Ready to lose a few pounds as well as enjoy one of the most spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Sites? The ancient Banaue rice fields rise up through the valley towering over native villages of the Ifugao people. Make sure you fuel up your body at one of the numerous cafes before you continue hiking through centuries of tradition. No matter what time of year, the Ifugao people's life revolves around rice. Local guides will take you into houses, or to talk with villagers as the sun beats down on you. Take along a hat and lots of water; as your t-shirt gets soaked so too will your spirit be saturated with the beauty and culture of these people.
The Igorot broke me. On the trail going down to Batad, I met a pregnant lady who told me she used to be a guide before she conceived. I made it clear that despite common medical advice of taking long walks to encourage natural childbirth, I was not taking her on. However, despite my self-made promise to hack it alone, she convinced me to take her cousin on to be my guide. For the seasoned hiker, having a guide is unnecessary especially in these small farming villages where it’s impossible to get lost. Arm yourself with gumption, good manners and a friendly smile, and you’re good to go. But then you realize the money you pay goes a long way to helping these people whose livelihood is dependent on seasonal crops. Just imagine it as your entrance fee, and a sign of your thanks to the community that has, for better or worse, opened itself to the outside world.
The higher the hike, the higher the drama. I told my guide I was in Batad to take pictures, and what I got were the best vantage points of the community’s natural amphitheater of rice terraces. The scenery was getting progressively remarkable through my camera lens, until I finally squinted in the bright afternoon sun and realized only some millimeters separated my right foot from the edge of the ten-foot high terrace wall. I had flashes of my body going down the terraces like a Slinky. The terraces on the higher part of the amphitheater are not for the faint of heart, but are a must-hike for the intrepid camera enthusiast. With my heart in my throat, I snapped shots of some fellow weekend warriors. My photo-lust finally sated, I sat on the edge of one of the terraces, and looked over the expanse of greens, golds and reflective pools of water. One of the best afternoon views in the world, in my humble opinion.
Vibrant, sturdy, and older than Christ, the rice terraces carved out by the ancient Ifugao still provide nourishment for the indigenous people of the Cordilleras. Standing at the edge of one of the region’s great valleys, you feel as if the earth has set aside this place for unique care and anointed it with a special palette: the greenery is lush, the low-lying clouds thick-white and luxuriant, and the off-kilter hut blends into the valley’s lines. Grab a bowl of steaming arroz caldo (rice porridge) at a local eatery, set your chair down two feet from a plunging cliff, and soak in the majesty and perfection of the terraces. Take your time; they’re not going anywhere.
Ready to lose a few pounds as well as enjoy one of the most spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Sites? The ancient Banaue rice fields rise up through the valley towering over native villages of the Ifugao people. Make sure you fuel up your body at one of the numerous cafes before you continue hiking through centuries of tradition. No matter what time of year, the Ifugao people's life revolves around rice. Local guides will take you into houses, or to talk with villagers as the sun beats down on you. Take along a hat and lots of water; as your t-shirt gets soaked so too will your spirit be saturated with the beauty and culture of these people.
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