To be a tourist in your own hometown usually has negative connotations.
It often means losing a sense of belonging to your community because of the place’s abrupt transformation or your long departure. But being a tourist at Badi Falls helped me expand my understanding of my ili (the Ilokano word for “town” and is usually used to mean town of origin in the Cordilleras).
When people ask about my ili, I answer “Kapangan” even if it is technically my paternal grandmother’s hometown. I was born and raised in Baguio City, but I spent most summers and Christmas breaks in Barangay Sagubo in Kapangan.
A fourth-class municipality of Benguet, Kapangan is a two-hour jeepney ride from the City. Whenever I would go there, I’d say, “Agawidak pay idiay ili” (I’ll go home to my ili) because it had always felt like a second home.
In Sagubo, I used to stay with my Lola Lupao in a century-old wooden house propped above the ground by four sturdy posts. The wood had grayed with time, and there were holes on the floor. The house, divided by a wall of planks, was shared with an aunt, the daughter of my grandma’s sister. We entered the house by climbing a bamboo ladder. Life in the ili was slow, simple, and quiet. It was a stark contrast to the city lifestyle.
I usually stayed indoors, cocooned with my books and notebooks. Until 2023, there was no internet or phone service in most of our barangay. You’d need to climb to an elevated area to send messages. But that didn’t bother me. I devoured book after book and poured my heart out in my journals to pass the time. I chatted with cousins, aunts, and uncles who dropped by, though I was too shy to go out on my own.
But as luck would have it, on the first of January in 2020, my brother Jepoy and I were invited by our cousins to hike to Badi Falls. In spite of my reluctance, Lola Lupao and Jepoy convinced me that it would be a worthwhile adventure.
Taking the long way
My ili is more famous for its agricultural products like coffee and cucumber than its natural attractions. But in the early 2020s, locals and travelers alike buzzed about a newly-found waterfall which was supposedly named after a worm-like organism. According to the LGU of Kapangan, “Badi” or “Badbadi” is an insect that used to inhabit the waters of the similarly-named falls.
Located in Barangay Sagubo, the falls are famed for their crystal clear waters, and are surrounded by a virgin forest. The main waterfall is 75- to 80-feet high, and the smaller, surrounding waterfalls measure about 20 feet each. My cousins told me that a hunter discovered this spot during one of his exploits.
However, the road to this hidden gem is not easy. During our visit, the easier and shorter route constructed for tourists was closed due to recent mudslides. We had to use the route that included a rough, unpaved path. We hitched a ride from the Sagubo Barangay Hall, then hiked for what felt like a day. I was terrified! At times, we had to walk on narrow pathways skirting the mouth of ravines. I, the clumsy homebody, was squirming. At one point, one of my cousins gave me her tsinelas because mine were too slippery.
Going for a dip
After two grueling hours, I made it to Badi in one piece — with lots of help from my companions. We gobbled up our packed lunch of rice, egg, and fried fish and took a couple of pictures. A raft floated on the water, and I and a few of my cousins held on to it and pedaled to reach the pool at the base of the waterfalls. The others took their time swimming and scaling some of the rock formations to get closer to the falls. The water was refreshingly cool, and for non-swimmers like me, just taking a dip was enough to wash away the stress and exhaustion.
After walking all the way back for almost three hours, we got home by sundown. There were several times when Jepoy and I lagged behind the group because I was too tired to keep walking. Fortunately for us, that meant we got to sit down and witness a blazing violet-orange sunset.
I remember thinking at the end of that day that the uphill journey was worth it, despite how physically challenging it was. It was one of the few times I’d gone out with my cousins that was not a neighbor’s wedding or relative’s wake. Plus, it wasn’t often that I had the time, money, or opportunity to go hiking or swimming. And I got to do both in one day!
“That’s enough exercise for me for the whole year,” I kidded my cousins.
Thinking about Badi
Although I’ve only gone to Badi Falls once, it’s one of the most memorable adventures I’ve ever had. I will never forget the relief and awe I felt when I saw the clear waters of Badi framed by lush greenery. Who would’ve thought a thing of beauty was hiding right inside our ili? Pictures don’t do it justice.
Five life-changing years have passed since that hike. The COVID-19 pandemic happened. Internet reached Sagubo two years ago. My Lola Lupao passed away a year before that. Because I stay in Baguio all the time, my cousins and I barely see each other. I just feel that I have no one to go home to anymore. These days, we’re only in Sagubo for Lola’s death anniversary.
But maybe I should go home more often. Maybe I can make new memories of my ili even without Lola Lupao. Maybe if I keep going, I will stop becoming another tourist in my hometown.
Traveling to Badi
To go to Sagubo, you may ride one of the jeepneys at the Dangwa Station, behind Center Mall. Departure times are 7:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 1:00 p.m., and 1:30 p.m.
Jeepneys may leave early when they are full, and because of the “number coding” scheme, some trips might be unavailable, so I recommend that you check with the Sagubo conductors at Dangwa Station beforehand.
Recently, the local government has set up a more convenient way for nature lovers to reach this slice of paradise. Plus, I heard the paved tourist route has been reopened.
If you wish to hike to Badi Falls, simply follow the Sagubo LGU-approved guide below:
- Drop by the Sagubo Barangay Hall for registration and a brief orientation.
- Pay 50 pesos for the registration and another 50 for the environmental fee.
- Enlist the help of a registered tour guide for only 500 pesos (ratio of one guide per five tourists). If there are more than five of you, you would need to pay an additional tour guide.
Lastly, please wear shoes and clothes suitable for hiking and swimming. Bring plenty of water and snacks. I also recommend bringing your friends to make the uphill trek feel like a cakewalk!
