Dean Visits 6: Exploring Kabayan, Benguet (Philippines)

Hello there Steemit friends! For this edition of Dean Visits, discover the other-but-equally unique side of Kabayan, Benguet!

Local and foreign tourists alike may have heard more about Sagada, but it isn't the rest and, in my opinion, even the best of Benguet has to offer. Not taking away anything from Sagada, but I believe there's more to discover in Benguet than the usual "tourist spot" that we all came to be familiar with as the years went by. The best is yet to be discovered!

Kabayan, Benguet isn't really an unknown part of Benguet, it's actually one of the towns that has a fair share of territory in the highest mountain in Luzon, Mt. Pulag. If you're a frequent hiker of Mt. Pulag and you think the Ambangeg trail is easy enough for you (the most popular and easiest one, if you hiked Mt. Pulag as a beginner, you most likely have climed through this trail), try the Akiki trail to up the ante. For that, you need to pass through Kabayan, Benguet. Mt. Pulag isn't the mountain that we ventured though, as I mentioned before, our aim was Mt. Tabayoc, which is also known as "Little Pulag". Do not be deceived, however, "Little Pulag" may be a cute moniker, but its trails are more unforgiving than even the hardest trail Mt. Pulag could offer (for reference above, there are 2 more difficult trails than the Akiki trail for Mt. Pulag). More on that on my next post.^^

As I mentioned in my introductory post, agriculture is the main livelihood in Benguet. The downtown of Kabayan is a perfect reflection of such state. The marketplace is lined with stores trading agricultural tools and equipment, merchant stalls selling agricultural produce, and boutiques selling cold-weather clothes, along with some souvenir shops.

The roads in Benguet are not for amateurs, especially during the rainy season as many slopes are prone to landslides. But even during excellent weather conditions, one must not lose concentration as some parts of the roads have missing railings and sudden uneven surfaces. For that, hiring a local driver is just logical as well as practical - he would know the roads well, and the charges are reasonable.

At the foot of Mt. Tabayoc is Lake Tabeo, the residents use its waters for their crops. It's vicinity is a popular hang out place for the residents, especially for kids.

It is also a popular camp site for tourists and off-road enthusiasts. Rich kids be like:

We rented out one of the residents' house, which I'm thankful we did. The temperature drops in near freezing levels at night! But in the morning we were greeted by this view:

I had a blast exploring Kabayan, Benguet. As a tourist and student of the natural sciences, it is truly a gem! How about you? Where do you to go for your travels?

_{!steemitworldmap 16.617359 lat 120.826991 long Breath-taking sights of Benguet D3SCR}

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