The First-Timer’s Travel Guide to Sagada, Mountain Province, Philippines

When my dear friends Tom and Kai told me they wanted to spend their honeymoon in the Philippines, the first places that came to mind were El Nido and Boracay. A place where newlyweds could bury their toes in the sand and sip cocktails all day sounded like the right place to go. But when Tom told me they were looking for adventure over Sex on the Beach (pun intended), I knew exactly where to take them instead – Sagada.

A small mountain town of a little over 11,000 people, the first time I visited Sagada was fifteen years ago. My sister and I took a backpacking trip up north and this sleepy town famous for its hanging coffins was one of our first stops. I’ve always preferred mountains over beaches so I instantly fell in love with the place. Known for its limestone mountains and forested valleys, Sagada has been described as the “the shire of the Philippines”. In fact, that’s the first thing another friend of mine observed when he first visited Sagada. “It…