Banaue Rice Terraces | Lost in the Stairways of Ifugao
Ahhh, Banaue Rice Terraces, the very image of the ingenuity of our ancestors as they built it with their own hand’s thousands of years ago.
Hagdan-Hagdang Palayan
As a kid, we were all taught that these “Hagdan-Hagdang Palayan” of Ifugao are said to be the Eighth Wonder of the World. Then, as I laid my eyes upon the terraces a few years later, I finally understood why.
Right after our Mt. Napulauan hike in Hungduan, Ifugao, I extended my stay to explore more of the area. Nothing beats a cold morning in the Cordilleras with a warm sunrise and a cup of coffee with this kind of view from my room in Banaue.
After a quick breakfast, I hopped on a tricycle to start checking out these ancient and famed terraces of Banaue, let’s go!
As we ventured out into the highway, the rice terraces are already in sight. Banaue Rice Terraces runs endlessly as it traces the mountainside as far as the eyes can see. It makes me wonder how the people of Ifugao did all of this without any modern machinery.
Dayanara View Point?
There are several viewpoints where you can enjoy the beauty of the most photographed landmark in Luzon. First, is the Dayanara View Point.
It is very un-Ifugao to name such a place as Dayanara. But as it turns out, Dayanara Torres, a Puerto-Rican beauty queen had a photoshoot here. Thus, the locals promptly called it as such, very Filipino, eh?
Second, is the NFA-Aguian View Point. This place offers you a view of what was depicted in the old 1000-peso banknote.
Not from afar is the Chango View Point, which, you guessed it right, is the view of what is seen at the back of the old 20-Peso banknote before it turned into a coin.
Main View Point
At the highest point in Poblacion in Banaue, and also the center of tourism establishments is the Main View Point. Everything touristy, from souvenirs, photo opportunities with the locals dressed in their native attire, lodgings, restaurants, cafes, and wooden bike rental shops are present here.
From here you will be rewarded with a bird’s eye view of the rice terraces.
The scale of it all is just massive and I can’t just help myself but wonder. (This is just an understatement when I saw the Batad Rice Terraces!)
Not a World Heritage Site?
Contrary to popular belief, Banaue Rice Terraces is not included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Ifugao. Consequently, this is considered as a National Cultural Treasure by the Philippine Government
Consequently, this is due to the encroachment of modern structures around the rice fields, which is one of the integrity criterion of UNESCO in awarding the title. Also, the more lucrative tourism industry as I put it, is slowly killing the terraces with this continued commercialization.
Moreover, the five sites in Ifugao that are considered by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites are Batad Rice Terraces and Bangaan Rice Terraces (both in Banaue), Mayoyao Rice Terraces (in Mayoyao), Hungduan Rice Terraces (in Hungduan), and Nagacadan Rice Terraces (in Kiangan).
With this, the Banaue Rice Terraces have been abandoned as some of the owners and younger generations tend to move to the urban cities to find jobs. To add, they said that farming and planting crops isn’t as appealing and lucrative as it was back in the day.
Fun Fact: In popular culture, it is indeed in Banaue Rice Terraces where Thanos walked out from the small hut to watch the sunset. This is from the movie Avengers: Infinity War as confirmed by the Bangkok-based Indochina Productions
How to Get There
- Banaue Rice Terraces is located in Banaue, Ifugao.
- From Manila, you can take the Ohayami Buses bound for Banaue daily.
- The terminal is at Fajardo St. Corner Lacson St in Sampaloc, Manila near the University of Santo Tomas
- They operate daily and leave for Banaue at 08:00 PM, the fare is at 500 PHP and travel time is around 8-9 hours
- Alternatively, you can also try the CODA Bus Lines in Cubao that is bound for Sagada. They pass by Banaue and have daily trips to and from Manila.
- The terminal is at Cubao HM Transport Terminal
- They have three trips daily and leave by 08:00 PM, 09:00 Pm, and 10:00 PM. (Fare: 450 PHP Regular, 550 PHP Deluxe)
- The several view decks are accessible through the main road and you can transfer through the tricycles along the way
Updated September 19, 2017
