Sagada's Underground River and Biak-Na-Bato

Talk about wonders of nature and Sagada seems to have it all. In fact, this mountainous town has its own smaller version of the Underground River and Biak-Na-Bato.

To get there, one must traverse the somewhat tricky trails of echo valley and trek your way amidst muddy paths and thorny plants. You even need to cross and wade thru mini-streams just to get to this really amazing spot. But unlike its bigger counterpart in Palawan, the Underground river here ain't navigable. And also, unlike its bigger counterpart in Bulacan, the Biak-Na-Bato here is just a big chunk of stone which is split in the middle. Both versions are ideal for having your photos taken. Although it is a muddy-trek, a visit to this place is well worth-it.

Echo Valley and the Dead

Sweet...SWEET...SWEET!!! Spicy... SPICY...SPICY!!! Oooops, Sorry!!! Got carried away for awhile there. Just wanna test if my shout will echo back at me. But in case you wanna know, yes, it did echo. In fact you are allowed to shout there at your hearts content. But hey, Echo Valley is a sacred ground. It is a burial site for the dead, so you better think twice of ever shouting again for you may get a different response. :)

Jumping Off Bokong Falls @ Sagada

Small But Proud Bokong Falls

Kiltipan Sunrise @ Sagada

I use to say that the best sunrise can be seen on a beach because of the magical reflections of the golden rays on the sea. But then, I have never been to Sagada before. Now, I am having a second-thought about my statement because sunrise in Kiltipan is somewhat a mesmerizing experience.

SAGADA - A Preview

I always wanted to go to Sagada. So, when the opportunity presented itself (thru an invitation from Benj), I readily grabbed it and off I go. Let me start this multi-post series with some photos of things and places that you will see and expect to be featured on this beautiful mountainous town.

Dalton Pass on a Clear Day

I first featured a Foggy Dalton Pass early this year on my trip with Dong Ho and Orlan. This time around, with Ferdz, Oggie and Erick, Dalton Pass was a picture of clear blue sky and green mountain. Its typical foggy state which use to envelope the entire place was amusingly absent.

Malico Pine Forest

On our second day in Sta. Fe, Nueva Vizcaya, we headed to Malico Pine Forest which is part of the Kalahan Reserve. Ferdz has gone there before on a photo-docu assignment about Carbon Trading and he has good reviews about the place.

Imugan Falls

One of Nueva Vizcaya's natural attractions is the Imugan Falls. Located in the western topmost part of the town of Sta. Fe, Imugan Falls is a thirtyfive-foot spring waterfalls flowing into a cool basin-like pool and cascading itself thru the Imugan River below. It is about seven kilometers of unpaved road from the national highway (about thirty minutes by jeepney), and about a kilometer hike from Imugan Proper (about thirty minutes hike).

Imugan River and Footbridge

It was definitely one of the fastest packing I had. It was the night before the trip that Ferdz invited me to a nature trip in Nueva Vizcaya. Although the invitation was so sudden, I could not miss this chance of spending this trip with the masters of travel/photo blogs.

Angel Island - Rough and Tough

The locals call this place Angel Island, and by the looks of this place, it seems like an Angel literally lives here. Fine off-white sand beaches, amazing rock formations and caves are what make this island well-known within the area.

The amazing rock formations really caught my fancy. These rocks are almost bluish-gray and most of them are really sharp. They spread over the sea forming small islets and some even form a cove that turns portions of the beach into mini-pools.