Long overshadowed by its more famous neighbors – Banaue and Sagada, Bontoc is now carving out its own identity on the tourist map.  If you fancy the outdoors and off-the-beaten track, this modest capital of Mountain Province will surprise you with its wealth of attractions concealed in its towering mountains draped by verdant wilderness.

Just 30 minutes away by land from downtown Bontoc is Maligcong, made famous by travel blogs who were looking for something new to explore in this region. So when Kirk asked me to join him on his long weekend trip to Maligcong, I packed my bag right away.   This largely uncharted village is far from the tedious trappings of commercialism, and you will learn a lot from your encounter with the locals.  For a province-dweller like me, visiting such place is like journeying to the core of my being.

Here is a travel guide blog to help you plan your trip to Maligcong in Bontoc, Mountain Province:

MALIGCONG PRE-TRIP PREPARATION

When is the best time to visit Maligcong: May, June and July are the best months to visit as the Maligcong Rice Terraces are most likely green. Planting season in Maligcong begins in April, and the harvest season is August.

Money in Maligcong: There’s no ATM in Maligcong, best top stack up cash. Withdraw from ATMs in Manila, as everything is on cash basis in Maligcong. There’s no money exhange center in Maligcong.

Safety in Maligcong:  Maligcong is tourist-friendly and  is pretty safe for solo travelers.

HOW TO GET TO MALIGCONG:

Route 1: MANILA-BONTOC-MALIGCONG

1. Take a Coda Lines Bus to Bontoc or Sagada. CODA Lines Bus has daily trips to  Bontoc and Sagada (via Bontoc), travel time is roughly 11 hours.  Their bus station is at HM Transport Cubao Terminal. See CODA Lines bus schedule below.

2. Get off in Bontoc.  If you’re taking the bus to Sagada via Bontoc, tell the conductor that you are getting at Bontoc.

3. At downtown Bontoc, look for the terminal of jeeps bound for Maligcong. It is along Capitol Road beside the market, however during market day/weekend, they are parked on another street.  If you can’t find it, just ride a tricycle and tell the driver to take you to the jeep en route to Maligcong.  Tricycle fare is Php 10 per person. Travel time to Maligcong proper from Bontoc is 30 minutes and jeep fare is ₱25 ($0.49, €0.44)

4.Ride the jeepney to Maligcong. Jeepneys to Maligcong depart at 8:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM, 4:00 PM, and 5:00 PM daily.

5.Alight in Maligcong. Travel time is 30 minutes.

CODA LINES BUS SCHEDULE

I highly recommend buying your bus ticket in advance as this is a popular bus route with limited buses, so it’s almost always fully booked.  Your best bet is to make an online reservation or booking. Click the link below.

Travel Time: 11 hours

Bus fare:

₱ 725 ($14, €13)

₱ 935  ($18, €16)

Bus Fare (online):

₱ 871  ($17, €15)  – Express

₱ 1,123 ($22, €19) – VIP

MANILA TO BONTOC BUS TICKET: RESERVE HERE

BONTOC TO MANILA BUS TICKET: RESERVE HERE

BONTOC BUS SCHEDULE

CODA LINES Terminal Quezon City

HM Transport, INC

Monte de Piedad corner Maryland Street, Cubao Quezon City

Contact #: +63 927 559 2197 / +63 929 521 3229

CODA LINES Terminal Baguio

Otek Street, Burnham Park beside Rizal Monument, Baguio City

Contact#: +63 935 535 9114 / +63 998 444 8831

CODA LINES Terminal Banaue

Poblacion Banaue near Tourism Office

Contact#: +63 936 971 9240 / +63 920 651 9672

 GOING BACK TO MANILA FROM BONTOC

At Bontoc, there are buses to Baguio or you may take a Coda Bus Line to Cubao, Quezon City. See the CODA Lines bus schedule above.  Or take a jeepney to Banaue from Bontoc and at Banaue, ride the Ohayami Bus to Manila that leaves at 6:30 PM and 6:45 PM.

BONTOC TO MANILA BUS TICKET: RESERVE HERE

Route 2: MANILA – BAGUIO- BONTOC-MALIGCONG

1.Take a bus to Baguio such as Victory Liner in Cubao and Pasay.  Fare is ₱485 ($9,€8) for regular aircon and ₱800 ($13,€15) for First Class Bus.

2.In Baguio, take a cab to  Dangwa or Slaughter House and catch a bus en route to Bontoc. Travel time is 6 hours and fare is PHP 250/ USD 5.

3. In Bontoc, look for the terminal of the jeep to Maligcong. Travel time is 30 minutes and fare is ₱25 / $0.49/ €0.44.  If you are in a large group, you can also rent an entire jeep to Maligcong from Bontoc for ₱700/USD 14.10.

ROUTE 3: MANILA-BANAUE-BONTOC-MALIGCONG

1.Take Ohayami Bus to Banaue. Fare is ₱ 648  ($12, €11) to ₱ 667  ($13, €12) depending on the bus company, travel time is 9 hours.   See the Manila to Banaue bus schedule below.

2.In Banaue, ride a jeep or van bound for Bontoc.  Fare is  ₱150/ USD 3 – PHP 250 / USD 5, travel time is 1.5 hours. Alight at downtown Bontoc and look for the terminal of jeep bound for Maligcong.  Fare is ₱25 / $0.49/ €0.44 and travel time is 30 minutes. If you are in a large group, you can also rent an entire jeep to Maligcong from Bontoc for ₱ 700 / USD 14.10.

3.Alight in Bontoc.

Travel Time: 10 hours

Bus Fare (online):

₱ 648  ($12, €11)  – Ohayami

₱ 667  ($13, €12)  – CODA Lines

MANILA TO BANAUE BUS TICKET: RESERVE HERE

BANAUE TO MANILA BUS TICKET: RESERVE HERE

Ohayami Trans

Corner J. Fajardo A.H Lacson Sampaloc, Manila

Contact Number: 917- 506-0817 / 0927-6493-0355 or (02) 5160-501

CODA LINES Terminal Quezon City

HM Transport, INC

Monte de Piedad corner Maryland Street, Cubao Quezon City

Contact #: +63 927 559 2197 / +63 929 521 3229

BONTOC TO MALIGCONG TO BONTOC JEEPNEY DAILY SCHEDULE

MALIGCONG, BONTOC TOURIST SPOTS

1.Maligcong Rice Terraces

Maligcong Rice Terraces, an age-old man-made stone-walled rice terraces, is looming with brooding power over pine-fringed mountains.  And like other rice terraces in the Philippines, it is great testament to the creativity and indigenous engineering skills of its residents.  Early this year, the Provincial Board of Bontoc passed a resolution asking the National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA) to include the Maligcong Rice Terraces on the list of National Cultural Heritage Sites.  If you wish to see the rice terraces  in their greenest state, visit around March to May.

2. Mt.Kupapey/Mt.Kofafey

Do not leave Maligcong without climbing Mt.Kupapey at sunrise, the view here is mesmerizing.  It is the highlight of our trip. If you visit in December, you might chance upon the sea of clouds before sunrise covering the rice terraces below.  The climb to Mt.Kupapey is good for beginners, difficulty level is rated 3/9 by mountaineers, but as the trail is not that well established yet, be prepared to scramble on some rocks and fallen branches.

3.Mt. Fato

Mt. Fato photo by Kar Joseph (Instagram: @kuchijoseph)

Travelers visiting Maligcong can also hike Mt.Fato, but Kirk and I failed to do this as we arrived quite late.  But according to the other group of hikers we met (Karl Joseph and her group), the trail to Mt. Fato is more difficult than that of Kupapey’s.  There is a rock formation at the summit of Mt. Fato that offers affordable 360 view of Maligcong village.

WHERE TO STAY IN MALIGCONG

There are homestays in Maligcong,  but best to book in advance to secure a bed, especially if you’re traveling there on a weekend or public holiday.

1.Suzette Homestay

Contact#: 0915 546 3557

₱ 350 ($7,€6)  to ₱400 ($8,€7) per person

We stayed at Ate Suzette’s house with a veranda  offering dramatic view of Maligcong Rice Terraces while you sip your free home-made tea!  They have three rooms, one with bathroom inside and two with shared bathrooms (with hot and cold shower).  Overall, the house is clean with spacious lawn.  If you like dogs, they have plenty and they will even join you in your hike. But they can get annoying when they beg for food, so  Ate Suzette instructed us not to feed them while we were eating.

2.Vilma’s Homestay

Contact #: 0905 701 1448

Another homestay option in Maligcong, I didn’t get to see the rooms though but the house is located near the jumping-off point to Maligcong Rice Terraces.

3.Terrace View Homestay 

Contact #: 09151881732

4.Chen Sac-ayan Homestay

Contact #: 09562805628, 09207939550

5.Rowena’s Homestay

Contact #:09151881732

RECOMMENDED GUIDE IN MALIGCONG

Hiring a guide when climbing Mt.Kupapey (Mt.Kofafey) and Mt.Fato is recommended.  Guide fee is PHP 500/ USD 10.07 per 1-5 person and additional PHP 100 / USD 2.01  if you are six in the group.  If you are more than 6, you need another guide.

Marcelino Erigio

Mobile #: 0975 417 9231

MALIGCONG RICE TERRACES FEES

*₱ 100 ($1.95,€1.75)  is collected for each additional person.

SAMPLE MALIGCONG BONTOC ITINERARY

Here’s a sample Maligcong Rice Terraces Itinerary for 2 days 1 night, perfect for a weekend trip from Manila to Maligcong via Bontoc.

Here’s another Maligcong Rice Terraces Itinerary from Manila to Maligcong via Banaue.

SAMPLE MALIGCONG TRIP BUDGET/EXPENSES

Sample budget good for 1 person, so if you are in a group, it is definitely cheaper.

MALIGCONG RICE TERRACES TRAVEL TIPS 

⊗ Bring jacket as the weather can get pretty cold at night.

⊗ Wear proper hiking shoes especially during rainy season as the trail can get muddy and slippery.

⊗ You can cook your food at the homestay or order a meal in advance.

⊗ Strictly lights out at 9:00 PM for the entire village.

⊗ Hire a guide when climbing Mt.Kupapey (Mt.Kofafey) as it is easy to get lost there.

⊗  Guide dogs owned by the guide or the homestay might join you on your trek.  But we were told that this is not encouraged by some local farmers as some dogs run after their carabaos and they end up falling from the cliff or to the rice terraces destroying the crops.

⊗  To shorten your hike to Mt. Fato, you can catch the jeep from Maligcong that can drop you off the jumping-off point.

⊗  Overnight camping is not allowed.

⊗ The jeep back to Bontoc is usually full, so be prepared to climb and sit on the roof.

⊗ Please do not leave trash on the mountains or anywhere on the village!

⊗  Smart/Suncellular signal is weak in Maligcong.   No signal and data at the homestay, but I had data connection and signal at Maligcong Rice Terraces. So if you wish to post on Facebook amd Instagram, go to the rice terraces or bring a Globe sim card.

Special thanks to Kar Joseph (IG: @kuchijoseph) and her group for sharing their food to us. And of course, to my travel buddy Kirk (IG :@kirkacebron) for tagging me along.

MALIGCONG SIDE TRIPS

ALSO READ:

NORTHERN BLOSSOM FLOWER FARM

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BATAD & BANAUE TRAVEL GUIDE

KIANGAN IFUGAO TRAVEL GUIDE