Conquering Batad

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Batad Rice Terraces is located in an off-beaten track in Ifugao. TravelFactor (TF) offers trips to Batad. I discovered TravelFactor thru my officemate. Travel Factor offers affordable trips for yuppies. We met solo travellers in our group who has travelled the country. Coolness eh? They made the necessary arrangements for this trip.


Conquer Batad Itinerary (April 25-26, 2009)



















Package Rate
P3,500 per person

Package Inclusion
Roundtrip Aircon Public Bus Transfer (Manila-Banaue-Manila)
Roundtrip Chartered Jeep Transfers (Banaue-Batad-Banaue)
Local Guides and service of a TF Coordinator
1N Accommodation at Batad (Group Sharing)
5 meals: 2 breakfast, 2 lunch, 1 dinner
Travel Insurance
Free Travel Factor ID and Lanyard


ITINERARY
Day 0, Friday, Apr 24
10:00pm Meet-up at Florida Bus Station (Lacson cor Earnshaw, Sampaloc, Manila)
10:45pm ETD Manila
Day 1, Saturday, Apr 25
07:00am ETA Banaue
Breakfast and last-minute purchase of supplies
08:30am ETD Banaue
10:30am ETA Batad Saddle
10:45am Trek to Batad Town
12:00pm ETA Batad
Check-in
Lunch
02:00pm Trek to Tappiya Falls
07:00pm Dinner and Socials
Overnight Batad
Day 2, Sunday, Apr 26
07:30am Breakfast
Freetime to explore Batad
11:00am Lunch
12:00pm Check out
12:30pm Trek to Batad Saddle
02:00pm ETA Batad Saddle
04:00pm Sidetrip Banaue Rice Terraces Viewpoint
Freetime to buy pasalubong in Banaue
06:00pm Dinner (on PAX account)
08:00pm ETD Banaue
Day 3, Monday, Apr 27
04:00am ETA Manila

The Budget










Approximate Cost
TravelFactor package
3,500
Dinner on last day
100
Gatorade
50
Cab on the way home
100
TOTAL
3,750

I did not add the backpack and sandals here because I consider them as investments.

Cold drinks are sold along the trail. It is very tempting to buy one. But my craving died as soon as I heard the price. I recall that one bottle of Yakult costs Php 20.

Batad Pension offers hot water. One kettle of hot water costs Php 20.

Optional porter fees are Php 250/way. I did not avail of this even though this was my first trek and I had no physical training. Maybe its pride, but more probably because I am kuripot (“stingy”). A beginner can survive Batad!

For pasalubong, there are some items being sold in the village in Batad. However, you can also buy some items in the market in Banaue. Trike from Hidden Valley Resto/Inn to the market is Php 8.


Batad beckons...

9-hour bus ride c/o the pretty pink buses of Florida Bus Lines. Make sure your Ipod is charged and you have a cool playlist. The bus has three stopovers. Make sure you have coins in your pocket when you go town to go to the CR. Most bathrooms during stopovers charges/ asks for donations.


















We had breakfast at Hidden Valley Resto/Inn.
Then around one-hour jeep ride to Batad Saddle.
Jump-off point in Banaue.:


















Two hours of trekking. Lo and behold...
The sheer beauty of Batad Rice Terraces

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