Guidebook for Sagada
Food Scene
Sagada has lots of restaurants, from simple places offering pre-cooked dishes in the "turo-turo" style (you "turo" or point, to what you want) to cafes and restaurants offering food from a number of cuisines, adapted to Sagada's available ingredients. We tnd to be short on seafood and long on locally grown vegetables! All business in Sagada is locally owned, so don't expect fast food or chain restaurants.
Sagada Brew offers a good variety of well-prepared dishes and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Try the coffee, desserts, and juices in between meals! One of the closest restaurants to BnB on the Hill.
Sagada Brew
Sagada Brew offers a good variety of well-prepared dishes and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Try the coffee, desserts, and juices in between meals! One of the closest restaurants to BnB on the Hill.
Gaia serves vegetarian foods prepared and served with an eye for freshness and sustainability. Try the soups! They have spectacular views of rice terraces and wooded ridges, and a small library for visitors. It's a great place to spend an afternoon with a book and a cup of tea!
14 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Gaia Cafe and Crafts
South RoadGaia serves vegetarian foods prepared and served with an eye for freshness and sustainability. Try the soups! They have spectacular views of rice terraces and wooded ridges, and a small library for visitors. It's a great place to spend an afternoon with a book and a cup of tea!
Misty Lodge is a little out of town, along the road to Bontoc. It's the place to go for burgers and pizza!
Misty Lodge and Cafe
Staunton RoadMisty Lodge is a little out of town, along the road to Bontoc. It's the place to go for burgers and pizza!
Log Cabin is a Sagada institution. Drop by in the afternoon, reserve and order in advance, and you'll have a huge hearty meal ready for you! Watch for their buffet dinners on weekends or special occasions. Be sure to reserve in advance!
10 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Log Cabin Sagada
Sagada - Besao RoadLog Cabin is a Sagada institution. Drop by in the afternoon, reserve and order in advance, and you'll have a huge hearty meal ready for you! Watch for their buffet dinners on weekends or special occasions. Be sure to reserve in advance!
Erl's is a simple eatery under the market that serves simple food cooked to order at budget prices. It's a local favorite. Try the sisig!
6 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Erl's
Erl's is a simple eatery under the market that serves simple food cooked to order at budget prices. It's a local favorite. Try the sisig!
Yogurt House is about halfway between the town center and BnB on the Hill. It's probably the most popular restaurant in Sagada, and for good reason: you get good food and plenty of it! Try the yogurt, of course, and the pasta dishes get great reviews, as does most of the food.
10 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Yoghurt House
South RoadYogurt House is about halfway between the town center and BnB on the Hill. It's probably the most popular restaurant in Sagada, and for good reason: you get good food and plenty of it! Try the yogurt, of course, and the pasta dishes get great reviews, as does most of the food.
Masferre Country Inn is right in the center of town, and offers plenty of space to eat and plenty of variety on the menu!
Masferre Country Inn and Restaurant
Masferre Country Inn is right in the center of town, and offers plenty of space to eat and plenty of variety on the menu!
Coffee Heritage House is in the village of Madongo, along the road to Bomod-ok Falls. It's a bit out of town, but it's a great place to visit for good food and (of course) good coffee!
Coffee Heritage House and Hostel
Coffee Heritage House is in the village of Madongo, along the road to Bomod-ok Falls. It's a bit out of town, but it's a great place to visit for good food and (of course) good coffee!
Drinks & Nightlife
Sagada businesses close at 10PM, and we're not noted as a nightlife capital... but there are still places where travelers gather for an evening drink and shared stories! Here are some of the best.
Cellar Door is the home of Cerveza Sagada, a brewed-on-site craft beer. There's an outdoor bar and firepit surrounded by pine trees and a homey indoor section with a fireplace. It's a bit out of town, along the Besao road, on the hill behind Sagada Pottery!
10 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Sagada Cellar Door
Cellar Door is the home of Cerveza Sagada, a brewed-on-site craft beer. There's an outdoor bar and firepit surrounded by pine trees and a homey indoor section with a fireplace. It's a bit out of town, along the Besao road, on the hill behind Sagada Pottery!
You wouldn't notice it in the daytime (when it's usually closed), but in the evening this small bar is a gathering place for locals and travelers alike. There's reggae music, sometimes a guitar gets passed around, and of course there's beer, and a few other drinks besides.
Moonhouse
You wouldn't notice it in the daytime (when it's usually closed), but in the evening this small bar is a gathering place for locals and travelers alike. There's reggae music, sometimes a guitar gets passed around, and of course there's beer, and a few other drinks besides.
Sightseeing
Lumiang is a burial cave with hundreds of ancient coffins stacked near the entrance. Please show respect! This is also the entrance for the cave connection trip, which enters Lumiang cave and emerges at Sumaging.
8 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Lumiang Cave
South RoadLumiang is a burial cave with hundreds of ancient coffins stacked near the entrance. Please show respect! This is also the entrance for the cave connection trip, which enters Lumiang cave and emerges at Sumaging.
"The big cave" is one of the most popular experiences in Sagada. It's a large, open cave with a few slippery bits but no really tight spaces and lots of attractive rock formations. You will get wet to the waist!
15 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Sumaguing Cave
South Road"The big cave" is one of the most popular experiences in Sagada. It's a large, open cave with a few slippery bits but no really tight spaces and lots of attractive rock formations. You will get wet to the waist!
Parks & Nature
The peak offers a breathtaking view of the sunrise, usually after a rainfall the night before. The walk all the way to the peak takes an hour, give or take, from the town center, and it is best to leave for Kiltepan at 4:30am. A piece of advice, though, take the hike on weekdays. You can thank me later.
9 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Kiltepan View
Kiltepan RoadThe peak offers a breathtaking view of the sunrise, usually after a rainfall the night before. The walk all the way to the peak takes an hour, give or take, from the town center, and it is best to leave for Kiltepan at 4:30am. A piece of advice, though, take the hike on weekdays. You can thank me later.
Beautiful views and hiking, it is a must-see for people who are visiting. Lake Danum has an interesting story as to how it came to be, I recommend you ask some of the locals and start up a conversation. Leaving the town center at 4:30pm, you'll get to the lake just in time for a stunning sunset. Relish the walk, break a sweat!
8 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Lake Danum
Beautiful views and hiking, it is a must-see for people who are visiting. Lake Danum has an interesting story as to how it came to be, I recommend you ask some of the locals and start up a conversation. Leaving the town center at 4:30pm, you'll get to the lake just in time for a stunning sunset. Relish the walk, break a sweat!
Arts & Culture
The Ganduyan Museum is often closed, but if you ask at the store next door you can make an appointment to see the collection. It's worth the effort: there's a great assortment of local beads, jewelry, baskets and other rattan woven items, and other local artifacts. It's a great way to gain a new perspective on Sagada's culture and traditions!
8 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Ganduyan Museum
Dantay - Sagada RoadThe Ganduyan Museum is often closed, but if you ask at the store next door you can make an appointment to see the collection. It's worth the effort: there's a great assortment of local beads, jewelry, baskets and other rattan woven items, and other local artifacts. It's a great way to gain a new perspective on Sagada's culture and traditions!
Sagada Pottery is a workshop producing gallery-quality stoneware pottery. We use locally-gathered clay and glaze ingredients, processing our own clay, shaping pots, and firing our work in locally built kilns. We do demos and hands-on practice for visitors for a nominal fee, and finished work is on display in our gallery!
9 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Sagada Pottery
Sagada - Besao RoadSagada Pottery is a workshop producing gallery-quality stoneware pottery. We use locally-gathered clay and glaze ingredients, processing our own clay, shaping pots, and firing our work in locally built kilns. We do demos and hands-on practice for visitors for a nominal fee, and finished work is on display in our gallery!
Weaving using the backstrap loom is a traditional Sagada craft, and Sagada Weaving has earned a reputation for making durable, high-quality goods out of traditional woven cloth. There's a shop in front, and you can watch the weavers at work in the back!
9 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Sagada Weaving
Weaving using the backstrap loom is a traditional Sagada craft, and Sagada Weaving has earned a reputation for making durable, high-quality goods out of traditional woven cloth. There's a shop in front, and you can watch the weavers at work in the back!
Shopping
It is interesting to note that no matter how mothers with babies and toddlers thrive in Sagada, there don't seem to be any shop selling baby stuff. Except for 7J's. They are working on adding baby essentials to their merch. This store is also stocked with a wide array of apparel and accessories apart from the souvenirs that you can also find in the other local shops.
9 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
7 J's
It is interesting to note that no matter how mothers with babies and toddlers thrive in Sagada, there don't seem to be any shop selling baby stuff. Except for 7J's. They are working on adding baby essentials to their merch. This store is also stocked with a wide array of apparel and accessories apart from the souvenirs that you can also find in the other local shops.
Our shop in the Centrum building where you can find rashguards, trekking pants and the sort. There are also tents, other outdoor gear and some reading materials on the town. Other travelers also come here to book the tours that my husband offers.
8 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Sagada Outdoor
Staunton RoadOur shop in the Centrum building where you can find rashguards, trekking pants and the sort. There are also tents, other outdoor gear and some reading materials on the town. Other travelers also come here to book the tours that my husband offers.
Good for buying fresh produce and meats. This is your go-to place if you can't make it till the Saturday market.
8 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Sagada Public Market
South RoadGood for buying fresh produce and meats. This is your go-to place if you can't make it till the Saturday market.
True, there are dozens of souvenir shops lining up and down the South Road with products showcasing the Sagada weave as well as apparel for the cold weather. What makes Sagada Quality Merchandise stand out is their selection. Apart from the Sagada weave, they also have the woven products from other Eastern locales in the Mountain Province. And these interesting patterns adorn backpacks, pouches, platform sandals, tapis and table runners. Manang Annie also sells the traditional gating (skirt wrap) with the bakget (tassled belt) for women and the wanis (loincloth) for men. Also lining her shelves are jams and preserves, Korean goods and homeware.
8 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Sagada Quality Homeware
Staunton RoadTrue, there are dozens of souvenir shops lining up and down the South Road with products showcasing the Sagada weave as well as apparel for the cold weather. What makes Sagada Quality Merchandise stand out is their selection. Apart from the Sagada weave, they also have the woven products from other Eastern locales in the Mountain Province. And these interesting patterns adorn backpacks, pouches, platform sandals, tapis and table runners. Manang Annie also sells the traditional gating (skirt wrap) with the bakget (tassled belt) for women and the wanis (loincloth) for men. Also lining her shelves are jams and preserves, Korean goods and homeware.
Piitik is what Igorots call the intentional spill of the first swig of wine unto the ground. It can be beer, gin or any kind of liquor. The first chug is for the anito, the ancestral spirits. Manong Egbert expertly ferments endemic fruits and berries and they store the wines in a cob cellar. They display their wines all over town, but you might want to buy them straight from the source.
8 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Piitik Wines
Piitik is what Igorots call the intentional spill of the first swig of wine unto the ground. It can be beer, gin or any kind of liquor. The first chug is for the anito, the ancestral spirits. Manong Egbert expertly ferments endemic fruits and berries and they store the wines in a cob cellar. They display their wines all over town, but you might want to buy them straight from the source.
Essentials
Sabina's Store is on the main road close to our corner, and is one of the places we run when we've forgotten something. Canned goods or cooking oil, powdered milk or cold drinks, frozen foods and some fresh vegetables, batteries and toothbrushes, soap, shampoo... it's all here!
6 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Sabina Store
South RoadSabina's Store is on the main road close to our corner, and is one of the places we run when we've forgotten something. Canned goods or cooking oil, powdered milk or cold drinks, frozen foods and some fresh vegetables, batteries and toothbrushes, soap, shampoo... it's all here!
St Theodore's has been operating since the prewar missionary days, but is regularly renovated and is a quite comfortable place for a hospital! They handle basic illnesses, injuries, lab work and other functions, but they don't have a large staff of specialists.
8 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
St. Theodore of Tarsus Hospital
Staunton RoadSt Theodore's has been operating since the prewar missionary days, but is regularly renovated and is a quite comfortable place for a hospital! They handle basic illnesses, injuries, lab work and other functions, but they don't have a large staff of specialists.
Just in case the ATM machines in town don't work, you can take the jeepney down to Bontoc where you'd have a number of other banks to choose from. PNB is one of the better choices, as it's located close to the Banaue-bound bus terminal.
7 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Philippine National Bank - Bontoc
Nueva Vizcaya - Ifugao - Mountain Province RoadJust in case the ATM machines in town don't work, you can take the jeepney down to Bontoc where you'd have a number of other banks to choose from. PNB is one of the better choices, as it's located close to the Banaue-bound bus terminal.
All visitors have to register at the Information Center and pay a nominal fee. It's also a great place to get basic information, book the most experienced guides in town, and join up with other groups to split guide costs.
7 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Sagada Municipal Tourist Information Center
South RoadAll visitors have to register at the Information Center and pay a nominal fee. It's also a great place to get basic information, book the most experienced guides in town, and join up with other groups to split guide costs.
The pharmacy is located on the second floor of the Longid Centrum, the maroon commercial building in the center of town. it has a decent stock of basic medicines and is open 7 days a week.
7 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Shanelle Pharmacy
Staunton RoadThe pharmacy is located on the second floor of the Longid Centrum, the maroon commercial building in the center of town. it has a decent stock of basic medicines and is open 7 days a week.
Treasure Link is a cooperative lender on the 3rd floor of the Longid Centrum, the maroon commercial building in the center of town. They handle Western Union transactions and the ATM is the most reliable in town, though it doesn't accept cards from all countries. If your card doesn't work here, your best bet is probably the PNB branch in Bontoc!
6 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Treasure Link
Staunton RoadTreasure Link is a cooperative lender on the 3rd floor of the Longid Centrum, the maroon commercial building in the center of town. They handle Western Union transactions and the ATM is the most reliable in town, though it doesn't accept cards from all countries. If your card doesn't work here, your best bet is probably the PNB branch in Bontoc!