Dao-angan, Sagada
Contact Person: Teodora +639185480405 or Irenius +639206070994 email: george.guesthouse [at] yahoo [dot] com

Sure, Saint Joseph Inn is the most popular lodging house in Sagada but should they be fully booked when they weren’t a day before like what happened when me and my friends last went there, what do you do? The ultimate hassle is always finding out that part of your original plan had been messed up some but never worry, personal experience says there’s a solution rests just around the bend. And quite literally, too.

About a hundred or so meters from the Sagada Municipal Hall and down the street where the fabled Yoghurt House restaurant is, is a four storey structure which served as a great lodging alternative for me and my companions. Cheaper than most inns in the vicinity, too, by a few hundred bucks. That’s George Guest House to you, weary traveller.

What to expect: Private rooms or rooms for share, modest sized beds and extra mattresses with clean beddings, a convenience store just downstairs, and hot water boiled for you (for a minimal fee of P30 last I’ve been there) should you find the shower water too cold. We got the rooftop ala penthouse room and it fit five of us comfortably. What’s best about the rooftop location is the veranda overlooking Sagada’s foggy mountains peaks and pine tree-laden green surroundings.

If you do choose to stay at George Guest House, kindly the owners that the people from VisitSagada.com referred you. Check out George Guest House’s website for more info.

(more…)

Our resident guide Gareth from the Sagada Geuine Guides Association relayed us new pictures of Sumaguing Cave. They are anticipating a high turn out for the Holy Week so if you’re planning to go to Sagada, better settle your accommodations and itineraries soon.

(more…)

Benj of Atheista.net returned to Sagada in May of 2006 after making the trip with his family 6 years earlier. Since then, he has been giving advice to others who are planning their Sagada vacations. This particular sojourn to Sagada inspired Benj to write numerous entries about his experiences during his stay.

Nestled in the majestic Cordillera Mountains, the sleepy mountain outpost of Sagada continues to be a conundrum. Despite not exactly being a secret a hideaway, the fifth-class municipality of less than 13,000 continues to maintain itself as a prized destination for backpackers. It has undeniably received its fair share of media exposure both locally and in foreign shores, but despite being renowned for spelunking, trekking and other nature-oriented activities, Sagada continues to be the Philippines’ answer to Shangri-La – an idyllic refuge tucked away in between the mighty monoliths of the Cordilleras… Read more at Sagada (more…)

Sagada is about 400 kilometers north of the Philippine capital of Manila. It is in the middle of the Luzon landmass and is nestled in a valley along the Cordillera Mountain Range. There are two major routes to Sagada – one on the western and more developed side via Baguio City and the other along the east via Banaue.

Manila to Baguio

Victory Liner is the bus line of choice to Baguio City. The company offers almost eighty trips a day from its five bus stations in Metro Manila. The two biggest stations are the ones in Pasay (convenient for those in the Pasay-Manila-Makati area) and Cubao (convenient for those from Quezon City). A bus leaves every hour on the hour. You can call 02-833-5019 to 20 (Pasay) and 02-727-4534 (Cubao) for ticket inquiries and reservations. Unless its peak season (April – May), it’s very likely that you won’t need a reservation. You may simply go to the station and buy the tickets there for the next bus.

Price: 460 Php ~12 USD
Schedule: Every hour
Duration: 6-8 hours. If you leave Manila late at night (around 10 PM, you can arrive in Baguio before 5 AM). Traffic jams in Manila and other cities along the way can dramatically change your time of arrival.
Stops: The bus stops twice at provincial stations for restroom breaks. The stations also have concessionaire stands for light snacks and drinks. (more…)

A visit to Sagada will never be complete without venturing to one of the best this place might offer – the Sumaguing Cave. Aptly called as the Big Cave, it is perhaps the most popular and frequently visited place here.

Sumaguing Cave has the largest chamber of all connecting caves in town (there are more than 60 known caves underneath Sagada). One needs to trek down a slippery trail from its mouth to see the magnificent formations of stalactites and stalagmites that took thousands of years to shape. These formations were carefully sculpted by nature itself to form contours that were given fancy names such as king and queen’s curtains, giant fudge, pregnant woman, mickey mouse, alligator, dancing hall and rice terraces. (more…)

Alfred’s Cabin greets its visitors with very warm tones of varnished wood and carvings. Featured under the soft glow of overhead lamps, the wood certainly makes this restaurant among the coziest eating places in Sagada.

As for the food, Alfred’s Cabin definitely hits the spot for the hungry traveler. I highly recommend the buttered chicken and sweet and sour pork. The buttered chicken is a delectable dish that utilizes a sauce similar to that used in buffalo wings. The result is a scrumptious and finger-licking entree.

A meal with rice, a meat or vegetable dish and drink would set you back about 150 php (about US$3.50 ). Since dishes are not cooked before hand, serving times may take up to 10-15minutes.