Benguet and other Philippines Off The Beaten Path Tips

The Cordilleran province of Benguet surrounds Baguio and is on the way to Sagada, yet receives few visitors in its own right. This is a pity, as Benguet has a lot to offer. Perhaps its most unique attractions are the mummies of the Ibaloy tribe around the town of Kabayan, which is also a gateway to Mount Pulog National Park.

Leave a Comment

Add to Your Trip Planner | Post a Question | Write a Tip

Off The Beaten Path: Beyond Banaue & Batad

Tip Rating:

Written by hunwagner

on Apr 5, 2008

Banaue may get all the fame, and Batad all the backpacker traffic, but in fact the rice terraces of three more areas in Ifugao are also World Heritage Sites. These are near Kiangan, Hapao and Mayoyao. They are no less beautiful than the more famous and accessible Banaue terraces, yet receive very few visitors.
This means that if you do go, you will also receive a friendlier, more natural reception in addition to having the stunning views all for yourself.

Leave a Comment

Add to Your Trip Planner | Post a Question | Write a Tip

Off The Beaten Path: Mountain Province off the beaten track

Tip Rating:

Written by hunwagner

on May 8, 2005

Very few tourists ever venture beyond Sagada and Bontoc in Mountain Province, even though this part of the Cordillera is probably home to the most diverse and traditional cultures of the region, as well as absolutely beautiful landscapes and adventurous trekking possiblities.
A perfect area to get off the beaten track.

Leave a Comment

Add to Your Trip Planner | Post a Question | Write a Tip

Off The Beaten Path: Kalinga

Tip Rating:

Updated by hunwagner

on May 9, 2005

The province of Kalinga, north of Mountain province, is home to the Cordillera's most famous warrior tribes. Even today, tribal wars are common between villages, and even the Marcos government had to back down against the Kalingas' resistance to damming the Chico River valley here. Nevertheless, the Kalinga are hospitable to visitors who show respect towards them, and villages in the south of this province have preserved traditional architecture to a greater extent than any other part of the Cordillera.

Leave a Comment

Add to Your Trip Planner | Post a Question | Write a Tip

Off The Beaten Path: Apayao

Tip Rating:

Written by hunwagner

on May 8, 2005

The northernmost and least visited province of the Cordillera, Apayao is about as far off the beaten track as you can get. The native Isneg people have abandoned their traditions more quickly than other Cordilleran tribes, but in the remoter villages you may still find examples of traditional architecture that resemble the boat-shaped houses of Sumatra and Sulawesi in Indonesia.

Leave a Comment

Add to Your Trip Planner | Post a Question | Write a Tip

Off The Beaten Path: Nueva Viscaya

Tip Rating:

Written by hunwagner

on May 8, 2005

The province of Nueva Viscaya is the southern gateway to the Cagayan Valley region. Its western side shares its culture and scenery with the Cordillera, while in the east, the once infamous headhunters of the Ilongot tribe inhabit the Sierra Madre.
This is another place to get well of the beaten track, and enjoy trekking through scenic mountains and tribal villages.

Leave a Comment

Add to Your Trip Planner | Post a Question | Write a Tip

Off The Beaten Path: Aurora

Tip Rating:

Written by hunwagner

on May 8, 2005

Aurora Province is across the Sierra Madre on North Luzon's remote Pacific coast.
Its capital Baler has some good beaches that attract some surfers (more locals than foreigners), and the forested mountains provide a beautiful backdrop to the unspoilt coastline.

Leave a Comment

Add to Your Trip Planner | Post a Question | Write a Tip

Off The Beaten Path: Isabela

Tip Rating:

Written by hunwagner

on May 8, 2005

The huge Cagayan Valley province of Isabela also gets very few visitors other than those transiting through. Here too, the main attraction is the wild Sierra Madre mountain range, which is especially unspoilt on the sparsely inhabited Pacific coast of the province. A huge chunk of this region has been declared the Palanan Wilderness Biosphere Reserve, possibly the most intact area of rainforest in the Philippines.
Towns on the east coast still have a definite frontier feel to them, and this area is also a stronghold of Negrito aboriginals..

Leave a Comment

Add to Your Trip Planner | Post a Question | Write a Tip

Off The Beaten Path: Callao caves

Tip Rating:

Written by hunwagner

on May 8, 2005

There are plenty of caves in the limestone hills around the village of Callao, on the western side of the Sierra Madre in Cagayan Province. Apart from the huge Callao Cave (on the photo), most are almost completely unexplored and offer tremendous potential for adventure caving.

Leave a Comment

Add to Your Trip Planner | Post a Question | Write a Tip

Off The Beaten Path: Babuyan Islands

Tip Rating:

Updated by hunwagner

on May 9, 2005