Wanderworld

Every beach girl needs a nice break from the sea and sand, and Batad is that one sweet escape.

Batad is a gratifying surprise for hiking pros and amateurs alike. In group tours, it’s usually combined with a visit to the world-famous Banaue Rice Terraces, which was once among the 8 Wonders of the World.

Batad, which is tucked away in Banaue in Ifugao, is also home to beautiful, man-made and amphitheater-like rice terraces, though sadly, some Filipinos themselves are not aware of them, even if the place is actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

For any nature lover, Batad is a wonderland. Its endless ingenious rice terraces carved against the striking mountain backdrop and surrounded by majestic peaks will undoubtedly make you want to consider abandoning the urban life for good.

The lush greens, the simple living and the sense of calm in Batad will also easily convert a non-nature/mountain lover. After all, who wouldn’t enjoy a view of the clouds kissing the mountains and amphitheater-like rice terraces upon waking up in the morning? Who could resist the thought of having coffee with such beauty of nature as your daily companion?

Enjoying Batad’s beauty isn’t a walk in the park, however. To get there, you’d have to endure roughly 10 hours of land travel. And once you’re there, there’s no other way to get around but by foot, which means endless hiking through the mountains, which is actually part of the fun adventure.

How to Get to Batad from Manila

We almost didn’t make it to Batad for the second time.

We originally booked with another travel agency for our group tour, but it was cancelled at the last minute due to bad weather. Fortunately, Barefoot Travels still had slots for that weekend, so we were able to push through with our plans.

Group tours such as the ones that Barefoot organizes during weekends are ideal for travelers who want a hassle-free trip. The tour package includes roundtrip transportation, accommodation, guides and certain meals. Since it’s a group tour, you get to meet other travelers and make new friends too.

If you’re not fond of traveling with strangers though, you can take the Ohayami Transit bus from Manila to Banaue. The terminal is at Lacson Ave. in Manila, and the bus leaves at around 9 pm to 10 pm and arrives at 7 am the following the day.

From Banaue, you’d have to take the public jeep to Batad Saddle. From there, you’d have to trek down around three kilometers to the actual Batad Village, where there are various accommodations/inns/homestays and restaurants.

Here’s a suggested itinerary from Barefoot Travels.

Our Experience

The Trek to the Village

Those who are not fond of walking may not find it too difficult to go to Batad Village because the trek is downhill. After the jeepney ride, which is your chance for toploading, you get off at the starting point of the saddle and trek down to the village itself, where the accommodations are located.

The first part of the trail is the usual rocky/forest path, then you’ll pass an area with concrete houses and several locals. That’s also the point where you get to enjoy uninterrupted views of the Batad rice terraces.

From there, you’d have to descend several stairs on your way to your accommodation. We stayed at Hillside Inn, which had a glorious view of the amphitheater rice terraces from its restaurant and balcony. There are native huts in the village where you can stay too for that “authentic” experience. They’re located at the farther bottom.

Trek to Tappiyah Falls

The trek to Tappiyah Falls is a breeze as well since it’s still downhill. You’d need a guide though because it’s a long way from the site of accommodations. Along the way you’ll pass a souvenir store, which also has walking sticks for rent for Php10, if I remember correctly. The walking sticks can help you balance while walking, especially if it’s raining, which was the case during our trip.

Trekking to the falls is one of the rare chances that you actually get to walk through rice paddies. You walk along the thin areas at the sides of the rice fields, just like how locals navigate through the village.

Since it rained, we had to be extra careful not to be outbalanced because we’d end up in the puddles. 😀 As we came closer to the falls, there were also some steep areas that needed to be treaded on carefully.

Even if it was raining at some point during our trek, the views were still amazing because we were entirely surrounded by the lush greens of the mountains and the rice terraces. Nothing could beat the serenity of the place.

Swimming at the Falls

After a long trek, a swim in the falls would naturally be refreshing. However, since it rained, we were already somehow wet, so most of us were hesitant to take a dip by the time we reached the falls.

The drizzle also turned into a strong rain when we reached Tappiyah Fallls, so we initially stayed at the covered area. However, our long trek would’ve been for nothing if we didn’t at least try to swim, so Joseph and I were the first ones to brave the rain and the strong current of the water.

Of course, it was a struggle to get farther into the water because of the strong current, and the icy cold water didn’t help as well. 😀

We were still treated to a spectacle during the time though, because the view of the rain mixed with the mist from the mountains and the enchanting beauty of the falls was priceless. Talk about simple joys and reveling in the beauty of nature.

Trek Back to the Village

What goes up must come down.

In our case though, it was the opposite, because we had to climb to get back to our inn at the village. There are numerous parts of the trek from the falls that involve stairs, which I absolutely abhor when trekking. We literally had to drag ourselves up those numerous flight of stairs and take a break afterward from all the climbing.

After the stairs though, you go back to walking through rice paddies which is a treat compared with the stairs. 😀 However, the struggle here is the “so near yet so far” thought, as you can actually see the different inns from afar as you walk, and they seem to be so near already, though it isn’t actually the case.

It was almost dark when we were almost at our inn, and various insects have already appeared, disturbing us during our trek. We then pushed ourselves to walk the last mile, motivating ourselves with the idea of a warm, sumptuous dinner. 😀

Notes/Tips

• Most inns, like ours, have shower areas. It was shared among the guests though, so you’d have to wait for your turn. The shower area at Hillside Inn has a heater.
• Filipino dishes can be enjoyed in the various restaurants in the village. However, some serve foreign dishes as well such as pizza because of the foreign tourists.

• Several locals offer massage too. However, our “group mates” who availed the massage had it in a not-so-private area. Afterward, they were joking about strangers going in the area while they were being massaged as well as being bitten by huge mosquitoes.

• In my opinion, it’s better to use sturdy flip flops or trekking slippers when going to Tappiyah Falls, especially if it’s raining. You don’t want to get your rubber shoes (and socks) drenched, and it’s not a good idea to wear shoes if you’re planning to swim afterward.

Sidetrip to Banaue Rice Terraces

Before heading home, we stopped by Banaue to see its famous rice terraces. This is also where you can take a picture with the old locals in their native attire. You’re supposed to give any amount when you take pics with them. Various souvenir stores can also be found beside the viewpoint.

For you to know more about our Batad hiking adventure, I’ve prepared a travel video below. Videos were captured by Joseph Villaranda, edited by me. (Note: It’s kinda rough though and videos are limited. Please watch in HD :D)

Travel date: August 2015

**Next post: Free Walking Tours in Hanoi, Vietnam