If you’re looking for how to get to Banaue because you’re thinking of including this beautiful area of rice terraces over 2,000 years old in your trip, you’ve come to the right place. Here we’re going to detail how you can get here in the simplest way from Manila and other corners of the country such as Sagada, Baguio, or Vigan.
Where is Banaue? Location and nearby airports
Before telling you how to get to Banaue, we want to give you an idea of where it is and which airports or overland transport stations are closest. This is a town nestled in the province of Ifugao, which belongs to the Cordillera region, on the island of Luzon, the same one where the capital of the Philippines, Manila, is located.
Compared with other destinations on Luzon, it lies about 400 kilometers north of Manila. Sagada, Bontoc, and Vigan are to the northeast, while La Union and Baguio are to the southwest.
Although we’ll talk about it in detail, there are no airports to reach Banaue in a relatively direct way. The closest are Cauayan and Tuguegarao, but to really save time you’ll need to negotiate a taxi (more than 7,000 pesos), so we don’t think it’s really worth it unless there are several travelers.
From our experience, unless you’re already in the region, the most comfortable option is to get to Banaue from Manila by bus. These also run at night, so although it’s long, you’ll be saving some time and money.
Banaue doesn’t have a bus station as such; instead, buses stop on the main road, in front of the Tourism Office. Still, at the lower part of town, next to the market, there’s an open area where you can find the jeepneys heading to the surrounding towns and villages.
How to get to Banaue from Manila
You have two ways to get to Banaue from Manila: by bus or by plane.
a) Go to Banaue from Manila by bus
In our opinion, the best way to get to Banaue from Manila is by bus. They depart at night and take between 8 and 10 hours depending on the outbound traffic, so you’ll basically spend the whole journey sleeping, arriving in Banaue around sunrise.
The two most reliable companies for this route are Ohayami Trans and Coda Lines. You can check schedules and prices here, but it’s common for them to have the following departures:
- Coda Lines: at 20:00 (slightly less comfortable bus without toilet) and at 21:00 (VIP bus, with toilet).
- Ohayami Trans: at 22:00.
Since tickets usually sell out days in advance, we recommend buying them as soon as possible through this platform or this one. They cost between 800 and 1,000 pesos, depending on the bus type.
Book your Manila–Banaue bus here
Keep in mind that these companies depart from the Cubao area in Manila—specifically, Coda from this terminal and Ohayami from this one. If you look at the map, they are quite far from the airport and from Makati, the area where most travelers choose to stay in Manila. Considering how awful the city’s traffic usually is, we recommend leaving at least a 2‑hour buffer to get here calmly and not miss the bus to Banaue. If you’re at the airport, you can take the UBE Express buses to Araneta Cubao (200 pesos). From other areas, the most convenient option is usually using the app Grab.
Note that it can be very cold on these buses to Banaue, so don’t forget to bring warm clothing. They usually make a stop to use the restroom or grab a bite, but it doesn’t hurt to bring a snack. An eye mask and earplugs will also help you rest and feel fresh the next day.
They stop right in front of the Banaue Tourism Office, where you’ll need to register and pay the 50‑peso eco‑tax.
How to get from Banaue to Manila – timetables
For the return, these are the schedules:
- Coda Lines: 16:30 (standard bus) and 17:30 (VIP bus).
- Ohayami Trans: 17:30.
Book your Banaue–Manila bus HERE
As these buses usually come from other areas of Luzon, the times are more indicative than exact.
b) Go to Banaue from Manila by plane
The other way to go from Manila to Banaue is by plane, taking a flight to Cauayan. The only airline operating the route is Cebu Pacific Air, and it only does so 2–3 times a week. If you book in advance, you can get them for about €33. As of today, they depart around 9:30 a.m. and take just an hour to land.
Once in Cauayan, you can choose between 2 ways to get to Banaue:
- Take a car or van from those waiting at the airport. Prices usually hover around 8,000 pesos, but you can always negotiate. Allow about 3.5–4 hours to reach Banaue.
- Go by public transport. In this case, you’ll need to take a tricycle and ask them to drop you at the point where the buses to Bagabag pass. Budget around 100 pesos. On the bus, tell the driver you want to get off at Bagabag Junction. You’ll then wait for a jeepney to Lagawe and from there another to Banaue. It will cost about 400 pesos and you should allow roughly 6 hours for this journey.
Considering that you’ll also have to pay for the flight, we don’t see much “gain” in this way of getting to Banaue. We’d only consider it if there are several of you and you want to share transport.
How to get to Banaue from Sagada
There are quite a few things to do in Sagada, so it’s no surprise you’ve decided to visit it as well. To reach Banaue from Sagada you have 2 options:
- Hop on the Coda Lines buses that run from Sagada to Manila every day. You can’t buy the ticket online, but you can the day before at the “ticket office” near Sagada’s tourism office. They leave at 13:00 and 14:00. The journey takes about 3 hours and costs around 350 pesos.
- Take one of the buses or jeepneys from Sagada to Bontoc (45’/80 pesos) and then take a bus or jeepney to Banaue. The first ones drop you at the Sagada Jeepney Terminal (you’ll find it like that on Google Maps). As for the Bontoc–Banaue schedules, they’re a bit chaotic, so our recommendation is to leave Sagada early and ask at the Banaue Tourism Office. Near it there are some vans parked on the main road, at this gas station and this jeepney stop, but we opted for the bus, which departed from this point. It took us just 2.5 hours to cover Bontoc–Banaue and we paid 330 pesos.
In any case, sit on the right‑hand side of the bus—the scenery is stunning.
How to go to Banaue from Bontoc
If you’ve visited Bontoc (don’t miss the Maligcong rice terraces, which are among our favorites) and want to get to Sagada, you also have these 2 alternatives:
- Take one of the Coda Lines buses from Bontoc to Banaue: they leave at 14:00 and 15:00, but keep in mind they’re the same ones coming from Sagada, so the times are indicative. They take about 2 hours and the ticket is around 330 pesos. You can’t buy them online, but you can at this point, inside Cable Cafe, which is also where they depart.
- Take a jeepney or bus to go from Bontoc to Banaue. You can find more information about this in the previous section.
How to get to Banaue from Baguio
Another very popular route in northern Luzon is to go first to Baguio—considered the “City of Pines” due to the number of these trees given its cool temperatures—and then head to Banaue or Sagada.
In this case, it’s as simple as taking a Baguio to Banaue bus run by Ohayami Trans. They depart from the station opposite the SM mall (specifically here) every day at 19:30, taking around 7–8 hours to reach Banaue. Tickets cost about 800 pesos and can be purchased on this platform.
How to get to Banaue from La Union
Continuing with the places from which to reach Banaue in northern Luzon, La Union is another perfect destination for those who like to get off the usual routes or perhaps do a bit of surfing.
To go to Banaue from La Union, these are the options:
- Via Baguio: hop on any bus or van heading to Baguio (2 hours/150 pesos). They depart from the San Fernando terminal, but they also pass along the main road, so you don’t have to go all the way into the city. Then take the bus to Banaue (7–8 hours). You can see the Baguio schedules and buy your ticket here. We suggest leaving La Union early, visiting Baguio for a few hours, and then continuing on to Banaue.
- Via Bontoc, Tagudin, and Cervantes: this route is more scenic but more tiring. In this case, you can hop on any bus heading toward Vigan or Laoag and tell the driver you’ll get off at Tagudin Junction (1.5–2 hours). From there, take a van to Cervantes and then a jeepney to Bontoc. After that you can take a bus, jeepney, or van to Banaue (see the section How to go to Banaue from Bontoc).
How to get to Banaue from Vigan
The most beautiful colonial city in the Philippines is also located on Luzon, so you can get to Banaue from there relatively easily. Your alternatives are:
- Via Baguio: buses depart frequently from the Partas Terminal (3 hours/150 pesos), and then you’ll need to take the Baguio to Banaue bus.
- Via Bontoc, Tagudin, and Cervantes: as in the previous case, take a bus to Tagudin Junction (approx. 2.5–3 hours). There are usually vans waiting there to take you to Cervantes (2 hours/about 150 pesos). Then take one of the jeepneys to Bontoc (2 hours/100 pesos), and there you can follow the steps we mentioned above. We recommend leaving first thing in the morning because it will likely take you almost the whole day, or you might have to spend the night in Bontoc.
How to get to Banaue from other places in the Philippines
Here we’ve told you how to get to Banaue from the most common places in the country, but if you’re elsewhere in the Philippines in the Visayas or Mindanao area, the easiest thing is usually just to look for a flight to Manila and, from there, follow the steps we indicated in the first section.
Even so, if you think you need help or want to see if there’s an easier way, you can leave us a comment below and we’ll reply as soon as possible.
How to go from Banaue to Batad (and vice versa)
We didn’t want to end this guide on how to get to Banaue without mentioning beautiful Batad, a village we love and have chosen on several occasions as our base to sleep and explore the area. Truly, enjoying sunset from this place in the Philippines is one of the most magical things you can do. So much so that we even have a Batad Guide and a section on How to get to Batad.
Batad and Banaue are separated by about 18 kilometers and, although the paved road has advanced considerably in recent years, the last stretch (approximately 20 minutes) can only be done on foot. To cover the paved part you can:
- Go by jeepney: from Batad to Banaue they usually leave early in the morning (around 7:00) and from Banaue to Batad around 15:00. Still, it’s best to ask at the tourism office or at accommodations because this often changes. Plus, sometimes there are two a day instead of one. The ticket costs 80 pesos.
- Negotiate a tricycle: the usual fare is around 500 pesos, although you’ll have to negotiate because it’s normal for them to start at 800. If you want them to wait and take you back, it will be a little more. Our advice is that if you’re going there and back in a day, ask the tricycle driver to also take you to see the Bangaan rice terraces, which are spectacular. If you want, you can leave us a comment and we’ll pass you our contact.
Finally, it’s also feasible to go from Banaue to Batad or vice versa on foot, and many travelers decide to do it on a 2 days/1 night or 3 days/2 nights trek, passing through other villages. It can be arranged easily and at the best (already established) prices at the tourism office.
For more information about this Philippine destination, don’t miss our article Things to see and do in Banaue.
We’re sure this guide on how to get to Banaue has been helpful, but if you still have questions, fire away in the comments!
