Trail to Batad, Banaue in Ifugao

If you hear someone bragging how wonderful his trip to Batad was and he/she keeps telling you to try it yourself, and if he also says that Batad's amphitheatre-like stone-walled rice terraces are widely considered the world's most striking. Don’t argue, he/she is right!

The Village of Batad boasts of its best ampi-theater like rice terraces (part of the UNESCO World Heritage site) can be reached by taking a 30 to 45-minute jeepney (or tricycle) ride from Banuae town center followed by a two (or more) hour trek to the village entrance. A simple waiting/viewing shed made with a small store selling sodas and light snack. I suggest you take the necessary rest and snack in preparation for a downhill hike (improved steps and footpaths), look on your right side, the view is spectacular. Farther down are signs leading to some basic accommodations and restaurants, before proceeding to the center of the village it’s reserve a room and order your dinner food (in advance) if you’ll stay overnight in Batad, else you should arrange your ride back to Banaue beforehand.

A cluster of tiny Ifugao huts in the village center can be seen from afar, going there will require you to slowly descend the rice terraces. Hiking in Batad is like immersing yourself in a green ocean, anywhere you look ,you’ll see a different shade of green The height of each terrace varies from a meter to 2 meters, the riprap/embankment/stonewalls were created with small protruding stones on it's exposed side to serve as steps/stairs for natives and tourist alike.

For the more adventurous, hike farther down to Tapia Falls and take a dip in the cold water no! very very cold waters of the natural pool. This is really exhilarating.

Don't forget to take enough rest before going back, the hike is purely uphill if you don't know the shortcut.

NO paved roads in Batad, expect to get soiled and wear the appropriate hiking gears.

[The Dane]

I haven't been up to Banaue in about 10 years. It is time for another trip up there.

Last time I was there the weather wasn't too great so we did not do a lot of trekking around which is probably the most compelling thing to do in Banaue.

I do remember the view from our hotel was spectacular - the rooms were cheap and food good.

I just do not remember the name of the hotel

The most popular accommodation with a good view and restaurant and bakery then was the People's Lodge and Restaurant , it even have a viewing deck at the back of restaurant. I think this was your accommodation before. There are lots of new accommodations in Banaue at present but I kept my favorite.

There are more a/c buses to/from Banaue nowadays, Autobus, Florida (w/toilet onboard) and Victory Liner. The first two leaves their terminal in Espana Manila near University of Sto. Tomas (UST) while Victory Liner bus hails from Kamuning EDSA Q. C. terminal. No choice but to sleep on the long trip anyway you'll be in Banaue by early morning, next day. A new route (Cable Bus) from/to Manila goes directly to Mt. Province capital, Bontoc , and it is a grueling (almost) 12 hour ride.

It is not ideal to trek now but the view is more spectacular, since rainy days is here, the place is like an ocean of green .

When I went up to Sagada (via Baguio City) a couple of weeks ago, I saw a lot of landslides along Halsema, its a good thing that there was an available backhoe equipment and operator working on the road widening project to unblock the road, otherwise I would have been stranded in the mountains.