Banaue is a town in northern Luzon that is very popular with travelers, although most do not spend enough time there.
The vast majority arrive through Banaue with the aim of visiting Batad, since in this area there are usually more accommodations and many buses change here. It is a natural environment, very rural, full of rice fields, valleys and mountains, where you can appreciate very small populations, dotted on the mountainside. If you are interested in adding Banaue to your route through the Philippines, it is a good opportunity to visit the most authentic rural environment in the Philippines. In this post I talk about what to see in Banaue, I add how to get there and where to stay.
WHAT TO SEE IN BANAUE, PHILIPPINES
Banaue is a mountain town famous for its rice terraces and for being the gateway to Batad. The extreme beauty of the place will leave you speechless.
Go trekking among rice fields in Banaue
There are many viewpoints that you can reach by walking from Banaue. In addition to numerous treks of different lengths. The most popular and beautiful is the viewpoint called Barangay or Main Viewpoint. This viewpoint is at kilometer 5 of the road from Bontoc to Banaue. Along the way you will find many others marked and numbered. In number 2 you can see the profile of the mountains that appear on the 20 peso bill. It's really amazing.
There are several interesting hikes in the area, you can do anything from 4 hours walking to a couple of days. In many of these treks you visit indigenous villages such as Cambulo or Tam-An Village. There is also the option of climbing Mount Amuyao.
One of the best treks to do in the area and the most popular is the two-day trek that leaves from Banaue, passes through Pula, Cambulo and ends in Batad. It is an intense trekking, only recommended for people who are in good physical condition and used to walking long distances.
The trek leaves from Banaue and after walking for about 6 hours you will arrive in Pula where the first stop is made to stay. The next day, the first journey is around 2 and a half hours until you reach Cambulo, where you will stop to rest, enjoy the area and eat. At noon, the trekking begins again until reaching the next stop, Batad, about 2 and a half hours later.
Throughout the trek you will enjoy incredible landscapes, full of vegetation, rice fields, small towns... it is an incredible experience.
If you do this trekking you should plan it in two days and it is best to stay in Pula.
The Banaue Museum
The Banaue Museum is an interesting visit to learn more about the Ifugao culture and ethnic groups. There are several articles and objects donated by the anthropologist Otley Beyer specializing in the Ifugao.
Visit Batad
Declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco, Batad is a small town known for its impressive rice terraces. Perhaps you think that you have already seen many rice fields in other countries, such as Vietnam, or even from the viewpoints of Banaue, but Batad is undoubtedly a special place and to a certain extent, unreal. The terraces are shaped like an amphitheater and can only be accessed by walking. I tell you more about Batad in this post.
HOW TO GET TO BANAUE, PHILIPPINES
Banaue is located in the mountains called La Cordillera, in the north of the Philippines. Here the transportation options are a little more limited than in other more touristy areas or other islands in the Philippines. To get to Banaue you must do it by bus.
WHERE TO STAY IN BANAUE, PHILIPPINES
Accommodation options in this area are very, very limited. And almost all of them consist of pensions, rooms in homestays and small family hotels. The prices are low if we compare them with the accommodations in the beach accommodations. It is possible to find accommodation for less than 20 euros per night in a double room.
PLAN YOUR TRIP STEP BY STEP
I hope you enjoy your trip to the Philippines very much and that this article has been useful to you. You can continue reading many more related articles on the blog.
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A hug and see you soon!