Sagada Adventure: The Technical Side
Ohayooo :)
I dunno what this post will be, I bet it'll be all technical since I am writing this for a friend who wants to go travel in solo. I really wish this can help you. Also, for documentation purposes :)
I work in graveyard shift for 6 days, hence, I just have one rest day so I filed for 2 vacation leaves. I cannot afford to leave work for several days because of some personal issues.
So this travel is just a quickie. Just for the thought I escaped my life in Manila, even for few days. Yes, I chose the Sagada (the first plan is Mt. Pulag but something came up) because of the movie That thing called tadhana. Not because I was aiming to meet someone but because of its tagline Where do broken hearts go? (Uh, will have a separate post for the Sagada Adventure: The Emotional Side)
Opted the Cubao-Baguio-Sagada Route
I left our house in San Mateo around 10 pm, hoping that I can have the 11:15pm trip offered by Victory Liner (the one on the side of EDSA South bound) located at Cubao. Unfortunately, upon talking with the cashier, all trips going to Baguio were fully booked and the next available bus would be at 3 am. With my limited time, I cannot afford to wait for almost 4 and half hours. So my tatay and I (yes, he escorted me up to Cubao) decided to look for another bus liner and we found Genesis - located also at Cubao (on the side of EDSA North Bound)
Because of panic, I did not know that I was waiting at the queue of JoyBus passengers. JoyBus is Genesis' first class buses. It costed me Php 790.00 which did not hinder me because of the comfort and time it would worth. I was the last passenger before the 11pm ride took off. Great isn't it? :) Though, it has no comfort rooms, I had a peaceful sleep and arrived at Baguio by 3am.
Oh well, I will admit that I have no plans nor itinerary for this trip. So I just took a cab from Genesis' dropping spot to Dangwa Bus Station (well I researched a little bit how to get to Sagada of course). But I had no idea that the first trip from Baguio going to Sagada will be at 5am. So well, do not dare to imagine how I killed the 2 hours at that station. Alone.
The trip from Baguio to Sagada took 5 hours, thus, I arrived at the famous broken hearts destination by 10 am.
Plan. Reeeeeeest. Prepare.
My officemate advised me to contact Saggas for my tour guide. I looked for their office and met Ate Yaki. So there, I talked to her about my time constraint. I just had a whole day to go to some of Sagada's tourist destinations.
So we planned for Sunrise Viewing at Kiltepan Peak - Pongas Falls - Sumaging Cave. Yez, that was it. HAHAHA. Everybody knows that I hate and am scared of long walks.
Next, I looked for a place to stay in. And WTF. I was in shock of the rates - from Php 250/night up to Php 400/night. Sarap. Well, I had dilemma looking for a solo room with bathroom. Many of them offer rooms but with shared comfort room. And because I am so maarte when it comes with CRs, I could not settle for just any rooms.
I found Umatan's Lodge. A solo room at its third floor, with its own bathroom with water heater. I arranged my things and ate my lunch (yes, my nanay prepared food for me just in case I need rice during the bus trip). Then sleep from 3pm until 3am! Yes, I rested for literally half day. I was afraid to lack energy for the tour the next day.
Call time is 4:50 am for Sunrise viewing since Saggas suggested that I should conserve energy and just take a van to Kiltepan's Peak instead of walking. Of course, I agreed. Hahaha. I took bath around 3:45am because I need enough time since it was so cool and I cannot handle enough cold to move.
I prepared my things: my full charged phone and power bank of course. Money. Alcohol and face towel.
It was 4:30am and I was hungry since I did not ate dinner last night. I looked for a store and took my little breakfast of noodles, crackers and Chuckie :)
Then, I waited for Ate Yaki and the van. But they were late, because of this guy who "overslept" Hahaha.
The Tour
The Sunrise
We arrived at Kiltepan Peak just in time for the sunrise. The view was just overwhelming. I wanted to shout just like Angelica Panganiban from the That thing called tadhana scene but the tourists were so many. It would be scandalous if I would shout, "Sobrang sakit. Ayoko naaaaa!" HAHAHAHA.
So the guy who overslept is named JR. We decided to go to the same itinerary so we could help ate Yaki lessen the problem of managing their guests' itinerary.
The Breakfast
We had our breakfast at Salt and Pepper (JR suggested for Lemon Pie House, but it is still closed) Had our getting-to-know basics and talked about some issues over a delicious breaker of our fasting.
The Caves
We walked from the town proper to the Cave Connection starting spot. I expected caves which are like the caves of Underground River in Palawan. But this cave, uh, correction, caves - Entrance at Burial or Lumiang Cave and Exit at Sumaging Cave - well, I was not prepared for this.
So many obstacles. I was able to tell myself at the end, "I deserve that 'I SURVIVED the Sagada Adventure' shirt". Knowing me, that experience was just not for me. Hahahaha. It was a real achievement. Ang sarap ilagay sa resume.
They did not allow me to go back to Umatan's because I wanted to take a quick bath, so I decided to buy clothes and took a bath at a near souvenir shop. Whew.
The Lunch
We had our lunch at the famous That thing called tadhana shooting location where they ate a meal - Gaia Cafe & Crafts. After that tiring caves, we deserve a delicious meal. Well, un/fortunately, this cafe just offers organic meals. In layman's term - pangVegetarian. Hahaha. So look with what I ate.
The trekking and the Falls
After lunch, we walked to the starting point of the trekking to the Echo Valley in which is also the location of Anglican Church of the Philippines. So we took a sidetrip.
Then the trekking started, until we reached the spot where the mandatory shouting at Sagada happened.
Then, there goes the Hanging Coffins.
More trekking, we reached this cave and walked through it.
A little more walk. Then there was the Bokong Falls. It was not obvious that JR enjoyed here. Hahaha. *coughs to signal sarcasm*
The Sunset
A Saggas van fetched us from the end point of the trekking. We went to the Sunset viewing location but took a side trip again at the Sagada Pottery where an old woman performed a demo of pottery. How cool is that?
Then we reached Lake Danum.
And walked a little to the real site of Sunset viewing. Waited for almost an hour but it was worth it.
The Dinner
We took the ride back to the town and waited for Ate Yaki so we could settle our remaining fees. I dropped by a Souvenir shop to buy pasalubong and went to Lemon Pie House to pick up my boxes of lemon pies which the reservation was made during the walk earlier to Echo Valley.
Then I met JR again and the other new people at Pinikpikan Haus for our dinner.
Opted the Sagada-Baguio-Makati Route
I took advantage of being able to sleep by 10pm because the first trip back to Baguio was at 5am. I arrived at Baguio around 11am and took a cab to Victory Liner. The queuing was so long and the next ordinary ride to Cubao was 2:20pm while to Pasay was 8pm. However, the Deluxe Bus was already available by 2:10pm. Haha, I chose the Deluxe bus because it could guarantee a ride with a shorter time. I have to make it by 10pm at office. Loser indeed. Haha.
I was still at Kamuning by 7pm. I would lack time if I would prefer to go home first before office. Fortunately, the Deluxe bus was really a Baguio-Pasay route, it dropped me at Ayala.
The Expenses
That was how my one day Sagada tour ended :) Well, for the expenses, please refer below. You may have follow up questions, but you can just search the internet. Haha.
Also, shempre I have the side expenses like the pinanligo ko after Cave Connection, so I just suggest to bring your own clothes na lang hehe.
Rides and Lodge
Tour
Food
See more pictures here (well, restricted to my FB friends)
#SoloTravel Ep1: Where do broken hearts go?