Scariest/Most Beautiful Drive on Earth

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After Sagada, I really wanted to head north into Kalinga Province. From what descriptions I could find (and believe me, it was few), I gathered that this remote area is full of amazing treks through tribal villages, and relatively isolated from tourists. Because Kalinga used to be headhunter country, it still has a (misguided) reputation for being dangerous. I figured it couldn't be all that bad since I found a few accounts on Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree Forum with people saying that wasn't the case anymore. Guidebooks are too conservative anyway!

Also, after being in somewhat touristy towns for the last week, I really wanted to experience the "real" mountains. I convinced Alex to go with me (it wasn't hard since it sounded so cool), and so we took the jeepney back to Bontoc. From Bontoc we headed 2 and half hours north to Tinglayen.

The road from Bontoc to Tingalyen is notoriously nerve-racking and famously beautiful at the same time. The guidebooks recommend you sit on top of the jeepney for the best view, but Alex quickly vetoed that since he has a problem with heights. I didn't mind...better safe than sorry! I sat on the side facing the gorge, and it was beyond description. Scary, yes, but for some reason (maybe I've taken too many bus rides like this one already) the steep drop offs and lack of guard rails hardly mattered to me. However, I took a video just so you could re-live the moment with me. This is the road north, high above the Chico River.


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