Sunday, May 24, 2009

Rice Terraces, Batad



Stairways to the heavens

Rice terraces are common throughout Asia but nowhere are they as spectacular as in the rugged mountains of northern Luzon. The Ifugaos have resisted integration into mainstream society and still practice their traditional farming and religion although headhunting is on the wane.

As what I read from Eazy Traveller blog, Batad Village is located more than 350 km north of Manila: ten hours by bus, one and a half hours by jeepney over rough road, and another hour on foot. A 45-minute hike traversing the stairway of rice paddies will take you to the imposing Tappiyah Falls that thunders through a rocky gorge. During the pitch black of night, pockets of trees along the mountain slopes glow with the bioluminescence of fireflies, with a dozen of them waltzing their way into my room, attracted by incandescent lamps.

3 comments:

Bradpetehoops said...

This is a #1 UNESCO in Republic of the Philippines.

Bradpetehoops said...

These terraces or giant stairs to heaven made by Ifugao - Filipinos in ancient time using only hand tools like colony of ants of unity and industrious. Amazing workmanship, that scientists and engineers believes no modern machine can build this wonderful scenery similar to the Pyramids of Egypt that's why this called the 8th Wonder of the World.

Bradpetehoops said...

Please save and reserve this wonderful and peculiar place.