A guide to the best things to do in Sagada, Philippines

With rice terraces shrouded in mist, beautiful green valleys and some of the highest mountains in the Philippines, Sagada is a remote getaway in a scenic part of the country. Here is our guide to getting the most out of Sagada.

Only accessible by a series of steep hairpin turns, Sagada is a remote village, high up in the Cordillera Mountains. With mist-shrouded farming terraces rising above verdant valleys, it’s a scenic destination for outdoor activities and cultural excursions in the Philippines.

Isolated enough to be untouched by Spanish invaders, indigenous Filipino tribes have thrived in the region. Collectively known as the Igorot, much of life in Sagada is still based around tribal influences and traditional customs.

See the mysterious hanging coffins of Sagada, watch loom weavers spin traditional tribal patterns, and witness the pace of mountain life as farmers tend to their neatly organised vegetable crops.

Hike forested trails through verdant valleys, wade through Sagada’s underground cave network and soak up the beauty of the lush mountainous rice terraces.

The cool mountain air and slow pace of life makes Sagada a relaxing break from the heat of the cities and an alternative to the palm-fringed beaches of the islands.

With minimal infrastructure and a remote location, Sagada is not the easiest place to visit. But it’s well worth making the effort.

HOW TO GET TO SAGADA

Sagada is a small village located in the Cordillera Mountains. Surrounded by remote terraced farmland, the highest mountains in the Philippines and an extensive underground cave network, it’s an adventure destination and a unique cultural experience.

Located in the centre of Luzon, the largest island of the Philippines, with no rail connections, Sagada is a slow and twisty bus ride from Manilla.

DIRECT BUS ROUTE

The direct bus from Manilla to Sagada is run by Coda Bus Lines. Buses leave between 9pm and 10pm arriving at Sagada between 8am and 9am. Expect to pay around $20USD for a one-way ticket.

VIA BAGUIO

Victory Liner runs a bus service from Manilla to Baguio. The trip takes around 6 hours and 30 minutes, and departures run between 10am through to 3pm, arriving at Baguio between 4:30pm and 9:30pm. Once in Baguio, take a taxi to Dangwa Station to get the GL Trains Bus to Sagada, which will take between 5 to 6 hours.

THE INDIGENOUS TRIBES OF SAGADA

The indigenous people of the Cordillera Mountains are referred to as the Igorot, however there are 11 different ethnolinguistic groups making up a population of around 1.5 million.

After the Spanish arrived in the Philippines in the 16^th century, they sent missionaries to convert the indigenous population to Christianity. However, due to the diverse array of ethnic tribes in the highlands and the remote location, Spanish colonialism was not able to fully take hold.

Nonetheless, each of the colonial eras, the Spanish, American and Japanese have shaped the culture in the area in many ways.

Since Christian missionaries began converting the indigenous population at the turn of the 20^th century, most people in Sagada are now Christian. However, the distinctive native religions of the area still shape many of the customs practised today; the most notable of which is the hanging coffins of Sagada.