Banaue Rice Terraces, Ifugao , Philippines

Banaue Rice Terraces

A Banaue rice terraces has been described as the eighth wonder of the world. They were carved out of the hillside by Ifugao tribe’s people 2000 to 3000 years ago without the aid of machinery to provide level steps where the natives plant rice. And they are still in use today.

The rice terraces are like stepping stones stretching towards the sky, where some of them reach almost 5,000 feet in altitude and cover about 4,000 square miles of land. It is considered as one of mankind's greatest engineering feat. If the terraces were laid end to end, they would stretch half way around the world.

One of the major appeal of Banaue rice terraces to the local and international tourist are the many hiking trails in the area. There are many young locals, mostly college students who serve as guides. But with or without a guide, you will find the friendliness and warmth of the Ifugao people endearing.

The Banaue Rice Terraces are now showing signs of erosion. Some areas  need maintenance as some of the new generation Ifugaos are migrating to the cities looking for better opportunities. That given, the terraces still never fails to awe the traveler.  Banaue rice terraces, although a bit far from Manila is one of the most fantastic destinations in the Philippines. Visitors never regret spending time and resources to see its beauty and grandeur. It is commonly thought that the terraces were built  largely by hand with minimal equipment.

In 1995, the clusters of terraces at Bangaan, Batad, Mayoyao, Nagacadan & Hungduan, in Ifugao were declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites.


How to get to there:

From Manila there are air-conditioned buses that go straight to Banaue, The trip takes about 9 hours. The Dangwa Transit has daily trips to Banaue Rice Terraces. Their terminals are located along Dimasalang St., Sampaloc, Manila and Aurora Boulevard, Cubao, Q.C. (Tel# 731-2879 & 410-1991). Also plying the Banaue route is Auto Bus (Tel# 735-8098) with terminals at España Blvd corner G. Tolentino St., Manila. The bus leaves at 10 PM daily and arrives at about 7AM. From Baguio City, there are also buses going to the Banaue Rice Terraces. The trip will pass through the provinces of Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya then to Ifugao. Accommodation is no problem; there are several inns in town like the Banaue View Inn, the Banaue Hotel and other lodging houses with reasonable rates. Some private homes also accept tourist and transients for a lesser charge.