The Rice Terraces of Batad

Disclaimer: All the information about the Philippines available on this blog is based on our stay in January 2016. Since then, the political situation in the country changed drastically. While we do believe that visiting the country will still be safe for tourists, we recommend to follow the recent news about the country closely and be in touch with your local embassy!

The small village of Batad is located quite central in the northern island Luzon of the Philippines. Together with Banaue, the Village is home to ancient rice terraces that are still in use today.
We liked the rice terraces in Batad most, so if you have time to travel around the north of the Philippines, you should check them out!

How to get there
If you want to come to Batad, your first destination should be Banaue. Banaue can be reached by coach directly from Manila but since we missed our coach we found out that you can also go there via Solano, from where you take a jeepney to Lagawe followed by another jeepney to Banaue.

From Banaue there is only one public jeepney to Batad per day. Alternatively, you can rent a private jeepney, each time we spent 100 pesos per person.

After crossing a rather adventurous mountain pass you will be dropped off at the jeepney station outside of Batad.

There are some guides who will offer you to guide you, but we made bad experiences with them.

We wanted a guide to show us around and tell us about the area, instead we got a guide who didn’t really talk to us and only brought us to the first view point in the village.
If you want to get a guide, make sure to agree on the right terms with them.

What is there to see

The best way to explore the rice terraces is to take a hike around them and their surrounding area. Check out the following pictures and make sure to bring some decent shoes when you go!

The first viewpoint is located quite central in the village of Batad from where you can have a wonderful panorama over the whole area. Make sure to pay the environmental fee of 50 pesos right next to the platform!

After hiking around the Rice terraces you can reach the second viewpoint where you can admire all the terraces below

You can reach the waterfalls through a long hike behind the terraces. Quite adventurous but you can reward yourself with a cold bath!

Accomodation
Especially around the first viewpoint you can find many small inns. All of them have the same standard and cost around 500 pesos per person. There is no electricity and therefore also no Wifi!

We stayed in Ritas inn, right on top of the hill – our room had an amazing panorama over the terraces in front of us!

Batad is one of the most impressive Rice Terraces in the world and therefore a must see when you come to the Philippines.
We hope you liked our little guide and we are happy about comments and shares!

More information for your stay in the Philippines:
1. Information about the country!
2. El Nido, a hidden paradise?
3. Coron, not only a divers heaven!
4. See the Underground River in Puerto Princesa!