SAGADA: How to find Echo Valley and the Hanging Coffins
The first thing to decide is whether or not you need a guide to go to Echo Valley and see the Hanging Coffins.
If you simply want to view Echo Valley and see the Hanging Coffins from afar, you can just follow the path from St. Mary's Church and the traffic of people walking the same way and you will reach Echo Valley and view the Hanging Coffins from afar.
But if you want to see the Hanging Coffins up close, you need a guide. The Hanging Coffins can only be reached by a narrow, steep and stony path going down the side of the mountain. You need a guide to lead you to a safe path and instruct you where to put your foot down. Any misstep will lead you tumbling down the ravine.
You can get a guide at the SAGGAS office near the Municipal Tourism Office. Or you can contact them through their website at http://www.saggas.org/.
We wanted to see the Hanging Coffins up close so we hired a guide.
Below is our half-day tour of Echo Valley and the Hanging Coffins:
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| The entry to the path that leads to Echo Valley is through St. Mary's Church. |
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| The path passes by the Sagada zipline |
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| Then you pass by the town cemetery My tip: Make sure to find the tomb of the famous historian, William Henry Scott. |
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| Echo Valley It does echo when you shout! |
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| Hanging coffins viewed from the top of Echo Valley The coffins hang from limestone cliffs. These coffins are not accessible to the public The coffins are hard to see because they're already the same color as the limestone cliffs. |
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| Going down the mountain to see the hanging coffins up close |
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| The distance from the top of Echo Valley to the Hanging coffins |
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| Going further down a rough and stony path |
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| If you have a walking stick, bring it along. My son bought a walking stick in Banaue and found it very useful here. |
WE FINALLY REACHED THE FAMOUS HANGING COFFINS OF SAGADA!!!
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There are a lot of hanging coffins in Sagada but these are the fairly accessible ones.
However, you still have to be fit to be able to go down and climb up again because the trail is very challenging. |
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Another way of burying the dead aside from putting them inside caves
is by hanging them by the side of limestone cliffs.
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ON TOP OF ECHO VALLEY
