RaiTravel: Banaue Rice Terraces

Banaue Rice Terraces, Ifugao
December 16-17, 2010

Witnessing the silent, unmovable and splendid work of art and nature, we already knew that our adversity paid off as we finally stood in one of the most beautiful wonder of the world. We were just standing there, staring deeply in awe. We submit ourselves to an unexplainable feeling of triumph over what we just had conquered, and so we let ourselves enjoy the perks.

Banaue Rice Terraces has always been known as the centuries old rice paddies carved around the mountains of Ifugao by the ancestors of Ifugao people. It was recently acknowledged as the “Eight Wonder of the World.”

With its vast and rich culture, traditions and unadulterated wonder, though totally out of bound, I convinced my travel buddies to side trip in Batad – one of the known villages in Banaue – before we proceed to Sagada, Mt. Province.

Thus, on December 2010, we traversed the Banaue Rice Terraces not knowing what was ahead of us. A rented jeepney dropped us at the nearest view point that can be reached by transportation.

A small hut store offered a wooden pole for rent at 10.00, we were adamant at first but the locals convinced us that we will really need it, so we gave in.

It was indeed proven to be very useful as the usual 1 hour trek took us 3 hours to finish.

Due to the thinness of air and considering that all of us haven’t even experience mountain climbing, not even once, the trek was really a test of endurance and perseverance.

Since we have to leave early morning the next day, we proceed to another life changing challenge – remember none of us ever experience mountain climbing – yet we risk ourselves to another buwis buhay adventure.

The trek to Tappiya Falls is the summary of all the possible danger when trekking any mountains. The falls is located in a hidden valley past the ridges of the rice terraces. We went through steep, narrow, muddy, slippery and uneven path, not to mention a very perilous and death defying vertical climb – it was really an outrageous climb for first timers like us.

Yet, the freezing water falls and chilly air reduced our weariness and exhaustion.

Lugging our heavy ass going back to the village, the trek back up proven to be the most excruciating experience.

Our young stoic guide left us to find our path back to the inn as soon as we entered the village, it was already dark by 6:00PM then.

Our death beat bodies cannot even absorb the hot sumptuous noodle soup served by the house owner.

I must say that I really enjoyed the experience, but I am not going back anytime soon. Especially after another 3 hours of taxing and arduous trek back to the view point where we will be picked up by our rented jeepney at 7:00AM. unfortunately we reached the top at already past nine, the driver already left us by then, fortunately there is another driver who is willing to give us a ride back to Banaue town center and fortunately, we were not charge extra for the pole that carried more than enough pounds of our weight.

It was funny how young children would easily run up to the mountains to get to school, they even looked and laughed at us, there was a young mother who walked passed us carrying a luggage over her head, and a very old man who at some point got bored and left us on the trek. I really commend those people for their easy disposition.

Since we were late for the last trip to Bontoc, Mt. Province, we opted to hire a jeep to Bontoc. By then, we could hardly move without a twinge of pain. Safe to say that we were all injured by the time we get to Sagada & we missed a lot of adventure. We decided then we would just go back the following year...indeed, we did.