Northern Philippines' Halsema Highway
Entering North Luzon’s Cordillera on the Mountain Trail
Mar 22, 2009
This is a forested region where high-altitude vegetable crops such as potatoes, carrots, and radishes thrive. Famous for its ancient traditions, the Cordillera region hosts visitors throughout the year, especially those interested in the life ways of the colorful highland peoples. On the lower slopes of the Cordillera mountains, rice is grown on stone-built terraces of ancient design. Hikers and photographers love the terraced hillsides of Banawe Town in Ifugao Province, as well as the caves and waterfalls of Sagada Town in Mountain Province.
Northern Philippines’ Most Famous Highway
Winding through this fascinating region is the Halsema Highway, named for the engineer who finally managed to open the mountains to road travel in the early 20th century. Affectionately called the “Mountain Trail” by local residents, the Halsema Highway is not just a road to somewhere else, but is well enough known to qualify as a tourist destination inn its own right.
The road begins in Baguio City, where it starts to wind its way uphill from the strawberry fields of La Trinidad. The earlier part of the road follows the path of timbering vehicles that years ago removed all the valuable timber from the mountain tops. Now the old forest areas are carpeted with vegetable farms that feed the cities of Baguio and Manila. Note in the vegetable growing areas how houses are scattered, only grouping together near the road, but elsewhere each farmer makes a house near the fields.
The statue of a potato at the entrance to Atok Municipality should not be missed. It can be seen just before the Caliking Elementary School about 26 km from La Trinidad. Further along is the big, flashy carrot statue in Natubleng, but the potato statue has a quiet modesty that is quite taking. Many municipalities around the Philippines erect statues to their principal products, some of them are strikingly artistic.
In the early part of the year, March to about June, travelers will see wild lilies of all kinds springing up from the rocks and beside water courses all along the road at the higher altitudes. The off-white, trumpet shaped Benguet Lily that always grows alone is native to the area, but others such as the more ubiquitous calla lilies were introduced and have now overrun their gardens to grow wild throughout the area.
Highest Point in the Philippine Highway System
After Sayangan Town, the road continues uphill for a bit longer until it reaches Highest Point. There is a sign marking the highest point on the Philippine Highway System, at 7200 feet above sea level, and also a few souvenir shops selling t-shirts and snacks. From Highest Point, the road begins to wind along the high ridges past spectacular rocky cliffs.
About 40 km from Sayangan, the road passes out of Benguet, and into Mountain Province. From here, the traveler begins to descend into valleys that have been inhabited and farmed for centuries. In the lower, rice-growing areas, houses huddle together in small villages while the fields stretch above and below. Generations ago constant warfare marked the mountains and even today people of this area feel defenseless in a house set away from close neighbors.
After a long, gradual descent, the highway eventually reaches the side of the Chico River at Sabangan Town (not to be confused with Sayangan). The Chico River flows north to Kalinga Province, and from there on to the Pacific Ocean at the northern coast of North Luzon. The Halsema Highway follows it into the provincial capital of Bontoc.
Bontoc, Capital of Mountain Province
Don’t pass up Bontoc, just because it doesn’t have the more highly developed tourist infrastructure of Sagada or Banawe. Bontoc has a charm of its own, and is well worth a closer look. Near the top of town, on the compound of St. Vincent’s Catholic School is the Bontoc Museum, with a rich array of well-planned exhibits on the history of the surrounding area. Across the street, past the Post Office, is the central Plaza. Go down the steps and through the park towards the provincial offices, and at the corner of the building is the "Pasalubong Center" shop of the provincial department of trade and industry with a wide variety of local handicrafts, especially woven fabrics of all kinds.
Bontoc is the end of the Halsema Highway, from here less famous roads lead out, the most used heading towards Banawe in Ifugao Province. After Banawe, the highway descends gently until it leaves the Cordillera region at Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya.
Getting there: From Baguio City, De’ Rising Sun busses leave from the Slaughterhouse Compound every hour from 5 am to 4 pm heading for Bontoc. GL Lizardo busses heading for Sagada leave from the Dangwa Compound behind Center Mall. There are usually seven buses each day for Sagada, beginning at 6:30 am.
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