Surviving Batad

Much was blogged and written about this place and seeing the pictures got me curious.  What’s with this place anyway?  So last month I decided to join a group that will be going there end of July.  Time came and excited, I was raring to go then on the day I got a call that the trip was cancelled due to heavy rains that caused landslides.  Sigh!  A couple of days later, I received an email with an option to refund or re-schedule the trip.  My mind was already set so refund was not an option.  The date was set on August 20-21.  Been there, done that!

Let’s call this “A Beginners Guide in Going to Batad”; I am, to say the least.

The best way to go there as a first timer is to join a trek group.  Guides have been there many times and know the people and the lay of the land.  By doing this you avoid getting lost, getting conned and all sorts of things you don’t want to happen when doing this kinds of trips.

Your next concern is the packing list.  Trekking groups usually have a list of things to pack.  You need not follow this list to the letter but I’ll give you a rundown of the contents of my pack.

1. Waterproof Jacket, put it on top of the pack for quick access
2. 2 t-shirts, 1 long sleeve shirt
3. 1 boarding/swimming trunks
4. 2 underwear, 1-pair socks
5. Towel (I suggest you carry a couple of small ones instead of 1 large beach or bath towel)
6. Toiletries and personal hygiene stuff
7. Personal medicines (just the basic, unless you have a medical condition)
8. Beanie, Baseball cap or bush hat or whatever you prefer as head cover.
9. A pair of sunglasses
10. Shemagh or Shawl for extra protection against the sun.
11. Sun Block
12. Slippers
13. Trail Food (power bars, snack etc. for energy boost)
14. Headlamp
15. A couple of garbage/plastic bags for wet clothes
16. WATER (around 3 liters)
17. Camera!

After stuffing it all in, it was still heavy considering I have to carry an extra backpack for my camera.  This is the lightest I can get the pack after several tries.  What to wear during the long trip from Manila to Batad?  I wore a t-shirt, trekking pants (the convertible thingy-pants to shorts with just a zipper) both quick dry and a good pair of trekking shoes.  If you don’t have one, a good pair of rubber shoes will do.

And then I’m off!  The meeting place is at a bus station in Lacson St. near UST/España.  We were scheduled to meet around 8:30PM for the registration.  There, you will meet the trek guide and the entire group for a bit of “getting to know” and some socials.  The bus is set to leave around 10:00PM so better grab your dinner before then.  I took mine early a couple of streets away from the bus station just to see on how my tummy would react.  I don’t want to feel like going to the toilet while on the bus not knowing when and where the first rest stop would be.

We boarded the air-conditioned bus a few minutes before 10:00PM and got settled in with our assigned seat numbers, packs stowed away on the overhead bin.  Keep your jacket/cold gear at hand as it got really cold during the trip.  Find the most comfortable position and try to sleep.  It’s a 9-10 hour bus ride (Manila-Banaue) so grab as much rest as you can.  By my estimate, the first 15-minute rest stop from the time we departed is about 3 hours away (1:00AM).  So you better do your “thing” here because the next one would be around 4 hours away.

Da Bus!

1st rest stop in Bulacan. No trail food? You can buy some here.

The next rest stop is around 5 in the morning in the town of Solano, Nueva Vizcaya.

Early morning around 7:00AM we arrived in Banaue town proper.  Our group immediately proceeded to the monster jeep that will take us to Batad and deposited our bags there.  It will be another two-hour or so uphill drive and heavy breakfast is a must.  Just in case you forgot or decided not to bring bottled water, it is imperative that you get some here.  Water is quite expensive in Batad (3-4 times more expensive) unless you have the moolah for it.  Another important reminder, motion sickness.  If you have one, better take a medication before boarding the jeep!

Monster Jeepney

Rice Terraces, Banaue

Then the adventure begins!  We started our ascent at around 8:00AM.  The first few kilometers are quite alright since it is paved.  But after that, rough roads 90%!  You really have to hang on during the trip otherwise you’ll be bouncing from one side of the jeep to the other. Worse, you might hit your head on the metal roof and knock you unconscious.  Never fret, it is part of the fun and we were laughing most of the way!

Under construction, one of the better stretch of the road.

We encountered another jeep going the opposite direction.  They stopped side by side and both drivers started talking we couldn’t understand.  We found out that the other jeep is low on fuel and might not reach its destination.  So he opened up the gas tank, if we have “pasa load” here in Manila they have “pasa gas” there! :D  Our driver took a couple of liters from his tank and transferred it.  While they’re doing that I was admiring the scenery.  It’s is one of those rare moments that you can snap some pictures of your surroundings.  Hard to do while the jeep is moving.  Really bumpy ride.  Check this out!

a mile high ravine on the right...

flammable liquid in the middle....

and, BLASTING MATERIALS on the left!

Isn't that exciting?!

We reached our jump-off point called “Saddle” at around 10:00AM.  A quick orientation from our guide on what to expect on our trek down half of which I couldn’t remember as I was admiring the view from the top.  The initial descent is comprised of a paved steep stairs.  I told myself, great! At least they have stairs.  However, after several minutes of continuous walking down that steep stair I began feeling exhausted.  What do you expect from a smoking couch potato carrying a back pack and a front pack?  My knees were heating up and I’m sweating like a pig.  This is where you will need the first liter of water.

Michi, a 2nd year student in Banaue going home to Batad for the weekend.

Shaky knees...

Shaky hands!

Imagine going down that stairs for the first 15 minutes of an hour-and-a-half long trail…

There are four shaded rest stop on the entire trail all of them are actually small souvenir shops where you can take a couple of minutes breather.  If you feel like resting and still far away for the rest stop, you can do so along the trail.  Just choose an area where it is wide enough for others to pass through.  It’s a varying condition trail that’s why you’ll need a good pair of shoes.  Although some do wear trekking sandals or flip-flops you run the risk of getting your feet scraped by sharp rocks, plant roots sticking out or what have you that could ruin the entire trip.  Better safe the sorry.

Rest stop.

That's why water here is expensive. Carrying all that down for over an hour!

Careful careful!

Half past eleven we arrived at our initial destination.  Did a quick registration on the barangay outpost and wonder at the sight that greeted us.  The Batad Rice Terraces, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  It is way more majestic than what we're used to seeing in posters of the more well known Banaue Rice Terraces!

Exhausted but happy!

The amphitheater-like Batad Rice Terraces

After taking 5, we went Simon’s Lodging for our accommodations.  Checked-in our packs and prepared our gear for the next leg of the trek while waiting for lunch.  Took some shots of my surroundings and get the feel of the place.  Aside from some signs of modern technology, Batad is like a time capsule full of traditions.  They plant and harvest rice for personal consumption, raise farm animals, many still live in traditional huts with no electricity and running water.  They earn by selling root crops and vegetables.  With influx of local and international tourists some earn by being tour guides and porters to carry your pack for the day.  Others do so by having variety stores, souvenir shops and converted their homes to lodging houses.

Golden Harvest

No rice mill here.  They still pound it to remove the husk.

We all gathered to the dining area waiting for our food.  Don’t expect gourmet here, just your typical home cooked meal.  This is the time to get to know your trek buddies better and start asking the trek guide on what to expect going to our next destination.  What’s for lunch?  Fried pork chop and organic rice.  The menu is quite confusing; it says FRIED PORK CHOP PLAIN RICE GARLIC. WTH??  This combo became our joke for the duration of our stay.

Fried Pork Chop at Isang Tabong Kanin!

This is one of the best part of the trip.  Getting to know people from all walks of life.  Sharing stories and experiences.  Here you see that having an adventure has no age limit.  We have several retirees, a couple of teachers and two young ones.  Me, young....once.  Food on the table was hit by a tsunami.  Gone in a matter of minutes!  Having our fill, we rested a bit for another long trek ahead.

Our next destination is the Tappia Falls.  An hour and a half to two hour away from where we're at.  This one is a combination of downhill and uphill trek.  Since this one is more challenging than our initial descent, I decided to carry just my camera pack with trail food and another liter of water. Applied some sun block, changed into slippers because I got a toe blister going down, shorts and go at it topless.  But I did bring a shemagh to cover my body against the sun.  We started at around 2:00PM downhill to the foot of the rice terraces where there's a village.  They are the ones farming the entire area.

It quickly dawned on me that each terrace is about 5-7 feet high!  All the while I thought, looking at pictures is about 3 feet at best.  We were still tired from our previous trek but moving on briskly and pass through the village and observe the community life. Next one is another uphill climb.

Mag tanim ay di biro.

Another set of stairs greeted us going up, it's narrow, almost vertical and no hand rail to hold on to.  If you're not sure of your footing and leg strength it's best to use all fours at this stage.  We reached the top of the first hill for a much needed rest.  There's a small shed selling bottled drinks just in case you ran out.  P40.00 for a 500ml bottled water!

And we complain on how heavy our packs were.

Talk about steep!

After a few minutes more of walking, the Tappia River appeared.  Surprise surprise!  The trek down is way lot deeper compared to the other side.  It's like three times deeper.  All the while I thought that after conquering the first hill, going down won't be that hard and we will be walking along side the river towards the falls.  I thought wrong.

Deeper than it looks.

There's no turning back now.  Besides, the core of this trip is to see the rice terraces and the waterfalls. It's basically all or nothing.  If many people did it, so can I.  So I stowed away my dSLR and fastened secure my pack before descending.  One step at a time, little by little, it will be reached!

Tappia Waterfalls...Awesome!

Whew! Made it!

We then went down for a closer look.  Water flowing down the falls is raging due to the rainy season.  Mist all over and it's really hard to take photos.  Lens flare here and there, risk of moist getting in the camera or accidentally dropping it in the river.

Final shot before taking a dip.

Some of the trekkers were already in the water when I went down.  The current was strong and the water is ice cold!  Quite refreshing taking a dip to cool down those overheated muscles.  Barely an hour has passed and it's time to head back.  We don't know how long it will take us since it will be uphill.  Grabbed my headlamp just in case darkness creeps in.  We made good time just about the same when we went in and reached the inn a little over pass 6PM.  Just in time to order dinner get cleaned while it's being cooked.

We were all tired and aching, but happy with a sense of accomplishment of going to Batad and surviving! Some locals were already waiting there offering massage service knowing that we came from a long trek.  I decided to have one after dinner.  It's a bit pricey for a so-so quality.

Next day is basically just to chill out.  Breakfast, picture taking, rewind the things we did during the trek.  Time to pack up while waiting for lunch then trek back up to Saddle where the jeep that will take us back to Banaue is waiting.

Grupo Isang Tabong Kanin

See the circle?  That's Saddle

The trek back up...

Rainbow over Batad

It was another knee burning climb and even with 2 liters less water from my load.  My heart was throbbing so hard that I thought my eardrums are gonna pop! By 2:00PM we're back at Saddle ready for the trip back to Banaue, but not without a quick side trip to Bangaan Rice Terraces.

Bangaan

Peace man!

Then it is done.  Headed for Banaue for a bit of souvenir shopping and early dinner.  The bus left for Manila around 7:00PM and was home day early morning the next day.

This trip was an eye opener.  You can read or research as much as you want but it won't compare to the actual thing.  10-hour bus ride, hours of trekking up and down the mountains seems hard.  In retrospect the most important thing I've learned is, IF PHYSICAL ENDURANCE FALTERS, YOUR WILL TO CONTINUE AND PUSH FORWARD TAKES OVER.  I hope that this simple guide is helpful, enough for you to try this great adventure and hope to see you on the trail one of this days!

Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but foot prints, kill nothing but time.

Thanks to Osep and Carlo of www.trailadventours.com and the rest of Grupo Isang Tabong Kanin for making this a great adventure!

Afterthought:

Part of the mystique of Batad is not just the famous amphitheater-like rice terraces the Tappia water falls and the people, but the roads getting there.  Soon, it will be paved and become more accessible.  When that time comes, I'm sure, droves of people would come.  I just hope that it won't lose that mystique and not crack open the time capsule.

Would it be too cliche if I say "It's not the destination, but the journey"?