Banaue Rice Terraces : Cultural Landscape

Imagine, daybreak, hundreds of years ago, tattoed Ifugao women gracefully balancing jars of water on their heads as they follow the narrow rice paddies, singing the Salidumay. Imagine, sunset, hundreds of years ago, Ifugao lovers chasing in the ricefields as they mimick the flights of the crows to the syncopated beats of the gongs. Imagine, in the silence of the night the melodious chant of the Hudhud reverberating in the vast mountains. Imagine how our forefathers carved the mountains to create the stairways to heaven, the magnificent Rice Terraces of Banaue.

The Banaue Rice Terraces is one of the celebrated landmarks of the Philippines. These can be found in the Province of Ifugao in the special administrative region of Cordillera. It was built by the ancient Ifugaos, rising up to 5,000 ft above sea-level and stretching to about more than 10,000 square kilometers of mountainside. These terraces called by the locals as Payew, is believed to be 2,000 years old and is listed as one of Philippine’s National Cultural Treasures.

• Take the North Luzon Expressway to Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway.
• Exit at La Paz Toll Gate.
• Follow road to Zaragoza (turn left to Aliaga).
• Proceed to the towns of Talavera, Munoz, San Jose in Nueva Ecija.
• Exit to San Jose-Digdig Junction.
• Proceed to Nueva Vizcaya passing through the towns of Sta. Fe, Aritao, Bambang, Bayombong, Solano, Bagabag.
• Move up to Lagawe to Banaue.
• If you are taking the bus, take Ohayami Trans. Lacson St. Corner Fajardo St., Sampaloc, Manila (09276493055)

• Banaue Youth Hostel +6328121984
• People’s Lodge +63743864014
• Greenview Lodge +63743864022
• Sanafe Lodge & Restaurant +63743864085

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