Philippine rice terrace visit shows Maguindanao massacre atypical of the Philippines

November 25, 6:57 PMChicago Adventure Travel ExaminerTed Nelson

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    Batad and the Cordillera Mountains
    original photo by Ted Nelson

The Maguindanao massacre has sent chills throughout the world as the gruesome news unfolds as the body count now has risen to over 50 including at least 12 journalists. When events like this happen in a country the media does its job and reports it because it is of interest and of course news worthy. However, this intense press coverage on an event like this gives a country a bad name especially to those unfamiliar with the people and the country.

Often times this negative image and tarnish that follow with these reports are legitimate and warranted. In this case I do not think it is. In a previous article I explained the unique geography of the Philippines, which is an archipelago consisting of three major island groups. What happens in one area is not necessarily attributable to another since these island groups are separated by large bodies of water which isolates one area from contact with the other except by plane or ferry.

This event occurred in an area notorious for lawlessness, kidnappings, and political violence. The U.S. State Department had a warning on its website on September 17 of this year for this area for lawlessness, kidnappings, and political violence, and it has had one for this area for years for lawlessness, kidnappings, and violence. It will probably have a warning on their website for this area ten years from now for lawlessness, kidnappings and political violence.  Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago are the only area in the Philippines currently under a travel warning.

When news like this comes around I feel it is my duty as the Adventure Travel Examiner to offset the bad with the good to help restore some sort of balance. A short memoir follows of my time in the Banaue and Batad Rice Terraces in Luzon, which is the largest island in the Philippines and far removed from the area of the massacre to remind or introduce adventure travelers to the normal type of experience they might encounter if they ignore the media horror show and travel to Luzon or the Visayas, which are the areas outside the travel warning.

One day in Batad

I arrived in Batad in the early morning after a two mile hike after the road ended where I was dropped off by my cyclo driver. I was absolutely exhausted and hungry after taking an all night bus trip from Bagiou. As I entered the village the first building I came across was a guesthouse overlooking the splendid rice terraces. The Philippine proprietress was serving some sort of egg dish to the customers at the guesthouse. She told me to sit and have some food. I did as was ordered and wolfed down the tasty omelet. It was a good selling technique and I paid the 100 pesos or approximately $2.00 fee for staying there the night.

While eating the friendly owner gave me the scoop on what to see in the area. There were the rice terraces to explore and just below the village was a trail to a waterfall. That sounded right up my alley, so with a plan in place I took a much needed nap.

Waterfall
original photo by Ted Nelson

I took off for the village and rice terraces as soon as I awoke. There were plenty of guides offering their services, but I decided I wanted to explore on my own. There was no main trail down to the rice terraces as many pathways went this way and that through this small Philippine village. I found myself in a few dead ends in people’s yards and front porches.  A couple of times this was embarrassing as I practically walked right into people hanging out in their homes.  Instead of being outraged at my intrusion the people smiled and pointed me to the right way and a couple of times even offered to accompany me as a guide.   I smiled and thanked them and apologized and continued on my way.

Once I got out of the village I entered the rice terraces and they were amazing. There were narrow stone walls between the terraces and I felt like a trapeze artist balancing on these narrow stone corridors, but it seemed like there was always a convenient stepping stone when I needed the extra balance.

After exiting the terraces I found a trail that descended down the mountainside into a valley. The familiar sound of a raging river could soon be heard, which was exciting. In my previous travels in Thailand and Vietnam I learned to never know what to expect when hearing promotions for a waterfall. I saw some incredible torrents cascading down cliffs and I saw some drops of water peter pattering off a dry cliff into a pool and everything in between when directed to a waterfall. The cascade of water made this one sound promising.

I continued down into the valley and the trail then met the river and around the bend was a beautiful waterfall which dropped forty feet into a deep dark pool. I was a sweaty mess after the hour walk in the high humidity. I jumped into the pool and it was pure bliss.

There was a group of other Philippine trekkers by the waterfall and they were just about to turn around back to the village. One of them named Antoinette greeted me with a smile and said she was happy I was here and welcomed me to her country. She asked which guesthouse I was in and she invited me to a bonfire party with her friends.  She told me she would meet me at the guesthouse at 8pm.

After finishing my dip it was getting late so I hightailed back to my guesthouse before dark. Sean from Scotland had arrived while I was on my trek and we talked and shared some travel stories over a few beers and watched the sun set over the incredible rice terraces and the Cordillera Mountains. I told Sean about the get together and soon enough Antoinette had come to pick me up for the bonfire and welcomed Sean to the soiree as well.

At the bonfire was Antoinette and her friends, me, Sean, a couple of Australian girls staying at the guesthouse too, and two Philippine brothers named Romel and Romeo. Rice wine was offered and both Sean and I were immediately given a glass full of this sweet concoction. The two brothers had a guitar and were entertaining the group. They were both really talented and switched off playing two songs each. They had a real affinity for Bob Marley, but also played some songs that one would not expect in the middle of nowhere in the Philippines. The one that really surprised me was that Romel played “Handy Man” by James Taylor.

   Romel entertaining the group with a little Bob Marley
   original photo by Ted Nelson

I had mentioned to Sean that I played a little guitar and during one of the breaks in songs Sean told this to the group. Romeo immediately handed me the guitar. After not playing much for a couple of months it was a little bit of a struggle, but I held my own and soon I was in the two song rotation with Romel and Romeo.  

Soon the rice wine was all consumed, we were out of wood, and I think all played every song in our repertoire. At least I know I had. These were all sad signs that the party was over, but it was a night I will never forget. With all the bad news coming out of the Philippines I wanted to counter it in my small space on the web with a positive story about a great and beautiful country and people.

Ted Nelson was recently named one of the top 101 Adventure Travel twitterers on twitter.  http://abroadening.com/161  Click on the icon below to follow me there.