Batad Rice Terraces: A Dream 10 Years In The Making

You probably think you know how this ends, but I promise you haven’t guessed the half of it. Yes, the Batad Rice Terraces photos you’re seeing are stunning and dreamy. But this wasn’t exactly a picture-perfect trip as you may have imagined. On the contrary, it almost didn’t happen.

To make matters more interesting, the rain poured relentlessly the weekend I explored Batad and the rest of Ifugao with a group of complete strangers.

So, was Batad worth the long wait and the heavy journey from Cebu?

Was it as beautiful as the postcards and textbooks promised?

And did I actually discover anything out there on a solo journey through the Cordilleras?

My Batad Rice Terraces journey 

There’s an entirely different timeline where I just stayed home. I almost took that option.

Twice I had planned a trip to Batad to see its enchanting terraces. And unfortunately for me,I had been unsuccessful on both occasions.

The latest attempt was just a month earlier. My Ifugao tour was cancelled, and I hiked Mount Tenglawan instead.

When I saw a post about an Ifugao tour, I immediately sent an inquiry to the tour organizer.

The reply was positive, and it seemed like I was about to make one of my dreams a reality.

Yet, there was a hesitation on my end.

What if a storm again messes up my plans?

What if the tour gets cancelled?

And what if my flights get rescheduled or even cancelled?

There were so many scenarios playing out in my head as I was about to book a flight to Manila from Cebu.

It’s normal to second-guess yourself when you have been unsuccessful twice.

But in the end, I decided to go with my instincts, and I did what I normally do.

Even though I hate gambling and I have never gambled, I rolled the dice and booked the trip to finally see Batad.

The meet-up at Greenfield

The journey started at Greenfield District in Mandaluyong, which was quite a popular pick-up point for most group trips in Luzon.

I arrived early and joined a bunch of other travelers who were also eager to see Ifugao, especially the Batad Rice Terraces.

It seemed like they were all already familiar with the tour operator and even with one another.

Later on, I found out that the tour operator was well-known in the country.

It’s actually very famous for its advocacy in helping Filipinos achieve their dreams of visiting all 82 provinces in the Philippines.

I was a bit out of the loop on this part because I have mostly been a mountaineer and a DIY kind of guy.

And even though I have traveled all over the Philippines, it had never crossed my mind to actively complete every single province.

I travel just because I want to give a dirty finger to my stress (and stressors), and find inspiration for my stories and books. 

Once we were inside the van, we started talking about the different destinations across the Philippines. 

And because our country is led by not-so-honest people, we often went off-topic to talk about politics.

Thankfully, our co-organizer, Jerzey, said we shouldn’t be talking about politicians, and should focus on the trip instead.

I agreed a hundred percent.

As much as I love my country, I absolutely hate talking about politicians.

Politics is, in truth, an unintelligent debate.

And these “demi-gods” are the patron saints of theft.

They steal billions and act as victims.

And if I keep thinking about them, they live rent-free in my head, stealing the one thing they can never give back: the joy of being alive right now.

So I would rather talk about absurdity, philosophy, and the places that make me feel alive.

The journey to Ifugao 

I’m no stranger, when it comes to van rides to the Cordilleras. From Kibungan Cross Country to Mt. Kupapey, I have had the privilege of hiking several mountains in this region of Luzon.

Usually, I brace myself for these van rides because they follow long, bumpy, and winding roads.

But to my surprise, our van ride was smooth and easygoing.

I even slept for a long time, which is a complete anomaly for an insomniac like me.

Our first stop was the Nagacadan Rice Terraces.

The view wasn’t much, but it was still far better than my four-walled bedroom where I worked eight hours a day as a Content Marketing Manager.

After that, we visited a few other places, including a war memorial, a museum, a couple of churches, and even a Don Bosco school, which happens to be my alma mater.

Then, we stopped by the Hungduan Rice Terraces and the Hapao Rice Terraces.

These were all great places. Some of them were even UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Even so, I couldn’t get the Batad Rice Terraces out of my head.

That was what this weekend was all about. That had been my dream ever since I first saw photos of it many years ago.

Later, we hiked all the way to Bogyah Hot Spring, passing by more stunning rice terraces.

When we arrived at the spring, everything seemed perfect. It felt like everything on this weekend trip was going to be smooth.

But when I looked up at the sky, I saw gray.

Thick clouds were covering the emerald mountains of the Cordilleras.

Things were about to change.

The wet and wild hike 

It rained on our way back to the jump-off point.

Of course it did.

The trip was, until then, too perfect and too smooth-sailing.

We needed this. Every trip needs obstacles and challenges.

The best stories are, after all, the imperfect ones born from the inconvenient and messy moments along the way.

And besides, I love walking in the rain.

There is something about it that just makes my stress disappear magically.

As a writer, I also use rain and storms as a metaphor for real-life situations.

In Seven Polaroids from Estela, I mentioned that we do not become better in the easy seasons.

I wrote that it is the storms that shape us. They make us stronger, and they wash away what no longer matters.

But there was something bothering me along the way.

I love hiking in the rain, but I was a little worried we would not see the grandest view of the Batad Rice Terraces that day.

The views usually do not matter to me. I always say it is the journey.

I have seen and hiked the summit of Mount Apo on a rainy day. I have been to many mountains and viewpoints entirely covered in a white blanket under the rain.

I have trained myself to expect the worst and still enjoy the journey and company. 

But I did not want that to happen to the Batad Rice Terraces.

This trip was ten years in the making, and I wanted to see it in its full glory. 

The trip to our homestay in Batad

When we arrived at the parking lot in Batad, things weren’t looking too good for us.

It rained again, and some parts of the road were still covered in dirt, debris, and rocks due to a recent landslide.

Even worse, our guide informed us we couldn’t go to Tappiyah Falls because it was also affected by the landslide.

I thought it was fine.

Everything else was just the icing on the cake.

The only reason I joined this tour was to hike the Batad Rice Terraces.

But I would be lying to you if I said I wasn’t worried.

Of course I was a little worried.

The rain was pouring relentlessly, and anything could happen with that kind of weather.

Maybe a massive tree would block the trails leading to the Batad Amphitheater Terraces.

Or perhaps the tourism officer would stop all outdoor activities for safety purposes.

Was I overthinking?

I guess I was, but unlike most of the people on this tour, I had to take a flight from Cebu just to be here.

That means I don’t get a lot of opportunities to do this trip again.

Technically, I could do it again the next month, but we all know the future is always uncertain.

We don’t know what is going to happen to us in the next month, the next day, or even in the next minute.

So, if you have the opportunity to do something you want to do now, do it before you lose it.

As I always say to my readers, drink the coffee before it gets cold.

Led by our guide, we followed the pathway leading down to our homestay.

And soon, I finally caught a glimpse of the stunning Batad Rice Terraces.

There were a lot of words, adjectives, and even a few expletives running through my mind as I stared at the view.

It was surreal, dreamy, and absolutely amazing.

I couldn’t stop looking at it.

People always say Batanes is the most beautiful place in the Philippines.

Some would argue Mindanao is the country’s most gorgeous region.

To me, it will always be the Cordilleras, particularly Batad.

Maybe it is because I have dreamed of seeing these iconic rice terraces from my textbooks ever since I was a child.

I was finally seeing them in person, and I still couldn’t get enough of them.

We kept walking under the rain until we arrived at our homestay.

The view of Batad Rice Terraces 

At the homestay, I couldn’t stop moving.

There was still a ton of adrenaline and energy left in my body that day.

If the guide said we would hike the Batad Rice Terraces that afternoon, I wouldn’t have said no.

Eventually, the rain stopped, and the sky turned from dark and gray to slightly sunny.

I waited to get a beautiful view of the rice terraces, and I waited for the sun to show up.

And it did.

Not only that, but a stunning rainbow also appeared in the sky.

Everything looked better than my daydreams and imagination.

It looked better than the postcards and the textbooks.

I was already happy, even if the guide had told us we wouldn’t hike the Batad Rice Terraces the next day.

It felt perfect, and it was all worth the effort and the risk.

Some might say I’m a bit melodramatic for making such a big deal out of this view when the physical challenges of the hike were minimal.

But when I said it wasn’t perfect and it almost didn’t happen, I wasn’t just talking about the rain.

I was talking about my entire journey to get to this place and where I am now.

Ten years ago, I kept daydreaming about visiting the Batad Rice Terraces because I thought I would never actually have the chance to see them.

I struggled heavily in my life and my career after an unsuccessful business venture in my early twenties.

Then a string of bad luck happened, including a failed marriage and the deaths of loved ones.

But despite all the setbacks and the storms, I kept on walking under the rain.

I had sleepless nights working for multiple clients and juggling tasks just to survive and pay the bills.

And one day, all my hard work paid off. I finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel.

I got promoted, won multiple awards as a travel blogger in Cebu, and officially became an author with books displayed nationwide. 

I got the best job in the world, and I finally have the opportunity to climb the highest mountains in the Philippines.

And that’s exactly why I was in Batad that weekend.

Hiking Batad Rice Terraces 

I was so eager to finally hike the Batad Rice Terraces.

In fact, I was so excited that I sometimes got ahead of our guides.

Thankfully, they were kind enough to let me lead the pack.

They found out I was a veteran hiker and had already climbed the tallest mountain in the area, Mount Amuyao. 

We made stops along the way to admire the view of the terraces.

The sights on this hike were so stunning that we paused almost every five minutes.

Eventually, we made it to the view deck where we were rewarded with an unforgettable look at the Batad Rice Terraces.

I was in absolute awe.

I have climbed so many mountains and have been to so many places.

I’ve even climbed the most expensive mountain the country, Mount Hamiguitan.

But this one was my absolute favorite.

I would even say it is better than Mount Pulag.

It is debatable, I guess, but it is certainly a better and more intellectual debate than arguing about the Marcoses, the Dutertes, and the Pinklawans.

Looking at the Batad Rice Terraces, I realized that I made the right decision to take the trip that weekend.

I saw the vastness of our world, and the limited time we have.

The thing is, people often postpone happiness to focus on building a better future for themselves and their families.

I get it. We do need to prepare for the future and save for rainy days.

But what if the future you are so worried about doesn’t have you in it?

We spend so much time worrying about a future that hasn’t happened yet.

And the irony is that the future we are sacrificing the present for is never guaranteed.

Life changes quickly and without warning.

The career you are building today could look completely different in a year.

The plans you are making could shift overnight.

And any of us could be gone before our plans ever arrive.

Everyone has an expiration date. Every person’s story starts the same and ends the same.

But not everyone wants to admit it.

From the view deck, we went down to the tiny village in Batad and got a peek into the lives of the locals in this remote part of the Philippines.

Then, we climbed our way back up to the homestay to wash up and prepare for the long ride home.

The ride back to reality 

People always say “back to reality” every time a trip is about to end.

Somehow, it didn’t feel that way.

I know nothing has changed since we left Manila a couple of days ago.

People online are still trolling one another, throwing barbs at anyone who doesn’t share their opinions.

And fanaticism is becoming worse than ever, with so many people believing their favorite politician will suddenly rescue the Philippines from its misery.

But strangely, things always feel better after an unforgettable trip.

Maybe people online just need to spend more time outside, breathe in the fresh, distinct Cordillera air, and interact with real humans.

On our way back to Manila, particularly around Malico, the group shared some interesting stories.

They sparked several new ideas for my novellas.

There was a love story about eyeballs, textmates, Berting Labra, a funeral car, a brown-colored bouquet, and a weird guy who shows up exactly at three in the afternoon.

That’s a bizarre combination, but it’s definitely a story worth sharing.

As for the goal of visiting all 82 provinces, I just found out that I have already been to 62.

Right now, I don’t have any intention of actively completing them.

I have too many lists and Asana workflows to manage at work these days, and I don’t want to treat travel like just another checklist.

I just want to go outside and remember that the world is still beautiful.

Who knows? Maybe one day I will pursue that goal.

All it takes is a dream, a plan, and a little hesitation.

How to get to Batad Rice Terraces from Manila?

The best and most convenient way to get to Batad Rice Terraces is to join an organized tour. If you prefer to take this route, I recommend Gala PH. It’s one of my favorite operators in the entire country. 

When is the best time to visit Batad Rice Terraces? 

Based on advice from the locals who live and work there, June and July are the absolute best times to visit. During these months, the terraces are at their peak. They look vibrant, lush, and exactly like the pictures you see in textbooks.

If you can’t make it during those two months, don’t worry. The rest of the year is still perfectly fine to visit, and the amphitheater is always a stunning sight. Just keep in mind that September and October are the harvest season, meaning the rice paddies will likely be bare or muddy during that specific window.