"The presence of the rice terraces is an evidence of an engineering expertise of the Igorot ancestors..."
The chapel and the rice terraces
Totally verdant
The #TownExplorer and Bayyo Rice Terraces
Bayyo Village
Bayyo Village and the Rice Terraces
Bayyo Rice Terraces is located along the Bontoc-Banaue Road. You can view this stunning vista along the road. It is around 30-40 minutes of jeepney ride from Bontoc Poblacion.
To get here, go the the Bontoc-Banaue PUJ parking area beside the Bontoc Town Hall. Tell the driver to drop you to Bayyo rice terraces (this is optional since you can view it while riding on a jeep -- unless you want to take photos, so you have to stop for the matter).
What else? You can also see some waterfalls in Bayyo which are view-able from the road. But you have to spot keenly for you to notice them.
Bayyo Waterfalls and Rice Terraces
I have this desire in me to get up close to the waterfalls but the chance was just too thin. As I ascend to Bayyo, the air gets cooler and looking to the higher parts of the mountains are waterfalls cascading unrestricted.
Then I looked to the right. There is a mountain range. But one of those mountains is unusual and it does not look like the rest of the mountains -- that mountain is the home for the Bayyo villagers and the slope of that mountain has been turned into rice terraces.
What makes it interesting is that the mountain is steep but the villagers have been resilient to live in this kind of environment. I admire them for being adaptable.
Indeed, I consider this a paradise, specifically a heritage and cultural paradise. The presence of the rice terraces is an evidence of an engineering expertise of the Igorot ancestors that in spite of the absence of modern technology those days, they were able to create an engineering feat that survived the test of times and of the seasons. This is a living cultural treasure and heritage; truly a paradise for those fascinated with culture and history.
Map showing the location of #Bontoc
