SAGADA—Not only tourist testimonials but also stories in various media (like the films “Kung Mangarap Ka’t Magising” and “That Thing Called Tadhana”) and even that eponymous song have drawn folks to this misty town in the mountains. Many have returned several times; others are so enamored by the place and its people that they now call it home.
In 2019, Sagada registered 144,000 tourist arrivals. The global pandemic disrupted tourism, but from 48,761 arrivals in 2022, the figure jumped to more than 108,000 in 2023.
Improved road conditions—although strong typhoons still trigger rockslides on portions of the mountain passes—have made the trip to Sagada from the lowlands easier. So much so that on long weekends and holidays, the town can get crowded. Complaints have been raised about road congestion and agricultural land giving way to tourist accommodations, but that’s another topic for another time.
For now, let’s talk about the enduring lure of Sagada.
The stream of tourists is steady but it’s mainly concentrated around the Poblacion and only as far as the Lumiang and Sumaguing Caves. Southern Sagada gets less foot traffic and is thus a good idea for those wishing to explore places without having to jostle through a crowd.
When my British friend Chloe asked me where we should go for her two-week holiday in the Philippines, I put Sagada on the itinerary.
From Manila, we had the option to take a 12-hour Ohayami bus ride from Cubao, Quezon City. But the bus ran out of seats, so we got on a Joy Bus before midnight and arrived at the GL Trans station at Dangwa in Baguio City in time to catch the 3 a.m. trip to Sagada.
When we arrived at the Poblacion, we enjoyed steaming Sagada arabica coffee along with siopao and lemon pie at the Sagada Coop, a humble structure that’s now an institution. (We later sampled equally great lemon pie at Maggie’s, not far from St. Mary the Virgin Church.)
Homestay
Then we made our way to our accommodations at Mabisil Peewee Organic Farm Inn. (Full disclosure: I’ve known the proprietors of this homestay for many years and consider them family.) Upon our arrival, we had more cups of delicious coffee, from their coffee trees planted in a family plot just across the way.
We spent the rest of the day walking around and hanging out. I highly recommend going to Gaia Café (featured in the aforementioned “That Thing Called Tadhana,” although the interiors have changed a lot) for fresh vegan food and a beautiful panoramic view of the sun setting over rice fields.
After dinner at the homestay and a short gathering around a bonfire, we turned in for a 3 a.m. call time the next day.
We rose early to catch a view of the sunrise from Mount Polis at the boundary of Sagada and Bauko. We had chartered a local jeepney for the day and, with our accredited guide, George, we set out in the dark, each with a headlamp. A drizzle began as we walked up the concrete steps, and we doubted that we’d have a good view of the sunrise at the top. Still, we trekked up, following the trail through the fog.
After about 45 minutes, we were breathless. It was almost light and all around us we could see…white. We were engulfed by fog! What an amazing and exhilarating feeling to be there, 1,847 meters above sea level. George told us that on a clear day you can see as far as the Blue Soil Hills, nearby Besao and Bontoc, even not-so-near Ilocos Sur.
Maybe because it was foggy, we did not see other tourists when we were there.
‘Like a brain’
We were famished after descending from the mountain. Back in the house, we had hot coffee and sweet potato, as well as scrambled eggs and potato fries. We took a nap before proceeding to our next destination: Blue Soil Hills, unique for the vivid color due to the high concentration of copper sulfate in the soil. Apparently, the hills get even bluer after rain.
We rode atop the jeepney, holding on to railings, to get there—as one does in Sagada—enjoying the emerald hills lined with pine trees and the cool breeze under the midmorning sun.
Traditionally called Kaman Utek—literally “like a brain,” because of how the topography resembles the brain’s folds—Blue Soil Hills sit at the boundary of Sagada and Bontoc.
On the way we passed grassland surrounded by pine trees for about half an hour. Don’t be surprised to see a few cows grazing. The old folks say that their ancestors used to bring large herds of cows to graze there; it’s not such a common occurrence now.
Only photo sessions with the Blue Soil Hills in the background are permitted. Climbing up is not allowed, to forestall further erosion. Snack vendors offer everything from lumpia to fishballs to fresh buko juice and halo-halo. We sat to enjoy our merienda with the slightly blue elevations in front of us, some dogs lazing nearby, and many dragonflies fitting about. Oh, and a steady trickle of tourists coming to enjoy the same scenery.
Refreshing cascade
In the afternoon we set out for Obwa Falls, which lead to the Blue Lagoon. Even at street level, the waterfall seen from a distance is already inviting. But to get there and to the actual Blue Lagoon, you need good balance and flexibility to make sure you don’t slip and fall from the limestones (some sharp-edged) and into the gushing waters. The initial descent to the rice paddies is paved, so you can hold on to metal railings as you take each concrete step. But after that…
I decided to walk barefoot, confident I could better handle the porous rocks that way. Thankfully, our guide was there to identify where to turn, which parts were less slippery, when to dare to step into the water, finally. There were many pools along the way. We sat for a while to soak our feet, but we were coaxed to proceed with the promise of an amazing view at the end of the trek.
The effort is worth the chance to take a dip and then linger in the clear and refreshing pool, with the fresh water cascading behind you. At first I gingerly made my way from one rock to the water’s edge, carefully checking just how deep the water level was. After walking around to familiarize ourselves with the sudden dips underwater, we took more than an hour swimming, listening to the birds, and forest-bathing. Only one other group came to join us in the water.
We experienced the dramatic changing of the sky’s colors as the sun started to set—our signal to make our way back because it would be dark soon.
What a glorious day spent in not-so-crowded Sagada! It ended with us marveling at the sea of stars against a dark sky.
