Luzon

About the Route

Switchbacksaturday is all about exploring new and exciting routes around the world.

This is one of the most sought after destinations amongst Filipino cyclists. One must be brave enough to ride through some technical switchbacks especially during descends. Not for the faint hearted as they say. Bessang Pass has one of the most picturesque mountain views you’ve ever seen.

Bessang Pass traverses 2 municipalities within the Ilocos Sur province. Suyo and Cervantes thus the name Suyo-Cervanted road. It gained historical significance during World War II as it was the site of a battle between Japanese forces and Filipino-American forces. The pass is now a memorial park called Bessang Pass Monument, honoring the soldiers who fought there.

The route is a 104KM out and back from the town of Tagudin where the jump off is. Once you get off the hotel and coffee shop, it’s a mix of a flat and rolling paved national highway for 8KM. Then we’ll take the Suyo-Cervantes provincial road up to the monument.

It’s a rolling road for 20KM with a mix of asphalt and pavement. Things will get exciting on the 25th KM after the red bridge up to the monument as this is where the start of the 27KM climb.

For 27KM, it will give you an average gradient of 8% with as high as 15% close to the finish. The last 5KM is the hardest part of the climb with an average of 9% gradient up to the top.