Travel Guide to Buscalan Village, Kalinga

APO WHANG - OD

Oldest Traditional Tattoo Artist

Apo Whang - Od up close and personal

Buscalan Village is under the municipality of Tinglayan in the Province of Kalinga. It is an exclusive village and not passable with any kind of motor vehicles. 

When I first saw a documentary about Apo Whang - Od, I said to myself that I will visit her and she will put my first tattoo on my skin. A lot of my friends have been inviting me to come with them but my schedule does not allow me. Good thing my 'manliligaw' suggested that we visit Apo Whang - Od on his birthday and I quickly said yes, thinking that it will be a great present for my birthday also. 

Apo Whang - Od is the oldest traditional tattoo artist (mambabatok) up to this date and she is from the Bubut Tribe. One of the oldest tribes in Kalinga and they have their own dialect. Visiting her will require you a 16 - hour journey from Manila plus stamina to reach the village from the jump off point. 

I am going to share with you guys our experience at Buscalan Village, on a backpacker's perception. 

HOW TO GET THERE:

There are many ways to reach Buscalan Village you may choose via Tabuk, Banaue or Baguio. 

1. via Tabuk

Victory Liner has a daily trip going to Tabuk. From Manila it will take you 12 hours to reach Tabuk. Then, ride a public jeepney going to Bontoc which is approximately 3 - 4 hours and drop off at Bugnay. From Bugnay, you may opt to walk your way up to the Bucsalan Village (5kilometers of rough road) or rent a habal - habal (200 Php) going to the jump - off point. 

2. via Banaue (This was our route)

Ohayami and Florida (Dangwa) has a daily trip to Banaue, the latter costs 530 Php. From Manila it will take you 9 hours to reach Banaue. Then, ride a public jeep or van in the market which is bound for Bontoc which is approximately 2 hours (150 Php). From Bontoc, ride a public jeepney that will go straight to the jump off point in Buscalan (100 Php). The jeep leaves at 2:00 in the afternoon and the only jeep that goes straight to the jump off. The terminal is beside the Mt. Province State Polytechnic College.

3. via Baguio

Victory Liner has an hourly trip to Baguio City on a daily basis. From the terminal, go to the bus terminal of GL transport which is near the Baguio public market and then, ride a bus bound for Bontoc (usually this are non - aircon buses). From Bontoc, ride a public jeepney that will go straight to the jump off point in Buscalan (100 Php). The jeep leaves at 2:00 in the afternoon and the only jeep that goes straight to the jump off. The terminal is beside the Mt. Province State Polytechnic College. 

From the jump - off point, prepare yourself for a lot of walking and climbing stairs just to reach the Buscalan Village Proper. It took me 30 minutes to reach their place. Haha.

WHERE TO STAY??

There are no hotels or resort in Buscalan Village but good thing there is Charlie. Charlie is our contact/guide in Buscalan, he owns a very basic house in Buscalan Village near the house of Apo Whang - Od and he turned it into a transient house. He is a very simple man and funny too! Most of all, he is very accommodating. 

Since we met some friends on our way to Banaue, Anne and Matteo, we shared a house with them. I do not want to disclose how much Charlie gave us for an overnight stay but you may contact him for the price. Here is his number,  (0998) 1888-697.

Meet Charlie! Call him (0998) 1888-697

This is our simple home for the night, cooking is free.

View from our veranda.

This is the veranda of Charlie where guests do their socials

WHAT TO DO OR SEE??

1. Get a tattoo from Apo Whang - Od or Grace, her niece.

See the blood? eek!

The artist doing best on her craft.

2. Sip a hot organic Buscalan Coffee while chatting with your friend or new found friends.

3. Roam around the village and explore the other side of Buscalan Village, they have their own rice terraces and a waterfalls. 

4. Play with kids and bring some candies for them, they will be asking it from you. 

5. Experience riding in the TOP LOAD on your way to Buscalan!

TRAVEL TIPS:

1. Bring your own food and water. Cooking is free, if you are going to stay with Charlie. Also, his niece will help you in preparing and they will be the one to do the dishes. There are no convenient stores nearby and the market is in Bugnay or Bontoc.

2. Bring extra cash, there are no ATM or Banks in the area.

3. Be cautious of the time, the public jeep bound for Bontoc leaves at 8 in the morning! In our case, we missed it and have to walk 5 kilometers of rough road under the scorching sun! Gaaaaahhh!

4. Prepare 300 - 1000 Php if you are getting a tattoo. There are no fix rates, it will all depend on Apo Whang - Od. 

5. Apo Whang - Od is very popular, expect a lot of tourists are visiting her. Be prepared to be in line just to get a tattoo and also prepare yourself that there is a chance that you will not get a tattoo. Anyway, they say Grace's work is better than Apo. 

6. Bring your jackets it really gets cold at night or even bring extra blanket or malong.

7. Interact with locals! Greet them whenever you see them, it's a way of showing respect. Participate in their local celebrations and explore their culture, respect it.

8. There is a curfew and lights are usually turned off at 10pm. Also, be mindful of Charlie's house rules like no footwear inside the house and bathroom.

9. If you are commuting your way to Buscalan, be sure to have an agreement with the jeepney driver on the time of their trip going back to Bontoc the next day. There are no cellular signal in the area for smartphones.

ITINERARY FOR AN OVERNIGHT STAY IN BUSCALAN:

This is my giveaway to you guys! This was our itinerary coming from Banaue. (You may check my Travel Guide to Banaue) 

Day 1

10:00 am ETD for Bontoc via Van

12:00 nn ETA Bontoc | Lunch and buy stuff

3:00 pm ETD for Buscalan 

4:00 pm ETA jump - off of Buscalan | Start Trek

4:30 pm ETA Buscalan Village | Unlimited Coffee

5:00 pm Prepare dinner or join an activity in the village

Day 2

5:00 am Wake up! Start your day early, Apo Whang - Od is ready! Get your tattoo!

8:30 am Start trek going back to the jump - off (Since we missed the jeep, we walked more than an hour to reach Bugnay! That is 5 kilometers of rough road!

10:00 am Breakfast at a small store in Bugnay while waiting for a jeep that is bound for Bontoc

11:00 am Ride a jeep going to Bontoc

12:00 nn ETA Bontoc | Lunch

You may opt to do a sidetrip to Sagada OR  you may go straight to Baguio or Banaue and catch a bus back to Manila.

Total breakdown of budget for this trip (excluding stay with Charlie + Fare from Manila)

Van Banaue to Bontoc - 150

Lunch at Bontoc - 75

Groceries for food in Buscalan - 125

Jeep Bontoc to Buscalan - 100

Village Fee - 50f

Tip for porters - 70 

Jeep Bugnay to Bontoc - 80

Lunch at Bontoc - 75

TOTAL COST: 725 Php

Verdict of Tara Gumala:

Buscalan has many things to offer besides its famous Apo Whang - Od. I will definitely go back to this cultural place with my friends and have my tattoo! This should be one of your destinations when you do a Cordillera trip. Everything is cheap here and some are free!

This is a perfect weekend getaway with your friends, reconnect with your culture and cultivate it. Have your tattoos done and be proud of your ethnic race! We all share the same blood. :)

Ano, TARA GUMALA?

CIAO.

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GABRIELA

Travel Guide to Battad

BATTAD BATTAD BATTAD!

A UNESCO World Heritage Site

Stunning beauty of Battad

I have been to Battad when I graduated in grade school, it was a graduation gift from my mother. I remembered how dangerous it was to travel from Banaue to Battad, we almost fell off to a cliff and the trail from saddle point to Battad was not a piece of cake.

Now that I got a chance to revisit this wonderful place, I observed that lot of things were changed. The road from Banaue going to the saddle point is already paved but still prone to landslide, the trail going to Battad is already established AND they are planning to make a road that will send you straight to Battad! In no time, Battad will be accessible to private cars. Poor Battad, it will be exploited by tourist as it is exploited now. :(

ANYWAY, the place still awes me! There are things I love about this place, besides the feeling of being reconnected with your history, the scenery itself is picturesque! It will leave you breathless (literally) because of the walking from one place to another.

I will give you guys my travel guide to Battad.

HOW TO GET THERE??

Going to Battad is a piece of complicated cake. Hahaha.

1. Make your way to Banaue, a municipality under the province of Ifugao. There are 2 (two) prominent bus companies that have daily trips to Banaue. One is OHAYAMI and the other is FLORIDA (DANGWA). We chose the latter because the terminal is along EDSA, which is in Kamias and the buses are new. The fare costs 530 Php.

2.  From Banaue, you can ride a public jeep in the market or rent a van. If you are travelling with groups and time is of the essence, renting a van is more convenient, for 2,000Php you get a round trip fare to Battad plus a side trip to Banaue's best view points. The public jeep only has one trip during lean season that is 3:30 in the afternoon but during peak season they have a 8:30am trip.

The van/ jeep will drop you off at the Saddle point.

This is Kuya Randy, a tourist guide/ van driver. Here is his contact number (0919) 362 - 5752!

3. Then from saddle point, walk 15 - 30 minutes to your transient house in Battad.

First Glimpse of Battad Rice Terraces

See! It is so easy but it will require a lot of energy. The trek from saddle point will test your endurance, not suitable for those with heart problem and arthritis. Hehehe.

WHERE TO STAY??

You may opt to do a daytrip to maximize renting a van OR stay at a transient houses in Battad and  make the most of your stay plus experience their beautiful sunrise while sipping a hot coffee! :)

We stayed at Ramon's Homestay and rented his Native House which costs 1,000 per night during lean season. It was a bit expensive for a native house with very basic amenities like pillows, blanket and foam beds BUT the experience of staying at a native Ifugao house is one for keeps. Also, the food is not that great and they have a slooooow service, better request you food in advance! Ohh and expensive too. A meal costs 120 -200 per order! Hehe. Good thing we brought canned goods.

This is a view from a small window of our hut. (c) Anne Orquiza

WHAT TO DO OR SEE IN BATTAD?

1. Trek the Battad Rice Terraces. What a great experience to trek the Battad Rice Terraces BUT it is not advisable for those who has fear of heights! From a far, the terraces looks like stairs but up close the distance between each level of rice paddies is 10 - 15 ft!

2. Photo Shoot at the View Point.

3. Swim at Tappiya Falls. After a hot day of trekking the rice terraces, it is nice to take a dip at the cold waters of Tappiya Falls, just be careful because the current is really strong. Ohh, the way back to the town proper is really exhausting! It was a never ending stairssss!

4. Request for a Cultural Show. If you will stay at Ramon's Homestay, be sure to ask ahead of time for a cultural show, so that they could prepare one but this comes with a price. Not sure how much it costs, I forgot to ask because I was blown away by the next item.

5. Bonfire Story Telling with Kuya Ramon. This is a nice way of Kuya Ramon to reconnect with his guests. He sets up bonfire and each one will tell their names. He even told us some stories why the place is called Battad, why he isn't married yet, his vision for Battad etc. I do not want to share it with you guys because it is better to hear it from him.

6. Get a massage from a local.

Meet Irene, she is a local and niece of Ramon. According to her, she is the owner of the hut and it is used to be their home. Also, this hut is where Piolo Pascual stayed during his visit. OHA! Whole body massage only costs 300 Php!

(C) Anne Orquiza

7. Watch sunrise while sipping a hot coffee! This is what I love about Ramon's place, it has the best view of Batad Rice Terraces and what makes it perfect is their organic local coffee plus their ethnic canister!

8. Join/ Observe locals harvest rice.

This is how they dry their harvested rice grains.

Since they do not have machine to carry those grains, farmers are carrying it back to their house to dry.

Well, this is equality. Ladies are farmers too, no exception!

HOW TO GET OUT???

1. Wake up early, around 6 in the morning. So that you will have time for breakfast and other stuff. 

2. Start trekking back to the Saddle point before 8am. 

3. Be at the saddle point before 9am to catch a public jeep going to Banaue which costs 150 Php. 

4. TOP LOAD! :D

(c) Anne Orquiza

TRAVEL TIPS:

1. Always greet every local you see, it is a way of showing respect! Locals are very accommodating, they will chat with you even they cannot speak Tagalog. 

2. Bring your own food and water to save money, though their organic rice is the best! My digestion was really good during or trip, which rarely happens whenever I travel. 

3. Get a local guide to bring you to the view point and Tappiya, you are helping them in return. 

4. Stay at a native Ifugao Hut, the experience is really nice and it connects you with your ancestral domains. 

5. Sunrise in Battad is really wonderful, be sure to wake up early and have those cameras ready for photo shoot. 

6. Bring extra money, there are no ATMs in the area. Restaurants do not accept Credit Card or Dollars. 

7. Hiking / Trekking your way to the Rice Terraces and Tappiya Falls is really exhausting! It is not fit for people who has hypertension and/or arthritis. It is like a never ending stairwell! 

8. It will save you a lot of time and money when you travel with a group.

HERE IS OUR ITINERARY IN BATTAD (this is my giveaway!)

DAY 1

8:00 am - ETD for Battad

8:45 am - ETA Saddle Point | Start Trek

9:30 am - ETA Battad Town | Went to Ramon's Homestay settle things

11:00 am - Early lunch

1:00 pm - Start trek going to Viewpont

2:00 pm - Viewpoint photo Op

3:00 pm - Tappiya Falls

5:00 pm - Back to Ramon's | Freshen up

7:00 pm - Dinner | Socials

DAY 2

6:00 am - Wake up | Breakfast

7:30 am - Trek back to Saddle point

9:00 am - Top load at a public jeep going to Banaue

You may opt to go to Sagada, Benguet, Kalinga OR wait for the scheduled bus that will go back to Manila. We opted to proceed to Kalinga and visit Apo Whang - Od. 

Total Breakdown of my budget for this trip:
Manila to Banaue - 530
Breakfast at Banaue - 130
Van Banaue to Battad - 500 (2,000 /4)
Heritage Fee - 50
Ifugao Hut at Ramon's Homestay - 250 (1,000/4)
Lunch, Dinner and Breakfast - 440
Jeep Battad to Banaue - 150

TOTAL COST = 2,050 Php!

Verdict of Tara Gumala:

Battad is relatively expensive but mother nature with the help of our ancestors did an amazing job. It will not be a UNESCO World Heritage Site for no reason. I highly recommend that you visit Battad now, before it's too late. 

See this is a perfect weekend getaway with your barkada! Don't forget to thank and credit me for whatever you will gain from this. :)

Ano, TARA GUMALA?

CIAO. 

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GABRIELA