When a Baguio Weekend Turned into a Sagada Adventure

We were supposed to spend the entire weekend in Baguio. Instead, somewhere between spontaneous decisions, a non-refundable booking, and a six-hour bus ride, we ended up spending part of the weekend in Sagada.

I’m glad things didn’t go according to plan.

Some adventures don’t begin with carefully planned itineraries.

They simply begin when we say yes.

What followed was a spontaneous weekend filled with mountain trails, local coffee, unexpected rain, and the kind of conversations that stay with you long after the trip ends.

How We Somehow Ended Up in Sagada

Some of the best adventures don’t begin with a detailed itinerary. Sometimes, they begin with a little chaos.

I’m usually the one who plans our trips—from booking accommodations and creating itineraries to pinning places on Google Maps. But for some reason, I completely hibernated in our group chat. By the time I finally caught up, my friends had already booked our accommodations.

The catch?

It was non-refundable. It was also around that time they realized Sagada wasn’t exactly “near” Baguio.

It wasn’t my first time visiting Sagada, so I already knew the trip would take around six hours by bus from Baguio. I’m still not sure where they got the idea that it was only four hours. 😂

Still, I’m glad no one backed out. Instead of canceling, we packed our bags and decided to see where the weekend would take us.

The Journey North

The day before our trip, I had already driven back to my hometown in Angeles City from Lipa City so I could meet everyone at Dau Bus Terminal.

We agreed to meet at 2:00 am.

Yes… 2:00 am. Weekends usually mean long lines for buses bound for Baguio, so I was honestly worried we might not even get seats. Thankfully, an empty bus arrived just in time, saving us from squeezing into a UV Express van—a much less appealing option for such a long ride.

Honestly, I was more relieved than anything when the bus arrived. We found ourselves running toward it the moment we saw it pulling into the terminal.

By 2:30 am, we were finally on our way. The ride was quiet. Most of us tried to get some sleep while I found myself wondering how we would spend the day once we arrived.

The funny thing was… we didn’t really have an itinerary.

It was more like:

“Tara, Baguio this weekend?”

And somehow, everyone said yes.

We started the morning by picking up croissants from L’Atelier du Grain before heading upstairs to The Gallery by Witchcraft for breakfast. Both places share the same owners, it felt like one seamless stop.

Afterward, we dropped our bags at the hotel before making a quick stop at SM Baguio. While wandering around the mall, one of my friends showed us a video of Mt. Camisong.

A few minutes later, we had already decided to go. I’ll be sharing more about our Mt. Camisong experience in a separate post.

We wrapped up the day with good food at the night market before renting a bike around Burnham Park at the request of our youngest traveler, who had decided to join her mom on this trip at the very last minute.

The next morning, another early bus ride awaited us—this time, to Sagada.

Rediscovering Sagada, Ten Years Later

As the bus climbed higher into the mountains, the scenery slowly changed. Pine trees became more frequent, the roads narrower, and before we knew it, we were greeted by a “Welcome to Sagada” sign.

After six hours on the road, we finally arrived in the town proper of Sagada. Our first stop was the tourist information center, where visitors register and pay the environmental fee before joining any tour. Since DIY trekking isn’t permitted for most attractions, we booked the Paytokan Walk with an accredited local guide.

Before starting the hike, we dropped off our bags at The Shire of Sagada and had lunch nearby to fuel ourselves for the afternoon ahead.

As we walked along the trail, I couldn’t help but think about my first trip here ten years ago with my college friends. It felt strange how familiar everything still seemed. The scenery. The quiet surroundings. Even the feeling of slowing down.

Sagada hadn’t really changed. Maybe that was exactly what made returning so special.

Unlike my first visit, the Paytokan Walk was completely new to me. The guided hike lasts around three hours and takes you through forests, coffee farms, a centuries-old church, and corners of Sagada I had never seen before.

If you’re visiting Sagada for the first time and enjoy slow-paced hikes that combine nature, culture, and local history, I would definitely recommend adding the Paytokan Walk to your itinerary.

Ten years ago, my friends and I mostly explored Echo Valley, the Hanging Coffins, Pongas Falls, Sumaguing Cave, and even woke up before sunrise to catch the sea of clouds at Kiltepan Viewpoint. This time, I experienced a different side of Sagada… one that proved there’s always something new to discover, even in a place you’ve already been.

Culture, Coffee, and Little Discoveries

Our guide shared more about the Hanging Coffins, one of Sagada’s most well-known traditions. Learning why the bodies are placed in a fetal position and how families continue to honor their loved ones through customs like Panag-apoy made me appreciate that these places are more than tourist attractions. They’re living traditions that continue to shape the community today.

Another thing I learned along the way was that Sagada is known for its Arabica coffee. We passed rows of coffee plants before stopping at Echo Valley Coffee Farm for a well-deserved iced coffee.

While we rested, one of the staff warmly introduced us to some of their local products, including etag, Sagada’s traditional smoked and cured pork, as well as locally grown oyster mushrooms. He even let us try pounding coffee beans the traditional way (pagbayo sa lusong) using a wooden mortar and pestle.

Simple moments like these often become my favorite memories whenever I travel. They may not have been part of the itinerary, but they ended up being some of the highlights of the day.

When the Rain Came

Just as we were about to continue our hike, it started to drizzle.

We kept walking, and a few minutes later, the rain poured.

The trail quickly became slippery, especially over the limestone paths, and we found ourselves walking a little faster while trying not to lose our footing. Surprisingly, I never felt nervous. Having a local guide with us gave me a sense of reassurance. They knew the trails far better than we ever could.

We all ended up soaked, and our shoes were covered in mud. Yet, it became one of my favorite parts of the entire trip.

I was also amazed by our youngest hiking companion. At just seven years old, she completed the trail without a single complaint. Some sections were steep and exhausting, yet she kept going with a quiet determination that honestly inspired all of us.

At one point, she even carried our guide’s puppy for part of the trail. I think having a tiny hiking companion distracted her from just how challenging the climb was.

Watching her experience everything with so much curiosity showed me how exciting travel can be when you see a place through a child’s eyes.

Because of the rain and the slippery trails, we decided to skip the falls and visit Sagada Weaving and Sagada Pottery instead.

Trying pottery for the first time turned out to be another unexpected highlight. With guidance from one of their talented artisans, I attempted to make my own matcha bowl.

Was it perfect?

Definitely not.

But I loved the experience enough to keep it anyway. It will be glazed, fired, and shipped once it’s finished, and I’m already looking forward to seeing it a few months from now.

Staying at The Shire of Sagada

After spending the day outdoors, The Shire of Sagada was exactly what we needed.

The cozy wooden interiors and peaceful surroundings made it the perfect place to recharge after hours of hiking. Waking up the next morning to soft mountain light filtering through the windows felt like an extension of everything we loved about Sagada itself—quiet, slow, and refreshing.

If you’re planning a trip to Sagada and looking for a comfortable place to stay, I would definitely recommend The Shire of Sagada.

You can also watch my room tour of The Shire of Sagada.

Walking Through Sagada Again

It had been ten years since my first visit. Yet, Sagada felt exactly the same.

The scent of pine trees drifting through the cool morning air.

The fog slowly lifting over the mountains.

The peaceful rhythm of a town that never seems to rush.

Some places become popular over time and gradually lose the charm that made people fall in love with them. Sagada doesn’t seem to be one of those places. If anything, returning after ten years only made me appreciate it even more. Perhaps that’s why people keep coming back. Not simply because of the attractions, but because of how the place makes them feel.

The Long Journey Home

The next morning, it was time to begin the long journey back to Pampanga.

Breakfast at our accommodation was simple but comforting—the perfect start before another six-hour bus ride back to Baguio. This time, I stayed awake more often. At some point during the ride, our conversations shifted. We found ourselves talking about high school memories, the struggles we had quietly carried over the years, and how different life looks now compared to what we imagined back then.

As we shared stories about our younger selves and where life had taken us, I realized how rarely we get uninterrupted conversations like these anymore.

By the end of it, six hours didn’t feel long enough. I guess that’s what adulthood does. It gives you conversations that don’t need an ending.

Before we knew it, we were back in Baguio.

We stopped by the public market to pick up a few things to bring home before making our way to the bus terminal once again. Originally, we planned to have one last meal around the city. Instead, we climbed onto another bus.

Hunger eventually caught up with us as we realized this particular bus wasn’t taking the faster TPLEX route. What was supposed to be a three- to four-hour ride stretched to almost five. By the time we reached Dau, we were starving. We ended up ordering two-piece chicken meals, a platter of spaghetti, and a salad to share. Almost everything disappeared within minutes.

After one final Grab ride home, I managed to wash up and brush my teeth before completely calling it a day.

No long shower.

No unpacking.

Just bed.

Exhausted.

Happy.

Grateful for the memories we had made.

A Different Kind of Adventure

Somewhere between the long bus rides, mountain trails, shared conversations, and slow mornings, I realized this trip had given me something I didn’t know I needed. Not because it was packed with adventures. But because it made me realize how much I had missed them.

These days, I find myself appreciating travel differently. Less about checking places off a list. More about the memories created along the way.

Maybe that’s why this spontaneous weekend stayed with me. It wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t meticulously planned. But somewhere between the muddy trails, unexpected rain, endless conversations, and quiet moments in between, I found myself collecting little memories I would want to carry long after the trip was over.

Looking back, this weekend was another reminder that life’s little adventures aren’t always the ones we spend months planning.

Sometimes they’re the unexpected detours…

the bus rides we almost didn’t take,

the trails we weren’t prepared for,

the conversations we didn’t know we needed,

and the spontaneous decisions that quietly become some of our favorite stories.

Had we planned everything perfectly, I don’t think this would have become the same story.

Thanks for coming along on another one of life’s little adventures.

If you enjoyed this story, you might also like our spontaneous afternoon exploring Taal Heritage Town, where an unplanned afternoon reminded me that meaningful experiences don’t always come from grand adventures.