Spelunking in Sagada

I will admit. I first got interested to visit Sagada when I saw Piolo Pascual and Judy Ann Santos' film Don't Give Up on Me. From the movie, I had the impression that there was a remote place near Baguio City where people are more laid-back and relaxed while enjoying some of the most stunning views. Maybe in the deep recesses of my heart, I wanted to go to Sagada to enjoy what Piolo Pascual enjoyed himself. Oo na, mababaw na. But try watching the film.. maganda nga!

I started talking to my friends about it (Sagada, not Piolo). And some of them who has experienced it already gave raving reviews not only of the place, but also of the experience. Not only was Sagada a nice place to visit, but the falls and caves in it are really worth exploring. The trek to the falls being similar to the trek we did before in Pulag, the magnificent falls themselves, the daring stunts you'd pull exploring the caves.. All these led me to one decision. I will go spelunking in Sagada!

I didn't expect that the town of Sagada was just a loooong stretch of street. All the shops, the inns, restos, and tourist offices were located beside each other along the road. And how do you get by? You walk. Up and down the street. That's the Sagada town proper. Personally, I enjoyed being there.. the cool (nay, cold!) weather, the laid-back locals, the fresh food especially the vegetables, and the over-all rustic feel of the place.

the famous Yoghurt House in Sagada.. definitely must try!

going down a steep rock formation

What excited me the most though was going to the caves. As soon as we descended the steps to get to the entry point of the Sumaguing Cave, I felt exhilirated. My friend Teddy was a bit disappointed though.. because of the steady flow of people coming and going. He told me it would've been a better experience if our group shared the entire cave with only a handful of other people.. (Para hindi daw mukhang tourist attraction talaga). But I didn't mind. As a matter of fact, I enjoyed every minute of it. Especially when we got to the point when our guide made us remove and leave our sandals so that we can move on.

The cave of Sumaguing is really something. The rock formations, as you traverse them, makes you wonder how on earth were they made in its almost perfect formations. However, nothing preparated me for the freakishly cold water inside the cave. It made me shiver constantly but at the same time, make me feel like I'm in a different world altogether. At one point, I felt like I was Indiana Jones exploring the pyramids of Egypt in the Raiders of the Lost Arc. Ok, not quite. But I felt like I was an explorer! (and DON'T even dare think of Dora kid ok!?)

our group watching.. observing the rock formations..

Our guide was constantly telling us to use our imaginations to figure out what sort of images the rocks were conveying. We had a kick out of all the body parts our green-minded guide were suggesting. That perv! Haha.

When we reached the end of the cave, we had a slight disappointment when our guide/s didn't allow us to dive/swim/dip in a natural pool in the heart of the cave below a big rock. Oh well. It didn't dampen our spirits however, as we had to climb our way all the way back to the top. All wet and cold, I finished speluking by climbing up like a thousand steps (exagerrated ok?) to get out of the cave, with bloody foot, sprained ankle and all.

Tadasana posture inside Sumaguing Cave

Aside from the Sumaguing Cave, we also went all the way down to where some of the hanging coffins lay. Mr Guide said the priests in the coffins are hung by the mountains, above the ground so that even in death, they remain high in stature as they were when they were alive.

walking through the rice terraces.. who would've thought!

 

Lastly, one of the things I truly enjoyed in Sagada was the trip going to Bomod-ok Falls (or Big Falls, as how it's also popularly called). The trek which was similar to the one I experienced in Pulag were highlighted as we passed by and walked through the mini rice terraces.. Seeing them up close and viewing its majesty from afar is simply breath-taking!

The falls are a different experience altogether. It was so beautiful that you'd think of it as part of a movie set and not a naturally made wonder. The feeling of going in the water with the falls so near you is indescribable. It was so surreal for me. And as if God wanted me to enjoy the moment more than I thought is possible, a pretty rainbow appeared by the water! So so so pretty!

Looking back, the movie which inspired me to visit Sagada paled in comparison to the real thing. I wish you can also see the movie, experience it in real life and then tell me.. Wouldn't it have been perfect if you were with Piolo Pascual in all these? Hehe.

the quiet, laid-back, very relaxing town of Sagada..

When: January 21-23, 2012

Where: Sagada, Mountain Province