The First-Timer’s Travel Guide to Batad Rice Terraces, Banaue, Ifugao, Philippines

Batad, I love you and I hate you.

I love you for taking my breath away. You leave me breathless with your pristine rice terraces and far-flung appeal. Many have called your terraces the most beautiful in Banaue, maybe even all of the Philippines. I haven’t seen them all, but I believe it.

I hate you for taking my breath away. You leave me out of breath with your arduous treks and gazillion steps. You remind me how terribly out-of-shape I still am, in spite of all the running fast walking I’ve been doing.

Every time you kick my ass and leave me grasping for my inhaler, I swear I will NEVER visit you again. But here I am, at your doorstep, unable to resist your charm. It’s like a dysfunctional relationship I can’t walk away from.

Batad, I really do hate you, but I will always love you more. ♥

Batad is a remote village of around 1,500 people in Ifugao province. It’s said to be home to the best and most well-preserved rice terraces in the Cordillera…