Travel Asia

The Banaue Rice Terraces or the Hagdan-Hangdang Palayan ng Banaue, located at Ifugao Province, Cordillera Region, Philippines, are 2000-year old terraces that were carved into the mountainside by the ancestors of the Batad indigenous people. It is commonly referred as the “Eighth Wonder of the World”. The terraces were built largely by hand. The rice terraces are located approximately 1500 meters above sea level and cover a total of 10,360 square kilometers of mountainside.

The Hagdan-Hangdang Palayan ng Banaue are feed by an ancient irrigation system of springs and streams from the rainforests above the terraces. The terraces are still used presently by the locals which are planted with rice and vegetables. The terraces are presently in constant need of reconstruction and care. Visitors never regret visiting the area to marvel at the beauty and grandeur of the rice terraces. One can only ponder how the Ifugaos made it all using just their bare hands. One of the major appeal of the rice terraces are the many hiking trails in the area. The locals serves as hiking guides but even without guides, visitors can still find their way because the locals are very friendly and hospitable.

Aside from the Banaue rice terraces, there are four other similar terraces nearby. These are the Batad rice terraces with its spectacular tiered, amphitheatre-shaped terraces. Mayoyao rice terraces which are planted with Ifugao rice called Tinawon. Hapao rice terraces are stone-walled rice terraces that date back from 650 AD. The Kiangan rice terraces include Nagacadan and Julungan which are known for their size and visual impact.

The rice terraces can be reached by land. From Manila, there are air-conditioned buses that go straight to Banaue. The trip takes about 9 hours. There are daily trips to the terraces.