The Banaue Rice Terraces (Tagalog: Hagdan-hagdang Palayan ng Banaue) are 2000-year old terraces that were carved into the mountains of Ifugao in the Philippines by ancestors of the Batad indigenous people. The Rice Terraces are commonly referred to by Filipinos as the "Eighth Wonder of the World". It is commonly thought that the terraces were built with minimal equipment, largely by hand. The terraces are located approximately 1500 meters (5000 ft) above sea level and cover 10,360 square kilometers (about 4000 square miles) of mountainside. They are fed by an ancient irrigation system from the rainforests above the terraces. It is said that if the steps are put end to end it would encircle half the globe.
The Banaue terraces are part of the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras, ancient sprawling man-made structures from 2,000 to 6,000 years old. They are found in the provinces of Apayao, Benguet, Mountain Province and Ifugao, and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Locals to this day still tend to the rice and vegetables on the terraces, although more and more younger Ifugaos do not find farming appealing, often opting for the more lucrative hospitality industry generated by the Rice Terraces. The result is the gradual erosion of the characteristic "steps", which need constant reconstruction and care.
SAGADA
Sagada Caves
Hanging Coffins
Bomodok Falls
Sagada is nestled in a valley at the upper end of of the Malitep tributary of the Chico River some one and a half kilometers above sea level in the central Cordillera; enveloped between the main Cordillera Ranges and the Ilocos Range. Mt. Data in the south and Mt. Kalawitan in the southeast pierce the horizon. Mt. Polis, Bessang and Mt. Tirad in the east, and Mt. Sisipitan in the north mark the Mountain Province - Abra boundary.
Sagada is famous for its "hanging coffins". This is a traditional way of burying people that is not in use anymore. Not anyone was qualified to be buried this way; you had to, among other things, be married and have grandchildren.
In Sagada you can do trekking, explore both caves and waterfalls, spelunking, bonfires, picnics, rappelling, visit historical sites, nature hikes, see wild horses, and participate in tribal celebrations.
GETTING THERE
banaue, situated 1,000 meters above sea level amidst the Cordillera mountain ranges, is 348 kilometers north of Metro Manila by bus. A daily trip leaves for Banaue at 10 o'clock pm. at the Autobus terminal at Sampaloc Metro Manila. From Baguio City about 33 kilometers, two bus companies KMS bus lines and Ohayami trans have daily trips to Banaue, morning and night trips. Travel is staged once every three years in every fourth Friday of April.
To get to Sagada from Banaue, take first the jeepney that goes to Bontoc. Top-loading (riding on top of the jeepney) is highly recommended to witness a kaleidoscope of fantastic scenery along the way. If you opt to stay below, sit on the left side of the jeepney for more views. The jeepneys leave before noon and the trip takes about 2½ hours.
