Batad Rice Terraces, Ifugao, Philippines
This is reasonably strenuous hike that passes through jaw-droppingly impressive rice terrace scenery. Most people tackle it over two days, with an overnight stop in Pula, and a guide is mandatory.
From the viewpoint overlooking Banaue to Pula it’s a four- to six-hour hike, from Pula to Kambulo it’s two or three hours, and another two hours from Kambulo to Batad.
The path to Pula from the viewpoint cuts through jungle, which is the only part of the trail that doesn’t involve rice terraces. Pula itself is a tiny collection of Ifugao houses on a hilly outcrop.
Just outside of Pula, heading towards Banaue Viewpoint, there’s a waterfall and a deep swimming pool under a bridge. The trail from Pula to Kambulo follows a winding river, with terraces carved high into the mountains.
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