Mayoyao (Ifugao) - Part 2 of 3

DAY 2: June 10, 2018 (Sunday)

As always, after an early morning breakfast to maximize our stay, we headed off towards our first destination, which was the Lumaguid Stone, wherein the jump-off point was the Balangbang Elementary School. The trail towards the stone would be through the Buninan Rice Terraces.

Jump-off point towards the Lumaguid Stone

Nearing the stone via the Buninan Rice Terraces

The Lumaguid Stone is a big boulder held by a smaller stone and is sitting precariously atop a rock that looks as if it would roll down anytime from its base during earthquakes, storms, and floods. Tourists have marveled how a smaller stone could hold the huge rock, but legend says that the deities placed it there. It is believed to hold the future of the town, meaning, that the Mayoyao people will stay strong and happy as long as the stone stands.

Lumaguid Stone

Our next stop, in order to refresh ourselves and our weary muscles after that hike, it's got to be the Tenogtog Falls.

Trail towards the Tenogtog Falls

Tenogtog Falls is a remote three-tiered cascade. Tenogtog is a local word for “chopped”. In this place, hunters used to chop up hunted animals and share it to other hunters who had no luck in hunting.

Tenogtog Falls - first tier

Tenogtog Falls - third tier

After tiring ourselves and drenching our weary souls, it's time for lunch at Double G's Lechon Manok, which, unfortunately, at that time Lechon Manok was already unavailable. We just then settled on what was available..Lomi!

Double G's Lechon Manok

Lomi

Lunchtime

One of my friends was curious on what were those red stains she sees on Cordillera pavements. Well, they all came from spits of Betel Nut or what the locals would refer to as “nganga” or “moma”. She tried it...ok naman daw. It makes your teeth a bit reddish.

Betel-Nut chewing is a long-standing tradition among the mountain tribes; the men typically chew the nut wrapped in mint leaves, with an added pinch of lime (ground-up shells work well to create a lime powder).

Betel Nut Experience

To cap off the rewards for this day, some of us went to a massage outlet just right across the restaurant, the Crixus Calming Massage.

Crixus Calming Massage

Returning back at our homestay we freshened up first and relaxed before ending the second day with a sumptuous dinner.

Dinnertime

Part 1:

Mayoyao (Ifugao) - Part 1 of 3

Part 3:

Mayoyao (Ifugao) - Part 3 of 3

Mayoyao (Ifugao) - Part 1 of 3

Ifugao is a landlocked province of the Philippines, which is a part of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) situated north of Luzon.

With eleven municipalities tucked under its belt, it carries with it loads of tourism potential especially for outdoor adventurists, which has yet to be discovered, since, as most tourists could attest, only the world-famous Banaue Rice Terraces, the so-called "Eighth Wonder of the World", is the only place-to-be in this underrated province.

We now set our sights at one of Ifugao's hidden spectacles, located on the northern part of the province, the municipality of Mayoyao, which we explored way back June 9-11, 2018.

Location of Mayoyao in the province of Ifugao

DAY 0: June 8, 2018 (Friday)

Our Sagada-bound CODA Lines tourist bus departed in the evening. The terminal of CODA Lines is located at HM Transport Inc. Monte de Piedad, Corner Maryland, Cubao, Quezon City, Metro Manila. Yes, HM Transport and CODA Lines share the same bus terminal. In addition, all trips going to Sagada passes through the Ifugao province, which explains why our bus' signage indicates SAGADA. Advanced ticket reservation purchase is highly recommended since Sagada is a very popular tourist destination. 

CODA Lines at HM Transport bus terminal

Actually, there is another bus company, which goes straight to Sagada too, the Ohayami Trans, which is situated at Cor. Fajardo St., Lacson Ave, Sampaloc, Manila.

DAY 1: June 9, 2018 (Saturday)

After travelling for around eight hours, we alighted our bus at the Municipal Tourism Center in Banaue, Ifugao.

Municipal Tourism Center

Before proceeding for Mayoyao at 41 kms away, we booked first a rented vehicle before taking our breakfast at the People's Lodge & Restaurant located at the Banaue Poblacion Terminal, Banaue-Mayoyao-Potia-Isabela Road, a few walks from the Tourism Center.

People's Lodge & Restaurant

Breakfast time

Along the way before Mayoyao, we stopped by just to view the Bangaan Village and Rice Terraces in Banaue. Incidentally, the Bangaan Rice Terraces is one of the 5 rice terraces included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.

Bangaan Village and Rice Terraces

Before entering Mayoyao, you will be passing by the Habbang Bridge, which connects Banaue to Mayoyao.

Habbang Bridge

Welcome structure of Mayoyao

Inside the town, we visited first the Mayoyao Tourist Information & Assistance Center to further provide us with more information regarding the municipality. 

Mayoyao Tourist Information & Assistance Center

Mayoyao Tourist Map

We then proceeded to our accommodation venue, which was Helen's Guest Hauz, located at Onagol, Poblacion in order to check-in and freshen up before we proceed towards our target destinations.

Helen's Guest Hauz

Our first site visit was trekking the Mount Nagchajan Historical Site in Barangay Chaya, which was the location of the last stand of the Japanese soldiers during World War II.

World War II Historical Markers

The Historical Markers would serve as the jump-off point towards the summit of Mount Nagchajan, which is the SMART communication tower.

Great view along the trail towards the summit

Summit of Mount Nagchajan

After the morning hike, we ate lunch at a carinderia in the Mayoyao Public Market, then proceeded to refresh ourselves at our next stop, the Manhencha Falls in Chumang. Local folklore says that a beautiful woman named Manhencha had to jump about 13-15 meters into the water to retrieve her necklace, which fell while taking a bath.

Lunchtime at a Carinderia

Manhencha Falls Jump-off Point

Manhencha Falls

Part 2:
Mayoyao (Ifugao) - Part 2 of 3

Part 3:
Mayoyao (Ifugao) - Part 3 of 3

Kiangan (Ifugao) - Part 2 of 2

DAY 2: May 13, 2018 (Sunday)

Capturing a beautiful sunrise and charged by an early morning breakfast, we then went off towards the first goal for the day, which was to summit Mount Kapugan. Once a place where Ifugao men would hunt wild boar and collect native coffee beans, this mountain was developed as an ecoutourism attraction in 2004. 

Kiangan Sunrise

Summit of Mount Kapugan

Late breakfast at the summit area

After eating a late breakfast "the hiker way", as seen in the photo above, we started descending going towards our refreshing reward, the Uttu Falls, a pristine site located at the foot of the mountain.

The jump-off point is located along the road at Sitio Bae, Ambabag near the Bae Rice Terraces.

Arriving at the falls area in almost an hour, we then quickly refreshed ourselves, while our guide was cooking our lunch - the traditional way.  

Enjoying Uttu Falls

Cooking the traditional way

Satisfied after our traditional lunch, grabbing our food using our bare hands on a Togwak, we drank fresh Buko too. 

Lunchtime

Fresh Buko time naman

Our last stop for the entire trip was the Saint Joseph’s Church, located at Pindongan. It has a unique architectural design, built by Belgian missionaries in the 1950’s to replace the original granite church that was built in 1916 and destroyed during the WW II.This church was inaugurated and consecrated in December 29, 1956. It is the only church in the Cordilleras, other than the Cathedral in Baguio, which has the distinction of being consecrated.

Saint Joseph’s Church

Returning back towards our homestay, we then freshened up ourselves, packed our luggage, checked out, and bade farewell to an underrated place worth visiting.

We rode rented tricycles and alighted at the Kiangan-Lagawe junction. We then waited for our CODA Lines tourist bus, coming from Sagada, to pick us up at a sari-sari store along the Kiangan-Lamut Road.

Kiangan-Lagawe Junction

Tourist Bus Stop area

If ever one has not been to the province of Ifugao, for me, I would definitely start with the Municipality of Kiangan, which is, again, the birthplace of Ifugao culture.

In addition, the name Kiyyangan is enshrined in Ifugao mythology and is believed to be the dwelling of Wigan and Bugan, the mythological ancestors of the Ifugao.

What more can you ask from a non-famous laid-back place, steaming with culture. 

Explore Pinas!

Part 1:

Kiangan (Ifugao) - Part 1 of 2

Kiangan (Ifugao) - Part 1 of 2

Ifugao is a landlocked province of the Philippines, which is a part of the Cordillera Administrative Region located up north in the Luzon island of the Philippines.

With eleven municipalities tucked under its fold, it showcases loads of tourism potential especially for outdoor enthusiasts, which has yet to be discovered, since, as most tourists could attest, only the world-famous Banaue Rice Terraces, the so-called "Eighth Wonder of the World", is the only place-to-be in this underrated province.

Last May 12-13, 2018, my friends and I went to a non-famous, but very historical town called Kiangan, the oldest town in the province and the birthplace of Ifugao culture.

Location of Kiangan in the province of Ifugao

DAY 0: May 11, 2018 (Friday)

Our Sagada-bound CODA Lines tourist bus departed in the evening. The terminal of CODA Lines is located at HM Transport Inc. Monte de Piedad, Corner Maryland, Cubao, Quezon City, Metro Manila. Yes, HM Transport and CODA Lines share the same bus terminal. In addition, all trips going to Sagada passes through the Ifugao province, which explains why our bus' signage indicates SAGADA. Advanced ticket reservation purchase is highly recommended since Sagada is a very popular tourist destination. 

CODA Lines at HM Transport bus terminal

DAY 1: May 12, 2018 (Saturday)

After around eight hours of travel time, we alighted at the town of Lagawe, Ifugao in the early morning and rode tricycles going to Kiangan. Our accommodation venue of choice was the Kiangan Viewpoint Homestay. It was named as such due to the beautiful view based on its strategic location. 

Kiangan Viewpoint Homestay

Majestic view from the homestay

After eating breakfast, we strolled around town going towards Barangay Ambabag, where we could view the Bae Rice Terraces. You could even view Mount Kapugan from this area.

Breakfast time

Bae Rice Terraces as seen on the road

Mount Kapugan

We then strolled back to the town proper, visited the market, and went to the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP), which features the architectural style of the American missionaries who built them. They were the ones who spread Protestantism here. This structure is located along the Rafael Bulayungan Road.

Market shopping

UCCP - Kiangan

Right beside the UCCP is the Ifugao Academy, which same as the UCCP, was established in 1926 by its founder, Myrthle Metzger, an American Missionary.  

Ifugao Academy

Next stop was the Kiangan National Shrine, which is a war memorial, commemorating the surrender of the supreme commander of the Japanese Imperial Army in the Philippines, General Tomoyuki Yamashita to the Allied forces, which led to the end of the Japanese occupation during World War II.

Entering the Kiangan National Shrine

Inside the shrine is a huge steel-and-concrete pyramidal structure, built in 1974, which has a view deck where one could view the whole Poblacion and the town of Lagawe. It was created in memory of the heroism of the soldiers who died in defense of peace.

Pyramidal structure

A few walks from this structure is the Ifugao Museum, which serves as a repository of Ifugao traditonal and cultural material.

Ifugao Museum

Returning back to the Rafael Bulayungan Road, we dropped by the Yamashita Surrender Site near the Kiangan Central School. It is a wooden structure where General Yamashita actually and physically surrendered  to the Allied Forces on September 2, 1945, ending World War II.

Yamashita Surrender Site

We then proceeded to the Indigenous Peoples Education (IPED) Center building where students and heritage students interact and engage with each other to learn their history and culture. There is also a store inside selling weaved products.

Showing the weaving process

Departing the IPED, we passed by a house where there was a traditional Ifugao wedding reception ongoing. A member of the clan saw us and gamely invited us to "maki-hamul", wherein the word "Hamul" is an Ifugao term for "feast" or "free meal" during special occasions called for such as weddings, thanksgivings, funerals, and the like. Yes, even total strangers can be invited, meaning in a "Hamul", everyone is invited.

Traditional Ifugao dance

Since this was a special celebration, the only viands provided were all-meat, served on an Ifugao traditional plate called "Togwak", made from the bulk of a banana, since during the olden times, there were no plates then. 

Enjoying the free all-meat lunch

All-meat meal served on a Togwak...(burp!)

Time to burn what we hugely consumed, as we proceeded to our next target, trekking the Nagacadan Rice Terraces, located in Barangay Nagacadan. It was declared a Heritage Site by the UNESCO in 1995, showcasing the Ifugaos’ ingenuity and harmony between man and nature. 

Jump-off point towards the Nagacadan Rice Terraces

Nagacadan Rice Terraces

Capping off the first day was visiting the Imbuliklik Rock, a 25-meter high legendary rock located within the rice terraces. Trek to its top for a great view of the rice terraces.

Imbuliklik Rock

Viewdeck of Imbuliklik Rock

Part 2:
Kiangan (Ifugao) - Part 2 of 2