Things to Do in Sagada

Sagada's most famous caving adventure. With a licensed local guide and a gas lamp, you climb down slippery limestone, rope your way along rock faces and wade through cold pools to reach formations nicknamed the King's Curtain, the Rice Terraces and more. Expect to go barefoot in parts and get soaked. Stronger adventurers do the 'Cave Connection' from Lumiang Burial Cave through to Sumaguing, a longer and tougher route.

The classic Sagada sunrise. Arrive before dawn, find a spot on the rocks and watch the valley fill with a 'sea of clouds' over the Kiltepan rice terraces as the sun breaks over the mountains. Clouds are not guaranteed, but on a good morning it is magical. Expect a crowd on weekends and holidays, plus vendors selling hot coffee to beat the cold.

Also called the Big Falls, Bomod-ok is a towering waterfall reached by a scenic trek down through the stone-walled rice terraces of Bangaan and Fidelisan villages. The roughly one-hour hike each way is the real highlight, passing farms and small villages, before you reach a cold, roaring pool where you can take a dip. Bring water and expect a sweaty climb back up.

No Sagada trip is complete without a slice of lemon pie here. The filling, made with local lemons, is sweet-tart under a thin meringue and flaky crust, and the egg pie and blueberry cheesecake are close runners-up. Sit on floor cushions at low wooden tables in the cozy dining room, order hot tea or coffee, and buy whole pies to take home.

A Sagada favorite for homemade yoghurt served in bowls with granola, bananas and strawberry preserves, plus lassi shakes and hearty sandwiches, pastas and meat dishes. The cozy wooden space fills up with backpackers at breakfast and after treks. It is a comforting, hearty stop that has been recommended by travelers for years. Portions are generous, so sharing a bowl and a main between two is common.

A quiet highland lake ringed by pine trees on the road to Besao, best known as Sagada's sunset spot. The water is calm and reflective, the air is chilly, and on clear evenings the sky turns gold and pink behind the ridges. It is low-key and free, a nice contrast to the busier sunrise crowd at Kiltepan. Bring a jacket and maybe a thermos of coffee.