This is a guide for how to get from Banaue (Ifugao) to Baler (Aurora) on public transport in one day. The total journey time should be about 12 hours, and it should cost about 750 pesos.

It’s quite a long journey. You have to take 2 Jeepneys and 2 buses. It’s also a little bit complicated.

Read carefully: There’s a chance with this journey that you won’t get a space on the last bus. This will mean you’ll either need to stay at Dinadiawan overnight or get a taxi/tricycle. My guess is you have about an 80% chance of making it.

Everyone was telling me I need to go via Baguio and stay overnight, but I didn’t want to. So I was recommended this route.

You go Banaue – Bagabag Junction – Santiago – Dinajawan Junction – Baler

Part 1 – Banaue to Bagabag Junction

You have to get up quite early. Jeepneys start at sometime about 6.15, apparently. I got one at 6.15. Find a Jeepney going to Solano, and tell them you want to go to Bagabag Junction. I paid 130 pesos. The journey time is about 2 hours. They leave from the main road at the top of the main part of the village.

In the end, I was actually about 1 hour 30 mins early in Santiago for the bus, so you could leave later. That’s your choice. Remember that journey times vary according to roadworks and things like that. You may also need time in Santiago to get to the bus station if your Jeepney doesn’t drop you off in the right place. It may also be wise to get to Santiago in enough time to guarantee a seat on the bus there.

Make sure you get off the Jeepney at Bagabag Junction, which is past Bagabag village. Where the main road heads towards Santiago.

Part 2 – Bagabag Junction to Santiago

Get a Jeepney going to Santiago. Should be easy to find. I paid 120 pesos, and the journey took about 2 hours again. Look for one going to Santiago City Central Transport Terminal.

You need to get to Santiago City Central Transport Terminal. This is the main bus terminal. My Jeepney dropped me off there, which is probably standard. I got there at 11:30.

Once you’re there, you’ll see there are 2 bus terminals. At the time of writing, the bus you want leaves from the northern, smaller terminal. Head there.

Part 3 – Santiago to Dinajawan Junction

You’re looking for the RNJ Bus Line bus to Dinapigue. Operator may change. Ask around. Find the bus and tell them you want to go to Dinajawan Junction so you can get the bus from there to Baler.

You want to be early enough in Santiago to get a seat on this bus. People slowly drift in, and it starts filling up. It wasn’t completely full when I went.

I paid 350 pesos, and the journey took 3 hrs 45 mins. This is the last bus of the day.  I asked around, and at the time of writing, there’s no direct bus to Baler.

The bus stops at a restaurant at Dinajawan junction so everyone can have dinner.

Part 4 – Dinajawan Junction to Baler

This is where things get exciting because all your efforts might be dashed at the end.

The bus from Santiago drops you off at about 16:45 at the restaurant. Then the bus to Baler comes in to the restaurant at something like 17:30.

I was told a couple of different timings, but that’s about right.

Then you need to get on the bus to Baler. The thing is it might just be busy, and there might be no seat. Which makes it exciting because all you efforts might be dashed at the end.

If you get a seat or standing room, it costs 150 pesos and takes about 2 hours.

Then you’re in Baler 👍🏻.

If not, then you’re in Dinajawan Junction.

This isn’t ideal, but if you look on google maps, just south in Dinadiawan, you’ll see there’s a bunch of hotels and guesthouses. It also looks like there are some cheap options.

Places like…

• Soriano’s Transient House
• Baracao’s Home Transient

Look near Dinadiawan Public Market.

There are expensive places as well.

You could also tricycle, taxi or hitch hike, or something like that to Baler. You’ll need to look into that yourself. There no Jeepney or later bus.

One good thing, if you don’t make the last bus is that you’ll still get to Baler much earlier on the second day. My other choice was Baguio, which was really a 2 day journey. At least here, you should get there early, depending on what time the Baler bus starts. You’ll also wake up on the beach in what’s probably a nice place.