3,252 pesos can bring you to a place above the cloud full of mysteries. Wanna know how? Here it goes! -How to get there from Manila? Take a bus that can bring you to Baguio. Leave Manila around 4 to 5 am so you can be at Baguio around 11am. I prefer taking Victory Liner because their buses depart every hour from their terminals in Manila, Cubao, Caloocan, and Pasay. Buses get full, especially during peak season. So be sure to reserve your ticket a day before your scheduled departure to guarantee yourself a seat. When you arrive at Baguio take a taxi going to GL/Lizardo Trans Station at Dangwa Terminal and ride a bus going to Botoc! From Baguio to Bontoc, it is a 5 to 6 hour journey. Take the 12:30pm or 1:30pm bus to Bontoc so you’ll catch the beautiful combination of colors in the sky due to breathe taking sunset while on the way. -Where to stay? As soon as you arrive at Bontoc, you should check in at a hotel or you’ll freeze by the cold breeze in the area! There are lots of hotels in Bontoc raging from 150 to 250 PHP (rooms w/ shared toilet) and 300 to 500 PHP (rooms with private toilet). I recommend taking Churya-a hotel as they also serve good food and give you a perfect landscape of the town. -What to do and where to go? First thing in the morning, go to the Tourism Office located beside the Police station at the heart of Bontoc. You should register and pay an environment/tourist fee. But in my case, I paid nothing due to the generosity of the officers in charge that day. In addition, they gave me tips and guided me on how I can enjoy my 3 days stay at the beautiful town of Bontoc, Mountain Province. There are a lot of things that you can do while you are at the town proper. Restaurants are everywhere! They serve eye catching, mouthwatering, and tummy satisfying food often served in big portions to satisfy hungry backpackers! Expect to spend around 130-170 pesos per meal with drinks. Adjust accordingly based on how much you want to eat and drink. Start your adventure with a 20-minute jeepney ride going to Maligcong Rice Terraces. When you arrive at Maligcong, pay the environment/tourist fee of 20 PHP. Trekking around the terraces will take you about 2 to 3 hours. You can stay at Vilma’s guest house over the night then wake up around 4am the next day for you to see the sunrise over the bed of clouds at Maligcong Rice Terraces just like the sunrise at Kiltepan Park, Sagada. Want to hike not 1, not 2 mountains but ranges? The Bontoc Ili - Alab Mountain ranges is the answer. It is 20 minutes away from the town proper via jeepney or bus. Have a flashback as you trek for 5 hours because of the rich history and mystery behind the burial caves and terraces you will encounter during your trek! The Bontoc Alab – Ili trek lasts up to 3-5 hours depending on your speed and endurance. You can hire a tour guide so you can have a safe and more educational trek. 800 PHP when you’re alone and 1200 PHP for a group of 5! Before you leave Bontoc, make sure to drop by the Bontoc Museum and catch a glimpse of the rich culture, and colorful history of the peoples in the Cordilleras. The vast collection in the museum ranges from tools during the headhunting era, regular clothing to traditional costumes used for special celebrations, spectacular photographs to miniature models of traditional houses, and many more! The 3 days stay at the Town of Bontoc is not enough! I missed some exciting things due to lack of time. But surely it is a town that you’ll go back with! Mysteries over a clouded town are still mysteries and yet to be uncovered! -Breakdown of expenses. Bus from Manila to Baguio – 455 PHP each way Taxi from VL terminal to GL terminal – 50 - 70 PHP Bus from Baguio to Bontoc – Student/SC/PWD fare: 176 PHP Regular fare: 220 PHP each way Hotel in Bontoc – Rooms w/ shared bathroom 150-250 PHP. Rooms w/ private bathroom 300-500 PHP Food – 130-170 PHP per meal (Adjust accordingly based on how much you want to eat and drink.) Jeep to Maligcong Rice terraces – 20 PHP each way Maligcong environment fee – 20 PHP Vilma’s Guest house Maligcong - 300 PHP Bus/Jeep to Bontoc Ili – Bontoc Alab Mountain Range – 20 PHP each way or Hire a tricycle for 120 PHP each way. Bontoc Ili – Bontoc Alab Mountain Range trekking tour guide (Optional) – 800 PHP solo. 1200 PHP group of 5. Bontoc Museum entrance fee - 60 PHP For inquiries or business: cjmromanes@gmail.com ;)

• published: 23 May 2016
• views: 118