The Cordillera - SAGADA (2 of 4 parts)
Places such as Sagada have greatly inspired my travel writing. Neatly nestled in the mountains of Northern Luzon, with a population of 25,000 in 19 districts or just under 2,000 in the town proper and with the lowest ever recorded temperature of 4 degrees celsius, this hidden gem makes a wonderful getaway in the Philippines.
Places to stay. The Rock Inn (a 2 kilometre drive to the town center, the perfect escape for extreme peace and quiet). This inn sits at the foot of an orchard sprawling with hundreds of orange trees, where everyone is welcomed to experience orange picking at only P50 a head. The types of oranges at this orchard include Ponkan, Satsuma, Lado, Hamlin and Queen. You can drink orange juice every single day for every single meal in your entire life and still never run out! I have also learned that a good orange splits and a bad one sticks (see photo). The bonfire area (which is lit everyday starting at 8PM through to 6AM) makes such a treat for its visitors. Hot drinks and even cold beer are served, makes for great socializing. Rooms with ensuite bathrooms (hot water included) are available at reasonable prices. Look for Bang or Fely to make a booking but ensure to make reservations in advance as this popular place can easily get booked up. There are many other places to stay in town as well, so it really depends on what you’re after.
Places to eat. (1) The Yogurt House where fresh homemade yoghurt is the main speciality as the name suggests. Do try their Rosti (fried shredded potatoes) and other homegrown vegetables. (2) The Lemon Pie House where fresh pies have been made for years on a daily basis. We bought a box of these tasty pies and were given an extra two slices for free! (3) The Log Cabin, a cozy place where a French chef specially prepares your food. This cabin also has a Saturday night buffet for P350 a head. Sitting next to the fireplace, you may also enjoy a wonderful pre-ordered dinner from Sundays to Fridays. It’s all gourmet style, the food is made specifically for you and prepared hours in advance. As the Log Cabin does get very full, during our dinner, we saw three groups (without reservations) who got turned away. So ensure to make reservations for a table and make a pre-order in the morning on what you choose to eat that evening. Our meal was well worth it, the food was absolutely delicious, all prepared with love and care! It’s definitely a must-try! (4) The Rock Inn makes wonderful breakfast food such as homemade yoghurt and pancakes served with freshly grown coffee and mountain tea. Lunch and dinner is available as well, their menu is never-ending! (5) Pinikpikan Eatery. “Pinikpikan” is a typical Sagadan meal (organically grown chicken in soup with smoked pork called etag for flavouring served with rice and fresh vegetables). It was ever so tasty, not to miss! (6) Masferre Inn Restaurant. What makes this place interesting are the beautiful photograph collections on display put together by the late Sagada photographer, Eduardo Masferre, making a good atmosphere for its diners. (7) Café Saint Joe located inside St. Joseph’s Resthouse. Try the St. Joe specials, they’re fantastic!
Items to take home. Organically grown red farm rice (high in fibre), mountain tea leaves, jams/marmalade (you will find orange, chayote, carrot and strawberry), home made atchara, locally made bagoong, coffee, local wine, items from Sagada Weaving (one tip is to ensure to have a local tour guide to have easier access to get into the actual workshop and experience the making of their local goods), items from the Sagada Pottery (you can even get the chance to experience the making of clay pots yourself and realise it is never as easy as it looks) and other souvenirs such as postcards, magnets and more at the many souvenir shops around town!
We also visited the newest place in town, a little shop visible from the main road called Cosmic Tea, a place where items on sale include a lot of beadwork and hand painted shirts and bags. As they also serve food and refreshments, I sampled the cosmic tea, a mixture of citrus and other herbs. This drink is believed to calm one’s senses. Also available in store is the mystical sandwich, a combination of pineapple and cheese served in whole wheat bread.
I took notice that the people of Sagada speak excellent English! It was shared to me that their teachers come from international schools, making communication very easy with tourists. Tagalog is widely spoken, as well. Sagada is a very safe place and there is hardly any crime, maybe once in two years! The local police are very lucky that they never really have anything bad to deal with.
How to get there: It is a 14-hour drive from Manila, so best to do the trip in two parts and have an overnight stay in Baguio, which is 7 hours away from Manila. The roads are relatively decent with many local eateries, cafes and public toilets. Expect some bumpy roads for around 30-45 minutes when driving into Sagada. The roads are smoother once you get into town.
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