It was our 4th anniversary last Dec 21st, and we (or ako lang pala, kasi tinanong nya ko ano gusto ko gawin) decided to do something different. With our busy and sometimes conflicting schedule, usually ang date namin ay maiksi lang, so this time, we'd like to just disconnect and just spend quality time together, so we are celebrating it week long. Going to somewhere a bit far from Manila will do the trick.
Bilang ang tita nyo ay may bucketlist na mostly makikita sa Sibika at Kultura books, we are ticking off Banaue Rice Terraces of that list. :)
Also, hindi ko alam na may direct na bus going to Banaue, so nag byahe muna kami to Baguio. Victory Liner - book your seats online para less pila sa terminal. Parang airplane lang, you can choose your seats. Lagay ko na lang breakdown ng expenses namin sa baba. We had our snacky sa Chocalate de Batirol, must try, and dinner before trip to Banaue sa Hill Station, in which I found my favorite Ceasar salad. :D
For convenience and less pila time, book everything online para ang issue nyo na lang is sino ang uupo sa may bintana. :) Nagbook lang ako ng tour package sa FB - Nag iisa kasi syang super daming followers (8.7k) and madaming reviews from foreigners. Check nyo sila sa FB - Banaue Rice Terraces Tour Guide. Si Kuya Raffy ang admin nila, family business din nila ito. Just reserve a slot for P500 tapos the rest pagdating nyo na sa Banaue. Included na lahat don aside sa food syempre. Here's our itinerary 3D2N.
Btw, ang byahe from Baguio to Banaue via Ohayami Transport is 8-10 hrs or more. So 7:30pm departure namin sa Baguio.
Day 1:
We arrived around 5am. We were greeted by sir Raffy na super kind. Direcho sa hotel, Trekker's Lodge. Rest muna.
9am - tour briefing, then tricy going sa mga stops. Well coordinated sila talaga. They will take care of you. Lahat sila mababait and very accommodating.
Si kuya Raffy, yung main coordinator nila will message us pag tapos na yung tour for the day. Sweet diba?
Konti lang yan pero prepare yourself for lakaran. Bring raincoat just in case umulan, kasi nung kami maulan. May trail naman so madali mag walk. Pero kung may fear of heights ka and cannot walk sa makikitid na walkway within the rice paddy, ayun disclaimer lang. From Hungduan, you will register first, may guide na iaassign sa inyo. Environmental fees & entrace fees are included in the tour package, depende na lang sa inyo if bet nyo pa bigyan ng tip yung guide nyo for the day.
Nag food trip kami sa may bayan nila. Nakita ko lang din sa net na ok sa Uyami. Masarap. One great thing about going North, their coffee is not 3in1, they serve good coffee <3 Also ang kanin nila, red rice. Plain sa kanila yon.
Day 2
Ito akala ko saglit lang to na trek. Nakakapagod makarating at bumalik galing sa falls. You will cross 4 mountains to get there. For me, who work mostly behind the computer, di naarawan and napapawisan masyado, medyo struggle sya at first, but with the view and the weather when we went there, bearable naman sya. Just bring ibuprofen for body pains that will follow. :D
During summer daw ang best time to visit sabi ni kuya Job (galing galing na tour guide) para naka tanim na lahat ng palay and very green and rice terraces, pero just the same ang ganda padin naman kahit wala pang tanim (prepping for planting season palang kasi ito), and the cool, drizzling weather made the trek easier.
Nagstay kami sa Hillside Inn, after trek, you can order your food sa kanila din. Meal with a view talaga.
Also, walang network signal sa Batad, pero meron silang wifi na pwede mong bilhin per hour. Bibigyan ka nila ng password good for an hour, or 3 hrs ganon. Nag avail lang kami ng 1 hr, para mag update sa families namin, baka hanapin kami dahil di kami nagrereply.
Day 3
May option kayo pano bumalik pala dito sa Banaue. Yung 20 mins walk or 3 hrs trek going back sa hi-way. At dahil minsan lang to, dun tayo sa 3 hrs pabalik. Sabi ni kuya Job, bihira daw ang mga pinoy na piliin tong trail na to, so ang kuya Jason mong jowa ko ay masyado confident. :D
Ito medyo bitin na. Kasi di na kami nakababa sa rice terraces.
Super like namin si kuya Job, lahat ata ng tanong namin nasagot nya about Banaue. From folklores and mga weird shit naitanong na namin, pero the place is as peaceful as their story. Their community resonates humility and love for their own. They don't sell the rice they harvest, for their own consumption lang. They do not employ workers, instead, they help each other during planting and harvesting. They enjoy a hearty meal after each work day. What else do you need to live, right?
Take note, bawal magkalat don. Anglinis ng lugar don, ikaw na lang mahihiya talaga. You can throw away balat ng fruits kasi nagiging fertilizer naman sila, but the plastics. No no yun. Aawayin ka ng foreigners. haha. Since most of their guests are Europeans and Middle Easterns. They care so much about the place, most of the donations daw nung nasalanta sila ng bagyo was from their former guests from other countries. Pwede din mag yosi, just keep or throw the butts sa trashcan. They don't smoke, pero they have the bettlenut which has the same effect naman daw. They make the user's teeth orange to brown. Friendly silang lahat. Lahat ng makasalubong mo babatiin kang good morning or hello. Medyo na culture shock ako dahil hindi ganun sa Manila. char!
Overall, wala akong masabing di ko nagustuhan. Amazing experience! 5 star!
The rest of our trip spent na sa Baguio.
Breakdown of expenses: (for 2 na ito)
Manila to Baguio bus (Victory Liner) - 616 x 2 = 1232
Baguio to Banaue (Ohayami Transport) - 700 x 2 = 1400
Tour package Banaue - 4600 x 2 = 9200
Banaue to Baguio bus (Ohayami Transport) - 700 x 2 = 1400
Hotel with free breakfast (New Raja Soliman) - 1600
Hotel without breakfast (G1 Lodge Hotel) - 4500
Food - depende na ito sa inyo kung san kayo kakain
Baguio to Manila bus (Victory Liner) - 616 x 2 = 1232
Total: 20,564
Hindi ko na sinama yung food since depende talaga to sa gusto nyong kainan. Nag KBQ kami sa may Session Road, buffet, masarap (499/person). Sa choice of hotel, pwede din naman you get a cheaper one, di lang talaga kami naka book ahead kaya medyo mahalya.
Also, sorry Baguio, pero mas masarap strawberries ng Sagada talaga. <3
Yun lang. I hope we Filipinos will appreciate what we have more, visit the beautiful places with respect and awe for mother nature. We have a beautiful country, with disgusting government. Char not char!
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