Stairway to Heaven

If the Banaue Rice Terraces were laid end to end, they would stretch half way around the globe. The vertical distance between bottom and top rows exceeds the height of any of the world's tallest buildings - and when laid on top of the other, it would probably form a stairway to heaven.

Welcome to Banaue, a town in the mountainous province of Ifugao, North of the Philippines.

I am so "at peace" with this place, I managed to travel to this beautiful area twice - and still I long to go back. There's so much in store for travelers in Banaue - beware though - reaching anywhere around involves walking up or down mountain paths that at times can be hair-raising. But the gorgeous view will definitely lighten up the weighted spirit.

Banaue Rice Terraces
Originally uploaded by RyanG.

This is a souvenir shot taken during my first visit in 2001. There are 3 prominent viewpoints though, I think this one is from the "Engineer's Viewpoint". A local told us that this is the same view printed at the back of the P1,000 bill.

In another viewpoint overlooking the valley, my friends and I (it's definitely recommended to travel to Banaue with a handful of buddies!) met some diminutive Ifugao village elders who posed after collecting a small fee.



Not yet satisfied with the spectacular site, we need to experience the terraces to complete this venture - we went down the valley. Of course, with some instructions from the local folks, we were able to reach almost all levels until we landed at the bottom. We discovered a grand river which flows through the rice pads plotted along the terraces. The cool river water refreshed our weary legs - much as it gives life to the valley.



But here's a poignant observation - this place is deteriorating. The Banaue Rice Terraces are now facing erosion, and rice planting on its various levels is becoming scarce. A big reason for is that many of the tribespeople are abandoning their terraced farms to find jobs elsewhere. The face of poverty has reached the mountains - startling even one of mankind's greatest architectural achievements.

After the grueling climb to the surface, we went around a local tiangge to buy some souvenirs & native stuff. Soon, our group hopped on a rented jeepney that will bring us deeper into the mountainous region - next stop: Bontoc.