Rice Terraces

Banaue: Hapao rice terraces Hapao is a village about an hour’s hike from Banaue. While most of the guides mention Batad as the rice terraces, I think Hapao’s terraces are actually the most beautiful. The hike starts a short car ride from Banaue and goes through the flooded terraces, leading to a hot water spring in which you can bathe. The view of the water in the rice fields reflecting the sky is spectacular, and the spring is a great resting point after the walk. Caution about organized tours: From Banaue, you can get a guide and organize a customized tour to the surrounding area. The tours can basically take you wherever you'd like to go and for as long as you want. It’s very easy to organize, as there are lots of tour guides everywhere – from certified guides to a random person with a van. One thing to know is that for most hikes in the area you don’t really need a guide. In most cases you can get along perfectly fine by just asking the locals where to walk. If you feel confident enough, I’d recommend getting a map and trekking independently. #urbanexplorer #maydaytrip