect the people getting wet when the rain is accompanied by wind.

It was a summer time when we went.  The forecast was that it would drizzle a bit and the coldest would be around 14 degrees Celsius.   But to me, it felt colder than that.  The warmest in Sagada is around 20 degrees.  It can get very cold in the Mountain Province specially when it rains.  It’s the one place in the Philippines where leather jackets may be appropriate. 

The Visitor’s Health

Many of the tourist spots in Sagada will require the visitor to hike or trek.  Thus, it is imperative to bring some kind of protection from the sun or rain as the only shade that are available are the pine trees.  Also, for a scoliotic with a milwaukee brace, it may be necessary to remove the brace to ensure balance and safety specially when going inside the cave or trekking to the falls. I know.  I’m wearing one.

For the people with heart conditions and or hypertension, it would be better to hire a vehicle when going to the sights.  Sagada has a rolling terrain which makes trekking even harder for them. The trek to the Bomod-ok falls should be discouraged as it is very tiresome. 

Even the route should be considered.  For those who may not, for some reason, be able to withstand a 10 hour ride thru Banaue, the Manila-Baguio-Sagada route should be chosen.  This route takes 6 hours between destinations and allows for ample rests for the visitor.  It is also the best route the visitor who would like to avoid getting DVT, deep vein thrombosis, a fatal condition which can be easily contracted by those who keep still for more than 2 hours.  Who wants to contract one anyway?

The Itinerary and the Guide’s Skills

 An itinerary should be planned out beforehand.  This will allow the visitor to prepare the things that he should bring.   Also, the guide should be consulted for the IT preparation.  Andrew Bagne and Rodolfo Malidom of  SAGGAS had been our guides during our trip.  I can assure you he knows the ins and outs of the whole cave (which incidentally is the most treacherous destination in Sagada) since it had been a playing ground as a child.

The SAGADA GENUINE GUIDES ASSOCIATION (aka SAGGAS) office is about 300 meters from the municipal hall of Sagada.    Their website, which is a collection of valuable information for a perfect Sagada trip, can be found at http://sagadagenuineguides.blogspot.com.

Here’s a checklist of the clothes and equipment a visitor may need to bring:

• Toiletries (soap, shampoo, conditioner, tooth brush, toothpaste, deodorant)
• Sunblock
• Lip balm
• Pain medicine
• Hot packs (the kind that are dipped in warm water)
• Liniment
• Jacket (a light one during the summer but a thick one during the rainy season)
• A tight cycling shorts, a hat or baseball cap, an old dark shirt (for the trip to the Sumaguing Cave)
• Undies (one for each day and an extra 2 or 3 more if laundry will not be done)
• Tee shirts
• Pants
• Pajamas
• Towel (if staying at an inn)
• Rubber slippers (I’d suggest trekking slippers like Manjaru or Tribu which are not so expensive but have very good traction)
• A digital Camera (with extra SD Card, or any memory card) with a protective bag or a zip lock at least
• Medicines (for allergy, hypertension, etc)
• Mosquito repellent

Optional:

• Make up (to make the ladies’ pictures look good)
• Cologne
• Binoculars (good to have because there are places in Sagada that have awesome views)
• Rubber shoes (Merrell shoes are the best ones) and socks
• Umbrella
• Portable water heater (some inns do not have hot water in the shower)

(In case you’re interested to hire Andrew for your tour, you may call or text him at +639105679332.  Do text or call him at least 2 days before your trip.  The longer lead time, the better.  This guy’s pretty popular you know. )

The Finances

 Availability of  finances can also dictate what kind of holiday a visitor can have.  For the budget conscious, inns such as that of the Residential Lodge have cooking facilities available which will make the cost of food very low.  However, when money is not an issue, Sagada has a number of restaurants that offer great food at urban prices.

The usual cost of the inns in Sagada are from 200 to 250 pesos.  The most popular ones and among the most centrally located are the Residential Lodge, George Guesthouse and the St. Joseph Inn.   They have basic facilities which are perfect for those with limited finances  or who wish to stretch their peso.  Their locations are also money savers because there are many tourist spots that are walking distance from them. 

Ten minutes from town is the Rock Inn which is more upscale but is a little more luxurious than the inns in town.  As of this writing, the cost of a mini executive room, with its own room and 2 double beds, is 1500 pesos. 

It is economical to go in groups because then the transportation and other expenses can be shared.  Some places in Sagada may be impossible to reach without a private vehicle unless the city sleeker wants to stay in the town for a few more days.  Like, Lake Ampacao is a 3 hour trek from the city proper.  For those who have a golden goose, both the guide and a vehicle can be made available to them at of course premium rates.  The Sumaguing Cave and the Bomod-ok Falls are among the places that should not be explored without a tourist guide.  It sounds simple to spelunk or to trek but really, in these places, there are holes and areas that may cost one’s life.

It should be mentioned that there is only 1 ATM in Sagada.  Therefore, enough money should be brought to cover for the expenses of the whole vacation. 

Probably the  most reliable and valuable sources of information of a tourist  are the Sagada Genuine Guides website and the chosen SAGGAS tour guide.   Those that are beyond your control should be played by ear.   My family and I experienced rain in Sagada.  But we still got to go around the town because of the advice of our tour guide.   

Sagada is a great place to commune with nature, meet friends and enjoy a cool climate.  It would be more memorable and special for the first timer to know what to expect.

Travel Coordinators For a Pleasurable Sagada Trip

You may want to get in touch with the following organizers for that most memorable Sagada trip:

1.  Andrew Bagne

2.  The Travel Factor at http://thetravelfactor.multiply.com/

Note: 

This is an on-going article.  Please check back in every now and then because I will be doing the updates as soon as I get word about the appropriate changes.