Back in 2023 I wrote the quintessential guide for how to get a Whang Od tattoo, which involved driving a lot and then embarking on a hell on earth 3 hours each way (depending on fitness) hike. Well a lot has changed since then with not only a new bridge being built, but there also being perhaps the worlds least safe “cable car”.
This essentially means that the tail end of the tribe i.e. the “hike” now takes 30 minutes, while the cable car is just a balmy 55 seconds (we have confirmed this). These changes thus mean that getting here, meeting Whang Od and getting her signature are now a lot easier. Fairly important as she is 109 years old now after all……
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The Whang Od Story
Whang-Od, often referred to as Wang Od, is widely regarded as the last and oldest traditional mambabatok, or Kalinga tattoo artist, in the Philippines. Born in the early 1900s (set 1917) in the village of Buscalan in Kalinga province, she learned the art of hand-tapped tattooing from her father at a time when tattoos were reserved primarily for headhunters and warriors. The practice itself is deeply rooted in tribal identity, status, and rites of passage, particularly among the Kalinga people who historically engaged in inter-village warfare and headhunting. Yep you got a tat for bringing back some dudes head.
Her tattoos are made using a bamboo stick, thorn, and a mixture of charcoal and water, tapped rhythmically into the skin. Unlike modern tattooing, this is entirely manual and requires immense skill and precision. As headhunting declined and modern culture spread, the tradition began to die out, leaving Whang Od as its last true practitioner.
In recent years, media attention both locally and internationally has turned her into something of a cultural icon. Documentaries, travel blogs, and social media have brought waves of tourists to Buscalan, all hoping to get inked by the legend herself. Of course age has slowed here down a bit, but it did not stop her being on the front cover of Vogue, still counting the money as it rolls in and even (allegedly) grabbing the arses of hot men who pass through. This though may be a myth as my derrière was not pinched at all. Let that sink in a bit.
Oh and let this sink in, she as born before the Yanks had even entered World War 1.
Getting to Whang Od from Manila
Getting to Buscalan from Manila is still no small feat, even with improvements at the tail end. The most straightforward route is by road, which will take you roughly 10 to 12 hours depending on traffic, your tolerance for lunatic Filipino bus drivers, and how many times you stop for food or a piss. Private car is the easiest way, and splitting the journey with a stop in places like Baguio or Sagada makes it far more bearable. When I first did this drive it involved a 2 hour nap on the motorway. At least on the way in.
Flights are technically possible, but not especially practical. You can fly from Manila to Cauayan in about 1 hour 10 minutes, with tickets usually ranging from 2,500 to 5,000 PHP ($45 to $90). From there, you are still looking at a 4 to 5 hour drive into the mountains. Alternatively, you can fly to Baguio, although flights are limited and often more expensive, usually around 4,000 to 7,000 PHP ($70 to $125), followed by a 5 to 10 hour drive (yes it can vary that much).
Distances from nearby travel hubs are more manageable. From Sagada it is around 4 to 5 hours by car, while from Banaue you are looking at roughly 3 to 4 hours. Roads are mountainous, winding, and at times absolute dogshit, so do not expect smooth sailing regardless of distance. Oh and did I mention reroutes due to landslides?
We personally now offer a tour that goes to get the Whang Od tattoo as part of our extreme Philippines tour. This has us going Manila – Angeles – Sagada – Buscalan. This makes the journey much more bite sized. And while seeing the old girl is never assured, I have at least managed every time that I have been here.
Getting to the village Buscalan
Now this is where the Whang Od tattoo gig has been revolutionized! Previously and I know this very much the hard way you needed to hike down a huge mountain ridge down to the river and then up again, doing the same on the way back. For big time hikers tales of 2 hours each way are told. It took me 3 and honestly it was a living hell. This was particularly the case as I had driven the whole night to get there.
And this honestly was how it had always been, not that it put people off from travel, they sure did. In 2024 though a bridge was built over the ravine which turned 3 hours into 20 to 30 minutes, but they did not just stop on their laurels there. At some point some genuine madness was done when some entrepreneurial types put up a zipline connected to a car engine, basically used a go kart and created a taxi service for the truly lazy, AKA me. This is scary shit, particularly if like me you are scared of heights. It is though also the lesser of two evils if you don’t like hiking. In the end I have to say I was far less scared than I expected and even filmed myself on the way back. Indeed the bark of it was worse than the bite.
Either way though you will end up at the village to get your tattoo. Depending on when you come will affect if you are likely to see Whang Od herself and indeed just how busy it is.
Getting a Whang Od tattoo signature
When most people say that they have a Whang Od tattoo they are usually either lying, or more likely exaggerating the truth. You see unsurprisingly the 109 year veteran rarely does full tats now, you know due to strength and precision. What she does do though is her legendary 3 dot signature (of which I now have 3) which hurts like hell. This though is not always guaranteed as she is not always up for working. Even if she does visibly enjoy collecting the money.
In this respect it is important to separate the person from the brand. Within the village many women have been trained to do these bamboo tattoos, with there being a set number of tribal as well as pseudo Christian designs. These are thus done on site by relatives of and those trained by Whang Od herself. These are thus considered “Whang Od Tattoos”. I personally now have 4 Whang Od tattoos, as well as her signature done 3 times.
The signature part though, which costs 300 PHP, or $5 is well worth it, with Whang Od even, it is rumored, liking to grab the junk of male pax that visit. And with her likely not being around forever they might just be worth something some day.
Getting a Whang Od tattoo
OK, so getting a Whang Od tattoo as discussed is very different from the Whang Od signature. Here you pick what you want and get one of the girls to do it for you. Tats come from a list rather than you bringing in designs with price largely depending on size. Normal tats though will set you back about 1000 PHP, which is under $18. This means not just unique, but bloody cheap as tattoos go.
Common designs include the crab which symbolizes travel and moving forward, the dog which represents loyalty and protection, and various geometric and nature inspired patterns tied to Kalinga culture. Prices generally start at around 500 PHP ($9) for very small pieces and can go up to 2000 PHP ($35) or much more depending on size and complexity. These though are in reality insanely cheap for what it is that you actually get.
I personally now have three, namely the compass, the waves for heaven and earth, the dog and a Christian like faith hope and love type deal.
Does getting a Whang Od tattoo hurt? Well as it is done by bamboo, ash and a hammer it is much more painful than a “normal” piece of ink. Of the two the signature is much more painful than the tat itself, but fair enough, I mean she is ancient.
Is it worth visiting Whang Od?
Is it worth visiting Whang Od either to get a tattoo, or alternatively watch? My honest answer to this question, particularly now that it is so much easier is that without a doubt it is well worth doing. Just how much you should go out of your way for it though depends on you. Essentially if you are into tattoos then this is one of the most iconic places in the world to get one. If though you are not all that into tattoos then it is still interesting, particularly if you get to see Whang Od, but also due to the surroundings.
For me though you only get true value if you get inked up. Amazingly one of our legendary customers, Jimmy of Plymouth got his 1st, 2nd and 3rd tattoos on his trip to Whang Od. These things are addictive, you have been warned.
And while I am truly glad that I achieved this feat when it was quite literally a battle of endurance I’m also equally pleased that getting some ink from Whang Od and her clan is now much more accessible.
Want to get some ink with YPT? This can be done via our Extreme Philippines Tour, or on a bespoke Philippines package!
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