There are one onf the greatest sightseeing spots in the Philippines Luson Island. It’s “Banaue, Rice Terrace“, I knew the name of place, of cource, but the long distance between Baguio and Banaue which takes 8 to 10 hours on one way has made me hesitating to visit. However, the dream to go there comes ture finally, so I’d like to introduce in detail!
What’s “Banaue”?
Banaue is a northen small town where located in notrhen part of Luzon island. We can access there only few ways which passing the road by either car or bus. Furthermore, it is said that it takes 7 hours by van, and 10 hours by bus.
The most famous spot is definetely “Rice Terraces” which surrounded by vast nature. The maintained rice fields cordinates unprecedented scenery as a picture below. When it comes to the Philippines, you can imagine the beach easily, but you must have seen this location before.
There rice terraces has been resistered as a world culture helitage in 1995. The continuous scenery from lower to higher is known as if “The stair to heaven“, and it has been atracted a lot of people for long time.
The way to “Banaue”
Why it takes 7 to 10 hours? It is obvious when we look at the map. We have to choose the long distance to make a detour the high mountains because the northen part of Luzon island is surrounded them.This is the reality to stay at and go out Baguio city.
Futhermore, those roads must be zig-zag in the most of parts. When I went through such situations in real, I came up with a idea as below.
「！！？？」
「I must get car sick unless close my eyes… 」
Normally, I rarely get car sick, but I felt reallly bad mood at that time.
Especially, it’s so hard to endure the zig-zag road around Baguio City because there are many sharp curve. When I return back the way to Banaue, I realized that the road condition get sharp for first 2hours, mild for next 1hour, straight for 2hours, and zig-zag again for last 2hours.
It’s mandatry to take motion sickness medicine if you are easy to get var sick.
The transportaions
As I clamed, there is no choice except passing the road, and we can choose 3 different transportations as below.
①Private Van
②Hiring Van
③Bus
We chose “①Private Van“. As a result, I thought it is the best way to go there both comfortably and affordably. I’d like to state these pros and cons based on my experience.
Pros①.Frexble Schedule
Needless to say, the public transportation schedules like bus are already organized, so there is time limitation to paln to go to the trip. It might make us to give up to enjoy staying there efficiently even though it takes quite long time to go.
Also, it’s not smooth way to go because the bus often stop by somewhere to pick up and drop off the passangers. That’s why, it is said that it takes 10 hours while we can go there for 7 hours by van. In my opinion, that 3 hours gap is so big to go through because of the read condition.
In addition, we have to leave for the bus terminal to take on it at first, and have to wait until deperture time. Considering the situation, it’s more convenient to hire the private van since we can summon it whatever we want to gather. Also, it’s helpful to release our both physical and mental stress.
Pros②controling the environment inside a car
There are many cases which we encounter the situation that temperature inside car become too much cool like a refrigerate. Someone said that he couldn’t stand without wearing his jacket. On the other hand, we can control AC with takin care of others.
Then, it is imprtant to consider a break time as well as temperature. We can’t decide the schedule to do it, and some bus drivers take much time longer than 30 min. The situation must be hard to keep our mood as well as less break time.
Pros③Convenitnt to travel around
The second important thing is to hire a transportation to go around in Banaue. It is mandatry because most of sightseeing spots are far from the city. Hiring a tricicle, a bike attached sub seat on the side is common way on site.
However, hiring a private tricicle costs a lot, actually. It seems to be claimed approximately 3,000 pesos to go around there. We can share the fee each passenger because it is available for 3 people, but it is still big amount.
On the other hand, hiring a private van is helpful to save money to go around. We visited there with 8 members, and paid 15,000 pesos. It means 1,875 pesos each person including both the round trip and local transportation fare. It was not only more comfortable but also cheaper than bus.
Cons①Hassle to recruit members
Needless to say, a organizer has to recruit some members who join a travel plan if he wants to hire a private van. Sometimes, it is not easy to do that because of the long distance like I was.
Once, I almost gave up to organize it when some applicants changed their mind and cancel it, suddenly. In my opinion, the ban fare becomes almost same as both bus and tricicle fare, somehow you recruit 7 members.
Cons②Need to take care of the driver
When it comes to hiring a private van, the driver accompany with our group. Thus, we also have to take care of him. Given the contract with the tranportation company, what we provide to him was up to us.
We provided him a single room which one of our member canceled and breakfast on 2nd day. As a matter of fact, it was difficult for me to leave him because he must be tired to go through such a long drive. If we didn’t do that, he was supposed to stay night inside the van.
Cons③Trapped by police inspection？
On the half way of Banaue, we were trapped by police inspection. Then, they asked not only the driver but also us some questions like “Where are you from?” or “Is there a tour guide?”. It took 30 min to leave for again.
We couldn’t know what kind of violations they claimed, but our driver seemd to get ticketed for some penalty for 3,000 pesos. As a result, we didn’t need to pay additional money because of the incident, but it rarely happen when we take advantage of bus.
Afterword
That’s all about the part of my story about an access to Banaue based on my experiences. As I mentioned several times, I strongly recommend everyone to go there by a private van. Considering that efficience of time and comfortability, it is much better than other ways.
In addition, there is an advantage for our budget. According to another website I checked before, the auther mentioned that we should bring nearly 5,000 pesos. It was written after pandemic, but total amount they spent is completely different.
The total amount of ours is below.
The individual amount is more affordable than we expected. (This is a sample on May, 2024.) I realized that Banaue is adequate scale to go around for 2 days 1 night. Also, I recommend you go to Sagada if your itenerary is longer than it.
#ドタバタ旅行記フィリピン公共交通機関
— ドタバタ旅行記 (@DotabataJ99686) April 25, 2024
「バギオからバナウェ行き方」
※１ペソ=2.7円
バンか夜行バスを利用する２通りを確認(2024年4月23日時点)
［バンルート］
①バン利用=バギオ(Baguio)→ラガウェ(Lagawe)5h30m
・出発時間=7:00, 11:00, 14:00, 19:00
・乗り場(16.4180372, 120.5961104)…
Lastly, I found an information abount bus schedule which one Japanese mentioned on X(Twitter), so I posted it above. Please check the latest information by yourself because I don’t have any proof it is correct.