Sagada Travel Forum

My friends and I are planning to go to Ilocos... then to Sagada. Is there a direct route from Ilocos to Sagada? How long is the travel time? I'm only familiar with the Ilocos-Baguio-Sagada route and that where you'll pass by Banaue.

Thank you very much.

There's a route from Cervantes,Ilocos Sur to Sagada. But you need an off road vehicle to pass through it. Otherwise, its still through the Baguio/Halsema route.

adding up to blatz reply.

go to cervantes from ilocos sur. from cervantes head to tadian, mt. province and from there, go to sabangan, mt. prov. and from there on go straight to sagada.

like blatz said, you will need at least a 4x4 vehicle to pass through this route and you must have a lot of time, as you will be asking directions after directions until you reach tadian.

the surest way would be via baguio. i dont know how is ilocos to baguio. however, i am estimating that would at least spend 12 hours on the road to reach sagada.

you can go via banaue when you leave sagada. and if you still have lots of time and you are going back to ilocos. you can take the bontoc-tinglayan-tabuk-tuguegarao route.

thanks for the replies. so would you suggest that we go to Sagada using the Baguio route from Vigan? it would take us more or less 12hours, right? how about if we use the cervantes route? how long will the trip take? consider also that we're using a van in going to sagada. i have also heard about the route to sagada via Tuguegarao?

hope to hear from you soon. we're leaving this saturday.

If you are really interested to take the Cervantes road, then here are some points. From tagudin junction to suyo which is the last town before going up the mountain is about 9kms. ¾ concreted as of year 2005. from suyo to the top of the mountain where bessang pass is , its about 20kms going up and up on a long and winding single lane road. They have begun concreting some of the steepest or difficult portion of the road.. After the pass it’s a short winding road down to Cervantes( about 15 kms). . Very narrow and muddy road if there is rain. It took me about 3 hrs to reach Cervantes: mostly due to rough road and alalay sa sasakyan ko (revo).

From Cervantes to Sagada by crossing the abra river its about 3.5 hrs. There is a bridge crossing the abra river after Cervantes , but its halfway finished. So you have to go down the river bed to cross it. If you cannot cross the abra river in cervantes and take the road direct to the halsema highway very near bontoc already., then its better to take the ilocos-la union-baguio- halsema road and sagada route. . It will save you time, sakit ng katawan and bugbog ng sasakyan.

Another way From Cervantes is go to the Abatan junction of the halsema highway in Buguias Benguet is about 30 kms from cervantes. Again its rough and rocky road, but wider and not so steep up to Mankayan and then on to the junction. Again another 2.5 hrs + traveling time.

From abatan to Sagada, its about 3 hrs that time.

From Tagudin to Baguio via naguilian road is about 3 hrs. From baguio to Abatan junction on 85 kms of mostly concrete road, its about 3hrs.

Another route is Vigan Laoag-Claveria-Pamplona-Tuguegarao-Santiago-bagabag-Lagawe-Banaue-Bontoc-Sagada . Its much longer than using the Baguio route. More than 13 hrs I think.
There is a short cut from ramon ,isabela to banaue via Aguinaldo and mayuyao Ifugao. Its steep and mostly unmarked and is most of the time open. It shortens your traveling distance but not traveling time.

thanks bongski. we'd prolly take the via baguio route.