Slideshow: The Rice Terraces of the Philippines

While exploring the cool mountain streams of the Ibulao river, located deep in the valley of the Hapao Rice Terraces, it’s hard to watch your step and capture all the colors and lushness of this beautiful area.
But as you make your way around the various narrow walk ways, you’ll need to concentrate to ensure you don’t take an unscheduled dip in the rushing water.

Rice is the most important crop and a staple for most in the Philippines. The terraces are constantly feed by an ancient irrigation system from the rainforest above and is traditionally farmed by hand with very modest tools as it has been for thousands of years.

Row after row after row, they go up and up, these 2000-year old rice terraces that are thought to be built with very little equipment and mostly by hand.
The Ifugao Rice Terraces were named as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO in 1995.

This was the view from my balcony at the Banaue Hotel. When the sun started to rise on my first day, I was blown away by the colors and beauty of this multi-level environment. Exploring this area of the Philippines was an incredible experience and I’m surprised that more people don’t travel to this part of Southeast Asia.