Saturday, June 27, 2015

Conquer Batad

Philippine cultural books never fail to mention the famous rice terraces of Cordillera. In various travel blog sites, Batad is often praised for its majestic view of “green staircases”, built along the mountain range by the indigenous people thousands of years ago. Unknown to many, this man-made attraction is one of the few UNESCO World Heritage sites in the Philippines.  

I have chosen Batad as my local itinerary for the weekend to break away from my usual beach vacation. Photos of Batad rice terraces prior to my visit led me to believe that one could easily go downstairs and upstairs of the rice terraces. However, when I set foot in Batad, the stairs were approximately 10 feet high and the wall foundations were made of big stones! The pictures might deceive you; it is not an easy trek on the rice field.