A Local Adventure Through Banaue, Batad, and Sagada with Filipino Travel Center
I traveled from Manila to Banaue/Batad and Sagada with Tours Banaue (also called Filipino Travel Center and Filipino Travel and Tours). Judith handled the planning and booking, and she was very responsive. I had a clear vision for our trip—I wanted it to feel as local as possible. Judith provided great suggestions and solutions, ensuring we had knowledgeable local guides and resources throughout the journey.
In Manila, their driver Carlos, who had been with the company for years, picked us up and stayed with us throughout the trip. Carlos was excellent—he shared insightful details about the places we passed as we drove through Pangasinan, Nueva Vizcaya, and into Ifugao. He made the long, mountainous trip more interesting and informative. Along the way, we stopped for breaks and sampled some local treats, including tupig from roadside stalls.
We arrived in Banaue in the early evening and stayed at the Banaue Heritage Hotel. The hotel was new, well-maintained, served good breakfast, and had a friendly staff. After a good night's sleep, Carlos introduced us to our local guide, Bridget, and our local jeepney driver, Ricky. Together, they took us to the Batad jump-off point to begin our hike to Batad village.
Bridget was fantastic, giving us an informative introduction to Banaue and Batad during the 40-minute ride. On the hike down to Batad village, she shared insights about local life, schools, and families. It was vital for us to have an authentic local experience, right down to the food. Bridget arranged for us to try a traditional soup made with native chicken and local rice. The native chicken, which roams freely around the village and feeds on rice remnants, offered a truly rustic flavor.
We also learned about the plants growing on the terrace walls and saw ancient family graves embedded in the stones. Bridget then brought us to her family's traditional Ifugao home in Batad. There, we met her family and got a firsthand look at how they process rice by hand daily. It was an amazing, albeit tiring, day. We had initially planned to trek to Bangaan afterward, but we realized it would have been too ambitious, as the hike back to the main road is quite challenging.
After our Batad adventure, we headed to Sagada with a stopover in Bontoc to visit the museum, which I highly recommend. It houses an extensive collection of artifacts and photographs of local tribes by Edouard Masferré. We also explored the public market for snacks and artifacts.
In Sagada, we stayed at Rock Hill Farm and Café, which, although not in the town center, offered a quiet and lovely environment with good food and warm hospitality. Carlos continued to provide excellent local recommendations for food and attractions. We enjoyed meals at the Yogurt Shoppe, Gaia, Log Cabin, and Cellar Door brewery.
Our local guide in Sagada, Manang Betty, led us through a memorable day. Unfortunately, the Paytokan trail was closed for a funeral, so we couldn’t get up close to the Hanging Coffins. Instead, we explored a coffee farm, hiked through a cave leading to an underground river, saw coffins nestled in rock walls and caves, visited a waterfall, and explored the entrance of Sumigang Cave. Manang Betty also shared fascinating stories about Cordilleran burial traditions and her life in Sagada.
Overall, the team at Filipino Travel Center crafted a fantastic itinerary. A big thanks to Carlos for taking such good care of us and even accommodating a side trip to Baguio, where we picked up treats from the Convent of the Good Shepherd and fresh Benguet strawberries from the public market before heading home.