Nature, Heritage and beach wonders

Upon arrival in Manila, transfer and check-in at the hotel. Overnight in at City Garden Grand Hotel (or similar).

Early morning check-out and departure for the Mt. Pinatubo Adventure trip. Ride a 4x4 and do a trekking adventure to Pinatubo crater. Drive an off road vehicle along a river valley made of lahar, the mudflow from the volcano’s 1991 eruption. Then hike another 1.5 hours to the crater with free time to enjoy views of the emerald-colored lake. After following the same routes back to base camp, you’re rewarded with a Filipino-style lunch (and shower) before your return drive to the capital. After tour, check-in to Quest Hotel Clark (or similar).

Early morning departure, proceed for your land transfer to Banaue which take approximately 7-8 hours via North Expressway. The gateway to Banaue is through the land locked evergreen provinces of Nueva Ecija and Nueva Vizcaya. Countryside setting such as rice fields surrounding the small towns and villages are common sight showing simplicity of living. Arrive in Banaue, proceed to Banaue Rice Terraces Main View Point. Check in at Banaue Grand View Hotel (or similar).

Depart hotel, your guide will take you to Batad. Batad is one of the most treasured destinations as it is listed in UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Batad is located as well in Banaue, all Filipinos know that it is really a precious place to be take care of until the end of time. Knowing that it is where the Rice Terraces is located; it is considered as a symbol how early Filipinos showed their “BAYANIHAN” (Filipino term for helping each other). Every single person who we’re able to visit the place were definitely amazed by the breathtaking view and how natives made this. The walls are made up of mud and rocks considering the fact that more or less it was built roughly 2000 years ago. These are all made with bare hands that are full of creativity and hope. After trekking, proceed to Tappiya Falls, a kilometer away from Batad Amphitheater. The 230-foot waterfall is a popular side trip in Batad. Lunch will be in a local restaurant. After lunch, your guide will take you to a Bangaan Village onboard a local jeepney that will take approximately 1 hour. From the road, take a 30 minutes hike going down the village. Visit the amphitheater-shaped rice terraces slope of Bangaan. It is described as the tiniest cluster of terraced rice fields you will see in Mountain Province. Standing at a single vantage point on the western end, you can look down and see them all. It’s only a 700-step easy hike down to the town itself. It’s an easy 15-20 minutes hike from the road down to the Bangaan village. Take 45 minutes to 1 hour hike going back to the road, then another 1 hour ride to Banaue town proper via local jeepney. Last stop will be the Hapao Rice Terraces in Hungduan. Out of the five terraces, Hapao is the longest. Walk through the rice paddies and enjoy the view of the terraces up close. While you’re there, you may also check out the Hapao river and Bogya hot Springs.

Check-out Banaue Hotel. Proceed to Sagada. Along the way, you will have a stop over at Bontoc Museum. The Museum showcase how Igorots already have a well-organized culture, headed by tribal elders during the pre-colonial times. The main Igorot tribes included in the museum are the Ibaloi tribes (Benguet), Bontok (Easter Half of the Mountain Province), Kankana-ey (Western Mountain Province), Ilocos Sur and some parts of Benguet, Kalinga and Ifugao. Also, in the museum were Abra’s Tingguians, Tingguian also means “mountain people”. The museum’s architecture is modeled on the old Bontok hut with a pointing roof. After tour in the museum, On the road to ambasing, near the spot where the road takes hard curve to the right (if you heading downhill), you can see the Sugong Hanging Coffins suspended from the cliff face. A short distance further, the road forks at the Right Turn Cafe. Take the left fork, follow it for 200m and look for a path to your left that leads down to the Lumiang Burial Cave. Over 100 coffins are stacked in the entrance, the oldest believed to be about 500 years old. Many are carved with images of lizards, which are symbols of long life and fertility. Most of Sagada’s famous hanging coffins are high on the limestone cliffs surrounding Echo Valley. Some hanging coffins are centuries old; others were put there recently. To get to the Echo Valley lookout, walk behind St. Amry’s Episcopal church and take a hard left on a dirt road that winds uphill to cemetery. Continue uphill straight to the top of the cemetery beyond; the path leads by a mobile telephone tower. From here it’s a short stumble down to the look out, where you can hear for yourself why it’s called Echo Valley. Check-in at the hotel.

Depart in the morning for the highlight tour in Sagada, the Sagada Cave connections. This tour will takes approximately 4 - 5 hours. It is called Cave connections because it is composed of two interconnecting limestone caves. This activities will have you crawling through tiny tunnels, swimming through underground pools, and rappelling on underground rocks faces. After tour, back to hotel for refreshment, then check-out to follow. Proceed to a local restaurant for lunch.

After breakfast, sit back and relax as the journey continue to the northern tip of Luzon Island, Vigan Ilocos Sur.

Embark on a 9-hour journey through the cultural treasures of Vigan and Laoag, immersing yourself in its rich history and architectural splendors. Begin your exploration at the iconic Bantay Church and Tower, where centuries of history come to life. Engage in a leisurely walking tour, discovering the charm of exploration at the iconic Bantay Church and Tower, where centuries of history come to life. Engage in a leisurely walking tour, discovering the charm of Plaza Salcedo, surrounded by historical landmarks and the vibrant energy of the city. Continue your journey with a visit to the grand St. William’s Cathedral, followed by a stop at the iconic Sinking Belltower, a unique architectural wonder. Enjoy a leisurely stroll through the picturesque Aurora Park, soaking in the serene ambiance. After the guided exploration, relish some free time to further discover the local attractions, indulge in shopping, or simply unwind at a local café.

After breakfast, travel back to Manila. The trip is around 7-8 hours drive.

Boracay Island offers a wide array of water sports activities, cuisines, entertainment, or just chill and enjoy the beach.

Day at leisure.

Flight to Manila airport to connect to your international flight ticket. Possibility to add an extra night in Manilla if the flight schedule doesn’t work.