Trip around Bontoc, Luzon (Philippines)

Hi there, Between Sagada and Banaue, I’m thinking of spending a night in Bontoc. Are there any interesting villages to see around Bontoc (accessible by vehicle)? Is the Bontoc-Maligcong road worth it... landscapes? Same question for the Bontoc-Barlig road? Thanks in advance for your tips!

Hi! You're probably leaving in January/February. In mid-March near Bontoc, we had a lot of fog and especially smoke from slash-and-burn farming. Since locals no longer have permission to sell trees, they burn the forests to create farmland. Eric

hi again Have you visited the villages around Bontoc—Mainit, Malicong, Guinaang, Barlig, Kadaclan, Natonin? If so, are they accessible by car, and are they worth a visit?

When we used to pass through Bontoc, we loved stopping in Maligcong—even staying overnight for some peace and quiet. Beautiful rice terraces with a few scattered clusters of houses like Favarey, reachable via a winding road for about 5 km. In Bontoc, there’s a lovely local market and an interesting museum with documents on headhunters. Mainit, which was accessible by dirt road back then, is also worth a visit—hot springs, plenty of water buffalo skulls, and traces of *Dap-ay*, the assembly places of the Elders... sadly underrated. Oh well, happy planning!

thanks for the info

Good evening, I tried to find the details in my notes, but unfortunately, I only mentioned our many stops to admire the rice terraces and a few village visits without noting the names. Plus, we covered the Sagada/Bontoc/Banaue route in a single day, so it was too rushed—but the smoke from slash-and-burn farming slowed us down. We’ll spend a few more days in the Banaue area for two treks on foot with overnight stays in the villages. Happy planning! Eric

thanks