Banaue Rice Terraces
Considered by many to be the eighth wonder of the world, the Banaue rice terraces, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are a feat of incredible engineering, created over the past 2,000 years by the people of Batad. This area is in the scenic Luzon Province of the Northern Philippines and contains jagged, forested mountains rising to more than 1,500 m (4,292 ft) above sea level. The jaw-dropping terraces, carved from the mountainside, stretch as far as the eye can see.
The terraces, a seemingly endless stairway of cultivated rice and vegetable paddies were largely built by hand, one stone at a tirne, and cover an area of more than 10,500 sq km (4,000 sq mi) of mountainside. Fed by a natural irrigation system from the rainforests high in the mountains above, the local population continues to survive on the tradiţional farming methods employed throughout their existence.There are no roads or electricity because the Batad prefer to live as they have for centuries, retaining a spiritual connection with the Earth and their surroundings.Home to a number of popular hiking trails, the region has a healthy tourist population that come to gaze at these maj estic creations. Four similar, albeit smaller, terraces nearby include the ampitheatre-shaped Batad terraces, the Mayoyao terraces, where organic red and white Ifugao rice is grown, the stone-enclosed Hapao terraces, which date back to 650 AD, and the well-known Kiangan terraces, made up of the Nagacadan and Julungan terraces.WHAT ARE THEYGigantic rice terraces carved from the mountainside.WHERE ARE THEYThe Luzon Provirce of the northern Philippines.WHAT ELSE IS THERE TO DOVisit the quaint market village of ifugao.HOW DO I GET THEREIt is a nine-hour bus ride from Manila.TRADITIONAncestral spirits are still worshiped here and it is not unusual to see the sacrificing of three chickens or a pig to appease an angry spirit. Another tradition is that when a person dies, their body is hung from the thatched roof of their hut for three days as a sign to the villagers that the deceased has moved on to a better place. Afterwards, the bones are coilected and placed inside the roof of the family’s dwelling, to give comfort and protection to the living.