Sagada

Introducing Sagada

The absence of noise and pollution are probably the first things you'll appreciate about Sagada, a tranquil mountaintop town where you can walk down the middle of the road and only occasionally be disturbed by a passing vehicle. Backpackers have been flocking here for years to enjoy the incredible mountain scenery, cheap dope and companionship of like-minded travellers.

Sagada fills up quickly in the March-to-May high season. But despite its popularity it manages to stave off changes that would detract from its appeal as an 'ecotourism' destination - there are no massive hotels or blaring discos, and videoke is conspicuously absent. For many Sagadans, the traditional way of life remains intact. During harvest celebrations, women wear tapis while older men don G-strings and gather in the dap-ay; chickens are sacrificed, gongs are played and general merriment ensues.

Sagadans are of Applai (Northern Kankanay) ancestry and their native language is Kankanay although, as in the rest of the Cordilleras, Ilocano and English are widely spoken.

It can get chilly at night, especially from December to February, when temperatures can drop as low as 4°C. From March to May, temperatures rise as high as 30°C during the day. The rest of the year is the wet season, when the normal pattern is a sunny, pleasant morning followed by a heavy, long afternoon shower.

Last updated: Sep 30, 2008