PART 1: BATAD
DAY 0
We took the Ohayami Bus going to Banaue, Ifugao. It has a 9pm and 10pm schedule daily and we would probably arrive around 6-7 in the morning— roughly 10 hours of sitting. We almost missed the bus, good thing they didn’t leave us behind. As we step inside, wow, it was packed with foreigners. The trip was mainly composed of irregular sleep, weary feeling and stopovers to places we don’t know exactly.
“10 Minutes to Banaue,” said the conductor. Best alarm ever.
DAY 1: BATAD
Cold breeze.
The first stop on our list was Batad. We booked the Uyami Lodge which is located at the town proper of Banaue. A strip of lodging and inns for tourists line up along its streets, all of them giving you a scenic view of the rice terraces.
We almost took the free shuttle going to the town proper when we saw a guy holding up my name. I didnt know it was included on our lodging. So we had our breakfast and planned the day ahead. We had Kuya Arthur guide as through the day, and we decided to hike the Batad Rice Terraces and Tappiya Waterfalls.
LIWANG RICE TERRACES
We had two stops before going to Batad. Both are viewpoints of the Liwang Rice Terraces. Everywhere i look, a series of green stairs covered the area. It’s as if the road doesn't belong there.
The hike was a series of descending stairs. Each step following the mountain‘s terrain. It was a change of scenery where all hikers you meet along the trail are foreigners— all of them jolly and filled with excitement.
Hiking along the trails of the terraces was a fun moment. We didnt feel the length of the trail and the pain on the legs because of the green amphitheatre-like architecture that surrounds us. We can see houses pile along the terraces. I’ve always thought it would be astonishing to see full green grass steps resembling Peru’s Machu Picchu.
BATAD RICE TERRACES
I was excited to be back on foot. It has been three months since my last hike. So Cheloi and I planned this trip to “make up” for the lost opportunities. Everything about the day‘s hike was exciting:
It was my first time to explore the Cordillera region. I've never been this up north before. It was my second time to do a “province-hopping.” It sounds more fulfilling and exciting to visit a lot of places.
We continue the hike to Tappiya Falls as we pass by the Batad Rice Terraces. We‘ve already walked the perimeter of a mountain, but it seems like the falls is located on another adjacent mountain! “Bawing bawi sa pag-akyat ng bundok itong trip na to, ah.”
Since many tourists have come and go, most were commercialized and made easier to access these tourist spots. But, man, these stairs were tiring even when you're going down.
TAPPIYA FALLS
But all was worth it. Hello, Tappiya Falls.
It was sort of a routine for us to just stare at it for a long time. Everything was so peaceful, you wouldn’t question yourself zoning out to this beauty. Absolutely astonishing.
We headed back. The once descent was replaced with an overwhelming flight of stairs. It was exhausting. The cold air didn't help either. It was roughly an hour and a half going back to the jump off trail. I was gasping for air and was soaked in cold sweat, but the chilly air helped soothe my tiredness.
We then met Kuya Arthur and brought us back to our lodging.
Tomorrow, Sagada.
ITINERARY & DAMAGE
DAY 0: MANILA TO BANAUE
Manila to Banaue: 8-9 hours via bus | 450PHP | Ride the Ohayami Bus. It has the direct route headed to Banaue. It has daily trips at 9pm and 10pm with arrival time of 6-7am the morning after. It is located at J. Fajardo Street corner Lacson Avenue in Sampaloc, Manila. (02) 516 0501, 0927 649 3055 Tip: Book in advance. It’s hard to be a chance passenger for this bus.
DAY 1: BANAUE
Accommodation: Uyami Greenview Lodge | 900PHP | Uyami Greenview Lodge: 0920 540 4225, 0917 591 0981 Tip: It is best to book the lodging beforehand for smooth travel. Uyami provided us a transfer from the bus to the Lodge.
↠ Breakfast: 50-100PHP for a complete meal
↠ Breakfast: 50-100PHP for a complete meal
Batad Tour: 5 hours depending on your pacing | 2200PHP | Inclusive of Lawang & Batad Rice Terraces, Tappia Waterfalls. We started the hike at 10am and ended at 3pm. We got the tour at Uyami Lodge. The Batad Tour is good for 5 people
↠ Lunch: 50-100PHP for a complete meal
↠ Dinner: 50-100PHP for a complete meal
↠ Lunch: 50-100PHP for a complete meal
↠ Dinner: 50-100PHP for a complete meal
Environmental fee: 50PHP
Total: 3300PHP for solo-travelers; 1750PHP per pax for 2-pax travelers
DAY 2: SAGADA
DAY 3: BAGUIO
For the complete itinerary, click here.
DAY 2: SAGADA
DAY 3: BAGUIO
For the complete itinerary, click here.
Here’s a video compilation of our 5-Day trip to the Cordillera Region.
FOOTNOTES: Photos taken with Sony Xperia M2 and GoPro Hero 4. Some shot by Cheloi Marasigan | Banaue, Ifugao | March 2016; Updated August 2018
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RAESCAPE contains affiliate links in the website. By clicking and purchasing through this links, I get to earn a small commission to help me run this website without extra cost to you. Thank you for helping a fellow traveler and say yes to adventures!
Read about the Disclosure here.
Great reading your postt
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