Overview Compare Bus Flight via Tuguegarao Flight via Cauayan
How to get from Manila to Sagada
Sagada is an iconic town located in the Philippines’ Mountain Province. Locally, its sea of clouds and the romantic laidback vibe were popularized in a famous Philippine movie entitled “That Thing Called Tadhanda.”
If you visit on a weekend or a holiday, chances are it will be crowded with local travellers. We recommend visiting Sagada on a weekday to fully enjoy the serenity of the place. Although it’s most famous for its hanging coffins, Sagada offers a lot of other outdoor adventures.
COVID-19 Travel Advisory: Since the beginning of 2022, the Philippines eased travel restrictions for foreign travellers and locals alike. The main requirement is to be fully vaccinated.
Taking a flight? As of November 2022, all international travellers bound for the Philippines are required to register an eArrival Card. You can fill it out upon arrival, but it’s recommended to register 72 hours prior to your flight to avoid queues and delays at the airport.
Upon arrival at Sagada, you are also required to show your vaccination card and your booking confirmation from an accommodation accredited by the Department of Tourism. You can find the list of accredited accommodation establishments on Umali Kayo.
3 ways to get from Manila to Sagada
The distance from Manila to Sagada is 390 km (242 miles). In this post, we compare the 3 best options to travel from Manila to Sagada: by bus (11 hours) and by a combination of flight + taxi (7 hours) via Tuguegarao or Cauayan. Ticket prices range from 1,300 PHP ($22.50) to 3,400 PHP ($59).
When you take the bus from Manila to Sagada, you can choose between the regular tourist bus and the VIP bus. Bus tickets start at 1,090 PHP ($19) for the standard bus and 1,150 PHP ($20) for the VIP bus. Both buses are night buses which means you won’t lose your entire day travelling.
If you don’t want to sit for 11 hours on the bus from Manila to Sagada, you can also choose to fly to Tuguegarao Airport or to Cauayan Airport. From either airport, you can continue by taxi to Sagada. Flights start at 1,300 PHP ($22.50), and the taxi cost is from 3,000 PHP ($52).
Travelling via Tuguegarao is slighter faster and normally also cheaper. However, it doesn’t make much of a difference, so we recommend checking out both flight fares via the provided links.
Itinerary from Manila to Sagada
Manila to Sagada by Bus
When going from Manila to Sagada, the most straightforward option is by bus. You have the option to take a direct bus from Manila to Sagada or to travel via Baguio.
We think the 11-hour journey is already long enough so we will only explain the direct route.
You can also rent a car if you don’t mind driving through the mountain province, but bear in mind that it can be quite dangerous. Roads are not well-lit at night and have a lot of bends.
Bus departure in Manila
The most well-known bus company operating this route is Coda Lines. They operate 1 night trip daily and they depart from their own Coda Lines terminal in Cubao, close to Manila city centre. Cubao is about 10 km north of Manila city centre.
The taxi fare from Makati to Cubao is about 250 PHP ($4.35) when there is no traffic. The distance from Makati to Cubao is 10 km and just 20 minutes to travel. You can also go via train (MRT) to Araneta Center-Cubao station. From there, it’s a few minutes walk to the bus terminal.
Tourist vs VIP bus
Buses operating on the Manila to Sagada route are classified as either semi-deluxe (tourist) or super deluxe (VIP). The VIP buses only have 35 seats while the tourist buses have 45. We recommend the VIP bus, especially for taller passengers, as they provide more legroom.
During peak season, make sure you book your ticket beforehand via BookAway to secure a seat on your desired date. Booking at least 2 months in advance is recommended.
Bus Schedule from Manila to Sagada
The bus will make a stopover in Banaue and then continue to Sagada. You will be dropped off at Sagada Bus Terminal, near the Sagada Municipal Hall in the town centre. Depending on where you’re staying in Sagada, you may have to take a local transfer to reach your hotel.
Note: Make sure that you are at the terminal at least 30 minutes prior to departure.
Manila to Sagada by Flight via Tuguegarao Airport
To avoid the 11-hour bus ride, another option is to book a flight from Manila to Tuguegarao Airport (TUG) or Cauayan Airport (CYZ). The distance from Tuguegarao airport to Sagada is 185 km while Cauayan Airport is 210 km to Sagada.
From either airport, you can take a taxi to Sagada. The 5-6 hour taxi ride is quite expensive though but considering the distance and better comfort, it may be worth it.
If you want to save some money, you can also take a bus from Tuguegarao Airport to Banaue and then transfer to a van bound for Sagada.
Step 1: Manila to Tuguegarao by Flight
Cebu Pacific operates two daily flights from Manila to Tuguegarao Airport (TUG).
The flights depart from Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 every morning at 6:50 and 11:05 (Tue, Thu, Sat.) and 6:50 and 11:45 (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun). The flight takes a little more than 1 hour.
For a one-way ticket, expect to pay from 1,300 PHP ($22.50) to 3,400 PHP ($59). During seat sales, you can grab tickets for as low as 700 PHP ($12). Plan your trip months in advance to get the best deal.
Step 2: Tuguegarao to Sagada by Taxi
Once you arrive at Tuguegarao Airport, you can take a taxi to get directly to Sagada. It’s not cheap, but you’re assured of a comfortable 5-6 hour car ride. A taxi to Sagada costs about 3,000 PHP ($52). If there are other travellers to share this cost with, that would be a bonus and save you money!
You can also take a bus but it doesn’t go all the way to Sagada. The bus only takes you to the junction in Banaue. From Banaue, you have to hop on a van to Sagada. Note that this indirect option might take about 6 hours. Read how to go from Banaue to Sagada for more info.
Manila to Sagada by Flight via Cauayan
Another option is to fly via Cauayan airport. The travel time from the airport to Sagada is also about 5-6 hours to cover the distance of 208 km to Sagada.
Although the flight takes the same amount of time, the taxi ride will be a little bit longer and also around 500 PHP ($8.50) more expensive.
Still, we recommend checking also flights for this route to compare flight fares for your desired travel date.
Step 1: Manila to Cauayan by Flight
Cebu Pacific operates flights from Manila to Cauayan City. Ticket cost ranges from 1,400 PHP ($24) to 2,200 PHP ($38).
During seat sales, these tickets can go as low as 800 PHP ($13.50). There is only one trip per day which departs NAIA Terminal 3 at 10:25. The flight takes 1hr 10min.
Step 2: Cauayan to Sagada by Taxi
From Cauayan, it takes about 6 hours to Sagada when travelling directly by car. Taxis are available at the airport which costs at least 3,500 PHP ($61) for the 210 km ride. Drivers may try to charge you more, so prepare your haggling skills!
