The village is known to be the home of the last Mambabatok (Tattoo Artist) of the Butbut tribe. Apo Whang Od is the last of her tribe to have practiced their tattooing culture and continued it up to this day. Going to the village was a challenge

We went to Bontoc first to catch the jeepney that transport not just people but also goods to the villages in Kalinga. These jeepneys are bigger than the usual ones since they accommodate large numbers of passengers and goods. Since transportation is limited, it is common for it to be fully filled, top loads are allowed even if it is dangerous. Despite the risk, we didn’t waste the opportunity to ride on top as we can have a better view of the surroundings. To our surprise, the road in Kalinga is well paved with some rocks that you have to watch out for that have fallen from the slopes of the mountains.

There are no roads going directly to Buscalan so we have to trek from the drop-off point going there. Locals started to gather around us as they present themselves as guides for our stay in the village. We got a teenage girl named SANDRA and she led us to ATE ISSENG HOMESTAY There are no hotels in the village instead, local families offer their homes for tourists (with unlimited coffee)

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