Things to see and do Northern Luzon

These amphitheatrical rice paddies stretch as far as the eye can see, offering an imposing spectacle in all seasons, whether mist-covered or bathed in sunshine. Walking through them is a real pleasure (provided you're not afraid of heights). Accompanied by an ifugao guide, you climb up and down the low walls that separate the plots. You're likely to come across locals with their arms full of victuals and schoolchildren striding off to school. It's a unique experience, but one that requires a good level of fitness.

A genius invention? The rice fields of Batad are, along with those of Banaue, on UNESCO's World Heritage List. Reflecting the genius of the first inhabitants, they flow over the mountain like silky green drapes. It is said that if they were laid end to end, they would encircle half the globe. In fact, their total length is 20,000 km! Thanks to the audacity of the first Ifugaos, the mountains were shaped, with a system of stone or earthen walls rising up to 23 m. The terraces were built as long ago as the Middle Ages. The terraces were built 2,000 years ago, when members of these tribes set about carving and sculpting them using rudimentary tools. Built and created by free men over whom no authority exercised power and without recourse to slavery, these terraces are viable thanks to a perfect irrigation system. Mountain springs and streams are channeled into gullies. The canals criss-cross the rice paddies down to the base of the mountain. Bamboo trees pierced with a few holes spread the water across the plantations, preventing it from evaporating. The knowledge of nature and the technical skills of the first Ifugaos intrigued and impressed many. However, the existence of terraces remained unknown during Spanish colonization. José Rizal, for example, was unaware of this success.

Ifugaos farmers have been growing rice for generations, and it's their job to keep these terraces intact. The work is physically demanding. They remain bent over from dawn to dusk, after having traveled many kilometers. Planting takes place in February; harvesting in July. From July to September, the terraces are cleaned; in December, the soil is prepared for planting. It's hard to remain indifferent to such a human endeavor, which testifies to the rich knowledge of the Ifugaos, who have known how to take advantage of nature while preserving it.

Located at about 20 kilometers from Banaue, Hungduan is a small village of 1,000 inhabitants renowned for its rice fields. Their visit, accompanied by a local guide, can be easily organized through your Banaue guesthouse. The place is simply sublime. Accompanied by a guide who will provide you with a lot of information, we cross the rice fields by walking on the low stone walls that separate the plots. These rice fields are also about 2,000 years old and are part of the Unesco site. It is a magical experience. They spread out in a staircase on both sides of the river, in the hollow of the mountains. The best time to visit is from January to May. July and August is the rainy season, but if you go in August you can attend the Punnuk festival (no specific day because it marks the end of the rainy season). It takes place in the rice fields and in the rivers, the three villages of the valley including Hapao compete in games and parade in traditional costumes.

It takes about 2 hours to walk in the rice fields with the explanations of your guide on the process of planting and harvesting rice. The rice fields of Hapao unlike those of Banaue are still used by the different owners and therefore maintained, which makes them particularly beautiful. Be careful if you are afraid of heights, there are some paths that are not as high and narrow as others, but tell your guide in advance because it might not be very pleasant for you.

These rice fields, considered the ^8th wonder of the world and classified by Unesco, are 2,000 years old. They are the oldest rice fields in the world. The Viewpoint offers the best panorama on these terraces which rise like steps to the sky. Ifugaos are there in traditional costume and take pictures of tourists for a fee (give 30 PHP if you don't mind this "good exchange"). Go down a few steps and advance to the end of the first rice fields, the view is all the more impressive.

A site of rare beauty, in danger. The site and the view are absolutely grandiose and of a rare beauty. But when you see the rice fields of Batad or Hapao, those of Banaue are very impressive. In fact, there are almost no real rice fields left: some have been transformed into vegetable gardens, others are still devoted to rice cultivation and the majority have fallen into disuse and are covered with grass. This abandonment is explained by the fact that the farmers are getting older, most of them have already passed away and the new generations have neither the desire nor the time to take care of them, they are studying and have other ambitions. It is necessary to understand them, the work in the rice fields is grueling (planting, harvesting, maintenance of the low walls, irrigation systems, heat, physical effort, loads to carry). However, they are aware that this exceptional landscape is a major tourist site and that they therefore need it. They are waiting for the government and UNESCO to take measures to preserve it.

Founded in 1911, by the Belgian missionary mother Basil Gekière, the museum houses a collection of objects that give a glimpse of the way of life of the 7 tribes of the Cordillera. Photographs, relating the indigenous customs are exposed. The traditions of the Igorots, the Bontocs, the Kalingas, the Kakaneys of Benguet, the Ilongots, the Aetas and the Ibalois are examined in detail. Replicas of traditional houses in the museum's garden showcase ancient tools, jars, porcelain, antique jewelry and traditional costumes.

It is one of the largest and most popular caves in Sagada and requires about 2.5 hours of visit to explore all the chambers, each more impressive than the other. On the way there, you can also enjoy a beautiful view of the Kapay-aw rice terraces and see the hanging coffins in the rock walls. Be careful: the water in the cave can sometimes be quite high (at shoulder height). Take your precautions.

They are among the most beautiful rice fields in the archipelago! They can be reached on foot, in 3 hours, above Bontoc. They are built in staircases, with low stone walls to support them. The trek must be undertaken with a guide. Once up there, preferably early in the morning, a breathtakingly beautiful view opens up, often with a gradually dissipating sea of clouds, over the mountains, the village of Bontoc and the Chico River. It's absolute calm, a place that seems frozen in time, untouched by the frenzy of modern life.

Many Filipinos come here on weekends because the hanging coffins are one of Luzon's landmarks. For over 2,000 years, the people of Sagada have practiced a rather unique burial rite. Here, the dead are not buried but on the contrary, the coffins are suspended from the walls of the cliffs because placed in height, the spirits have more chance to reach the afterlife. Some coffins are over a century old. It should be noted that this custom tends to die out.

Walking down Session Road, the liveliest street in the city center, you come across the public market, which stretches along Magsaysay Avenue. The market is a very popular, huge attraction with multiple, well-stocked sections. You can find everything from beautiful flowers and sampaguitas to cashews, roasted peanuts, jams, strawberries, clothes, tennis shoes, flip-flops. It is full of fresh fruits and vegetables from the farms of La Trinidad and Benguet. A must to feel the pulse of the city!

Bocos, on the road from Banaue to Mayoyao, shows houses decorated with buffalo skulls. Further on, towards Batad, Matanglag is famous for its bronze founders, who work on statuettes and amulets. For the Ifugaos, these silver or bronze pendants represent luck and fertility. Down the road, Poi-Tan, is known for its perfectly preserved traditional culture. In this very pretty village, bordered by a river, problems are solved by a council of elders and the inhabitants are engaged in woodcarving.

The Bell Church or Buddhist temple is located to the north, under the aegis of an ecumenical community mixing Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism and Christianity. Chinese priests can make predictions to visitors. There are pagodas, dragons, the traditional koi pond and even a shrine containing the image of Our Lady of Lourdes after climbing another two hundred and fifty-two steps to Lourdes Grotto. It has a beautiful view of the city since it is located at the top of the hill.

One of the most famous parks in the country. Centered on an artificial lagoon, this park is named after the American urban planner Daniel Burnham who designed the city of Baguio. The park, a real green corridor of more than 32 hectares, in the heart of the city, is one of the refuges of the city dwellers who like to meet there to picnic, walk or enjoy the lake. The grounds are also ideal for concerts and the flowered paths attract cyclists and rollerbladers. There are also tennis, soccer and basketball courts, and an orchidarium.

Besides its caves and mummies, Kabayan is also known for being surrounded by four lakes in the middle of pine and oak forests and at the foot of the famous Mount Pulog: Lake Tabeyo, Lake Incolos, Lake Bulalakaw and Lake Datep-Ngapos. Like the village, these lakes are surrounded by mysterious legends that a guide will gladly tell you about. It is possible to make hikes accessible to beginners and from the campsite. In the evening, the starry sky is magnificent.

Completed in 1908, the mansion is the summer residence of Philippine heads of state. The mansion also houses a mini-museum with a wealth of memorabilia and artwork that U.S. Governors General and Presidents have collected over the years. Its elaborate wrought iron gate is inspired by Buckingham Palace in London. The residence is adjacent to Wright Park, where horses can be rented for a ride on the pine-sheltered paths. The place is appreciated for its romantic and peaceful atmosphere and its beautiful gardens.

It is a huge landscape of rolling pastures and green meadows reminiscent of the Scottish Highlands. The only "inhabitants" one encounters are a few wild carabaos (Asiatic buffalo). There is nothing around, except a magnificent panoramic view of the sea. In Tukun, where a weather station is located, there is a breathtaking view of the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean. A must-see in the Batanes.

In Alab, in the municipality of Bontoc, there is a huge rock covered with engravings of arrows, bows and human representations. These rocks would symbolize the warriors buried in the caves at the foot of the rock. These petroglyphs, of more than 3 000 years, would have been carved by the first inhabitants of Bontoc and would date from at least 1500 B.C. They are the most important rock engravings of the Mountain Range and the second of the country.

It's a one and a half hour walk from the village to Suyo and it is appreciated for its mineral formations, stalagmites and stalactites. It is possible to drive to Suyo and walk 20 minutes to the cave. The Balangagan cave has been used as a burial place for the Igorot tribes, several coffins can still be seen near the entrance and others stuck in the stalagmites. Going through the rooms with a guide who tells you all the local legends associated with the place is an interesting experience but not recommended for claustrophobic people.

The Santo Tomas mountain is a potentially still active stratovolcano. It culminates at 2 260 meters of altitude in the province of Benguet. You can reach it by car from Baguio in about 1 hour and the view is already very beautiful. The mountain offers a 15 km hike dotted with caves, some of which were dug by gold, silver and copper miners. The summit offers a magnificent view of the Gulf of Lingayen. Count between 2 hours 30 and 3 hours to reach it. It is necessary to leave at sunrise and accompanied by a guide.

Located in Kabayan, this mountain rises to 2,922 meters above sea level; it is the highest peak in Luzon Island and the second highest in the country, after Mount Apo in Mindanao Province. Pulag means "bald" in the Ibaloi dialect. An annual procession takes place there between February and April. The four-day hike to the summit provides a superb view of the Cagayan River valley, the Sierra Madre and Cordillera ranges, and the Pacific Ocean and China Sea.

This small, unpretentious museum is located in Governor Park. It offers a lively approach to the life of the different tribes of the central Cordillera, the provinces of the mountains. It is full of interesting information (in English, though). Handicrafts (wood carvings, baskets, jewelry, pottery and weaving tools, newspaper articles) are exhibited there. Its architecture is for example inspired by the traditional ifugaos houses with the pyramidal roof and the wooden columns to raise the hut.

It is a dormant but still active volcano that culminates at 1,000 m of altitude, the highest point of the Batanes. Its last eruption was in 1454. Mount Iraya often has its head in the clouds, for the Ivatans, local people, this halo of clouds is formed when someone dear to the community disappears. It is possible to climb the volcano if the weather allows it: count 2 hours to the camping site, then 1 hour to the summit; we go down in about 1 hour 30 min. A guide is essential because the path is not always clear and indicated.