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SAGADA |
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The road north from Baguio, known as the Halsema Highway, affords
breathtaking views as it snakes up to Sagada. Be prepared for a long,
uncomfortable journey, though, as the road is little more than a single
lane of rocks and rubble in many places. If you can't face doing the
trip in one go you could make an overnight stop at the Mount Data Hotel
($25-40), at Mount Data , about halfway to Sagada. You can make
reservations in Manila through Asia Travel (tel 02/752 0307 or 752
0308).
The village of SAGADA , 160km north of Baguio, has oodles of charm and
mystery, much of it attached to the hanging coffins that can be seen
perched high in the limestone cliffs, its burial caves and the survival
of ancient traditions. The dead are still sometimes positioned outside
their house in a chair known as the death chair. This is believed to
give the soul a chance to escape before the remains are disposed of.
Sagada began to open up as a destination when it got electricity in the
early 70s, and intellectuals - internal refugees from the Marcos
dictatorship - flocked here to write and paint. They didn't produce
anything of note, perhaps because they are said to have spent much of
their time drinking the local rice wine, known as Tapuy. European
hippies followed and so did the military, who thought the turistas were
supplying funds for an insurgency. Indeed, a 9pm curfew remains in place
today. All this artistic activity has left its mark in the form of
quaint little cafés and inns and a distinctly bohemian atmosphere.
Most of the village's restaurants and guesthouses are located on the
nameless main street, which runs through the town centre past the little
market area, the town hall, the police station and the post office.
Sagada's forest paths and numerous caves provide some excellent trekking
, although you must register first with the Sagada Environmental Guides
Association (SEGA) at the town hall; the tourist information office is
here too. A typical five-hour trek for one to four people costs P300 for
the group. Tourists have died in Sagada's labyrinth burial caves , many
of which stretch for miles underground, so don't go alone. One of the
best is Crystal Cave , on the southern edge of town. Another, Sumaging
Cave , is a ten-minute walk in the same direction and can take hours to
explore. About 500m from the centre of the village heading towards
Bontoc is the Eduardo Masferre Studio where you can see fascinating old
photographs of tribal life in the early twentieth century. At nearby
Sagada Weaving , fabrics are produced using traditional tribal designs.
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