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Sagada

Sitting among mist-shrouded mountains, tiny Sagada is the closest thing the Philippines has to a Southeast Asian backpacker hub, yet it's possible to find tranquillity along its many hiking trails and get your adrenalin pumping on adventures in the depths of its caves. There's a mystical element to this village, a former refuge for intelligentsia fleeing dictatorship: the centuries-old coffins high up along limestone cliffs lie close to the sky, and days and nights are peaceful thanks to the lack of tricycles or much other traffic.

If you're lucky, your visit will coincide with a begnas (traditional Kankanay community celebration), when women wear tapis (woven wraparound skirts) and older men don G-strings and gather in the dap-ay (outdoor patio); chickens are sacrificed, gongs are played and general merriment ensues. Sagadans are of Applai (northern Kankanay) ancestry and their native language is Kankanay.

Explore Sagada

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Sagada.

  • Historic Site

    Echo Valley Hanging Coffins

    Sagada's most popular attractions are the hanging coffins of Echo Valley: some are centuries old, while others are only a few years old. Most are high up…

  • Cave

    Lumiang Burial Cave

    Lumiang Burial Cave is a 10- to 15-minute walk south of the main village, towards Ambasing, well signposted along the left-hand fork in the road. Steep…

  • Cave

    Sumaging Cave

    The exhilarating Sumaging Cave, or Big Cave, is the most popular of Sagada's caves. Its immense chambers are home to other-0worldly rock formations with…

  • Village

    Demang

    South of the centre, the small village of Demang is now a barangay of Sagada but was the area’s original settlement and remains Sagada’s cultural and…

  • Museum

    Ganduyan Museum

    This small museum is packed with an anthropologist’s dream of sculptures, jewellery and other Kankanay artefacts. Be sure to chat to the owner, the son of…

  • Viewpoint

    Echo Valley Lookout

    You'll pass the Echo Valley lookout on the way to the Echo Valley Hanging Coffins. You'll probably hear people shouting into the valley before you get…

  • Village

    Besao

    Hikes from nearby Besao are less busy than those around Sagada, but they don't feature any coffins and you'll need determination to tackle them. Jeepneys…