Don't just visit Banaue.....GO to BATAD!!!

~ Text & Photos by Aireen Navarro ~

Don't just visit Banaue....go to Batad!!! Yep, don't be fooled by other travelers telling you that the 'stairways to heaven' are right there in front of you when you step out of your hotel or lodge in the town of Banaue. There are terraces around town of course! Very picturesque as well. But if you're looking for the majestic terraces that rises way above low-lying clouds, better prepare for a loooooooong & arduous trek on the Cordilleras.

I will leave it up to you on how you get yourself from Manila to Banaue. There are buses plying this 10-hour trip daily. You can get there via Baguio or the more direct route via Nueva Vizcaya. If you're into 'road trips,' no one's stopping you to drive from Manila all the way to the north. You'll know when you're almost there when the road becomes narrower and starts to wind around, up & down mountainous terrain. Make no mistake though -- roads are paved!

From Banaue, you can take jeepneys that go to 'junction' -- the jump-off point to the trek to Batad, or head to Bangaan first. It was in April 2000 that I was crazy enough to brave it and go to Banaue without any bus & room reservations......and it was the Holy Week when everyone wants to travel out of Manila!!! I made it though and WHAT AN EXPERIENCE just 'fighting' my way just to get inside the bus!!!

After an overnight bus ride with nonexistent legroom, I made it to Banaue - grabbed some breakfast, just washed my face and brushed my teeth, then it's on to a journey of discovery ---- how to get to the 'stairways to heaven.' There's a bit of discrimination though in terms of jeepney fare -- PHP 50 for me, PHP 15 for the locals. Hey, no sweat! The locals deserve the lower fare :)

I asked fellow passengers where to get off and they're nice enough to point the right direction. A local lady proprietor at a small inn/lodge where I ate lunch after a short stint at Bangaan Rice Terraces (sorry i forgot the name of the inn/lodge but its along the unpaved 'highway' overlooking Bangaan.....) was very nice enough to offer more advise and offered to keep 'excess' clothes/food/drinks since I'll only spend one night in Batad.

Good thing I listened and trusted her!!! That trek was TOUGH!!! The trail actually gradually slopes/winds around mountains with locals selling softdrinks/bottled water along the way. But crazy old me, I followed a local guy and his son who took a 'shortcut.' Have you heard of nonexistent trails that only a few locals are aware of??? That's our route!!! I huffed and puffed my way up that shortcut.....hehehe :) Thank GOD for very friendly and trustworthy local people - it wasn't as 'painful' as my backpack's lighter!!!

My first glimpse of the 'stairways to heaven' was a life-changing experience. Call it drama....but just imagine how OLD the terraces are and I'm one of the few people who are fortunate enough to get there!!! The terraces date back 2,000-6,000 years, carved mostly by hand by the Ifugao - the ancestors of the Batad indigenous people - true Filipino ingenuity. No wonder Filipinos claim it as the '8th Wonder of the World.'

Make no mistake - the terraces are approximately 1,500 meters above sea level, covering approximately 10,360 sq km of mountainside, so don't be surprised if you experience shortness of breath -- the air is thinner up there folks. But when you breathe in - simply wonderful!!!

Rainforests above these terraces (ancient irrigation system) are fed by ancient rainforests above it. So if illegal logging and mining/quarrying continue unabated in the Cordilleras - the majesty of the rice terraces will slowly die out and our children will be robbed of seeing one of our proud Filipino people's legacies. Let's stop being indifferent and treasure this UNESCO World Heritage Site -- the rice terraces that is composed of miles and miles of steps said to encircle the half the globe if one puts the steps from end to end. The terraces that are found in the mountainous provinces of Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao and Mt. Province.

While in Batad, I trekked further to see Tapia Waterfalls - the thundering source of an ancient river that winds in & around mountainous valleys. There are other waterfalls in the area but this one's the most popular. It should be! Where else can you take a dip (can be very cold though) 1,500m above sea level???

Anyway, should you decide to visit Batad - don't miss out on their veggie pizza, Batad coffee and Batad rice for breakfast!!! Savor it while looking at clouds (or fog??) moving around the terraces.

On my way back, it was a tricky trek -- very slippery as it rained the night before. It was drizzling a bit. Since I didn't have a raincoat, I used a large trash bag as raincoat (it's unused of course!!!). The local guide used another trail and great thing that he did!!!

He shared a part of the mountains that only few tourists saw & experienced ----- I saw & passed through several waterfalls on the way back to Bangaan and believe it or not --- walked through terraces planted not with rice but with bell peppers!!!

After a late lunch, I retrieved by 'excess' stuff from the nice lady proprietor and walked from Bangaan to the 'junction' where most jeepneys/tricyles hang out, waiting for 'day trekkers/hikers' who just stay in Banaue and just visit Batad for a few hours. That walk took almost an hour!!! From there, it was back to Manila -- adventure OVER!!!