An International Musical Composition and Competition to Promote Banaue Rice Terraces Rehabilitation

The people behind this initiative

The Halsema Highroad Point, the highest point in the Philippine Highway System

On our way back to Manila from a 3-day trip to Banaue, Sagada and Baguio last December of 2013, 

we made a very quick stopover to a long and winding road somewhere in Benguet. It has been almost half a year since we travelled there, but still my memory longs for that heavenly view that took my heart away for about twenty minutes. I wished we could have stayed longer there. 

The view is way, way majestic that I decided this deserves a blog post of its own. What I am talking about is the Halsema Highroad Point, the highest point in the Philippine highway system. This is located in Cattubo, Atok Benguet with an elevation of 7, 400 feet above sea level and a two-hour ride from La Trinidad, the capital town of Benguet.

Baguio City Tour and Itinerary Details

The Lion's Head in Baguio

The City of Baguio is known for its cold climate and pine trees. It's geographical nearness from Manila which is approximately 5-6 hours away from each other makes it one of the favorite destinations of the city dwellers to go up there to chill out especially during summer and holiday season. That is I have no qualms about Baguio City being designated by the Philippine Commission as the "Summer Capital" of the Philippines on June 1, 1903. 

Historically speaking, It was the Americans who established Baguio as a hill station in 1900 . It was also the first and only one if its kind in Asia that time. The word Baguio is derived from "bagiw", an Ibaloi (indigenous language in the Benguet region)  word  meaning "moss". 

I have been to Baguio 4 times already. First, in 2002 for an educational trip when I was a college student.  We stayed in a dormitory at the Teachers' Camp.  It was very cold that time when we arrived. Three am in the morning! We also felt some scary vibes inside. We were a dozen of girls inside a big room sleeping in a double deck. Second, in 2002 with my former co - workers.   The one who organized it used finished her degree in Baguio so we did not have any problems of finding accommodation and all that stuff.  

The Annual Sagada Bonfire or Panag - apoy Festival

Our  Sagada Bonfire Fest 2013 souvenir 

If you want to experience a different kind of nightlife where people gather around the biggest bonfire they probably have ever seen in their whole life, come visit Sagada during last week of December. They have this event called Sagada Bonfire Festival where traditional games and folk dances of Igorots (people of Sagada) are performed as a way of educating the guests of the lives of their ancestors during pre - colonization period. I am very lucky I was able to catch it during my Sagada tour with side trips to Banaue, Benguet and Baguio.

The climate from December to February in Sagada and neighboring mountains are at its coldest so you will get to feel the winter sans snow! I suggest you bring a cap, scarf, jacket, wear long sleeve attires and pants instead. 

You may be wondering of all the things that Sagada can make a festival out of, why bonfires? I think obviously because it represents their resilience to the cold weather. One can just stay in the room the whole day and whole night for that kind of weather then forget to plant crops or learn new skills outside but they proved that was not a problem. Their rice terraces are one of the world's most admired architecture that has baffled a lot of engineers on how these were built without aid from technology hundreds of years ago!

BATAAN HERITAGE TOUR + SUBIC Day Tour Itinerary

Photo courtesy of St Michael Explorer Travel and Tours

One Day BATAAN HERITAGE TOUR  

and 

SUBIC TOUR

Package rate:

Php 1750/person for a minimum of 11-12 pax

Php 1850/person for a minimum of 10 pax

Php 1950/person for a minimum of 9 pax

Php 2250/person for a minimum of 8 pax

Php 2400/person for a minimum of 7 pax

Php 2600/person for a minimum of 6 pax

Php 2800/person for a minimum of 5 pax

***Different rate will apply during during
holidays and peak season

Travel Dates: 2013-2014

Target slots: 12-14 participants

Van Capacity: 12-15 Seater Nissan Urvan or Toyota Commuter

2014 Panagbenga Flower Festival Tour Package

Photo courtesy of St Michael Explorer Travel and Tours

Rates:

Package rates:
Php 2,800/person  (minimum of 4-6 in a room)
Php 3,050/person  (triple sharing)
Php 3,250/person  (twin sharing)

Travel Dates: Feb 23-24, 2014

Target Slots: 12-14 clients 

Van Capacity: 16 Seater Nissan Urvan/Toyota Commuter/Toyota Hi-Ace

Accommodation: Transient house type

Baggage Allowance: 1 luggage per person not more than 5kgs for your convenience.

Win A Trip to Sagada and Baguio

Do you want to go to Sagada and Baguio for free including round-trip bus tickets, meals, tour and accommodation? All you need to do is express why you want to go to Sagada in a creative way through an essay, photo/poster, a 30-sec music video or a slideshow etc. Just make sure it is original meaning no part of it was copied elsewhere. You can submit up to three entries if you have overloading reasons to go to Sagada.  

This travel promo runs until May. For more information please check Surviving Sagada's Facebook  Fan Page here.

First Prize: 2 roundtrip Victory Liner tickets Pasay-Baguio-Pasay (regular aircon bus) 2 roundtrip Baguio-Sagada-Baguio tickets Quick tour of Municipal Hall of Sagada 3D2N Accommodation at Masferre Inn for 2 w/ breakfast P1,500 worth of food voucher at Misty Lodge & Cafe Sagada Day tour with Saggas Guides 2 Surviving Sagada shirts

Sagada and Banaue Tour Package 2014

3D2N Sagada + Banaue Tour Package rate:
Php 3150/person Quad sharing
Php 3400/person Triple sharing
Php 3600/person Twin sharing

For more information please contact
0998-989-3921 

or email mariaronab@gmail.com 

1. Let us know how many people are joining

2. The preferred date

3.  Your contact number (landline / mobile)