Transportation in Banaue
Overflowing jeepneys at Banaue bus station
Jeepney shared taxis and tricycles are available all around Banaue. Vans with driver/guide can also be hired. To reach the main viewpoint for the rice terraces costs around Php200 return, but remember to bargain hard with the driver first to get the best price. There is no airport within a reasonable distance of the town. There are regular jeepneys to Bontoc between dawn and dusk which is where tourists should head for onward connections to Sagada and Vigan.
The town bus station is right next to the market square with a gaggle of Jeepneys all vying for custom. Larger intercity buses wait at the top of the steep stone steps immediately above the marketplace, and this is also where travellers arriving in town with inevitably be dropped off. Hiking around the region is also pleasant with maps (Php15) and guides available from the Tourist Information Office (by Town Hall, 06:30-18:00).
Driving from Baguio to Manila
Banaue is situated 330kms north of Manila, and journey times for buses to the capital are around nine hours due to several blind hairpin bends along the road and lots of slow-moving vehicles like tricycles and lorries.
The road towards to Manila is all tarmac, but the route is single lane for most of the journey and passes through several sizeable towns with associated traffic problems.
The routes north to Bontoc and Sagada are awful and under constant repair. A four wheel drive vehicle is really preferable on these roads although brave souls can make do with a standard car (and many locals with motorbikes). There are numerous dips and gravel sections in the road which may require careful negotiation. And the lack of street lighting and sheer drops means you want to be at your final destination before dark.
Buses to Banaue from Manila
There are many Manila buses to Banaue, some of which are direct while others connect in Baguio and perhaps also Bontoc. There are eight daily buses to Baguio with the first leaving Banaue at 06:45 and the last departing at 19:00. Buses often leave earlier than advertised, especially in the morning.
Ohayami Trans (Tel: +63 (0)917 506 0817), Autobus (Tel: +63 (0)2 740 7959) and GV Florida Transport (Tel: +63 (0)2 731 5358 and (0)2 743 3809) have direct buses departing Manila at around 22:00 for Php400. Their Manila terminals are in Sampaloc Manila of the España area by Santo Tomas University. Return journeys direct from Banaue to Manila leave at 18:30 for Autobus, 19:00 for Ohayami Trans and 20:00 for Florida.
