🇵🇭 CERVANTES • (Ilocos Sur) Crossing the Deadly Mountain Road

"As I am going near up to the mountains, there's no way to say that the road going to the town is deadly because as I saw the view, my senses became alive!."

Why risk your life to a rough road where everywhere is a cliff? As the rain falls down, the rough one-lane road turns into mud and expect land slides. No wonder, years ago, one family perished in this road and 6 of them died as they drop down to a cliff during the night. This is the condition 10 years back.

The mischievous yet breathtaking Cervantes roads

Maps by Wikipedia

Location Highlighted in Red

To begin with, this is the part two (2) of my previous post about our scooter trip to Cervantes entitled "The Great Wall of Ilocos, Reaching Ilocos' Last Frontier via Scooter."

More than a decade ago, there was no well-paved highway and the lovely town becomes isolated most of the time.

However now, thanks to the previous administration of PGMA for funding this highway (The only thing I appreciate about Gloria unless corruption proven) and the highway construction began a decade ago. Before the construction of the multi-billion highway project of Tagudin-Cervantes-Sabangan road and some roads connecting the town to the rest of the Cordilleras, going to Cervantes is not well-recommended, it was a personal choice.

Asking if I went here because of personal choice, no. It was in fact an accident! During the summer of 2010, I and my bro decided just to make a fun road trip.

We were about to cross another province using a scooter, until I decided to take a turn to a new road that took my attention and that is the Tagudin-Cervantes-Sabangan Road.

Taking the less-known road, I really had no idea what to expect in this town but our scooter continues to go (with my bro as the driver). I just stopped talking and although I am nervous, the road trip went on and although I am still undecided if we will pursue the road trip or not to an unknown path, my mouth was frozen to talk about it and my mind just got blunt to decide.

An hour without a decision (and my brother just continues to drive farther while waiting for my decision), is also an hour of many kilometers taken at a speed of not less then 60 kph. The road isn't straight, it was full of curvatures but the speed of our scooter was just optimum to take the empty but curving roads.

Because of the late decision, we have gone far and there's no way of turning back. We were so hungry because there is no human civilization happening to the long stretch of miles we have taken to this unfamiliar and unknown path.

There's no place where we can buy a food, at least water to relieve our thirst until we were able to see a waterfall and drank the water from the falls.

The lush green mountain is carved with a curving road. Can you spot the waterfall here? Take a keen look.

It is not just a landslide, it is a rock slide. Travel at your own risk.

There are road signs and it was my first time to see a road sign with label: 
"Caution Falling Rocks"

In fact, our parents didn't have any idea where we were going this day. We just told them we're going to a pool party in a nearby town but that is just an excuse so that we can go out the house both. Our parents knew that once we were together that early, something they don't want will happen and a scooter ride to a highway isn't their kind of stuff.

Going to Cervantes is like being a contender in the show SURVIVOR, the only difference is that we are the only two in the game not in a beach but in a mountain, and the format conforms - the place in new to us, it is unfamiliar, no water, no store to buy food, no person to cry for help, no gasoline station, with a dangerous environment (e.g. falling rocks) and everything. I think this is more thrilling than any other reality show.

Because the road you are taking is really dangerous and we can just say "deadly," big signage are everywhere to warn travelers. But as I am going near up to the mountains, there's no way to say that the road going to the town is deadly because as I saw the view, my senses became alive! Wow! Such a very beautiful town with snaking roads!

The beauty is very endless. In fact just before the town of Cervantes is the town of Suyo, Ilocos Sur. in the same way, Suyo is lovely and the photos above can attest to that. You just need to take this town first before going to Cervantes using the aforementioned road. We were literally above the clouds and the air gets thinner, the air is getting really freezing cold and we were above the clouds.

Please notice the mountain at the photo above. Can you see the line of trees at the top of the mountain? Well, the part lined with trees is in fact the road we have to take. The experience was beyond compare! Just before we take every road, the mountain at your sight will give you an idea how much effort and resources you are going to spend and gives you a time to decide if you'll going to continue in taking the path or just back out.

In Cervantes, Ilocos Sur, pine trees abound. When we were so tired with my bro, I had the chance to lay down to the road blocks that goes directly to the cliff together with the pine trees and the clean cool air.

Dare to take that Road? Taking that path is a way to reach Cervantes.

Finally, after taking the deadly road as shown above, we were able to reach the valley where the civilization now occurs.

 At the town center is a market, college, hospital, school, the town hall, and there you are, carinderia! We reached the town center for fun and beyond expectation! Now, would you dare to take the deadly road? But I think it is better to go this way, "Are you willing to see the beautiful town?"

Then if yes, you must take the deadly road because along the road to Cervantes is where you can find the real thrill of traveling to Cervantes. The trail was challenging but reaching  and seeing the beauty of an exceptional town is already a good reward that is more than enough.

Tags: Cervantes, Ilocos Sur | Cervantes, Ilocos Sur Adventure | Motorcycle Ride to Cervantes, Ilocos Sur | Cervantes, Ilocos Sur Highway | Cervantes, Ilocos Sur Road | Tagudin-Cervantes-Sabangan Road | Tagudin-Cervantes-Sabanga Highway |Road Trip to Cervantes