May 27, 2014

Time for some research and development again..We went to Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar with the whole Prime Orienteer Tours & Travel Board of Directors, Admin Officers and Account Executives to experience the picturesque and nostalgic tour.

It was actually my second time to visit this amazing heritage resort. I've always been amazed how they showcase the Filipino talent, ingenuity and craftsmanship, all these is owned by art collector Architect Jose Rizalino "Jerry" Acuzar which is aimed to showcase cultural heritage. 

Let the pictures speak for itself  (including the feeling model pictures namin ahaha)

Contributor: Ms. Mayda Doryn Chua (DOT Prime Guide)
During their DOT Familiarization Tour last March 1 to 4, 2014

(March 01, 2014: SATURDAY) MANILA DEPARTURE

The most-awaited day finally came! Adventure awaits us on a Saturday evening for our 3D and 2N Banaue-Sagada tour. We left Manila by ten o’clock in the evening. The trip would take approximately 8 to 10 hours with a few stops along the way. We proceeded north via NLEX and onward via SCTEX through Tarlac exit, we turned right towards Cabanatuan City and then turned left where we headed northward toward Banaue. Since it was still very dark outside and we are very sleepy, we didn’t mind to look the view outside the coaster. After a few hours on the road, we proceeded northward through Nueva Ecija through to Nueva Vizcaya. The sun is all about to rise when we felt we are already near Banaue, we started to encounter a picturesque view outside. Shortly thereafter, we reach Banaue, Ifugao.

DAY 01 (March 02, 2014: SUNDAY) BANAUE

Banaue is a town on the Cordillera mountain range in the north of the island of Luzon, Philippines. It is mainly visited for its stunning rice terraces, which are a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Early in the morning, we arrive at Banaue Hotel to unload our things and check-in our room. From all appearances, the Banaue Hotel is very reminiscent of an early Baguio-style hotel of the mid 70s. It’s a government run hotel with around 82 rooms. It’s time for us to freshen up and feel the cool ambiance of the hotel before we leave for our whole day adventure.

 After our breakfast, we left the guesthouse heading to Municipal Tourism Office to hire a jeepney and a guide to take us to our itinerary. While waiting, we didn’t waste our single minute to capture the scenery. We saw the overlooking view of the town and took the first glimpse of the famed rice terraces in Ifugao. There are two terrace clusters in Banaue, Ifugao namely Bangaan and Batad, these are part of the UNESCO World Heritage inscription. It is said that their length, if put end to end, would encircle half of the globe. Built 2,000 years ago, the rice terraces manifest the engineering skill and ingenuity of the sturdy Ifugaos. They are irrigated by means of mountain streams and springs that have been tapped and channeled into canals that run downhill through the rice terraces.

In addition to that, there is a lot of rice terraces scattered over the town. Among them are: the Batad Rice Terraces, Bangaan Rice Terraces (both in Banaue), Mayoyao Rice Terraces (in Mayoyao), Hungduan Rice Terraces (in Hungduan) and Nagacadan Rice Terraces (in Kiangan), all in the Ifugao Province.

And now, we are heading to the one of that is easily accessible---Bangaan Rice Terraces.

It’s amazing that our driver serve also as our tour guide. He is very good in speaking English and friendly too. At last! All of us are on board.

On our way, we noticed some landslides on the road. Our driver or I may say our guide said that it occurs almost every day. Good thing, the DPWH managed to monitor and fix it every time. Finally after the curved and steep road trip, we’ve reached Bangaan. We had our stopover at Bangaan Family Inn and Restaurant for advance order of our lunch and proceed right away at the terraces. From the top, we witnessed the unobstructed view of awe-inspiring beauty of hand-carved mountain and the Ifugao village below.  We made our way down the village with a load of steps. It was fairly easy with 15-20 minutes trekking. Be sure to bring water and breathe deeply. Even if the weather is hot, our eyes were fed with the astonishing view of the terraces. While Batad has magnificent amphitheater look, Bangaan Terraces looks like a giant half-pipe ramp stretching along mountains with a little  compact village at the center. We saw the village of the Ifugao and got the chance to wear their way of clothing.

After we’ve gone to Bangaan Rice Terraces, our next destination was the Banaue Museum. Banaue Museum is a short walk from Banaue Town proper and our hotel. But since we hired a jeepney, our guide brought us there. The museum displays a variety of collected rare photos, books, sculptures and artifacts that includes beads, baskets, pottery, woodcraft and woven materials, all of which depict various aspects of Ifugaos rich history and culture. After picture taking, we went back to the tourism office. We dropped by the market, free time to buy some snacks and souvenirs. It was about dinner time when we went back at Imbayah restaurant inside the Banaue hotel. I may say food is not that excellent but average as their service.

Day 02 (March 03, 2014: Monday) SAGADA

Sagada is a quiet town nestled in Cordillerra mountain ranges in North Luzon, Philippines. It is known for natural tourist attractions, adventure, culture and traditions and the warmth of the Cordillera people.

Nothing beats a hearty and scrumptious buffet breakfast to start a great day full of adventure. We have to leave the Banaue hotel early in the morning for our Sagada Getaway. One of the most exciting and challenging ways to make your trip unforgettable is riding in the jeepney “topload way”. Despite of the chilly breeze and fear of curve every time the jeepney turns, the best views in the Cordilleras can only be seen if you're on top load. And yes you can actually feel that you’re touching the clouds.  Just a few hours travel, we’ve reached St. Joseph Guest House which is run by the nuns of an Episcopalian convent. We unload our things and prepare for the next adventure, surviving the Sumaguing Cave.

We have to trek going to Echo Valley where the hanging coffins are located. The distance of the Echo Valley from our place won't make our leg muscles sore. In fact, it’s just a 25-30 minutes’ walk all the way. We passed an Episcopalian Church of St. Mary the Virgin then a cemetery where Panag-apoy Ritual is being held. We continued walking until we reached echo valley trail. At last, we saw the hanging coffins on the cliff. And there is an inscription on every coffin that we can’t understand what’s written on it for the reason that we can’t go any closer.

After visiting the Hanging Coffins at Echo Valley and Lumiang Burial Caves, we proceeded to the man-made stairs that leads to the entrance of Sumaguing Cave. Sumaguing Cave has the largest chambers of all the caves found in Sagada, thus earning its nickname the "Big Cave."  One cannot get inside without the lamp or the headlight since it is very dark. It is also required to hire a cave guide in getting and exploring the cave. The cave really offers “spelunking” adventure. When we say spelunking, you have to get off your slippers, walk on foot, grab a stone near you so you can clamp your body, grab a rope, enter a body-size hole, dip your body to a freezing depression, and brave enough to endure the slippery limestone. From the mouth of the cave, the cave guide would lead the group down the steep, bat-poop-covered cliff. Along the trail, we witness different amazing rock formation you can’t ever imagine. Among them is what they called King’s curtain, turtle, elephant, female and male private part, rice terraces and anything that your creative mind work can take you. It’s indeed an extraordinary and full of challenge adventure that is very gratifying after you see the stunning rock formations, stalactites and stalagmites. After an hour and a half, at last! We finally survived the spelunking thing at Sumaguing Cave. It was an unforgettable adventure and definitely one of the Sagada’s best natural attractions.

The last activity for the day was catching up the amazing sunset at Lake Danum, a must-seen view when you are in Sagada. It is a 4 kilometers away from the town center. Lake Danum is a small lake derived from a Kankana-ey (Ilocano) word means water. It is surrounded by giant pine trees, making the area one of the best places to camp at Sagada. We reached the lake with a group of people also enjoying the view. The majestic view is worthwhile. After taking some pictures we decided to leave since it getting dark outside, unless we want to travel in a dark spine-chilling bushy road.

After a day full of outdoor activities, we had our dinner on a diner a few steps away from the rest house. We tried Sagada’s famous unusual dish named “Pinikpikan”, (chicken soup dish similar to Tagalog's Tinola in presentation however it tastes entirely different). The dish was served with their unique rice that is healthy and organic. Another must-try food in Sagada is their Lemon Pie, Carrot Cake,Yoghurt at Yoghurt House and Taro nut cookies. Thumbs up for their unique taste!
             
DAY 03 (March 04, 2014: Tuesday) DEPARTURE TO MANILA

Last day of our tour. And we head off for a long trip on the road again. But before we go home from a long road trip, we made a short side trip going to Banaue Hotel for the special carrot cake we ordered.  All aboard! It was an exhausting trip, but a very memorable one. The cool fresh air, the scenic mountains of the Cordillera region, the eye-catching mountainside waterfalls, the verdant valleys and rice terraces, the chilly mountain weather, the scenic slopes of pine trees, and their distinctive foods and delicacies, those are only few things that will makes you remember Sagada. I may say, every step and every trek are all worth it. Moreover, our Sagada adventure wouldn’t be complete without the Cordillera people being so warm and hospitable. We are not only delighted with the places we’ve visited but also the feeling of being welcomed. And if I had another chance, I’ll go back to Sagada again and stay for few more days. It’s indeed, Travelling Is More Fun in the Philippines!