Banaue Rice Terraces

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Why the
Banaue Rice Terraces
are special

While other Asian countries also have photogenic rice terraces, I have never seen one that matches the sheer scale and grandeur of those in Banaue.

Banaue Rice Terraces

tips & insights

Size

The mountainous rice terraces of Banaue and vicinity in the Philippines are mankind's grandest scaled engineering feat. The vertical distance between bottom and top rows exceeds the height of the world's tallest building. If the terraces were laid end to end, they would stretch more than half way around the world.

History

The rice terraces were carved over a 2,000 year span with primitive handtools by the ancestors of the current farmers, the Ifugao tribesmen.

Batad & Bangaan

The region has other worth-visiting rice terraces, including those of Batad and Bangaan. Learn about them:

Batad & Bangaan Rice Terraces

Variety

The rice terraces come in many guises, as this photo gallery illustrates.

Banaue Rice Terraces photo gallery

Ethnic festivals

The region has many festivals. The Imbayah in Banaue town is the biggest one. It's held every several years. View photos:

Imbayah Festival photo gallery

Distance from Manila

The terraces are 350 kilometers (220 miles) from the capital of the Philippines.

Getting there

Unfortunately, you cannot fly to Banaue from Manila. You need to travel by car or bus, which normally takes 8.5 to 10 hours. Heavy traffic and long stops will lengthen the time.

Manila-Banaue buses

Many travelers save two travel days by taking the overnight express bus in both directions - and sleep en route. However, those who take the day express bus get to see the interesting rural and mountain scenery along the way. A good compromise is taking one overnighter and one daytimer.

Viewpoints

The main viewpoint has a spectacular vista. It's a 10-minute ride up the road to Bontoc from the town center. Be sure to stop at the other roadside viewpoints along the way - each offers a different and exciting perspective.

Local roads

Although you don't need a four-wheel-drive vehicle to travel from Manila (the highways are paved all the way), you will need one when you arrive. Otherwise, you won't be able to travel the scenic rutted dirt roads to visit the rice terraces beyond the town.  Solutions: Take a commercial jeepney - or hire a small one with driver. I don't recommend using motorized tricycles. Although they are much cheaper, the ride will be excruciatingly slow and jarring on the rough mountain roads.

Accommodations

The town has a variety of inns and guest houses to suit most pocketbooks. The Banaue Hotel has the best facilities and is reasonably priced.

Temperature

This mountainous area is much higher in altitude than most of the country. Nights can be sweater-cool even on hot & humid days.

Best time of year

Winter to early spring is the ideal rice terraces sightseeing period. During the rainy season (summer and fall), low lying clouds can disappointingly mask the slopes. And landslides (especially in July and August) occasionally block roads.

Best photo months

From mid-March to mid-May, it's harvest time. The landscape will be a combination of vivid greens and golden yellows.

Eroding rice terraces

They are facing erosion because of a decline in upkeep. A big reason is some of the young tribespeople are abandoning their family lands to find less arduous jobs elsewhere.

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