Angel Juarez came up with his own version of this list so I’m just going to compile my own ten. Do check out Angel Juarez’s link – he’s certainly one of the best travel bloggers in the Philippines and he’s fast becoming one of the most popular as well.
Here are the ten things you have to do when you’re in Sagada:
1. Complete the Lumiang-Sumaguing cave connection.
Most people haven’t gone caving and most people are NOT prepared for the physical requirement that this task entails. This makes it the perfect almost-once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to somehow push yourself to the limit and take some risks with your physical well-being. You’ll be surprised how many seemingly nonathletic people have managed to finish the course. Expect to get wet and use muscles that you’ve never used before.
2. Go to the Bomod-ok Falls (Big Falls)
The Big Falls is one of the largest waterfalls you’ll see in the Philippines and the trek to the valley that hides it is a great treat. You will be literally walking along the rice terraces and going through villages that don’t have access to a main road. It’s an easy enough hike if you can go walk for 60-90 minutes without huffing and puffing. Do not underestimate the sun – it may be cold in Sagada but the sun is still king around these parts. Always protect your skin with sunblock. The water temperature in the natural swimming pool is pretty close to ice cold. Reward yourself for walking under the sun with a quick dip before shivering all the way back to the top of the trail.
3. Not fall while doing the Echo Valley trek
It’s cool that I still got to take this photo as two of my friends were falling down the trail! Echo Valley is just within the confines of the town proper but by the time you’re done with the trail, you would have seen three cave openings, dozens of hanging coffins, an underground river and lots of perilous ravines. The path has changed a lot so if you’re a first timer or you haven’t been to Sagada in a while, get a guide to make sure you don’t get hopelessly lost.
4. Run with the wild horses at Marlboro Country
I first heard about Marlboro Country through Howie Severino’s I-Witness documentary on the wild horses of Sagada. You may not see the horses but you’ll know that they’re there – the evidence is all over the place. Even if you don’t get to see the horses, the panoramic view from the hill top is just spectacular. It probably offers the best view of Sagada.
5. Try the coffee
I don’t usually drink a lot of coffee but the one that they have in Sagada is awesome. Residential Lodge has overflowing coffee for all their hostel guests and I usually drink five to six cups a day when I’m there. The coffee is just that good. Maybe the special context of the cold, dry weather makes it the perfect place to sip a hot cup. Bana’s Coffee is the premier cafe in town. It is located just across Residential Lodge at Traveler’s Inn.
6. Climb Mt. Ampacao
Yes, that’s me in the middle – the only one who’s actually off the ground. 
Mt. Ampacao is probably one of the easiest mountains to climb in the entire country. Near the summit is a central clearing that allows for a great view of Sagada and the neighboring town of Besao, Mt. Province.
7. Have the cinnamon bread at Navales Bakeshop
Formerly Makamkamlis Bakeshop, Navales is the go-to-place for really good breads and cookies. For just 17 pesos, you’ll get a nice sized cinnamon bread (much larger than your face!). The sugar on top is burnt just right and the bread is really fluffy and soft especially when you’re getting it in the afternoon when they cook their second batch of bread. The bakeshop is located just a few meters away from the hospital and is situated atop a small hill.
8. Eat at Log Cabin
Log Cabin is the best restaurant in town in terms of the menu and overall ambiance. It’s also the priciest one so be prepared to spend more than usual. There’s a Saturday buffet for just 350 and a full course meal on a regular day would probably cost the same as well. The food is great and the breads are really something else. You may reach them by texting +639205200463. The photo here was taken by Tet Grajo and features my friends from Couchsurfing Manila.
9. Have the Hiker’s Delight at Yogurt House
Hiker’s delight is essentially a crepe with a banana and yogurt filling. It comes with toast and eggs. I used to love the yogurt from Yoghurt House but in recent years, it seems like they have opted for a less sour and more umm… bland “flavor” making eating the plain yogurt a similar experience to eating mayonnaise. During the good old days though, their yoghurt was simply excellent – sour and almost excruciatingly impossible to eat plain. The strawberry preserves give the otherwise unremarkable yogurt a good flavor though. Hopefully they go back to the old recipe soon.
10. Stay at Residential Lodge
This could have been number one, actually. I have stayed in Residential Lodge (+639196728744)over ten times over my 16 trips to Sagada and it has been an awesome experience. I’ve met a lot of great people here and I’ve referred this place to many of my friends – and just about everyone who has e-mailed me about Sagada. They let you cook, there’s wi-fi in the lounge for a minimal fee and there’s a television set on each floor. The rooftop also affords for an amazing night time view.
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This list would be different for everyone so if you disagree with it, please post your own top ten. If you haven’t been to Sagada yet, I hope this inspires you to go there and most if not all of the things on this list.
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wala na, loser na ko sa #3 palang. hehe
Comment by chyng — January 19, 2011 @ 12:08 pm
Well, at least may souvenir ka! :p
Comment by Benj — January 19, 2011 @ 12:22 pm
“Not fall while doing the Echo Valley trek” – 1st time ko sa Sagada nadulas ako. Nakavideo pa! Hahaha!
Comment by pinaytraveljunkie — January 19, 2011 @ 3:43 pm
Wow, people fell a lot on the trail a! :p
Comment by Benj — January 19, 2011 @ 6:31 pm
Sagada is really the best place to visit and relax..Babalik ulit aq dun dis feb
and I’ll make sure to try all the exciting adventures there. 
Comment by NY — January 20, 2011 @ 4:26 am
PWEDE BA PUMASOK SA CAVE ANG 4 YRS OLD?
Comment by ZYHRA NAVARRO — January 20, 2011 @ 10:42 am
I didnt fell on the trail! yay! but my ankle was sprained while attempting to walk on my own to the lake, lumagpas lng ako unti ng pottery. haha Too bad, there’s a lot of things, arts and spots that I missed. But I will return!
Comment by thepinaysolobackpacker — January 20, 2011 @ 4:05 pm
Zhyra: probably not. The cave has not been extensively manipulated to make it easy to walk inside.
Comment by Benj — January 20, 2011 @ 6:09 pm
Good day Sir Benj!
I’m needing some help from you. I’d like to ask if you can give me a sample itinerary.
I and my BF are planning to go to Sagada from Feb 1 to 3. It will be our first time there. We plan to take the 8pm trip(Cable tours). We’ll be taking the Manila-Bontoc-Sagada route. So we expect to be there around 8am on Feb 2nd. We need to leave around 8am of Feb 3rd because I have to be back to Manila around 8pm because I still need to go to work 1am of Feb 4th.
Thanks in advance. Looking for ward to visit Sagada soon! GOd bless
Comment by Koshedl — January 21, 2011 @ 4:39 am
Just found out the site today and i really like looking & reading everything on each page it’s very knowledgeable for newbies like who likes to travel… I really hope I can go there soon with the tips i got here.. but it’s kinda scary going alone though..
Comment by lee — January 21, 2011 @ 9:20 am
Sir benj,
This would also be my first time to sagada. Could you possibly send me a sample 3day itenerary? Tha would include caving, valley trek, summit trek and rice terraces trip. Thanks.
Comment by Soloadventurer — January 27, 2011 @ 2:32 am
wow soo nice article! now I have reason why we should go there! salamat sa post!
Comment by tessa — January 29, 2011 @ 10:15 pm
To do all these 10 things, how many days should i stay in sagada?
Comment by amparo — January 31, 2011 @ 1:31 pm
Hi Sir Benj,
We are planning to go to Sagada on the 17th of Feb. We have a Tour Package, but i would just like to ask for sample itinerary(3D& 2N) for you .. maybe i could suggest it to our organizer.. thanks in advance!
Comment by Jane — February 5, 2011 @ 3:26 pm
Amparo: Maybe three days?
Half the list involves eating so that doesn’t really take up a lot of time.
Comment by Benj — February 5, 2011 @ 7:06 pm
Hi, great site you have here! Not probably the usual question you’d get asked, but: Is Sagada a nice place to just chillax? Is the town picturesque enough to enjoy leisurely strolls and food tripping and just soak in the culture and sights and the locals, and hopefully some cool breeze? Before you say that the long trip wouldn’t be justified without me even trying the caving and the hikes, I would tell you now that it’s okay for me to forgo those things at the meantime coz I’ll be bringing my 1 yr old baby along. I’m willing to spend 5 whole days there to shake off the tiredness from the trip and spend two additional days in Baguio to cut the trips in half instead of doing them in one go. We are a family of hikers and adventurers but I just want to destress and do some easy strolls and just enjoy the rural life in Sagada for 5 days without the adrenalin rush. You see, we’re the type who climbed Kota Kinabalu, went parasailing, whitewater rafting and snorkling and canopy walked all in 5 days with my eldest who was 12yrs old back then; and we also know how to do serious bumming around, we just camped at Pulag for 4 days just chilling out – with the campsite all to ourselves!) So… Is Sagada – its culture, locals, food, sights, scents and sounds around town, minus the hikes to the falls and tombs – worth the 12-hour trip? We’re planning to go early or late part of April…
Comment by Navigator/Dogwalker — February 6, 2011 @ 3:36 pm
Nice one! I’ve been to sagada for the first time with my friends last Feb 5..We were not able to complete all the adventures so we’re going back in May..We were able to do the caving. It was a great experience!
Comment by Leo — February 13, 2011 @ 1:37 pm
Hi! SAGADA is really an awesome place. We were there 3 years ago and hopefully be back this summer. This place is really worth coming back. How could I forget our Sumaguing Cave adventure, the taste of yogurt at the Yogurt house, the ritual dances, and the COFFEE.
Can’t contain my excitemet!!!!
Comment by JESEThought — February 24, 2011 @ 1:47 am
Hi All,
Please help us to know the new cp# of RESIDENTIAL LODGE.coz the cp# posted above is unattended.
Comment by mary ann alano — February 28, 2011 @ 1:54 pm
really want to go to SAGADA. but how will I enjoy the trip in just one day? any best suggestion? thanks.
Comment by Juliet — March 3, 2011 @ 7:39 am
wala naman akung ka-kilaaa doon, paano naman ako makapamamasyal?
Comment by qqtyui — March 4, 2011 @ 1:14 pm
Comment by Benj — March 9, 2011 @ 3:50 am
Hi! Nice site you got.. Really tells a lot about the place. I’ve never been to Sagada but but reading your post makes me really excited about the trip, which my GF and I are planning to have on August. We are planning to leave on the 11th then be back to Manila on the 15th. Can you please help me out by giving a sample itinerary for the trip? I’d really appreciate your help on this. It’s my first time going to Sagada that’s why we want to plan ahead of time to really be prepared and make the trip worth while.
Thanks in advance..
Comment by lee — July 5, 2011 @ 2:26 am
pupuntahan namin lahat to.. thanks sa tips!!
Comment by yodz — August 17, 2011 @ 8:15 pm
nice site! we want to go to SAGADA as a family, but is it safe for them to do the Sumaguing cave spelunking? my kids are 13 & 12 years old. thanks!
Comment by Mitch — September 7, 2011 @ 2:17 am
Is it advisable or preferable to go there on the last week of September we are bound anyhow, any pitfalls or precautions please…
Comment by mel pilar jr — September 20, 2011 @ 1:46 pm
Been in Sagada for three times, but never failed to appreciate nature… We in the city should see to it that once in a while, we find time to unstress in the midst of nature, and Sagada is the place to go!!! Sobrang maganda, I can’t explain the thrill and fun!
Comment by nestle — November 9, 2011 @ 11:08 pm
where can we hire a tour guide?
Comment by Cheyenne — December 18, 2011 @ 6:22 pm
This site makes me miss Sagada. We were there last December 27-30. Great experience we had there! We are planning to go back maybe next year, ipon muna.
I’m praying that there’ll be an easier way (plane?) to go there. Hehehe.
Comment by Jeng Basijan — December 31, 2011 @ 7:06 pm
elow friends try nyo LUCKY’S SHANGHAI HAUZ in sagada mtn. prov. the best foods ever lalo PINIKPIKAN nila
Comment by ALLISON REYES — February 19, 2012 @ 12:23 pm
im coming to sagada watch out for my trip.hehehe.hope to see all those thing you’ve mention
Comment by Eva Nazi Geanga — March 19, 2012 @ 8:39 pm
Im coming……………SAGADA welcome me.hope to experience all that you’ve mention guys,,,
gudluck to my trip
Comment by sha — March 19, 2012 @ 8:41 pm
Hi, my bestfriend and I will visit sagada this coming April. After reading this article it made me so excited!
Thank you!
Comment by Chuzzle — March 23, 2012 @ 5:40 pm
hi,
My fiancee (soon to be hubby) are planning to go there on December for our honeymoon. I am a nature lover and I wanted to be away from the city which is we all know “sobrang ingay” that’s why we chose to Sagada.(my idea:)).. can u send me itinerary for 3D2N? and is there any travel tour that u could recommend us which is affordable and reliable?It’ll be our 1st time to go there by then.
hope to hear from u!
thanks!
Comment by janice marayag — March 29, 2012 @ 11:25 am
hi, i hope you can help me. is it possible to combine the lumiang-sumaguing cave trip and the banaue rice terraces trip? you see, we only have the entire day to spare for this trip. we’re planning to leave sat morning then most probably will arrive early evening then the next day will be the tour and then leave the next day. i really want to maximize cause this is our first time to go to the mt province.
pleae please help me!
Comment by edsel — April 1, 2012 @ 9:38 pm
grabe.. sagada is just the best place to lie low from headaches of city life.. i’ve been there for several times and i wouldn’t miss the chance to go there again this end of may.. With all its amazing scenic picturesque, to their local delicacies and the warm chit-chats to the natives of sagada, you won’t feel any regrets for going there..really ‘luv that place.. (^_^)
Comment by emz emeraud alaya — May 17, 2012 @ 3:40 pm