DiscoverSagbayan
Discover the natural beauty, culture and heritage of Sagbayan.
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Top 10 Reasons to Visit Sagbayan
Reason 01
A Sneak Peak into Sagbayan
- Holidays to Sagbayan provide the tourist an opportunity to gazing at a serene highland scenery that is both far away and at the same time close to the rest of Bohol.
- The limestone hills covering the municipality in the form of rolling waves give rise to a slight wavy topography where the clouds usually pass by floating slightly above the tree tops, changing the sky with light morning shades.
- Even a day trip to the local market during the early mornings allows you to taste the newly picked corn and sugar-sweet rice, and the damp earth smell fills the cool morning air.
- The municipal square in the town is enclosed with stone walls and surrounded with buildings of colonial times; this demonstrates the proud history of the people and the spirit that remains timeless.
- To the adventurer, a visit to Tagbilaran City with world pinoy flights will ensure that you arrive in the city with a lot of convenience before going on a quick journey to the hills of Sagbayan.
- Lastly, the respectful silence of the village will help in getting the guests to reflect and get time to relax, take a breath, and just keep time to the pure rhythm of countryside life.
- Capital (of the province): Tagbilaran City
- International airport: None in Sagbayan
- Nearest commonly used airports:
- Bohol-Panglao International Airport (Panglao Island, Bohol) – main domestic and international airport for the province
- Mactan–Cebu International Airport (Cebu City, Cebu) – major international gateway nearby
- Currency: Philippine Peso (PHP)
- Time zone: UTC+8 (Philippine Standard Time)
- Driving side: Right-hand side
- Main electricity: 220 volts, 60 Hz
- Official / local languages: Cebuano (Boholano), Filipino, English
- Major religion: Predominantly Roman Catholic
Reason 02
Highlights
- The Sagbayan Peak observation deck is famous due to its panoramic views towards the far away Chocolate Hills which gives one a unique view of Bohol geological marvel.
- During the evening hours, the hill tip is covered in amber light which gives a golden quality to the background which makes even the small clouds, look as floating paintings.
- The agricultural background of the region is depicted by the local farms with rows of rice paddies and cornfields, as well as the hard-working hands that take care of the land.
- Towards the summit, a small coffee shop offers homemade Peanut Kisses, which lets the visitors experience the special taste of Boholano craftsmanship with the view of the hills.
- The flowing river flow through the valleys offers a soft background music, with the vivid waters of the river, as the colours of the sky vary with the day.
- A quiet breeze that circles around the limestone ridges blows the slight scent of citrus trees, which contributes to the sensual carpet making holidays to Sagbayan memorable.
Reason 03
Seasons to Travel
- The dry season between December and May is associated with clear skies all year round, which enables tourists to view the mist-shrouded Chocolate Hills at a safer height, at the Sagbayan Peak.
- In summer, afternoons are not so hot at the top of the hill, so in the evening, coffee and sunset shots are readily available.
- During the rainy season, the green vegetation becomes darker in colour and sometimes the distant view can be obscured by fog that makes the view mystic.
- The moist months as well have a more plentiful fragrance of the wildflowers blooming, which perfume the air about the valleys and the ridges of the pine.
- The shoulder months (June and November) of the year can be a less hectic affair, with fewer of the tourists on the mountain, and thus are able to explore more personally.
- Tourists who are planning a trip to Sagbayan are advised to cheque the weather forecasts in the area beforehand and in the process get the best light the peak can offer at a specific moment when they would like to visit it.
Reason 04
Worth A Visit
Sagbayan Peak
- The observation deck on the peak is designed to support the light winds of the mountain, and at the same time the deck offers the 360 degree view of the hills around the mountain without any distraction.
- The base has a set of well-marked trails, which allow one to hike to the top of the mountain, and the trails are paced in such a manner that one will have scenic vistas every time one turns.
- On bright days, the summit offers a distant silhouette of the Chocolate Hills, hence it is one of the best places to take photographs.
- Tourists may rest in the picnic table, benches and shade trees provide the picnic place with a nice atmosphere to have a lunch break.
- There is a tiny souvenir store at the entrance that sells handicrafts made locally that the travelling traveller can afford, and it is an opportunity to the traveller to give back to the community and to bring something back home.
- The fact that the peak is situated higher than the valley floors also implies that the air is generally cleaner, which is an added advantage to those who love to enjoy the high altitude air.
Sagbayan Town Proper
- There is a bustling municipal plaza in the town proper including a fountain and wide grass lawns on which people meet informally.
- The stone walls, laid up with antique lime mortar, of the village, are a monument to the ingenuity and strength of its primitive inhabitants.
- When walking on the streets, a visitor may listen to the rhythmic sound of farm equipments, which makes them remember how the Baholano farmers used to live their daily lives.
- The nearby bakery will provide freshly, baked flatbreads that go perfectly with hot cups of hot stew known as Humba.
- They have a community centre nearby where they perform their cultural shows on weekends that include traditional dances and folk songs written in Cebuano.
- The local library which is main in the town contains a collection of legends and oral histories that best describe the heritage of Sagbayan.
St. Augustine Parish Church
- The hillside and the church are in harmony as the latter is painted in soft cream, which forms a visual refuge to pilgrims and curious visitors.
- The wooden statues in the altar are a work of the community and their religious faith since the statues are made by hand and have been handed down by generations.
- Rung three times a day at dawn, the church bell creates some rhythm in the day, marking the beginning of life in the village.
- On the day of feasts, paper lanterns of all colours cover the territory of the church, highlighting the night sky and making the place of worship a light of celebration.
- Close by is a small shrine of the patron saint where one can take a moment and contemplate the faith in the area.
- The neighbouring garden of the church, which has been planted with native herbs, is used as a herbal retreat and a herbal classroom.
Agricultural Farms
- The lower areas of the hills consist of rice paddies, each terrace neatly shaped to maximise the holding capacity of water when it rains.
- The horizon is covered with cornfields which wave softly in the wind, forming the green sea of life consuming the warmth of the sun.
- Local farmers are also open to having visitors with them to plant or pick a crop giving them a firsthand experience of the sustainable methods used.
- The evenings are filled with lantern light at the fields and this creates a rustic effect that indicates the communal nature of the village.
- There is a small and open farm market where there are neat rows of produce, where people can taste the freshness of freshly pressed corn juice.
- On top of having farms that are productive the farms help to prevent erosion of the soil due to the terraced structure and the native vegetation that covers the slopes.
Reason 05
Discover More
Local Market (Public Market)
- It is a busy market that opens at sunrise and is crowded with stalls that are filled with colourful baskets of ripe mangoes, slice of pineapple and freshly pressed coconut milk.
- Vendors meet the visitors with amiable smiles and provide the samples of Calamay, sticky sweet delicacy which shines under the morning sun like amber.
- The main produce market is stunning with a showcase of heirloom corn and its kernels are shiny with dew and it is ready to cook or roast.
- One end of the market is devoted to artisanal coffee, which is cooked on a small stove and served in clay cups making the beverage warm.
- Fresh fish is also brought by local fishermen and their hauls are stacked in coolers where they await seasoning and grating.
- The welcoming nature of the market is usually a draw to tourists as the market seems like a breathing tapestry of the life of the Boholano people.
Cave Systems
- The geology of this area is limestone, which conceals a number of cave openings, which have been cut through by the wind and water over thousands of years and provide a glimpse into the ancient scenery.
- Tours are usually preceded by a safety talk about how to move through the stalactite narrow corridors without destroying the delicate ecosystem.
- Within the caves, there are speleothems, stalactites and stalagmites, which gleam in the torch as giving the shaft a surreal, otherworldly appearance.
- There are also passages that have ancient petroglyphs, which also indicate cultural importance of the caves to the early occupants.
- The air in the caves is cool and rather moist which is a contrasting relief to the warm hills outside.
- The visitors who make the walk outside the cave are likely to have an awe feeling and they have peeped at an unknown world that not many people look at.
Local Eateries
- On a small scale family owned restaurant, they serve; Monggo Guisado, a savoury mung bean stew, with the warm home feeling.
- Street sellers are selling Pancit Canton a noodle dish that is fried with local vegetables and sliced pork and covered with steam.
- The coffee in town is made using beans which are cultivated in the nearby hills and this gives it such a strong taste that one cannot forget it even after they have taken a mouthful of coffee.
- At lunchtime, wooden long tables of the eatery are occupied by a combination of locals and travellers who are going to have a common meal.
- The menu is frequently varied according to the season, and the menu is always based on the freshest products available and makes each visit to Sagbayan feel like a present moment for holidays to Sagbayan.
- There are a lot of diners, leaving with a small jar of Calamansi jam, which is a tangy jam that goes well with rice or bread.
Local Handicrafts
- There are hand-woven baskets made of weaving bamboo that are exhibited in vibrant designs that resonate the natural colours of the region.
- The traditional kalamay moulds are on display in a nearby workshop where the sticky sweet is shaped by the artisans into elaborate designs.
- The Christian pottery shop of the town provides basic and rather primitive clay pots stamped with some distinct symbol of the religion used there.
- The wooden sculptures are small (about $10$ cm), and the sculpture represents the local wildlife (the tarsier or the Philippine eagle) as something that is respected by the community.
- One of the textile stalls has hand-embroidered shirts and blouses, embroidered with colourful designs based on the flora and fauna in the area.
- Tourists find it wonderful to buy these handcrafted products, that have genuine storey and the Sagbayan scenery.
Reason 06
Culture Traditions
- The Cebuano language is used in most conversations in the town, and its lyrical intonation is used to give a warm background to everyday communication.
- Sagbayan relies on farming, and the life of the community is determined by the planting and harvest seasons.
- The community has a high level of cohesion and they frequently come together to mark their communal achievements like a bountiful harvest.
- Festive parties are full of traditional music with bamboo flutes and hand drums and resonate with the natural sounds of the valley.
- The children of the town are taught tales of the early settlers and this is a way of keeping the oral history that traverses several generations.
- Festivals held in Sagbayan are characterised by a mixture of Catholic practises and native rites and they form a very unusual cultural blanket that is both holy and happy.
Reason 07
Food Fun Fashion
Food
- Peanut Kisses are a local favourite, which has gained its popularity due to the fact that they are subtly sweet and the crack of fresh peanuts.
- The Humba or the pork dish cooked slowly is spiced with common spices such as soy sauce, bay leaves, peppercorn, which are reminiscent of a warm stew.
- Corn which has been harvested fresh is then converted to a range of foods, starting with grilled corn, all the way to creamy cornbread, which underscores how versatile it can be.
- Calamay is a sweet caramel-like pale-brown, sticky delicacy made of glutinous rice flour and palm sugar, the end result of which is chewy and caramel-like.
- The fish in the area is commonly caught in the streams nearby and then simply grilled with a pinch of calamansi and salt, which do not destroy the delicate flavour of the fish.
- An average evening meal in Sagbayan will generally end with a bowl of fruit commonly referred to as sampaloc and a sweet zest to the meal.
Fun
- The sunset view as seen through the Sagbayan Peak is the best place to capture the sunset, as the sky changes to various oranges and pinks.
- The tourists are able to enjoy the serene atmosphere of the mountains, with the sound of pine needles and the falls in the distance.
- The mountainous routes over the valley offer a good way to have a pleasant stroll, as well as enriching the hiker with fresh air and stunning views.
- There are local guides that provide cultural tours that involve narration of ancient myths about the hills and caves.
- On Sundays, there is a small show of dancing in the open-air market of the town which gives the tourists an opportunity to feel the beat of traditional drums.
- The short walks in the evening along the top of the hill help the town people to greet one another in a friendly manner, which creates feelings of belonging and community.
Fashion
- Warm temperature and sunny days of the day are best suited to light and breathable cotton items, whereas in the evenings with lower temperatures at the peak a light jacket can be used to protect.
- Wearable high-quality soles are also necessary to walk on uneven fields on the observation deck and farm trails.
- The conventional Boholano clothes are embroidered blouses and woven skirts, and they are commonly used on festivals and communal gatherings.
- During the exploring of the hills in the daytime, the head is exposed to the harsh sun rays and is covered with a wide-brimmed hat.
- A crossbody bag will have a small bag that holds necessities such as a water bottle, a sunscreen, and a camera among others and easy to access.
- Superior quality but low profile clothes are preferred by the locals when attending evening events to represent their culture without causing inconvenience for holidays to Sagbayan.
Reason 08
Nature Safari
- The high altitude of the Sagbayan Peak provides a clear view of the waving limestone ridges that cover the plateau in the inside.
- Even the limestone hills themselves create natural caves and sinkholes that are beckoning at the adventurous tourists to wander in their depths under the eyes of a guide.
- The rice paddies and cornfields in the valleys below demonstrate how fragile the relationship between the natural environment and agriculture can be.
- The wildlife which can be seen in the area includes the Philippine deer and other bird species which are found around the water bodies which are the most common in the landscape.
- The valleys have seasonal wildflowers, which give an explosion of colours that adds value to the overall scenic experience of the travellers.
- The breezes that blow between the hills pervade with the smell of pine needles and damp soil which gives a sense to the natural environment.
Reason 09
Events Fiestas
- The fiesta of the main town of Sagbayan is held on August which is the day of the saint Augustine and it is manifested through a very colourful procession reflecting the faith of the town.
- At the fiesta, there are brightly coloured banners to be seen over the plaza and people are dressed in traditional clothes to dance and listen to music.
- The celebration involves a shared meal with local delicacies, which strengthens communal ties between the locals, as well as visitors.
- The late summer is marked by harvest festivals, which show a successful harvest of rice and corn; the festivals are held with music, dancing, and a produce show.
- There is a fireworks show at night that lights up the hills making the evening a visual experience that draws the locals and people travelling.
- These holidays to Sagbayan events are characterised by the presentation of handmade artefacts by local artisans who sell the souvenirs to the attendees and they reflect the cultural heritage of Sagbayan.