BnB on the Hill Rm 2 - Cozy cabin-style refuge

This cozy room crafted of local pine is nestled on the third floor of the house, away from the daily comings and goings. There's a bathroom shared by two single rooms, and a shared kitchenette one floor down. The room is 2.7x2.1 meters. The bed is 1.65m wide and there's 1.4m of space between the bed and the wall. That's typical Sagada architecture: we're an active culture and it's assumed that people are out all day, so a bedroom is just for sleeping! There's a small table and a seat. We're located just under a kilometer from the center of Sagada, close enough for easy access, far enough to be away from most of the crowd! We're on a small hilltop with views across the lower end of Echo Valley and the limestone formations and pine trees of Kanip-aw Ridge. Thre's a selection of restaurants in the neighborhood! We're well off the road and there's a pine grove with bonfire area just outside the house. My mother produces homemade bread at her bakery at the bottom of the hill, and you're welcome to drop in and share the smell and a loaf fresh from the oven. We'll serve you bread and Sagada Arabica coffee on arrival! You'll have access to the upstairs kitchenette and bathrooms, the downstairs kitchen and dining area, and the outside area around the house: basically everything but the other bedrooms. We're always willing to spend time with our guests and to help them build a better understanding of our place, its history and culture, and the many activities it offers. I've been a guide for many years, my mom is also a guide as well as a baker, and my husband guides canyoning, mt biking, and other adventure sports trips when he's not writing and editing, so we're well equipped to help you build a local itinerary that suits you. We're also very familiar with the Cordillera region and can help you plan regional travels: Sagada is a great hub for seeing the area! I'm usually at the pottery during the day, but I'm at home in the mornings and evenings. My husband works at home and is usually there. My mom is in the house, the bakery, or around town. My kids will chime in with their own unique perspective on local life. There's usually someone around to assist! Sagada is a small town nestled in a forested valley 1500m above sea level, in the center of the Luzon Cordillera. It's famous for hiking, caving, mountain scenery, indigenous culture, and year-round cool air! Sagadans belong to the Applai Kankanaey indigenous community. We are quite modern in many respects and pride ourselves on our education and fluency in English, but we are also very traditional in many ways and we take our culture seriously. Sagadans are not allowed to dress in traditional costume for posed photographs or to stage rituals for visitors. Some rituals, notably weddings, are open to all. Others are quite private. If you see ritual activities going on, usually involving groups in traditional costume, you may observe at a distance but do not come too close. Ask permission before taking photos or video. Start with respect and everything will be fine! It's a good idea to ask anyone before taking pictures, especially old people. Sagada's first exposure to the outside world came from American Episcopalian missionaries in the early 20th century. Unlike most of the Philippines, there is no real Spanish influence and the prevailing religion is Episcopal, not Catholic. Sagada is a highly egalitarian community and even in the pre-colonial culture, there was no tradition of "chiefs" or of inherited power. Communities were governed by councils of individuals who earned respect. Sagada does not permit non-Sagadans to own land or do business. All businesses in town are locally owned: no fast food joints or chain convenience stores! St Theodore's Hospital is able to handle most routine illness and injury but does not have a large staff of specialists. We suggest avoiding situations that might lead to neurosurgery! If you have your own vehicle there is parking space at the bottom of the hill close to the house. Vehicles are secure. Let us know in advance if you need parking space, as it can get crowded during peak season. There are two paid parking lots a short walk from the house. Please don't park along the road. It's too narrow and parking is not allowed. Some destinations are off limits to private vehicles and are for local vehicles only. Let us know where you'll be going and we can advise, and organize vehicles if needed. Walking is often best. It's cool and you can see all the scenery! If you're driving around town, remember that local habit gives the right of way to pedestrians, especially children. Go slow and be careful. In the center of town, there are buses to Baguio and Manila. Schedules are known to change without warning, but in general, there will be Baguio trips at intervals from 6 AM to 1 PM, with one late afternoon trip and often one very early morning trip. Ask first if you plan to travel at unusual hours. Baguio trips are first come, first served, no advance tickets. Direct buses to Manila leave at 10 AM and at 2 and 3 PM. You can buy tickets at the Coda Lines office, beside Sagada Guest House and just above the Municipal Hall. Jeepneys to Bontoc leave every 30 minutes from 6-9 AM and then every hour until 1 PM. The schedule may not be precise! There are also trips to the barangays of Bangaan and Suyo ad to the neighboring town of Besao. Ask locally for current schedules. Vehicles can be hired and shuttle vehicles are used for many trips, particularly the sunrise hike to the "Marlboro Country" ridge. There are no tricycles for hire in Sagada. Most locals prefer to walk for short trips, and we often walk long trips. The air is cool and clean and walking helps us stay healthy. We have well defined seasons but nothing is absolute. Usually, it's cool and clear from October to Feb; we can get a rainy day but it's usually clouds and drizzle, not a downpour. From late Feb through late May it's warmer and dry. Sometime around late April or early May afternoon rains start, and by June it's the rainy season, until late Sept. A typical rainy season pattern is sunny mornings and rainy afternoons, but if the SW monsoon is strong there are times when it just rains! Typhoons come July-Sept, or rarely in Oct-Dec. They are tracked well in advance, see (Website hidden by Airbnb) for storm forecasts. If there's an active typhoon it's best not to travel: hunker down and wait it out! We don't provide soap or shampoo. Nearby stores have both, if you didn't bring! We don't serve breakfast, though we can usually provide coffee and bread. The town is very safe and violent crime is almost unheard of. Walking around is not a problem! There is a curfew and businesses close by 10, often earlier if there aren't many tourists in town. Local people tend to wake early and sleep early! You'll have to register at the tourist office in town. If you send your names, ages, and nationalities we can do this for you! There's a P35/person tourist fee. Guides are required at many of the tourist sites. Many Sagada sites involve caves or areas near cliffs so guides are required for safety. We can organize guides (and we'll choose guides we know are among the best in town) or you can get them at the tourist office in the center of town. We recommend the SEGA guides available at the center; it's the oldest organization with the most rigorous training requirements. If you go out walking without a guide, tell us which way you're going and when you plan to be back, as you would in any mountain area. If someone goes missing the guides and the community will look for them, day or night, rain or shine, until they're found. It helps to know where to look! This is a conservative, traditional community and very revealing clothing and major public displays of affection are frowned upon. Best to save it for the private space.