Treasured Wanders

The highlight of my adventure in Sagada was witnessing the sunrise in Kiltepan. It was simply breathtaking and magnificent.

A lot of my friends and acquaintances have been asking me about this recent trip but I couldn't really answer all their questions because I was there for practically half a day only. However, I was able to grab a copy of the complete list of the tours they offer from the Municipal Tourist Information Center so I'm sharing it to everyone.

BASIC INFORMATION

Sagada is accessible from Baguio City (6 hours for Php220) or from Bontoc (1 hour for Php40). During off-season, it's ok not to book your accommodation beforehand since there are a lot of inns and lodges around the area. After booking a room for the night, go to the Tourist Information Center to pay the mandatory environmental fee of Php35 and make sure to keep the receipt since you would have to show it to tourism officers stationed on some tourist spots.

The town has an ordinance that requires all visitors to avail the services of a local guide. One will be assigned to you at the Tourist Information Center after you inform them of your plans. The payment for the tours and transports will be directly paid to the guide and driver.

TOUR PACKAGES

Most of the tour packages are designed for groups so it will be much cheaper if you're in a group of 5-10 people. Also, all transport rates are for back and forth service.

SPELUNKING / CAVING
Note that entrance to the caves is only until 4PM.

1. Cave Connection - This is a 3-4 hours exploration inside Lumiang and Sumaging caves. You can opt to walk for around 40 minutes to Lumiang Burial Cave (entrance) then around 1 hour from Sumaging Cave (exit), or you can have a transport for Php400 per vehicle. Guide fee is Php800 for maximum of 2 guests and another Php400 for any additional. Example, a group of 5 will pay Php800 for the first two plus Php1,200 for the other three.

On the way to Lumiang Burial Cave

You can also choose to only see the entrance of Lumiang Burial Cave for Php200 per guide which is good for up to 10 guests.

Lumiang Burial Cave Entrance

The first part of the Cave Connection is a bit challenging. Some ways in Lumiang Cave are very narrow.

2. Sumaging Cave - This cave is a 1-hour walk from the town center and can be explored for 1-2 hours. You may also choose to have a transportation for Php350 per vehicle.

Guide fee: Php500 :maximum of 4 guests
Php600 :5 guests
Php1,000 :6-9 guests (2 guides)
Php1,200 :10 guests (2 guides)
Php1,500 :11-12 guests (3 guides)
Php125/pax if more than 12 guests

Sumaging Cave

3. Balangagan Cave - This cave is a bit further from the town center (30-minute drive) so you have to get a transport service for Php650 which is good for a maximum of 10 guests. After drop off, you have to trek for about 30 minutes.

Guide fee: Php650 :maximum of 4 guests
Php1,200 :5-9 guests
Php1,400 :10 guests
Php1,700 :11-12 guests
Php150/pax if more than 12 guests

4. Crystal Cave - This cave is not as famous as the other three caves and not much people know about it. It's not even on the official list that the Information Center gives and is not advertised that much because they want to preserve it. Unlike Sumaging and Lumiang, Crystal Cave is still alive. This means that the stalactites and stalagmites are still growing. This is also the reason why they only allow small groups because noise and touching can disturb their growth. The entrance is just near Sumaging Cave and the guide fee is higher at Php1,000 - guest to guide ratio is 1:1. The exploration can take up to 6 hours.

VIEWPOINTS

1. Sunrise - The most famous sunrise viewpoint in Sagada is in Kiltepan. For Php500 per vehicle that is good for 10 guests (or Php50/guest if more than 10) and leaves the town center at 4:30AM. Kiltepan viewpoint is only 15 minutes away. It's better if you get there ahead of the other groups so you can choose the best spot.

Another place where you can witness the sunrise in Sagada is in Grassy Land / Marlboro which is also a camping site. You may refer to "Mountain Trekking" category for more information.

2. Sunset - What comes up must come down right? If you wish to have a good look at the sunset, you can do so at Lake Danum. Transport fee is Php550 for up to 10 guests (or Php55/guest when more than 10) and leaves the town center at 4:30PM. The lake is only 20 minutes away so you can go back just in time for dinner.

*You can have a boodle fight meal either in Kiltepan or in Danum Lake for P1,800 that is good for 4 guests. Make sure to make early arrangements.

WATERFALLS

1. Bomod-ok - Guide fee is for Php500 for a maximum of 10 guests and there is a barangay fee of Php10/guest. Transport is at P500 per vehicle until Bangaan then trek of about 3 hours back and forth.

2. Pongas - Have a transport service for Php650 per vehicle to Suyo then hike for around 1 hour. Guide fee is Php600 for up to 10 guests.

3. Bokong - This is the nearest one. Transport is only Php250 ad guide fee is only Php200 for up to 10 guests.

ECHO VALLEY WALKING TOURS

1. Eco Tour - Loop hike to the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Echo Valley Hanging Coffins, Sagada Underground River entrance, and Bokong Natural Swimming Pool passing thru a small river, valley/canyon, rice fields, and Sagada Weaving. This will take around 3 hours and costs Php600 per guide for up to 10 guests.

Church of St. Mary the Virgin

2. Adventure Trail - Just like the Eco Tour, this also takes around 3 hours to complete. The trek will include the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, entry to the underground river, forest trails, and river crossing before reaching Bokong Waterfalls. Guide fee is Php1,000 for up to 10 guests.

Echo Valley

3. Echo Valley Hanging Coffins - This is just a very short hike passing the Church of St. Mary the Virgin to the hanging coffins and costs only P200 for the guide for up to 10 guests.

Tip: Our guide told us that you can ditch the P200 guide fee when you go to the hanging coffins at early in the morning when there are no tourism officers yet in the area.

MOUNTAIN TREKKING

1. Mt. Ampacao Traverse - Loop hike for 3 hours from town center to Lake Danum view point then to Mt. Ampacao and down to the village of Demang or Ambasing or vice versa for a guide fee of Php800 for maximum of 10 guests.

2. Grassy Land / Marlboro - This is a camping site and a sunrise viewpoint with 2-3 hours of back trekking. Guide fee is Php600 and shuttle fee is P650 for up to 10 guests .

3. Langsayan Danum Traverse - At least 3 hours hike passing through mossy and pine forest with guide fee of Php1,000 for maximum of 3 guests.

4. Mt. Polis - It is nestled between Mt. Ampacao and the Grassy Land/Marlboro and provides a good view of Sagada. Php1,500 for the guide fee for up to 3 guests.

5. Marlboro Hill to Blue Soil Traverse Trek - Passes through rice terraces and limestone formations for about 4-5 hours. Guide is for Php1,800 for maximum of 3 guests and transport fee is at Php1,350.

OTHER PACKAGES

1. Mainit Hotspring - This spring is actually in Bontoc, not in Sagada. You can travel there by jeepney or you can get a guide for Php2,500 per guest if you want to trek from Sagada. A trip to experience the Maligcong Rice Terraces can also be included in the itinerary.

2. Horse Back Riding - Rate is at Php350 per hour inclusive of guide.

3. Rock Climbing and Rappelling - You can experience this at around 30meters high for Php800 up to 2 guests and Php400 for each additional guest. (Same rate with the cave connection)

4. Sight Seeing - This is a walk to Lumiang Burial Cave entrance passing through the Dokiw Hanging coffins for Php200 per guide (maximum of 10 guests).

5. Shuttle Day Tour - You can rent a shuttle for the whole day for Php2,200.

If you have further questions, you may contact:

Sagada PNP : 0908-225-8115
Tourism Officer: 0999-991-1801
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/sagadatourism
Email : sagada.mayor@gmail.com

Five years ago, very few knew about Whang-od and her tribe. But now, thanks to various international and local documentaries and features, the world was introduced to their existence. It gave Filipinos so much pride that one of our diverse cultures is being known internationally.

Butbut Tribe is made up of five villages: Bugnay, Buscalan, Locong, Butbut Proper, and Ngibat. The one in Buscalan is where Whang-od belongs to.

In the very short time that I spent with this community, I was able to learn a few things about them.

Butbut's Tattoo Culture

Having a batok has two meanings for the tribe. For the men, you have to earn it before you can have it. It represents your status and rank as a headhunter and it tells your story as a warrior and how you fought for your land. They have high regard to those who would kill in order to protect the village. As for the women, it's mainly ornamental. The elders believed that girls with tattoos are prettier and more likely to get married.

Whang-od was supposed to be the last mambabatok (tattoo artist) but when she realized that their tattoo culture will die when she passes, she decided to teach her sister's granddaughter Grace.

People may think that since anyone can now have a batok, the true essence is already gone. But if you try to look into the meanings of the traditional designs that you get to choose from (which the locals will gladly explain to you), these are merely the ornamental tattoos. Those designs that are for warriors like the bikking and khaman are still exclusive for them. Since WWII, a man named Fanah was probably the first modern-day warrior that Whang-od tattooed with the bikking. You may read here to know more.

Tourism

Buscalan's tourism is mainly fueled by Whang-od's fame. Tourists from all over the world flock to the village just to meet her and get tattooed. Aside from Whang-od, there are currently 4 more artists in the village including Grace. Since the village doesn't have hostels and inns, tourists who want to stay the night will be accommodated on homestays for Php250.00 per night. One favorite is Charlie's house which is famous for his "social hall" where you can socialize with other guests. In Buscalan, you can enjoy free rice and coffee which they planted themselves. You can also have a local guide for Php1,000.00 to help you with your bags, show you to the rest of the village, and assist you in arriving and leaving Buscalan.

Local Music

The people of Kalinga have their own traditional music. One night while socializing with other guests, we were lucky enough to hear one neighbor sing a traditional song accompanied by a guitar. Even if we did not understand the lyrics because it was in their local dialect, it was still relaxing to hear.

Livelihood

Before modern times required the villagers to earn money for education and other needs, everything was done on the basis of trade. Now that they earn through tourism, they are able to send their children to school, buy materials for their houses, etc.

The villagers are mainly farmers. According to our guide Benjie, their harvest is not for sale. They are to be distributed to the villagers as ration for a whole year. One of their traditions is the tork that is celebrated a day before they plant the rice and during this day, no one is allowed to go inside or outside the village.

One common sight in Buscalan are the native pigs that freely roam around. There are also a few chickens and some vegetable gardens for their consumption.

Aside from livestock and vegetables, they also have whaliswis (mudfish). During afternoons or evenings when it's raining, they put weaved traps on the rice fields and collect them the next day.

Family and Marriage

Charlie told us that parents will celebrate a son's birthday every year but not the daughter's. Once the daughter gets married, parents are to give her husband a house for them to live in.

Houses

The traditional house is made up of grass roof and wood. They didn't use nails then. But now, very few of these houses remain in the village.

Crafts

Some, if not all, of the villagers are also weavers. Even the oldest person in Buscalan (yes he's older than Whang-od) still weaves.

They also make knives using scrap metals from vehicles.

Since guests only stay in Buscalan for a very short time, we only see a very small portion of these people's way of life. It's a good thing that they have opened their doors from seclusion so the world will know how beautiful their culture is. I just hope that the government do something to protect them from exploitation.

If you have any corrections or additional input regarding this article, please let me know. :)

UPDATE: Governor Davide of Cebu just issued Executive Order No. 4 to temporarily close the canyoneering adventure site from June 1, 2016 to August 1, 2016. This is in response to the increase in guests and a few recorded accidents. Cebu province will be formulating, in consultation with the local governments, the policies and strict guidelines to ensure safety of residents and tourists.

Canyoneering is one of the most popular outdoor activities in Cebu today. If you are the type who seeks adventure and some adrenaline then this should definitely be in your bucket list.

Here are eight things you need to do if you decide to try canyoneering:

1. Assemble and set the date.

Any adventure is much more fun when you do it with friends. Also, the cheapest tour packages are usually available when there are at least 10 people in a group so make sure to invite everyone! The usual dilemma would be the date as not everyone have the same schedules so make sure to do it when the majority is available. If you are the organizer, bear in mind that there will always be at least one who is never available and there is no way everyone can join due to different reasons so don't force it. Don't cancel the plan just because of a few who doesn't really want to go in the first place.

2. Choose best package to suit your group's preference as a whole.

Different groups have different needs and wants. There are some people who don't mind paying more for the sake of convenience but there are also some people who would rather exert extra effort just to minimize the cost. Minimizing the cost would mean that you'd have to commute going to the drop off point, commute back to the city, bring your own snacks, etc.

3. Wear the appropriate garments.

Based on my experience, the best footwear would be trekking sandals (aqua shoes can be slippery and trekking shoes can be heavy). Since this is not an OOTD challenge, don't stress so much on looking good - you have to wear a life vest and a helmet anyway. Be in something comfortable that you can easily move around in.

4. Trust your guides.

Canyoneering is considered as an extreme outdoor activity so there will always be risks on your safety. No matter how good or experienced you think you are, no one knows these waters better than the guides. They know which ways are safe, which parts are deep enough for diving, and which path is easiest to take. So don't be an arrogant know-it-all and always listen to your guides.

5. Do not litter or vandalize.

Humans are one of the most disrespectful species in the planet. Always remember that not everything on earth is for us to exploit and damage. Do not litter - be responsible for your own garbage. Do not vandalize - you don't own any of these rocks so you don't have the right to destroy their natural beauty.

6. Don't forget the action camera.

Every adventure is best remembered when captured in pictures and videos - a lot of them. So make sure to bring along that one 'techy' friend who has the resources. (Special thanks to Lexli Hernani!)

7. Make sure to enjoy.

This is the most important thing that you should do. If you're not really the type of person who's into these kind of activities, then don't do it. Don't do it just because it's the trend. No one wants to listen to your whining on how you regret doing it and how you wasted 4 hours of your life. For people who love adventures and admires the beauty of nature, every inch of body pain will be worth it.

8.Tell the tale.

Why bother take a bunch of pictures and videos if you're not going to share them to the world? Completing this venture is an achievement so be proud and loud! Let's show everyone why it's more fun in the Philippines. :)

Sirao Flower Farm - does this ring a bell? If it does, then you must be in Cebu or know someone who is in Cebu or saw pictures in social media. The farm is dubbed as the mini-Amsterdam of Cebu because of the pretty flowers. It got so famous in Cebu City that everyone wants to go there and see it first hand.

According to the owner of the place, the flower farm was originally to be planted with fruits, vegetables, and crops. When they decided to plant flowers instead, the owner envisioned a beautiful garden and it provided bountiful harvests every year. This year however, the farm was already gaining popularity because of some people who were able to go there and shared pictures of the place that's why the flowers were not harvested for more people to appreciate their beauty.

The moment I saw a friend's picture on facebook, I immediately decided that I wanted to go there. So one Friday, around 4:30pm, I went there with a friend.

Tip: It is always an advantage if you can bring a car with you but since not everyone has access to one, there are motorbikes in JY Square that can bring you there with PHP200.00 back and forth (a bit overpriced if you ask me).

Even before we reached the area, we had to disembark from our vehicle and walk around 100 meters because of heavy traffic - something I did not expect.

Finally we had a glimpse of the famous farm but what I saw was not something that I expected. After paying the PhP20.00 entrance fee, we went ahead to join the flock of people already there.

Everyone was so busy trying to get the perfect angle for the perfect selfie. Because of the big crowd of people, it was very challenging to get a picture without photobombers.

I honestly was disappointed because I was expecting so much more but there is no denying that the flowers were like waving their hands at you and inviting you to come and check them out. It's a shame how some humans don't respect nature and put more importance on their pictures and how many likes they will get. A lot of the flowers were trampled, crushed, stepped into. If only those flowers can speak, they'd be begging the humans to respect them.

Disclaimer: Photo not mine.

Disclaimer: Photo not mine.

Disclaimer: Photo not mine.

It is better to go there early in the morning since there won't be much people yet. Many of the flowers may be trampled already but the farm is still beautiful and can still impress you with how amazingly wonderful nature can be.

The Flower Farm at 7AM (c) Mau Pacual

Here is a glimpse of how the farm originally looked like - before people destroyed and disrespected the flowers for the sake of selfies. It used to be paradise.

In today's generation where one's worth is generally decided by how popular he/she is in social media and how many likes he/she gets, it's a sad truth that humans are capable of destroying nature without realizing that no amount of followers or likes will ever equate the importance and beauty of our mother earth if we just learn to respect it.

BASIC INFORMATION

TOUR PACKAGES

Butbut's Tattoo Culture

Tourism

Local Music

Livelihood

Family and Marriage

Houses

Crafts

1. Assemble and set the date.

2. Choose best package to suit your group's preference as a whole.

3. Wear the appropriate garments.

4. Trust your guides.

5. Do not litter or vandalize.

6. Don't forget the action camera.

7. Make sure to enjoy.

8.Tell the tale.

The Wanderer

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