A Complete Guide to Banaue and Batad Rice Terraces
Philippines' province Ifugao is home to several UNESCO-listed rice terraces. When in the country, visiting Batad rice terraces near Banaue is a must-do thing no traveler can miss as they are absolutely spectacular. Read our guide on how to see the terraces, how to get from Banaue to Batad, how to hike to the waterfall, and how is possible to walk across the rice terraces from Batad to Cambulo, Pula and back to Banaue.
Before our visit to the Philippines, when we were planning our itinerary, we were reading about famous rice terraces on Luzon Island, and we were a hundred percent sure this is something we simply must-see. The only problem was, we could not figure out where to go to get the best experience.
Almost every travel guide was mentioning Banaue, but although it is possible to find rice terraces around this village, as farming on the terraces is an integral part of the culture, and it is also the way how locals still grow their crops, we knew this is not exactly what we were looking for, although it is possible to find spectacular viewpoints around Banaue village as well.
Rice terraces around Banaue are easily accessible from the village but are surrounded by concrete structures, and this makes them less appealing.
We wanted to see the famous rice terrace amphitheater set in nature, so later we found out we must continue from Banaue to Batad, even smaller settlement from where it is possible to get the most famous view and from where it is also possible to do a multi-day hike through terraces via small, authentic Ifugao settlements.
Sometimes all rice terraces in the area can be simply called Banaue rice terraces, and although they are for sure beautiful, in this post we will focus on Batad rice terraces.
If you are looking for up-to-date information on how to get to Batad, where to sleep, what is possible to see and do in Batad, what to pack and how you can arrange multi-day trek from Batad via Cambulo to Pula and back to Banaue, keep on reading.
HOW TO GET TO BATAD
First, it is necessary to know how to get to Batad, especially if you've just started planning your Luzon itinerary. No matter where are you traveling from to this destination, you must get to Banaue first.
It is possible to get by an overnight bus directly from Manila to Banaue, in case the rice terraces will be the first destination on your schedule after landing in the capital of the Philippines, but we traveled from a different direction (we traveled by an overnight bus to Manila after the visit of rice terraces).
Our first destination on Luzon Island was Vigan, a pretty colonial city.
From Vigan, there is no direct bus to Banaue, you must take a bus to Baguio first. Baguio is an unappealing dirty city, but as the ride from Vigan took quite a long time, we decided to spend a night there.
Meanwhile, we found out it is possible to see hanging coffins in Sagada, so we took a bus to Sagada where we stayed a couple of nights, then a jeepney from Sagada to Bontoc, and from Bontoc a very scenic ride to Banaue.
Depending on the time you will arrive in Banaue, you will either have to spend a night here because jeepneys to Batad leave irregularly from the market (usually in the morning), but we were lucky, as the next jeepney was leaving in two hours.
The jeepney between Banaue and Batad runs approximately once or twice a day, but not at the same time. It means you simply have to walk around and ask the locals what is the schedule for today.
We arrived when a market was about to finish, so locals wanted to get back to Batad and nearby villages, so we did not have to stay overnight in Banaue.
On the other hand, we had to sit in an overcrowded jeepney with roosters and men chewing and spitting betel leaves.
The cost of the jeepney was PHP 50 per person.
In case there is no public jeepney, and you do not want to wait, you have three options.
You can either rent a private jeepney, which is an expensive option, around 2500 PHP (you can try to gather more tourists wanting to get to Batad the same day), rent tricycle which will take you to Batad Saddle for PHP 500 (a tricycle can fit two to three people depending on how much luggage you have), or the last option is to take a public jeepney to Bangaan, get off at Batad Junction, and from here walk (it is three kilometers grueling uphill climb and then three kilometers downhill walk, so think it twice).
No matter how you will get to Batad, it is worth mentioning that despite the construction, there is still road missing, so you still have to walk another twenty to thirty minutes to the village from the point where the jeepney will drop you off.
In case you will need to get back from Batad to Banaue, wait for the jeepney at 9 AM at the same place the jeepney dropped you off the day before.
Where To Stay In Banaue
In case you will have to stay in Banaue overnight either before or after your visit to Batad, there are several accommodation options.
Budget: Rice Homestay | Budget: Peoples Lodge and Restaurant | Mid-range: Baleh Boble Guesthouse
ENTRANCE FEES
Rice terraces around Banaue are one of the top travel destinations in the Philippines, and you will have to pay a small fee for having the privilege to see it.
Once you arrive in Banaue, head to the tourism office, where you must register and pay 20 PHP environmental fee (the bus from Bontoc stopped right in front of the office).
It is a good idea to ask the staff in the office on the best things to do in the area, in case you haven’t decided on what to do yet).
Once you enter Batad village, you will see a wooden shack on your right. It is another point where it is necessary to pay another environmental fee, this time 50 PHP.
Our Tip: It is good to know there is no ATM in either Banaue or Batad. Or at least we did not find one. Even though we read online some people saw an ATM in the village, it was often out of orders, so we would not rely on it.It is possible to pay in some hotels by credit card, but we cannot stress enough how important is to bring cash with you to this part of the Philippines.
WHERE TO STAY IN BATAD
There are several accommodation options in Batad. Most of them are basic, but they offer everything you might need for a night - beds, shower, and restaurant serving meals all day.
Accommodations in Batad have usually wooden terraces overlooking the amphitheater. Batad is still pretty remote, so most of the lodges are possible to reserve only over the phone, or you will simply show up.
Here are two cheap accommodation options which are available online.
Budget: Batad Transient House | Budget: Lhorens Inn and Restaurant
A BRIEF HISTORY OF RICE TERRACES
Terraces created by Ifugao people more than 2000 years ago in the Cordilleras are collectively known as Banaue rice terraces, although they can be found in several villages nearby.
Ifugao people are ancestors of Batad indigenous people, who started to carve terraces in the mountains because they needed to grow and cultivate rice in such difficult terrain.
As the terraces were mostly built by bare hands or by help of primitive equipment (some are made of mud, some of the stones), the Banaue terraces are often nicknamed the Eight Wonder of the World.
Not only because it is unbelievable how difficult it must have been to built thousands of kilometers of the terraces by hands, but also because the terraces are incredibly picturesque.
We can say, that the whole year of Ifugao people was revolving around rice, as it was a neverending process of work.
Although the tradition survived until today, the new generation of local people does not find farming that appealing, and rather move to larger cities or work in tourism, which is not that physically hard and is better paid.
WHEN TO VISIT BATAD RICE TERRACES
Batad rice terraces look differently throughout the year, and you should plan your visit according to the seasons.
Thanks to phenomenon El Nino and La Nina, seasons in the Philippines has not been so stable lately, but below we will point out the most common weather seasons and most common stages of rice terraces you can expect during the year.
The best time to visit Banaue/Batad rice terraces is between April and May, and then between October and November when the terraces are in their greenest.
Between July and September, it is the rainy season when terraces can create reflecting pools, and although you might not see rice at all, the sight is spectacular in a different way. On the other hand, during this time the area is prone to landslides, so be careful.
Between December and March, it is the season after harvest, and terraces are often muddy and not that green, but we visited Batad in January and were not at all disappointed by what we saw.
It is really hard to choose the season which is the best to travel to Batad, we would simply put Banaue and Batad rice terraces on your itinerary and visited them during your trip to the Philippines.
The place is so spectacular that we believe it is interesting to see it even when the weather is not pleasant and rice is not growing.
Travel Insurance
We never leave home without travel insurance that was designed to cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip.
Travel insurance protects against theft, flight delays, injury, illness, cancellations, and much more.
World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers to cover their trip essentials, including sports and adventure activities.
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VISITING BATAD INDEPENDENTLY VS WITH TOUR
We think it is absolutely doable to visit Banaue/Batad terraces independently, even when you are on a strict schedule.
You only have to be ready that in case you miss the jeepney from Banaue, you will have to pay more for transport in case time won't allow you to spend a night in Banaue.
In case you want to have everything organized including transport and guide, it is possible to either arrange a tour directly in Banaue, or you can check out some of the tours online in advance.
In case you plan on hiking from Batad to Pula, it is good to know that some parts of the hike are not clear, therefore it is better to hire a guide, but you can do it either in Banaue, Batad or later along the trail.
One of the most popular products is this three-day tour which will show you the best the area has to offer, another option is a one-day tour from Banaue, or you can even take a guided tour directly from Manila.
HOW LONG TO STAY IN BATAD
According to our opinion, it is absolutely enough to stay in Batad one night and one day, but it also depends on what time will you arrive.
As we wanted to hike in the rice fields, we spent in the area three days two nights.
But in case you solely want to see rice terraces around Batad, the waterfall, and the best views, it is enough to plan two days one night for this destination (while the first day includes the transport to the destination).
THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN BATAD
First, enjoy the morning.
When we woke up in the morning, we saw one of the best sceneries we had seen in Southeast Asia, and even if you do not plan on doing many activities in Batad, it is worth it to spend there a night to enjoy the spectacular morning on a terrace of your guesthouse with coffee in hand.
Tappiya Waterfall
About an hour walk from all the guesthouses in Batad, down in the valley is a beautiful Tappiya Waterfall, where it is also possible to swim.
The hike to the falls goes downhill (in case you plan on returning to Batad, be ready to climb up back to the village), but it is not that easy as it could seem, because you will walk on uneven stone steps and narrow and slippery terraces. In the end, it was not that bad, but we recommend you to either carry trekking poles or a wooden stick.
It is clear from the beginning where the waterfall is, but to navigate safely via rice terraces is not that straightforward, so with another six people from our hostel we hired a guide who showed us the best route.
Awa View Deck
Although we found the views from the village satisfying enough, to see the rice terrace amphitheater from a different point of view, head to Awa View Deck.
Vistas from this place are amazing, but be ready to push uphill a bit.
Hike from Batad via Cambulo to Pula
Batad's amphitheater was simply stunning, and as we did not have enough of the rice terraces, we decided to do a hike from Batad to Pula, and from Pula back to the main road leading to Banaue.
In case you have two days spare, this is an activity you should consider doing as this experience is definitely on the list of the best things we've done in the Philippines.
Be prepared for some steep ascends, and you should at least have an average level of fitness, and healthy knees (or walking stick which will help you climb steep steps and keep balance).
We walked from our guesthouse to the waterfall first, and then we continued with one French guy to a small settlement Cambulo.
We wanted to spend a night there, but as we arrived early, we had lunch and continued to Pula. As this part of the journey was supposed to be more tricky (it is not hard to get lost in the rice fields), we paid for guide (a woman we met between Batad and Cambulo) who led us to Pula.
The scenery and views along the hike were out of this world. The village of Pula at the time of our visit did not have electricity, but they were building it, so we believe it is electrified now.
We stayed in one homestay where a lady prepared meals for us as well.
In the morning, we saw kids in front of the school singing national anthem, and it was very touching to listen to the music in the middle of nowhere, only surrounded by terraces and wooden houses. Then we carried on to Banaue.
It meant we head to reach the main road, and there we hitchhiked for a while until one van stopped and took us back to Banaue, where we bought a bus ticket to Manila.
WHAT TO PACK FOR VISITING BATAD
The area around Batad has a pleasant climate all year round with rains between July an September.
Temperatures are usually pretty warm when the sun shines in the afternoon, but it can be pretty cold in the evening and during the night. Here are several essential things you should remember to pack with you for visiting Batad.
RICE TERRACES NEAR BANAUE
In case you found rice terraces so awe-inspiring as we did, it is possible to visit other UNESCO-listed villages. Except for Banaue, you can continue to Bangaan, Hungduan, Mayoyao, or Nagacadan.
Travel Resources
Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.
Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.
We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.
Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.
Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.
Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.
