Every adventure-loving Pinoy would have already heard at least a little bit of something about Sagada and its wonders. This summer I had a chance to once again visit this awesome place. Among the many Sagada sites popular to visitors, the trek to Bomod-ok Falls, otherwise known as the “Big Falls” is something no one can afford to miss.

While the actual falls is really beautiful and breathtaking, the trek to it is equally amazing. The trek starts near the basketball court of a town called Bangaan. It is mostly a downhill trek along surprisingly cemented pathways, slithering through rice terraces and a quaint little bunch of houses which I later on found out to be called Fidelisan.

When the trek passed through Fidelisan, our group was pleasantly surprised to see kids playing, in my eyes all looking alike, with plump cheeks, chinky eyes, and cute dirty faces, chanting, “Penge piso…? Penge piso!” We also saw (and smelled!) a queer looking baboy damo (wild boar) snorting as we passed its pen, sitting right beside the house of its owner.

The cemented pathways were so helpful as we trekked through the rice terraces. Green rice stalks were dancing with the occasional blowing wind, and seeing that throughout the trek made it such a wonderful experience! Many picture perfect sites sit along the trek that my camera was working on high gear, especially whenever my trek mates start shouting, “Uy! Uy! Picture! Picture!”

The trek lasted about an hour and a half. Upon arrival at the Big Falls, our guide got us banana leaves which we used for a “kamayan-style” lunch. Sarap! We swam, took more pictures, and enjoyed the powerful (and cold) waters of the falls.

The trek back up to Bangaan was expectedly much more exhausting, as it was mostly uphill. Our group stopped in many more resting areas this time but the experience was really worth all the pounds we shed off!