Monday, May 21, 2012

TRAVEL NOTES | Sagada

SAGADA | The Road And Magnificent Caves

May 20, 2012
I'm back in Baguio City, and though I can still smell the Pines and fresh air, its quite different from the purity of the Sagada Environment. It was a 2nd time for me, but still lot's of things that are new. Because I was already familiar with the route we took, the delights of passing through the highest highways in Benguet and the roadside beauty of Mountain Province is incredible. I left the bus window open, never mind that I'm wearing a white jacket, and even though the place is spurned by a cool weather, my face, hair and my jacket is caking with dust when we arrived in Sagada. I was up for the adventure, never even felt tired though I'm lugging a 40 liter back pack.


The road was unforgiving, bus ride is 6 hours from Baguio to Sagada, Mountain Province with only 2 bus stops in between. I learned lesson not to drink much water. Because of the cold weather, I tend to have the urge to pee more often than not, and it's getting me in much trouble because I had to wait for the next bus stop to answer the call of nature. So on my way back, just a few sips of water made it through. I'd certainly recommend drinking less water on trips like these, unless you're on a tour and and could get off anywhere in the road.


The plan supposedly was for few of my friends to take on this trip, I was not intentionally planning this out. Being a travel blogger, I'd like to cover new places, and I've already blogged about Sagada, in fact this place is one of the first location I've written a travel post on. But my friends imposed it on me, intent on joining my tours, I agreed, only to have watch them bail out one by one. I am not one to cancel trips, especially if I've anticipated it, made arrangements and especially announce it to a few of my faithful readers. I'd still go out, just on my own, but luckily my travel buddy is joining, then a few other friends that I know would never bail on the opportunity. I manage to pull through, all five of us, and the first thing we did was of course spelunking, Lumiang - Sumaging Cave Connection, straight 6 hours. 

A challenge that was, I felt like a balloon getting stretch to my limit, as there are places where I had to stretch my legs to reach on rock crevices, or had to shrink as small as I can to crawl in holes. To stop feeling cold, I swan in a cave pool that's way below freezing until I feel numb and close to septicemia. At the end of the 2 days and 2 nights excursion, armed with over a thousand landscape, macro and portrait photos, including the overcoming the challenge of photographing indoor cave systems, marvelous sunrise, nature trekking in rice terraces, the big falls, echo valley, and the rain swept freshwater lake. I still want more, and I vow to go back here as soon as I can.


Travel Notes features my thoughts while on the road. It's a mirror of my current state of mind, impressions of the places I go through, these are snippets of my first hand experiences while traveling.


Francis Balgos is a Call Center Agent, Weekend Travel Warrior, Amateur Spelunker, Sometime Surfer, Newbie Mountain Climber, Photography Enthusiast, Certified Beach Bum, A first born son, Faithful lover, True Explorer...

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27 comments:

  1. I can only dream of Sagada and look at the pictures since I am totally unfit for a mountain adventure...hahaha

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  2. Great pics and great scenery. That's a very practical thing you said about not drinking much liquid on the way to Sagada. I'll keep that in mind on my visit.

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  3. It looks pretty cool and amazing, but i doubt im up for this type of adventure...

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  4. whaaat. six hours of spelunking? I experienced this activity just once when I went to PP's Ugong Rock. that only took less than an hour, but it was already too much for my skinny body! lol. I've been reading a lot about Sagada, hope I could travel to this place in the future and see for myself why a lot of travelers go here.

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  5. Sagada is one of my dream Desti.... :)
    Want to see Sumaging cave...

    Nice pics..:)

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  6. The bottom line: Majestic Sagada !!! :)

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  7. hello kuya. i can really relate about drinking water much during travels. lagi akong naiihi pero i feel the need to drink much kasi napapagod ako.

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  8. Sigh! I would really really like to go here. I hope someday soon. Nice photos.:)

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  9. This is one of my dream places that I want to visit someday.

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  10. I envy your passion for traveling! :)

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  11. I'd leave the bus window open to - just for me to savor and experience everything never mind the sun, the dust and all the elements Lol! whatta adventure!!! love it!

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  12. NA-miss ko bigla ang sagada. gusto kong bumalik dyan

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  13. sana makapunta ako sa sagada!!! :)takot lang ako kasi yung daan at ang tagal ng travel hours! :(

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  14. i wanna go there too...kaso super layo...wooo XD

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  15. badtrip talaga pag naplano na yung trip tas biglang nagba backout isa isa mga sasama

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  16. wish i could visit Sagada someday. i love the first pic, thanks for sharing..

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  17. what an exciting trip!!
    I was there with my husband a few years ago ;)

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  18. geez!! wanted to to some nature trip as well in the philippines! xx

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  19. I love love love Sagada! I've been there I think 8 times and still can't get enough of it :)

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  20. Gee, lots of places I wanna visit this year and Sagada is on my list :)

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  21. i love all your photos here esp. the one with your face! nice one. i love sagada and been there thrice and went spelunking in sumaging cave three times with different companions and love the experience everytime. but i still haven't and maybe cannot do a straight 6 hours cave connection. not for the faint of heart like me haha.

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  22. Unsugarcoated Reviews - So true... It can be painful if you need to pee but you know you have to hold it for another hour.

    TheFrugalWanderer - Yup! its back breaking 6 hours, Sagada caves are magnificent, and this is what draws the tourist in. They have the biggest cave system in the country.

    Tripper10: -Thanks!

    Kalabasa, Lakwatserong ungoy - Agreed! worth the sweat and the body pains pah. haha!

    Ms Chiniverse - You do travel as well, you just have to nourish this passion. hahaha! you to travel too, remember ng kasabay sa El Nido last year, hindi nga lang tayo ng meet.

    Gemma - True. I didn't wear any jackets in Sagada.. So I suggest that if you wanna open bus windows, don't wear jackets wear the dust would easily cling.

    Marco - balik nah. haha!

    Christian - Talaga! bad trip super, pero siempre tinuloy ko pa rin.. I learned my lesson.. never nako mg p plan mg travel with someone taking it half heartedly.

    Pinay Travel Junkie - 8 times??? grabeee! you must love Sagada that much! marami pala ako hahabulin, 2nd time ko pa lang eh

    Eihdra, MaryJane, Kim, Lily, Hazel, TheJonDiesta, Eigroj, and Merlmd
    --- I hope you guys could visit Sagada, travelling through the highest highways in Benguet alone is worth the effort.

    Mhe-anne - its a back breaking 6 hours of spelunking, and only an hour after our arrival in Sagada.

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  23. I like your shirt! More shots of yourself.. :D

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  24. Dami ko na rin trips na ganyan, just take it in stride, sumama ang gustong sumama, maiwan ang gustong maiwan. We don't even tolerate lateness, pag late ka, sumunod ka sa susunod na bus sked hehe

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  25. can't wait to go to baguio again and of course puntang sagada

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