banaue sagada via guimba: 2014

January 11, 2014

My son wants to go back to Sagada this January with my mother. My mother didn't go with us last year. She is hesitant because she is afraid of landslides. We left Manila at 0430 hours via NLEX, SCTEX, TPLEX, Pura, Guimba, San Jose, Bayombong then Banaue. We ate breakfast in Jollibee in San Jose. We reached Banaue at 1200 hours. We ate lunch at Uyami or beside Uyami in Banaue. Then we checked in at Banaue Hotel. Banaue hotel is 3000 pesos for 3 adults and 1 child with free breakfast.

Road from Manila to Banaue to Sagada to Baguio is paved.

My mother and I then drove to Batad Saddle. We were supposed to walk from the Saddle to Batad, but when we reached Batad Saddle, my mother wouldn't get out of Jimny. She was scared of landslide. We then drove to Bangaan rice terraces, my mother kept on whining, scared of landslide. There was too much fog, we couldn't see Bangaan rice terraces clearly.

The road to Batad Saddle and to Bangaan at this moment is partially paved. A lot better than last year though. But there are still segments that are 4x4 only and segments that we drove over fresh landslides. My mother was so scared. She almost peed in her pants I think (similar whine when we were river crossing to Baler via Villa).

We then went back to Banaue centro then drove to Banaue view deck so that my mother will have pictures there. We went back to Banaue hotel and ate supper then slept well.

My son and mother love Banaue hotel viewing the rice terraces in the terrace. My son loves Banaue hotel swimming pool. We ate breakfast then drove to Sagada.

For me, one of the roads that I love most is the Banaue to Sagada road (part of Halsema highway). The view is really nice, driving in the fog, the temperature is low. Then reaching mount Polis area, it is really nice!

Then we reached Bontoc to refuel and buy batteries for GPS and camera. Banaue to Bontoc is 1.5 hours. Bontoc to Sagada is 30 minutes.

We ate at Kusina Ysagada in Sagada. We stayed in Misty Inn in Sagada. My son loves Misty Inn. After unpacking in Misty. We drove to Sumaguing cave, my mother wants to see it. Then we went to Lake Danum, then to Besao to see the place. Then we at supper at Sagada cafe.

My mother found it difficult to sleep in Sagada due to the cold weather. Temperature ranges from 9 to 13 degrees centigrade.

My mother and I went to Kiltepan in the morning, then to Lumiang cave to see the coffins. Then we ate lunch at Strawberry place in Sagada southroad. Then we drove to Bomod ok waterfalls drop off. My mother wouldn't survive walking to the waterfalls, she has cardiac arrhythmia. So we just took pictures of the waterfalls from the road.

We ate supper in Yoghurt house in sagada southroad. We really love the chicken in Yoghurt house. And the hot choco there with alcohol is really nice.

We really love Sagada!

In the morning, we drove to Baguio via Halsema then stopped at La Trinidad to buy fresh strawberries. We stopped at Cesar's to buy strawberry jam. We ate lunch at Good Taste then headed to Manila via Kenon road.

Those were 4 days of good things. We were really happy.