Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
National Museum
At the western end of Kabayan beyond the bridge • Mon-Fri 8am-5pm • P50
Kabayan's small branch of the
National Museum
displays the costumes and traditions
of the people of Kabayan; exhibits include traditional dress, wild boar skulls, rice
wine jars and woven rattan baskets. There is an informative display on centuries-old
rituals and beliefs, including burial practices - take a look at the mummy in foetal
position inside the co
n.
Tinongchol Burial Rock
3km north of Kabayan • P30; guide P500, including a visit to the National Museum (see above) and Opdas Cave (see p.167) • 4WDs can be
arranged at the Pine Cone Lodge (P500)
An hour's hike north of town is the
Tinongchol Burial Rock
, a large rock with deep
niches that were carved to inter the mummified dead in co
ns. Four of the seven
man-made holes contain between five and ten co
ns each - to this day it is unclear
how the people of Kagayan hollowed these out.
3
Timbac Cave
1.2km above Kabayan • P30; Ibaloi accredited guide P1000 for up to five people; returning via the Halsema Highway will cost an extra
P200 • Outside the wet seasons, 4WDs can be arranged at the Pine Cone Lodge (see opposite) for P2500 (plus an extra P500 if you want to
carry on to the Halsema Highway)
It's possible to hike up to see the collection of mummies in
Timbac Cave
and return
within the day. It's essential to bring an Ibaloi guide not only to ensure you don't
get lost but also to respect local sensibilities: locals believe that unaccompanied
outsiders will attract the wrath of the spirits. As one local puts it, “If ever there is a
curse, it will not be on you but on us.” The tourist o
ce (see below) can arrange an
accredited guide.
It's a strenuous four- to five-hour climb to the cave. Take food and drink and aim to
set off at around 6am. On the way ask your guide to point out the
Tinongchol Burial
Rock
; you'll also see a number of
lakes
and
rice terraces
where farmers grow
kintoman
,
an aromatic red rice. Your guide will retrieve the key to Timbac Cave from a caretaker
who lives close by, and say the necessary prayers before you enter.
The walk back down to Kabayan takes three hours, or you can walk for an hour or so
beyond the cave to the Halsema Highway and flag down a bus (the guide will charge
extra for this) directly to Baguio, or head north to Bontoc and Sagada. The last bus will
pass around 5pm but don't cut it too fine. It is not recommended that you do this in
reverse and approach the cave from the highway, since you risk finding that the
caretaker isn't there or offending locals by arriving without a guide.
Bangao Cave
Near Bangao village, 7km north of Kabayan • P30; guide P500 • 4WDs can be arranged at the Pine Cone Lodge (see opposite)
If you don't have time to trek to Timbac Cave, or just want to see as much as possible
while in the area, consider visiting the caves around Bangao village. The
Bangao Cave
has a handful of mummies in co
ns, although they are in worse condition than those
in Timbac. It's a two-hour walk from Kabayan, although you can reduce this to thirty
minutes by hiring a 4WD to take you some of the way.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION
KABAYAN AND AROUND
By bus
NA-Liner buses from Baguio's Slaughterhouse stop
along Kabayan's main road, departing Baguio daily at
10am & noon (3-4hr), returning to Baguio daily at 8am
& 11.30am.
By van
Regular vans connect Kabayan and Baguio,
stopping along Kabayan's main road (hourly; 3hr; P150).
Tourist information
The tourist information point is at
the municipal hall (Mon-Fri 8am-5pm;
T
0917 521 5830,
E
mysticalkabayan@yahoo.com).
Services
There is a branch of Rural Bank (Mon-Fri
8am-3pm, Sat 9am-noon) but no ATM at the time of
writing, although there are plans to get one. Make
sure to bring enough pesos from Baguio. There are no
internet cafés.
