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Published: April 9th 2013
It had to be a bit of a letdown.
After the almost overwhelming experience of seeing the Ifugao rice terraces for the first time in Maligcong near Bontoc, subsequent viewings could only be less spectacular, even if it were to be at the supposed heart of it all, in Banaue.
Perhaps it was because the rice terraces here are mud-walled, compared to the stone-walled variety of Maligcong. Somehow the silvery glint of the embankments in the reflection of the sun seems to make a difference. This despite the volume of terraces here at Banaue clearly besting Maligcong.
Or perhaps it was because the town itself wasn't quite as welcoming as Bontoc. Or perhaps too welcoming, I should put it. After a respite in my initial days in the Cordilleras, the familiar touts were back, bombarding the tourists just alighting from the van from Bontoc with unsolicited offers of onward tricycle rides to Batad, the deeper lying insitio (village) where the stone-walled rice terrace amphitheater is said to be the most glorious.
I met a Japanese backpacker who had just arrived from Sagada (my next destination) who voiced the same sentiment -- that the touts were having a
negative effect on the experience. She said Sagada was beautiful, and there were "no touts!" Music to my ears!
I fought some major indecision as to whether I should check out Batad also, but finally decided not to as it seems it would be a bit of a trip, involving a combination of jeepney or exorbitant tricycle rides and some hiking, as there are actually no roads leading directly there. Not to mention an unpredictable schedule for the return ride home.
Don't get me wrong about Banaue though. The rice terraces here are certainly magnificent by any objective measure. But I thought the Maligcong ones were better. Perhaps I should have come here first.
Stayed at Uyami Greenview Lodge.
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