The Great Mt. Amuyao Traverse (Barlig - Battad)

My First Major Hike

No clearing at the summit of Mt. Amuyao but still worth taking picture
(c) John Barcellano (Most of the pictures from this post are from his GoPro)

A - Assault

M - Muddy (SOBRA) because of the rain

U - Unli Descent as in 1,500+ Meters Steep and Slippery!

Y - Yikes, Limatik!

A - Ayoko na! Pagod na koooo!

O - Olryt, NATAPOS KO!

Mt. Amuyao is the 10th Highest Mountain in the Philippines. It is situated in Barlig, Mt. Province and 2,702 MASL (Meters Above Sea Level).  According to +Pinoy Mountaineer, the Mt. Amuyao Traverse is the most challenging trail compared to Mt. Ugo and Mt. Napalauan Traverse. It is the most challenging as it will require you 3 days to finish this trail. You will pass through the mountainous areas of Barlig, then to the scenic village of Pat-yay then a very challenging and lengthy descent trail going to Cambulo then a walk in a park going to Battad, home of the amphitheater-like terraces and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Mind that the trail difficulty of Mt. Amuyao Traverse is 8/9! I say that this is the most challenging hike I have ever experienced. I was not expecting that it was that hard but still thankful and blessed to have my team as they helped me finished this trail despite almost giving up. Among the 100 hikers that long weekend, only the 5 of us were able to finish the whole traverse altogether, plus we were the first group to arrive in Battad. Despite all the hardships, we still managed to finish the whole traverse. I know it was not a race but still felt proud that I was the first woman to finish the traverse that weekend. #WomanPower

Entry Point

If you want to do the traverse, like what we did, your entry point will be at Sitio Macalana, Barlig, Mt. Province which is 2 - 3 hours away from Banaue. And your exit point will be at Battad Rice Terraces, Banaue, Ifugao which is 30 - 45 minutes away from Banaue. When we say traverse, in layman's term, it means not going back to where you started, your entry point will not be your exit point. As simple as that, so don't be confused when someone asked you if you will be doing a traverse hike. *feeling expert* haha.

Exit Point

HOW TO GET THERE?

From Manila
- Ride a bus bound for Banaue. Dangwa Transit has a daily trip to Banaue, departing Manila at 10 in the evening. Make sure you buy your tickets in advance, like a day before. You will arrive in Banaue around 6 in the morning.
- Upon arriving at the terminal, you must purchase your ticket back to Manila, to secure a seat.


From Banaue
- You can rent a van/jeep going to Barlig but if you are on a tight budget. You can ride a public van/jeep bound for Bontoc then from Bontoc, you can ride a habal-habal or jeep going to Barlig.

You may contact Sir Joel Tindungan, +63 936 - 292 - 4890. He is from Banaue and owns a jeep. He has been transporting hikers from Banaue to Barlig for years.

HOW TO GET HOME?

If you do the traverse, Battad will be your exit point.

From Battad
- There are habal - habal/jeep that you can rent going to Banaue, just prepare some bucks, or have a contacted driver pick you up at Battad. Then, from the saddle point, it will only take you 30 - 45 minutes to reach Banaue.

Tip: Try riding on the top load on your way back to Banaue. :)

OUR ITINERARY FOR THE GREAT TRAVERSE:

February 24, 2016 (Wednesday)
9:00PM Meet up at Kamias, Florida Bus Terminal
10:00PM Bound for Banaue

February 25, 2016 (Thursday)
6:00AM Arrived at Banaue | Register and Buy tickets bound for Manila | Meet our contact driver | Breakfast | Buy food and supplies at the Market
8:30 AM Bound for Barlig
11:00 AM Arrived at Barlig | Register and meet tour guide | Early Lunch and Repack
12:30 PM Go to Barangay and register
1:00 PM Start Ascend

Barlig's Viewpoint (No Clearing but still beautiful)
It was like you are in a garden

6:30 PM Arrived at the Summit, stay at the bunker or set up camp.

February 26, 2016 (Friday)
5:00 AM Wake up | Hope for a clearing | Breakfast | Picture Taking | Break Camp

 A little bit of clearing! Huhu

7:40 AM Start Descent
9:00 AM Arrived at Waiting Shed | Rest

With the HARDCORE Mountaineers

9:15 AM Start Descent

1:00 PM Arrived at Pat - Yay Village | Lunch

Pat- Yay is my favorite. No establishments and most of the houses are still native.

2:30 PM Start trek going to Cambulo (Unli Descent and if you are lucky enough, the trail is so muddy because of the rain) I almost gave up but good thing Elvis and Macq were there to helped me get through that trail. It was steep and slippery because of the mud.
10:00 PM Arrived at E-Camp, house of Tatay Ricky | Rest

*** It took us 14 hours just to reach the house of Tatay Ricky, we were really exhausted, good thing he offered his house and there is a free flowing water that is somehow safe for drinking.

February 27, 2016 (Saturday)
6:00 AM Wake up | Prepare things
7:00 AM Start trek to Cambulo (Centro)



8:30 AM Arrived at Am-way Tavern | Brunch

L-R : Moses (Guide), Macq, Penny, Gab, Elvis, Raul (Am-way Owner) and John

10:30 AM Trek to Battad
12:00 NN Arrived at the View point of Battad| Take Picture | Drink ice cold beer while enjoying the view.

3:00 PM Arrived at the Saddle Point | Ride Jeep bound for Banaue
4:00 PM Arrived at Banaue | Hot Shower at People's Lodge and Restaurant | Dinner
7:30 PM Go to Dangwa Bus Terminal
8:00 PM Travel back to Manila

February 28, 2016 (Sunday)
5:00 AM Arrived at Manila
6:00 AM Home sweet home!


TOTAL EXPENSES FOR OUR TRIP (Note: Some expenses were divided into 5)

530 Php - Bus ticket to Banaue
50 Php - Registration Fee at Banaue
50 Php - Registration Fee at Barlig
20 Php - Environmental Fee at Sitio Macalana
150 Php - Stay at Ricky's Native House
50 Php - Heritage Fee at Battad
80 Php - Food and Supplies (400 Php)
1,100 Php - Rent of Jeep going to Barlig and pick up at Battad (5,500 Php)
900 Php - Guide Fee (4,500 Php for 3 days, 1,500 Php per day)
495 Php - Personal food expenses for the whole trip
530 Php - Bus ticket to Manila
----------
3,955 Php



TRAVEL TIPS:

1. Make sure you are all experienced mountaineers. This traverse is not for beginners though if you really want, your guts can take you to the top plus you will definitely have a hard time on the traverse trail.

2. Make sure you have all the necessary things needed for this trip like jacket, emergency blanket, flashlight/head lamp, whistle, trail food, water, proper clothing, socks, cap, raincoat, tent/ sleeping bag.

3. It will be best if you have a pre - climb, so that you will know what to do, expect and bring. A pre - climb is a meeting / hike prior to the climb.

4. Get a local guide from Barlig, as they know how to preserve the trail and handle the hikers. I highly recommend Moises Lamaton, you may contact him with this number +63 935 - 854 - 9642. The trails are a bit confusing and having him as our guide made this whole traverse easier.

Moises is the one wearing Blue Shirt. He took care of us during the whole hike. 

5. Be prepared for unlimited mud, especially when it rained as the forest is very mossy, and limatik.
I suggest that you wear a legit trekking shoes and high knees socks.

6. When walking on the rice fields, be very cautious. I was disappointed to see some hikers who stepped on the newly planted rice. Haiiiiiiiiii!

7. Never leave your group, you should always stick with them because worst comes to worst they will always have your back.

Our team composed of Elvis, Macq, John and Penny! :)

8. If you were too exhausted when you reached Pat - yay, you may opt to cut the traverse and make your way to Mayaoyao, Ifugao which is 5 -6 hours trek but on a more established trail. Some groups did this according to our guide. Also, if you reached Cambulo, there are jeeps or habal habal going to Banaue.

9. Bring cash, as there are no banks/ ATM in Barlig, Patyay and Cambulo. :D Food at Cambulo and Battad are relatively expensive.

10. Make sure you enjoy your hike and just keep on walking!

Verdict of Tara Gumala: It was a very challenging hike for me, not recommended for beginners. I suggest that if the weather is not good, do not proceed. The trail is really muddy. I will definitely go back to Amuyao but will no longer do the traverse and just explore the hidden attractions of Barlig.

Ano, TARA GUMALA?


CIAO.
--
GABRIELA.

Travel Guide to Battad

BATTAD BATTAD BATTAD!

A UNESCO World Heritage Site

Stunning beauty of Battad

I have been to Battad when I graduated in grade school, it was a graduation gift from my mother. I remembered how dangerous it was to travel from Banaue to Battad, we almost fell off to a cliff and the trail from saddle point to Battad was not a piece of cake.

Now that I got a chance to revisit this wonderful place, I observed that lot of things were changed. The road from Banaue going to the saddle point is already paved but still prone to landslide, the trail going to Battad is already established AND they are planning to make a road that will send you straight to Battad! In no time, Battad will be accessible to private cars. Poor Battad, it will be exploited by tourist as it is exploited now. :(

ANYWAY, the place still awes me! There are things I love about this place, besides the feeling of being reconnected with your history, the scenery itself is picturesque! It will leave you breathless (literally) because of the walking from one place to another.

I will give you guys my travel guide to Battad.

HOW TO GET THERE??

Going to Battad is a piece of complicated cake. Hahaha.

1. Make your way to Banaue, a municipality under the province of Ifugao. There are 2 (two) prominent bus companies that have daily trips to Banaue. One is OHAYAMI and the other is FLORIDA (DANGWA). We chose the latter because the terminal is along EDSA, which is in Kamias and the buses are new. The fare costs 530 Php.

2.  From Banaue, you can ride a public jeep in the market or rent a van. If you are travelling with groups and time is of the essence, renting a van is more convenient, for 2,000Php you get a round trip fare to Battad plus a side trip to Banaue's best view points. The public jeep only has one trip during lean season that is 3:30 in the afternoon but during peak season they have a 8:30am trip.

The van/ jeep will drop you off at the Saddle point.

This is Kuya Randy, a tourist guide/ van driver. Here is his contact number (0919) 362 - 5752!

3. Then from saddle point, walk 15 - 30 minutes to your transient house in Battad.

First Glimpse of Battad Rice Terraces

See! It is so easy but it will require a lot of energy. The trek from saddle point will test your endurance, not suitable for those with heart problem and arthritis. Hehehe.

WHERE TO STAY??

You may opt to do a daytrip to maximize renting a van OR stay at a transient houses in Battad and  make the most of your stay plus experience their beautiful sunrise while sipping a hot coffee! :)

We stayed at Ramon's Homestay and rented his Native House which costs 1,000 per night during lean season. It was a bit expensive for a native house with very basic amenities like pillows, blanket and foam beds BUT the experience of staying at a native Ifugao house is one for keeps. Also, the food is not that great and they have a slooooow service, better request you food in advance! Ohh and expensive too. A meal costs 120 -200 per order! Hehe. Good thing we brought canned goods.

This is a view from a small window of our hut. (c) Anne Orquiza

WHAT TO DO OR SEE IN BATTAD?

1. Trek the Battad Rice Terraces. What a great experience to trek the Battad Rice Terraces BUT it is not advisable for those who has fear of heights! From a far, the terraces looks like stairs but up close the distance between each level of rice paddies is 10 - 15 ft!

2. Photo Shoot at the View Point.

3. Swim at Tappiya Falls. After a hot day of trekking the rice terraces, it is nice to take a dip at the cold waters of Tappiya Falls, just be careful because the current is really strong. Ohh, the way back to the town proper is really exhausting! It was a never ending stairssss!

4. Request for a Cultural Show. If you will stay at Ramon's Homestay, be sure to ask ahead of time for a cultural show, so that they could prepare one but this comes with a price. Not sure how much it costs, I forgot to ask because I was blown away by the next item.

5. Bonfire Story Telling with Kuya Ramon. This is a nice way of Kuya Ramon to reconnect with his guests. He sets up bonfire and each one will tell their names. He even told us some stories why the place is called Battad, why he isn't married yet, his vision for Battad etc. I do not want to share it with you guys because it is better to hear it from him.

6. Get a massage from a local.

Meet Irene, she is a local and niece of Ramon. According to her, she is the owner of the hut and it is used to be their home. Also, this hut is where Piolo Pascual stayed during his visit. OHA! Whole body massage only costs 300 Php!

(C) Anne Orquiza

7. Watch sunrise while sipping a hot coffee! This is what I love about Ramon's place, it has the best view of Batad Rice Terraces and what makes it perfect is their organic local coffee plus their ethnic canister!

8. Join/ Observe locals harvest rice.

This is how they dry their harvested rice grains.

Since they do not have machine to carry those grains, farmers are carrying it back to their house to dry.

Well, this is equality. Ladies are farmers too, no exception!

HOW TO GET OUT???

1. Wake up early, around 6 in the morning. So that you will have time for breakfast and other stuff. 

2. Start trekking back to the Saddle point before 8am. 

3. Be at the saddle point before 9am to catch a public jeep going to Banaue which costs 150 Php. 

4. TOP LOAD! :D

(c) Anne Orquiza

TRAVEL TIPS:

1. Always greet every local you see, it is a way of showing respect! Locals are very accommodating, they will chat with you even they cannot speak Tagalog. 

2. Bring your own food and water to save money, though their organic rice is the best! My digestion was really good during or trip, which rarely happens whenever I travel. 

3. Get a local guide to bring you to the view point and Tappiya, you are helping them in return. 

4. Stay at a native Ifugao Hut, the experience is really nice and it connects you with your ancestral domains. 

5. Sunrise in Battad is really wonderful, be sure to wake up early and have those cameras ready for photo shoot. 

6. Bring extra money, there are no ATMs in the area. Restaurants do not accept Credit Card or Dollars. 

7. Hiking / Trekking your way to the Rice Terraces and Tappiya Falls is really exhausting! It is not fit for people who has hypertension and/or arthritis. It is like a never ending stairwell! 

8. It will save you a lot of time and money when you travel with a group.

HERE IS OUR ITINERARY IN BATTAD (this is my giveaway!)

DAY 1

8:00 am - ETD for Battad

8:45 am - ETA Saddle Point | Start Trek

9:30 am - ETA Battad Town | Went to Ramon's Homestay settle things

11:00 am - Early lunch

1:00 pm - Start trek going to Viewpont

2:00 pm - Viewpoint photo Op

3:00 pm - Tappiya Falls

5:00 pm - Back to Ramon's | Freshen up

7:00 pm - Dinner | Socials

DAY 2

6:00 am - Wake up | Breakfast

7:30 am - Trek back to Saddle point

9:00 am - Top load at a public jeep going to Banaue

You may opt to go to Sagada, Benguet, Kalinga OR wait for the scheduled bus that will go back to Manila. We opted to proceed to Kalinga and visit Apo Whang - Od. 

Total Breakdown of my budget for this trip:
Manila to Banaue - 530
Breakfast at Banaue - 130
Van Banaue to Battad - 500 (2,000 /4)
Heritage Fee - 50
Ifugao Hut at Ramon's Homestay - 250 (1,000/4)
Lunch, Dinner and Breakfast - 440
Jeep Battad to Banaue - 150

TOTAL COST = 2,050 Php!

Verdict of Tara Gumala:

Battad is relatively expensive but mother nature with the help of our ancestors did an amazing job. It will not be a UNESCO World Heritage Site for no reason. I highly recommend that you visit Battad now, before it's too late. 

See this is a perfect weekend getaway with your barkada! Don't forget to thank and credit me for whatever you will gain from this. :)

Ano, TARA GUMALA?

CIAO. 

--

GABRIELA