We stopped in Bontoc for a night on our way from Sagada to Banaue. There are no buses from Sagada to Banaue, only jeepneys, which depart Sagada when full, that means completely overloaded with people, vegetables, chickens etc. Jeepneys at this part of the Philippines are in a rather bad state, especially their tires, which tend to be completely worn. Add to this a psychopath behind the steering wheel and you are up for a hell of a road trip. The journey from Sagada to Bontoc takes around an hour and a half.
Bontoc is a lively place. Its main road is flooded with so many tricycles that the traffic at the only 'real' crossroads needs to be directed by a policeman. The busiest part of Bontoc is around its small market by the main road towards Sagada. There are a few simple eateries scattered around the market, where you can choose pre-cooked dishes from glass cases. The choice is limited to typical Filipino dishes, such as adobo and tocino, without much vegetable. However, you can stock up on fresh tropical fruits at the market.
Bontoc is actually quite a picturesque town. There is a river flowing through and a few minutes walk in direction of Sagada brings you to some pretty rice terraces.
We highly recommend visiting Bontoc Museum with great collection of b&w photos of Ifugato tribesmen as well as various items used by the Ifugao tribe, including axes which they used to chop human heads off. There is a reconstructed traditional village behind the museum. Bontoc Museum is located behind the market, near the post office and primary school. Its opening hours are 8am-12pm and 1pm-5pm.
We slept at Churya-a Hotel at the main street of Bontoc. The rooms at Churya-a Hotel are very small, but reasonably clean and cheap. There is a restaurant on the first floor of the hotel with a terrace from where you can enjoy watching life on Bontoc main street rolling by.