Overview
Take a trip to Banaue Rice Terraces on your Philippines Vacation
Located north of Manila, in the province of Ifugao, the Banaue Rice Terraces are carved into the region’s mountains. Starting from the base of the Cordilleras, the Banaue Rice Terraces are situated 1500 meters (5000 ft) above sea level, stretching 10,360 sq km (4000 sq miles) wide and 200 meters high. They are often described as the ‘stairway to the sky.’ In fact, if the steps were laid from end to end, they would encircle half the globe.
Known by Filipinos as the “Eighth Wonder of the World”, the Banaue Rice Terraces were built 2000 years ago by the ancestors of the indigenous people of Ifugao and are commonly thought to have been built largely by hand. Sourced by an ancient irrigation system from the rainforests above the terraces, locals still grow rice and vegetables, although the region’s tourism industry has increasingly prevailed.
With the Ifugao people maintaining the Banaue Rice Terraces, their culture revolves around rice and its related rituals and feasts, from rice cultivation to rice consumption. Also known to cultivate edible shells, fruit trees, and other vegetables, the Ifugao recognize the Banaue Rice Terraces as a source of life and art.
A thriving tourism industry has emerged around the Banaue Rice Terraces, offering visitors on Philippines vacation packages beautiful views of the terraces, the chance to meet local tribes, and even a spiritual healing ritual performed by a Mumbai, a traditional Ifugao witch doctor.
Needless to say, they’re a sight that must be seen on a Philippines vacation.
With the Ifugao people maintaining the Banaue Rice Terraces, their culture revolves around rice and its related rituals and feasts, from rice cultivation to rice consumption. Also known to cultivate edible shells, fruit trees, and other vegetables, the Ifugao recognize the Banaue Rice Terraces as a source of life and art.
A thriving tourism industry has emerged around the Banaue Rice Terraces, offering visitors on Philippines vacation packages beautiful views of the terraces, the chance to meet local tribes, and even a spiritual healing ritual performed by a Mumbai, a traditional Ifugao witch doctor.
Needless to say, they’re a sight that must be seen on a Philippines vacation.
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Philippines has three major islands Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao and each of these offer a unique experience in all aspects.
Try to visit during the dry season from Nov to April. The weather is pleasant, with clear skies and minimal rainfall, great for travelling around by land and sea
If you are looking for somewhere off the beaten track, visit Siquijor Island - natural beauty, white sand beaches, waterfalls, and marine life together with a unique cultural traditions of mystic healing
Water and rice terraces in Batad near Banaue
The World Heritage Rice Terraces in Batad are i...
The rice terraces original builders used stone ...
The terraces, dating back 2000-years, are carve...
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ExcellentBased on 5,159 ReviewsEverything was expertly planned, from the drivers to the hotels to the tours to the flights. We particularly enjoyed Hobart and the animal sanctuary, Adelaide and the trip to Kangaroo Island, Melbourne and the evening tour with dinner and drinks, and Sydney with the private boat cruise of the Harbour. We will definitely use Goway again.SARA WiebeThere were 4 travelers on this trip. All of us were in our late 70's. We started planning this trip 6 months prior to our travel date and had a lot of questions regarding this trip. Our Goway Travel Specialist, Karen Larrota, always answered our questions in a timely and complete manner. We traveled to Quito, Ecuador, the Galapagos, The Sacred Valley in Peru, Machu Picchu, and Cusco in Peru. Not only were the destinations and accommodations excellent, but every tour guide and driver were beyond excellent. The entire trip went smoothly every step of the way, which was amazing given the fact that there were numerous flights and hotels included in our package. We found out that the tour company that Goway used, Condor Travel, checked on us with our guide to make sure we were doing OK which we thought was very nice but also amusing as we are fairly fit older adults. Would also like to mention that we did a cruise thru the Galapagos on the Galapagos Legend which was arranged thru Go Galapagos - Kleintouurs. This portion of our tour was also excellent as were the wildlife guides and staff. We continue to discuss how wonderful this trip was with our family and friends and how wonderful this experience was. Would definately use Goway for our travel needs in the future.DianneAfter spending some time with our agent, we felt that she understood exactly what we had in mind as far as the level of service, etc, we were hoping for. The trip exceeded our expectations. Lori kept us busy(not too busy!) and we had many, many very exciting experiences. Bruce BelshawAylin is an exceptionally proficient advisor. Coordinating my clients simultaneously often feels like herding cats, but she has remained patient and accommodating through every modification and delay. Goway continues to be my go-to for complex itineraries, and they never disappoint.Nick Cron, ACCMahalo Goway Travel for helping in planning our group Japan's trip. Lawrence was very helpful & patient with all the changes & additions we did. Also, mahalo to Natasa who helped planned my Australia trip past November. The planning from transportation to tours to hotels worked very smoothly. I'll continue to use Goway travel for all my International trips. I'll also will recommend to my friends & family to use Goway...MahaloTanya LaguatanMaria Spitman was wonderful to work with. She was very helpful in designing our trip to Japan and equally wonderful when we had to cancel it. I loved the service she gave us.Sandy WarrenMy daughter and I had a wonderful 2 weeks in New Zealand! The country is so beautiful and the people so friendly. Our destination specialist did a great job with planning and organizing the itinerary, choosing our hotels, and organizing transportation. The hotels were absolutely beautiful and we had great views. We felt right at home and found all of the staff to be friendly and accommodating. There were no issues with our itinerary and our excursions we were always on the list. Our transportation was always ready and waiting for us.
We want to thank Goway Travel for their hard work and patience with us in planning this trip. Any changes that needed to be made were communicated timely. We also want to thank you for the beautiful weather during the entire 2 weeks it was perfect every day 😀.
It was a memorable trip that we will never forget and we will think of Goway when we plan our next adventure. Because it was not just a vacation; it was an adventure!Connie WenhardtWe had a great travelling experience with GoWay !
Thank you all involved in organazing our trip!MaiaBrigitta Fuller is Amazing! She was my group coordinator. She understood the assignment and all the nuances I was trying to achieve. The itinerary she curated was fantastic. If you want someone who truly cares about her group and what they are trying to achieve. I will always reach out to Brigitta first for Europe groups. Kathryn WalkerMy clients had a wonderful time on their trip to Easter Island. They were very pleased with the Hare Nua Hotel Boutique and especially noted the warmth and hospitality of the hotel staff as well as their excellent breakfasts.
Jaime Vargas-Hendandez was an exceptionally gracious and knowledgeable agent, who went out of his way to ensure that my clients had the best possible experience. I will definitely contact him for future bookings and will recommend him to my colleagues.Alethea Kardas
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