Sagada

Forget shimmering beaches and turquoise seas, Sagada isn't that sort of Philippines. Instead, this far-flung town up in the rugged Cordillera Mountains of northern Luzon is a place to feel cool air and breathe the scent of pine trees and flowers. It’s here that Sagada tour guides are ready to reveal the adrenaline-pumping wonders of the other side of this island nation, with waterfall treks, spelunking, rafting and more. The deep recesses of the Sumaguing Cave, with its underground streams and tight-knit caverns, combine with the gushing Upper Chico River to offer some seriously active outdoors pursuits. Treks up to the Bumud-ok Falls are also popular – you'll find them cascading down a series of high cliffs to the north, dropping straight into glimmering pools of sky-blue water. However, Sagada might be best known in the Philippines for the haunting traditions of its local people. They have created the so-called Hanging Coffins of Sagada, the result of leaving sarcophagi attached to sheer-cut bluffs as burial. They can be found in several locations around town.