Yay! I was only in Banaue for a record 32 hours, which does not explain the ludicrously long 16-hour trip overland, both ways. But I did enjoy it in the shortest time possible. It made me appreciate once more one facet of our country’s cultural heritage and the greatness of our ancestors.
After being in the beaches the past few months, I was glad to be up in the mountains enjoying all the greenery and the cool air , which turned chilly sometimes. We stayed in the Banaue Hotel & Youth Hostel , a government-run hotel dating back to the Marcos era which is considered the best in the area.Even though the “dark” central lighting needs changing, our group enjoyed the priceless view of the mounains from the glass-encased resto. But I thought the best thing about the hotel was the hot shower.One really needs it as the climate in Banaue proved to be colder than Baguio.
For the traveler on a budget, Banaue has a number of lodges and inns, some of which boast of the resplendent view of the rice terraces. I am not sure about the hot shower though.
As expected, the Rice Terraces were amazing, especially if you consider that they are 2,000 years old and date back to prehistoric times.One wonders how the ancient Ifugaos mustered the will and the strength to build them. The glorious terraces carved out of the mountains seemed to be present everywhere we went on our vehicle and going up them to take a closer view requires ultra-strong knees. I hear the ones in Batad are really beautiful and requires a few hours of strenuous hiking. Definitely deserves a second visit.
On trips like these, observing village life can be as exciting as seeing the tourist spots. The people of Ifugao were infinitely warm and friendly. There are a number of old people dressed in their native costumes and it is expected that you give them a few pesos after taking their pictures. Nothing wrong really, that is how they earn their livelihood.
It is also customary for Ifugaos to chew betel nut (nga-nga or moma ) which turns orange-y in one’s mouth. Our guide said the nga-nga is their toothpaste, it also drives away tiredness and sleepiness. The streets were filled with red spots though because of all the spitting of the nga-nga – ewwww!
Ifugao wood carvings were simply exquisite! I can’t help but be impressed with the creativity and artisticity of this people. Saw a lot of wooden furnitures, fixtures and figurines that cost quite a lot in Manila but were a few times cheaper in the Banaue shops – if only I had the huge vehicle to transport them!
Wow! That really looks amazing. You must be really in awe to be up there that close.
HI Irene. I wish I did some climbing (the terraces had steep stone steps which you can climb) but I was too tired from the trip. But yes, it was really worth seeing:wink:
okay na rin pala na di ako nakasama, sa next time mo na lang. i don’t think i have any strength left for mountain climbing after my walking sprees in Singapore whew!:wink:
Amazing pictures! Our pre-colonial civilization must have been great… and to think that unlike the Egyptians and Cambodians, we probably did not employ slaves to make the terraces.
hi ajay! those shots are really nice, I wish I could visit Banaue in the future, kahit red ang streets dahil sa nganga
regards fr. holland
I have yet to see the Banaue Rice Terraces. Good you travelled that far. My husband’s family is from Benguet and whenever we travel to the mountains, I get terrified of the slopes. I have a phobia of heights. I don’t really like the travelling but I love watching these wonders of nature.
Yes Toe, I gather that slaves weren’t used. The Ifugaos built the terraces to have food and to survive. It really is an engineering marvel..
Thanks for dropping by Ninang Thess. Yeah, I can only saw “ewwww!” to the nga-nga. In our hotel, chewing it was banned:grin:
Banaue is one of the places that’s still on my “to go” list and for some odd reason, I can never find a way to visit. Your post made me realize that I really, really have to go and see it. This year, I’ll go for sure. I hope. Nice blog, by the way.
yes, banaue ought to be on a tourist’s priority list – and on every pinoy’s. The culture is just so “rich” out there and the feel of it is so different compared to that which we have to tolerated down here (all smoke and starless skies) 🙄
Wow! Banaue looks like a different world na. I’m really enjoying your travel adventures, Ajay!
Thanks John. Do go & see it:smile:
Hi Aileen. Yes, & aside from the rich culture, Banaue can be a good jump off point for travelling to other places like Sagada, Mt. Province and good ol’ Baguio for example.
Thanks Toni. More coming!!:wink:
wow bilib na talaga ako sa yo. pang WOW Philippines na to ah. i actually envy you that you’ve got the chance to explore our beautiful inang bayan! nice one!
it’s so nice of you to visit my province……
😉 visit again!
been there too. it’s realy nice. still planning my second visit though…hopefully soon. the locals are really warm and hospitable one even let us stay in their native house for 50 pesos inclusive of dinner and breakfast and we just meet her there o the street…cool right?
simple but quality, thanks!t
Nice looking site.