The Unmatched Rice Terraces in Batad, Ifugao

I've always dreamed of seeing the grand rice terraces of Batad. When I was a child, I got very confused when I saw on a postcard the rice terraces of Batad because I was only familiar with those in View Point.

I've heard so much about the ones in Batad. According to the locals and some tourists, they're ampitheater-like and very grand that no other rice terraces can match. So when the school finally decided to launch the school activity dubbed as Banaue Mission, I included in the itinerary the trip to Batad on the last day.

We left Banaue Inn at around 8 AM on February 25. The winding roads were mostly paved until a certain point then the rest was rough road. I tried what the locals do when the jeepney is full --- riding on the roof, but I proved it to be difficult specially when the road got bumpy and the driver had to make a turn on a sharp curve. The view of the rice terraces along the way was just fantastic! There were patches of stairway-like rice terraces on every side of a mountain. When the jeepney had to make a 15-minute break, I decided to get down from the roof and sit inside instead.

When we reached the jeepney terminal in the place called Haven, everybody got off and prepared for a long walk down the mountain. The foot path going down was undergoing widening thus making it a bit easier for the trekkers. However, there were still parts that were narrow, rocky and bushy.

After a two-hour descent, which i could say is equivalent to 500 feet, we were rewarded with a magnificent of view of the world-famous Batad Rice Terraces. They're colossal and high! And yes, they're like ampitheater carved on that side of a mountain. What also struck me was the state of the community there. There were at least two inns, several stores that sell really expensive items. I can understand why an instant noodle was priced at 70 pesos. Yes, 70 pesos! It's normally around 10 pesos in Manila, but the distance and the agony of walking surely make the difference.

When you're there, you would wish to just stay and let the day pass by.