Sagada Rice Terraces
Bodong Festival
Cordillera Mountains
Sagada Hanging Coffins
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TRAVEL SAGADA
A Breathtaking Paradise
Sagada is one of the ten towns of Mountain Province in the Cordillera Region of Northern Philippines. It has a population of about 10,000 divided into its 19 barangays.
Agriculture is the main source of income in Sagada. Cabbages, carrots, and potatoes are common crops while rice is planted for household consumption. Sagada also earns significantly from its tourism industry. It is known for its pleasant climate, pine sceneries, rocky terrain, waterfalls, centuries-old burial caves, rice terraces, local weaving and hanging coffins.
Popular as a destination of foreign adventurers, Sagada features caves that can be explored (even by non-experts) with the aid of local guides, an interesting hike along an underground river, a waterfall and pool to cool off in after a day of exploring, and a quiet serenity only found off the beaten path. The forebears of the current residents practiced an unusual burial practice by hanging and stacking coffins, hewed from tree trunks, in the limestone karst cliffs and caves near town.
Tourists can visit the many beautiful spots in Baguio City starting with Burnham Park and Wright Park. Baguio is also home to the Philippine Military Academy, the "West Point" of the country.
The locals of Sagada are called Igorots. The dialect spoken is Kankana-ey though interestingly, most locals express themselves better in English than in Filipino, the national language. Also, unlike most Philippine towns, Sagada's populace is predominantly Anglican.
TRANSPORTATION: HOW TO GET TO SAGADA
Sagada is a 6 to 7-hour bus ride from Baguio City which is in turn a 5-hour bus ride from the National Capital Region. This route enables one to experience the grandiose of the Halsema Highway with its zig-zagging roads and the breathtaking Benguet countryside. At some point, the highway runs alongside the meandering Chico River as it moves towards the Cagayan River, the longest river in the Philippines.
An alternative route would be to go via Banaue (10 hours bus ride from Manila) and from there, take two jeepney rides going to Sagada. Although this route takes a longer time, some tourists prefer it for they will get a chance to view the famous Banaue Rice Terraces and at the same time, they would pass through the capital town of Bontoc.
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