Surviving Sagada : Cave Connection & Sumaguing Cave

I was told not to leave Sagada without checking off Cave Connection on my list of must-do in the province. It's not part of our the tour itinerary but TBH I had no idea what to expect but from the name itself, it does sound like a series of caves. I'd been to Sumaguing Cave and I seriously enjoyed it more than Palawan Underground river which of course is also exceptionally beautiful hence securing its spot on the Wonders of the world. But Sagada is immensely unique and the experience I've had 10 years ago is exponentially different from what I've seen/encountered during this trip. 

Truth be told, Cave connection requires endurance and physicality. It can post real life danger hence caution is advised. Now don't get discouraged and dismiss this activity from your itinerary. Had I known this 10 years ago, I would have tried it and emerged as a bad ass right after ( I was probably more fit and have had high tolerance for exhaustion). 

As our group all agreed to do Cave Connection - Sumaguing Cave ( not realizing what we're getting ourselves into ) and even signed up for the Certification ( yes we want our bragging rights); we were told that it may take 4-5 hours to traverse inside the cave and exit at Sumaguing. It was about 2:00 pm when we started our descent. I have been inside big caves before but this is the longest I've been and the most difficult one I must say. We entered Lumiang Cave with 3 of our travel guides and their lamps in tow. The cold breeze started to creep in. It was sort of easy at first then it became more and more difficult as we get deeper inside the cave. You literally have to squeeze and slide yourself in small openings which I thought was amazing. How on earth did we manage to fit in?  The guides know the caves too well and they will be the one lift you at times and pull you up. You will be stepping on their legs, shoulders and back every once in a while and trust me they know when it is time to take a photo. Your Life is in their hands. I lost count at the number of times I slipped and bumped my knees, elbow and thighs. Landed on my bum more than 6 times and I resorted to taking my slippers off out of fear that the next time I slip, I may never make it out of the cave alive. If you're claustrophobic, it is imperative to check whether you are up to this challenge. The are a lot of small openings and most often than not, you'll find yourself squeezed in between rocks.The water inside the cave can be very cold ( between 5-7C) but you can opt to take a dip if you can stand the cold temperature.

All of the scrapes, bruises and exhaustion paid off when we gazed at the rock formation. The cave is filled with stalagmites and stalactites beautifully shaped by nature itself. 

Here are some of my travel tips for a safe cave exploration

1. Get a tour guide

While being adventurous does sound crazy fun, it is of utmost importance that you get a guide. Get yourself registered at the tourism office. No matter how good you are at spelunking, I wouldn't suggest traversing the cave by yourself. The guides are well trained and they will also share tidbits of stories while injecting humor to their anecdotes.

2. Wear appropriate Outfit 

The rocks can be slippery hence wearing flip flops or rubber sandals are encouraged. You will be asked to remove them and you'll definitely get wet at some point. Make sure that you are wearing either workout leggings or shorts. Wear anything comfortable and not necessarily fashionable. Err, you can color coordinate if you can't resist.

3.Ziplock Your Gadgets

I didn't bring my phone and my camera inside the cave. But of course you want to capture those IG worthy shots of the rock formation so I'd suggest you place them in zip locks or life proof. My friends had their Go Pro so I just relied on them for the photo op. Hang them on your neck or place them in your back pack. You need your hands free during the hike.

4. Patience Is a Virtue

At some point you'll ask. "are we there yet?" It's pitch black inside the cave and everyone is advised to take precautionary steps. No pushing or horse playing. You'll have to wait for people to finish climbing the rope, you'll have to wait for others to finish making their way inside a small opening. There will be a lot of waiting so yes, you really need to work on that patience.

5. Have Fun and respect nature

It's an incredible experience to successfully complete Cave Connection and the opportunity to marvel at God's creation. No matter how tiring and difficult it may seem; remember to have fun. You made the decision to go there and what better way to admire nature's treasure than to enjoy every opportunity we get to commune with it. Leave nothing but memories and cherish the time you spent. At the end of it, you have a story to tell and a certificate to boot :)

Cave Connection + Sumaguing Cave + Certificate = 450PHP

Don't forget to give tip because the tour guides deserve them. The effort they put in to ensure our safety, is priceless compared to the small amount you can bless them with.

Love,

Jhesy 

Travel Diary : Sagada

Looks like the charm of the Mountain province has rubbed it's magic on me leading me to head up North again with just two weeks in between trips. 

I didn't intend to come to Sagada anytime soon since it's been alluded as a refuge for people who are nursing a broken heart and for those who are keen to meet "carrot man." And while my heart is perfectly intact nor I have any hopes of joining the hype, my close friends have decided to take our annual getaway to the highlands. Prior reservations crumbled when I imagined the epic adventure I'm bound to have with these crazy bunch.

We booked our trip with Travel Ventours. 12 of us signed up but due to unexpected events or should I say "blessing", only 7 of us pushed through. Our van left Manila around 10:00 pm; we knew it'll be a long ride to get  to Sagada, 12 hours to be exact so we positioned ourselves comfortably and dozed off until we reached the first stop. Four stops and 8 hours later, we reached the province of Banaue. This is part of the itinerary and most tourist would stall here for a good 30 minutes for photo op and marvel the beauty of Banaue Rice Terraces.

It's been a decade since I first went to Sagada and walking along its now cemented roads and seeing the establishments ( guest inns, cafes and souvenir shops ) lined up along the serene streets of Sagada made me feel like I was seeing it for this first time. A lot has changed in 10 years and I know it shouldn't be a surprise yet I kept looking in trying to find the sense of serenity, that familiar feeling of calmness though it failed me. True enough, tourists have put this majestic province to the map of the must-visit destination in the country. But don't fret, despite the crowd and hype about this town; Sagada has retained its beauty with so much to offer to anyone who opt to experience its distinct appeal.

Situated 1500 above sea-level, this remote town promises an unforgettable experience. With its lush mountains, majestic waterfalls, lofty terraces, cool weather, caves, cliffs and fresh produce; a week is certainly not enough. The warm hospitality of its locals complement with the beauty of the surrounding. Whether you're an adventurous traveler or simply want to escape the city and commune with nature; Sagada is a favored destination to anyone who thrive for remarkable experience and adventure. 




Love.
Jhesy 

Adventure Above Clouds | Mt Pulag

They say that if something scares you, it might be a good thing to try. I have always toyed with the idea of doing something extreme, extradonaire and way beyond my pre-set limits. Yet, I have begged off from a lot of opportunities owing it to the excuses I would tell myself when fear of unknown sets in. So when the opportune time presents itself in the form of a mountain expedition on Heart’s day courtesy of my best friend with an attached photo of Kim Jones' look away shot against the backdrop of Mt Pulag’s sea of clouds, - surely an offer I can't resist. 

The Elusive Sea of Clouds

And so I found myself at the airport clutching the straps of the huge TNF backpack I borrowed from Gatch. It's almost midnight and as I stared at the glass door window, I figured that there's no turning back. Judging by the glaring eyes at the subway as I pushed my way in, my entire ensemble certainly looks legit for hiking. It started to dawn on me that for the first time in what seems like an eternity, I was finally doing something out of my comfort zone.

My most recent trip to Mt Pulag was with Travel Factor. And there’s a good reason why my friend and I booked at the last minute. We were supposed to travel with a group of 20 pax but due to unforeseen circumstances, they all had to cancel out leaving the two of us to push through with the climb. Say yes to adventure right?

The coolest coordinators ever! ( Rico, Milet & Peter )

The cold morning breeze of Baguio greeted us and as I hugged my fleece jacket tightly, I was told that it is nothing compared to cold we would soon feel at the summit. We were then ushered to the jeeps to take us to DENR office for briefing and then set off for the Ranger Station. Top load ride -  one of the memorable experiences I’ve had going to the campsite. As the driver trudge on the rough, steep road; I let the cold wind brush through my face as we marvel at the lush greenery, vegetation and stretch of Cordillera Mountains. Everything was a beauty to behold that I even told myself that if I won’t be able to make it to the summit, what I’ve seen throughout the jeepney ride would surely suffice.

Due to the number of climbers on weekends, camping on Camp 1 and 2 is prohibited (one of the reasons my friends opted out as it would entail longer hours to reach the summit). Weekend climbers stayed in the Ranger station along with the locals with close proximity to carrots, broccoli and potato plantation. Here you’ll find everything you’ll need from basic hiking gears, hot water down to the freshest carrot juice you’ll ever get your hands on.

And as our first day came to a close, the sky was painted with tinge of yellow and orange. We were treated to a magnificent view of the sunset 2000++ meters above sea level. I was gasping in awe and was literally going near the edge of the cliff feigning to reach the sky as the rest of us marvel at the majestic view before us.  I uttered a silent prayer of gratitude and hoped that the summit will offer the same clearing and breathtaking view similar to what we’ve seen.

Sleeping the night off was a real struggle. Lying down inside the tent made it hard for me to stay still. I had changed to my hiking clothes and had gloves, bonnet on yet the subzero temperature made it difficult for me to get a good shuteye. I was fidgeting yet careful not to wake my tent mates but quite amused to hear snoring sounds from across our tent. (Maybe the cold didn’t bother them anyway). At 1:30 am we set forth for the summit. Armed with headlights, trail mix, camera and hiking gears, we braced the cold, dark trail. The moon unabashedly showed off her gleaming light and the night sky exploded with billion of stars. Climbing Mt Pulag for the first time wasn’t an easy feat. The first 30 minutes was exhausting and challenging as the air becomes thinner and temperature progressively drops as you go higher. By 5:30 am, we found ourselves at the Grassland Summit where majority of the climbers have already secured their spot to witness the sunrise. At dawn, the dark silhouette of the mountains adds to the beauty of the imminent sunrise. We waited patiently as sky slowly breaks into hues of warm orange and yellow. Rays of sun break on the horizon through the cold cover of clouds.

Front Row Seat

Borrowing lines from Tangled, it was warm, real and bright. - And the world has somehow shifted.

Then a sea of ghostly mist drifts by on the grassy rolling hills of Luzon’s highest peak. The sometimes-elusive sea of clouds showed up in all its grandeur. Everything was surreal and it was the most impressive view I’ve seen in a long time. I thank God for His provisions and for giving us a window to glimpse over His beautiful creation.

As I turned around, the face of the mountains turns gold as the early morning sun kisses it. The magnificent view of the grassland unfolds as we trekked to reach the summit. After an hour and a pack of oatmeal cookies later, we finally reached Mt Pulag peak. Towering 2922 meters above sea level, I made it to the 3^rd highest peak in the country - I literally and figuratively conquered a mountain for the first time.

The descent proved to be a breeze but the never ending trail of the mossy forest led us to resort in taking a motorcycle ride (habal habal ) back to the campsite. It was thrilling and undoubtedly risky to take the rough road sans a helmet. And as I gazed at the steep cliff on the other side of the road, I prayed that I would make it back to the site alive and in one piece.

Team #Pulove

My sole purpose for climbing Mt Pulag was to witness the sea of clouds. While it is no doubt, magnificently beautiful, I was amazed to discover that more than the majestic view are the myriad of stories and experiences shared with the people I’ve spent hours and few days with. The wee-hour walk under the galaxy of stars with the people I shared a connection with was equally magical.

Mt Pulag sums up the best of what the Philippine mountains has to offer. It is coined as playground of the gods for its unique flora/fauna offering an experience of a world that is cold and beautiful. The weather here can be erratic and the elusive sea of clouds may not always show but what you will discover is that the destination is as beautiful as the journey and the goal goes beyond what you thought is the end. The magic lies in the moments, adventure and experience shared.

Xo,

Jhesy