Sticky-Rice.com » Phillipines

Banaue Rice Terraces

Toby — Sat, 26 Aug 2006 12:54:11 +0000

I have always wondered what all the fuss was about the Banaue Rice Terraces. Whenever I ever mention it, people always seem to express a sense of awe, ’oohing ’ and ’ahhing’ at the mere utterance of its name. So, I decided to find out for myself if this place really was the ’eighth wonder of the world.’

I made the Banaue Rice Terraces the first part of my travels to the Philippines. Hurriedly packing my rucksack, I set off for the long journey by bus from Baguio, the gateway city of the mountainous northern province, where I would then proceed to Luzon’s Central Cordillera Region.

As I arrived, I was greeted by the local tribe called the Ifugaos. Like all Filipinos, they were typically warm and accommodating, always with a smile on their face.

These people acted as impromptu ’tour guides’, telling me where to get the best view of the Banaue Rice Terraces and explaining how their proud ancestors created one of the architectural wonders of the world. Invariably, they will also attempt to sell you some of their local handicrafts, but as they are excellent woodcarvers and wear such amusing, colorful clothes, it is hard to say no!

So, with a few Ifugao friends with me, we hiked across several towns and before I knew it, I was face to face with something even my imagination couldn’t have concocted. To put it mildly, nothing could have prepared me for such a magnificent site. It was a wonderfully—chiseled stairway of greenery, reminiscent of Incan pyramids; except this was an entire landscape, monumental in every way. And when the sun shone down on these green steps, it created a rippled green—hued effect, with slivers of magical light dancing on the landscape. I was simply lost in its wonder.

Later, I forced myself to hike the narrow stairways plying within the rice terraces. I clumsily slipped a few times, courtesy of the muddy road, but that’s just a small price to pay in a place like this.

The smell of the terrain and freshly planted rice fill my lungs. I wasn’t really planning on a nature—hike in the Philippines, but this was an opportunity not to be missed. The breath—defying walk was really worth it, I said to myself as I chugged a bottle of water and stood there, enjoying the scenery from what felt like he top of the world.

You have to appreciate the simplicity (if one can call this famous landscape ’simple’) of the place, and the people whose lives revolve around it. From the back—breaking but ingenious way they plant rice here, to the old native huts they dwell in, it sort of gives you a fresh perspective of the way life continues to work as it did centuries ago in this corner of the world.

In the end, it was a struggle to tear myself away from this heavenly place. Even as darkness began to creep in, the site of the magnificent stairways still had me entranced. Decidedly, the Banaue Rice Terraces truly deserves the recognition of being one of the natural wonders of the world.

One resource I must recommend for everything you need to know about this beautiful region is this book.

Overview of Southeast Asia

Toby — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 12:31:16 +0000

On a January afternoon in 1861, Henri Mouhot, a French naturalist, was hacking his way through the almost impenetrable jungle of Cambodia when suddenly he burst into a clearing and stopped dead in his tracks. Before his astonished eyes loomed the outlines of a stone structure. Its long grey battlements appeared to stretch into infinity, magnificent terraces and galleries vaulted upwards and five towers shaped like lotus buds soared into the heavens. Touched by the setting sun, the whole grey mass burned fiery red.

His search for rare insects forgotten, Mouhot plunged about for days exploring not only this great temple, which he called ’a rival to Solomon’s’ but also hundreds of other structures which he found half submerged in the jungle. Mouhot had stumbled upon the enormous ruins of Angkor, legendary capital of the Khmer Empire. The empire had once stretched from the South China Sea to the Gulf of Siam, including all of the present day Cambodia, part of Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, and had embraced the most brilliant civilization ever to flourish in South—east Asia.

While they lasted the kings of Khmer were a remarkable breed. They tore out the jungle to plant endless fields of rice, they laid out a network of paved roads, they mastered the science of hydraulic engineering and established a water system even more incredible than their temples.

And they dug dikes and canals on the flood plains that provided perpetual irrigation for their fields.

The results of all their labour and the sacrifices their slaves made can still be seen today — and should be seen, for they are truly remarkable. The stony testaments are of such magnitude and splendour as to dwarf the wonders of Egypt, Greece and Rome.

Numbers of tourists to these beautiful countries are growing on a daily basis. This is predominantly due to the word spreading that you will be received with warmth and curiosity rather than resentment and war fatigue. Shimmering paddy fields, exquisite pagodas and sugar—white beaches beckon the intrepid traveller.

Ho Chi Minh City provides a head—spinning introduction to Vietnam, as does Bangkok in Thailand, so trips out into the rice fields, orchards and jungles make a welcome change.

The temples, palaces and imperial mausoleums of aristocratic Hue in Vietnam should not be missed. Crawl through the original Cu Chi tunnels, the underground tunnel system which was home to the Vietcong during the Vietnam war. Have a new silk wardrobe made up at the cheapest prices in the charming ancient port town of Hoi An. And sail through the spectacular world heritage site of Ha Long Bay which is crammed with grottoes, islands and jagged limestone outcrops jutting out of the sea.

In Thailand you must ensure you visit the Grand Palace in Bangkok, home of the holiest and most dazzling temple. In Kanchanaburi you could stay in a rafthouse on the River Kwai, ride the historic Death Railway and explore temples and waterfalls by bicycle. For the truly adventurous you could explore the extraordinary Andaman coast by sea—kayaking in the Krabi region.

Laos also has sights not be missed, including Wat Phou which was one of the most important religious sites of the great Khmer Empire. You could take a slow boat on the Mekong River or be the first to unravel the mystery of The Plain Jars which is one of the world’s great archeological puzzles where hundreds of ancient giant stone urns are scattered across the Xiang Khouang Plateau.

And finally Cambodia, where memories of your visit here will remain etched in your minds forever. You should not miss seeing Angkor Wat’s soaring towers, or glimpsing the silver heads of rare dolphins flitting through the rapids at Kample. Nor should you miss the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, whose gleaming golden spires and vivid Ramayana murals making for a stunning sight.

Boracay, Fantasy Island

Toby — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 11:02:23 +0000

For those who’ve been to the Philippines (or close to it), it is hard not to hear the beckoning call to Boracay, which many have dubbed as one of ’The Best Beaches in the World’. Once a hippy hideaway for travellers ’in the know’, ’Bora’ has grown to a buzzing holiday destination, yet still retains the relaxed charm from its earlier days. Breathtaking, powdery white sand, crystal—clear water, trendy boutiques, an array of cafes, restaurants and a funky nightlife, the island has an atmosphere unrivalled in South East Asia.

The Where’s and How’s

Boracay Island sits northwest of Panay Island, in the Visayas region of the Philippine archipelago. Long and narrow, it is just seven kilometres long, four kilometres of which is covered by an amazing white—sand beach known as ’White Beach’, as well as thirty other beaches and coves scattered around the blue waters. Just an hour’s flight south from Manila, getting there is easy, as a number of airlines now service Boracay with hourly flights to the nearby Caticlan in the mainland, followed by a fifteen minute ride by ’Banka’ or outrigger boat to the island. Those with more time on their hands can also get to Boracay by cruise ship or one of the more standard (and quite chaotic) liners leaving from the major ports.

The Season for Cotton Sand

The island’s name originated from the local term borac (meaning ’cotton’) because of the sand that made it famous. Cottony white and fine, Boracay’s white sand beach is the island’s pulse — where the day begins and ends.

Dive shops, tattoo artists, vendors, massage ladies, cafes and bars line the four kilometer stretch, while paraws, kite boarders and the occasional banana boat make for a colourful backdrop. In the Philippine summer months (March to May) and the Christmas holidays, the island is teaming with crowds, and can be quite daunting for those who had a peaceful beach holiday in mind. The beach and its waters also tend to suffer during the ’high season’, as do one’s wallet as the hotel rates skyrocket at this time. During the ’off peak’ months (June to mid—October), the island takes on a different, more sombre face, quietening down to face the fierce ’habagat’ rains and winds of the monsoon. Gone are the mobs of ledge—dancing crowds, throbbing hip—hop music and city slickers, and the island softly returns to what it was like in the early 90’s, but amidst a background of somewhat dramatic weather.

So much to do, so little time

Unlike most tourist spots in the Philippines, Boracay is well—equipped for the traveller, whatever their budget. With over 200 hundred resorts and counting, the island covers the full range of accommodation choices — from simple nipa huts costing $5 a night to luxurious suites complete with private pool, and everything in between.

The rates are known to depend on its proximity to each boat station — with the ritziest rooms in Station 1, the ’middle—of—the—road’ hotels at Station 2, and the ’cheap and cheerful’ in Station 3. For something a little different it may be worth exploring the little resorts tucked inland on hills or in the forest, or at the other side of the island, where the rocky beach and crashing waves make for a perfect romantic hideaway.

Strolling down white beach, one is spoilt for choice for the sheer number of restaurants, cafes and fruit shake bars to sample. For superb salads and pizza, the Aria cafe is a good choice, and for 24—hour fry—ups, look no further than Jammers, a casual beachfront ’burger joint’ run by the chatty Kuya Migs, an American who’s lived in the island for over 20 years. A few steps away is ’D’mall’, which, as the name states, is a sandy—floored outdoor area with a number of interesting shops and even more cafes. The spa—bug has also hit the island with The Mandala, Yasuragi and Neo spas, all of which offer pampering treatments with local ingredients (think banana leaf wraps and coconut scrubs) in tranquil settings.

Life’s a Beach

If ’life’s a beach’ then surely they must have been talking about life in Boracay, as a few days here is sure to conjure up fantasies of giving up your job back home and opening a fruit shake bar on the island.

If you are thinking of visiting this area, I can highly recommend this book. It’s the sort of info you only wish a local expert would tell you on your way over.