Top Things to do in Bontoc
The 10 Best Things to Do in Bontoc, Philippines
Discover the best top things to do in Bontoc, Philippines including Bontoc Museum, Sumaguing Cave, Maligcong Rice Terraces, Bomod-Ok (Big) Falls, Road from Baguio to Bontoc, Kiltepan, Chico River, Bayyo Rice Terraces, The Hanging Coffins Of Sagada, Echo Valley.
Restaurants in Bontoc
1. Bontoc Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 44 reviews
Contains relics and photos of tribes from the surrounding region.
Reviewed By tinylyss - Rotorua, New Zealand
Located at the heart of the town, this museum is very rich in information about the culture, tradition, and history of various provinces. It gives you a clear understanding and view of Igorots (native settlers of Northern Philippines) which really helps in embracing the life in the Mountains and appreciating every single way of life and living of the locals.
Here, there are numerous artefacts and photos featuring how the Igorots lived their life hundreds of years ago. From hunting and farming, storing food, cooking, burial rites, and even the meaning and significance of the accessories men and women wear. To name a few, the hooves of carabaos (national animal of Philippines) or water buffalos were used before to store pinipig (dried rice crisps) for the children to snack on; snake bones were used by women to keep their hair up; massive clay jars (known as "gusi") were used to make and store rice wine.
The most interesting of all are the photos and artefacts about the famous ancient practice of the natives called "head hunting". Basically, they punish their enemies by hunting them and beheading them. The head serves as trophy for the winning warrior and is kept in a basket. The beheaded body is then buried without a ceremony for it is considered a great disgrace to have a family member beheaded. In the museum, you can also see few preserved skulls of beheaded warriors.
Still got a lot of things i wanna share but I guess it's better to see them for yourself and be fascinated with the history of the locals.
NOTE: Entrance fee is 60 pesos
Taking photos is not allowed inside the museum; however, you can take photos outside, at the village where you can see native nipa huts (ancient houses) and more.
2. Sumaguing Cave
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 707 reviews
Reviewed By Oriellini - Makati, Philippines
This is NOT for the paint of heart! The cave is consist of three levels, we only get to reached the second with the magnificent water pool and rock formations everywhere we look. So many tourists inside! One group had to accommodate another few groups then another set of groups! Crazy! I don’t know why parents had to bring their little kids and oldies (poor nanay and tatay), I guess the tour company handling the tour didn’t inform them about how steep and slippery the rocks are. Once you were inside, one could only mutter wow! Yes! It was all heavenly! I supposed you bring your geeky friends to explain to you how those rocks were formed!
3. Maligcong Rice Terraces
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 19 reviews
Reviewed By Randy916 - Sacramento, California
From Bontoc, take a Jeepney that takes you to barangay Maligcong. The Jeepneys leave at 8am and noon. If you take the 8am Jeepney up to the terraces, your first ride down will be 2pm. Bring some snacks/food, as your options are very limited once up there. The tourist registration center charges 20pp, and they have some drinks/snacks, as well as the homestay next to it. From there, just walk into the terraces and walk pretty much anywhere you want.
4. Bomod-Ok (Big) Falls
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 231 reviews
Reviewed By GorgeousCathy - Quezon City, Philippines
We went here however, the water is brownish due to the rain. But I guess this can be very amazing once the rain ceases.
5. Road from Baguio to Bontoc
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 32 reviews
Reviewed By tommomelbourne - Melbourne, Australia
I did this trip in reverse i.e. Bontoc to Baguio. I agree that it is a very scenic and an enjoyable stretch of road with great views of various types of rice terraces and vegetable terraces.
I enjoyed driving through the various local townships.
other than Baguio, Bontoc was the largest township in this region and the size quite surprised me.
Driving can be frustrating if you are sitting behind a bus, truck laden with vegetables or a tricycle. Our driver (Tourist Driver) was skilled and managed to safely overtake these annoyances.
6. Kiltepan
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 295 reviews
Hill
Reviewed By Janet K
We went there but unfortunately the weather was not good and there was hardly any view. So double check the weather first before heading there so you won't kinda waste your time like we did.
7. Chico River
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 15 reviews
Reviewed By Oleg Y - Belgrade, Serbia
The other trip to the interior of the Philippines Islands as I've mentioned before, was
the thrilling journey to the north of the great Luzon Island. It had taken us about five and a half hours to get by bus from Manila to the surroundings of Pasil in the Balbalan National Park near the course of the Chico River. There is one reach on the 175 kilometer long river Chico, from Tinglayan, upstream to the Tabuk downstream, that counts as the main part of the River Chico. And its upper section, from Tinglayan to the Pasil is intented for more advance and experienced raftsmen. We took another reach,on the tributary of the Chico River, from Pasil to Tabuk. There the rapids are less strong and fast than on the strech from Tinglayan to Pasil. Nevertheless we enjoyed a lot, rafting down by the stream and looking around at the beautiful scenery of the wall sided hills in our narrow passage of the Chico River tributary. We have had some local guides in our boats and very well equipped with the waterproof vests and helmets, headed down to Tabuk. At one place there was the wonderful waterfall that precipitated from the top of the vertical cliff down to the waters of our river.
A lot of adrenaline - pumping moments while we descended downward, sometimes the pleasant laughing due to the experienced exhilarating trip, that was we've had that late summer in 2008, on the Luzon Island in the Philippines.
8. Bayyo Rice Terraces
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 9 reviews
9. The Hanging Coffins Of Sagada
Overall Ratings
4 based on 512 reviews
Cut through the jungle and overgrowth of the Valley of Echoes to discover the mysterious hanging coffins of Sagada.
Reviewed By Esther P - Chicago, Illinois
Probably the only reason to visit Sagada is to see the hanging coffins. You walk thru the cemetery, then down a hill to view them. I found the second half of the walk difficult.
10. Echo Valley
Overall Ratings
4 based on 198 reviews
Reviewed By Marielle G
It was a beautiful place - cool weather, fresh air, nice scenery. The only downside was we went here with a tour group and it was Sunday so there were other tour groups. Too many people for me, couldnt take a decent photo because people were lined up and taking their time to get their photos and different poses taken.
I hope they maintain the place and wont make it commercialised to preserve its beauty.
To get to the Echo valley we had to pass through the cemetery (interesting trivia: on All Souls Day the visitors do not light up candles. Instead they light up acorns).
After the Echo valley we had a short trek going to the hanging coffins, and on the way back we passed through a clear stream.
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