Road trips, at least in the minds of most Filipinos today, call to mind those teen flicks and indie films (That Thing Called Tadhana, anyone?) that have been released in recent years. If you’re of the older generation, however, it’d be more like tales of Bonnie and Clyde and hitchhikers that look like Brad Pitt. But movie references aside, road trips are the perfect representation of the “journey being as worthwhile as the destination”. The idea is to take stops – y’know, other than bathroom breaks on roadside cafes and (dis)comfort rooms – and check out what you are passing through. On our Plan B is for Batad getaway, we stopped by Banaue on our way to Bontoc. And here are some snaps and snippets that I want to share about that.
Banaue is synonymous to “rice terraces”. In fact, as you will read from one of the photos below, the rice terraces in the province of Ifugao (yes, not just in Banaue) are the oldest living monuments of the Philippines, and one of the oldest in the world. These terraces, created by hand by our ancestors, is now over 2,000 years, but they remain to be a major source of livelihood for the people living in the area.
This is something that we, Igorots and Cordillerans, will always be proud of. Heck, I am from Benguet, but I feel proud that this place still exists. I only wish it’ll remain that way loooong after my, and the next, generation, and the ones after that, have come and gone.
It was lose to mid-afternoon when we came to Banaue from Batad and, since we’re already in the area, we decided to make stops. After all, if you are in Banaue and you don’t even catch a glimpse of the terraces, that is… well, sacrilege.
First stop is the View Point.
This is quite a nice program; I wonder how it’s doing.
Head directly to the viewdeck, where you can see panoramic views of the Banaue and Hapao Rice Terraces.
So, ok, the rice terraces are Banaue’s main draw to tourists, so it is a given that they will give in to having that entrepreneurial spirit. Souvenir shops literally line the sides of the streets, and if you have money to spend on handcrafted items, go for it.
And you should also try riding on the wooden bike, which is quite popular here. In fact, I’ve seen many bloggers take their shot at it. I didn’t. Bikes aren’t really on my radar. Ever. Wooden or otherwise. Haha!
So I am totally posting photos of Christine and Hazel (of OJCoders.com) on the bike, without their permission.
Snacking is also encouraged, especially if you’re hungry. And you will find that tapuy (rice wine) and moma (betel chew ingredients) are a staple here. You can say that it is their healthier alternative to cigarettes.
Drive a few meters up the road to the next stop: the Aguian View Deck, where the National Food Authority (NFA) office in the province is also located. Apparently, this is where you can spot the rice terraces view printed on the 1,000 peso bill.
But that is not the only claim to fame of this particular spot. Remember that wakeskating thing that went viral last year? This is where that took place. In fact, there was even a large tarp at the entrance to the view deck, showing photos of that event. The photos look amazing. The video even more so. Just…. I just could not help but imagine what damage it caused. When we went there, the parts where they “skated” are no longer planted with rice. Pretty soon, I don’t think “rice terraces” will apply to that specific area. (Read about that event here and here, or watch it at YouTube.)
To get a closer look, you have to go to the deck itself, but you have to pay Php10.00 to be allowed in.
We didn’t stop there, though. We just had to go forward until the “tip” of the terrace… which is now being concreted, possibly to attract more wakeskating and similar activities in the future? They were even constructing a restroom and a concrete “veranda” of sorts on the lower tier. That disappointed me quite a bit. Concrete rice terraces. Where no rice can possibly thrive.
For some reason, I had momentary bouts of shaky knees as we navigated the narrow paths. Probably because the sides are much steeper than the ones in Batad. Haha!
The view is much satisfying when you’re at the very end, though. 🙂
Next is the Main Viewpoint, a bit further up on the road. Well, one of the signs indicated it as the “main viewpoint”. I don’t care anymore. Haha!
If you are one of those who want to take photos with native Igorot elderlies, this is where you will find them. There was also a grandpa at the first viewdeck we went to, but there were more older women here, garbed in their native finery.
We went back to our ride to continue the drive to Bontoc. After an hour or so, we passed by the Bay-yo Rice Terraces View Point. Some had to take a bathroom break, so the others took it as an opportunity to take a few more photos.
With this stop in our journey, I have come to fully understand why Banaue is a road trip favorite.
Reblogged this on rainepagetoscript.