Top 10 Interesting Facts about Banaue Rice Terraces

Photo Source: Wikimedia

Top 10 Interesting Facts about Banaue Rice Terraces

The Banaue Rice Terraces are a National Cultural Treasure of the Philippines. They are believed to have been built 2000 years ago by the ancestors of the Igorot people and they represent the early human innovations.

Located about 1500 meters above sea level in the mountains of Banaue, Ifugao, in the Philippines, the terraces are considered to be the eighth wonder of the world by many Filipinos.

Here are the top interesting facts about the Baune rice terraces.

1. Banaue Rice Terraces were Made by Hands

photo by Agricmarketing from Wikimedia

One curious thing about the terraces that have marveled even modern engineers is how the ancient Igorot people managed to build the terraces using their bare hands. They reckon that building the terraces is a massive undertaking even with modern tools and technology.

The terraces were carved into the mountainside and span about 10,360 square km, and their total length is about 20,100 km, roughly half the Earth’s circumference.

They used stones and mud walls to construct terraces that held flooded pond fields for the cultivation of rice. They also established a water system to harvest and channel water to the terraces from the mountain forest.

2. Banaue Rice Terraces are National Cultural Treasure

The Banaue Rice Terraces are a classic representation of the Filipino people’s rich cultural history that dates back to 2000 years ago.

In 1978 The Banaue Rice Terraces were declared by the Philippine government as a National Cultural Treasure under Ifugao Rice Terraces by virtue of the Presidential Decree.

This provided for the protection and conservation of the national cultural heritage. Contrary to what many people believe, Banaue rice terraces are not on the UNESCO World Heritage List due to the several modern structures in the area.

3. Banaue Rice Terraces is an Ancient Irrigation Scheme

photo by Deanmanila from Wikimedia

The building Banaue Rice Terraces entailed the construction of walls with stones and rammed earth. It was designed to draw water from the main irrigation canal above the terrace clusters.

Indigenous rice terracing technologies have been identified with the Banaue Rice Terraces builders with their knowledge of water irrigation 2000 years ago.

4. Banaue Rice Terraces are not Part of the Rice Terraces of the Philippines Cordilleras

Apart from Banaue rice terraces; there are other five rice terraces in the province of Ifugao. They consist of The Batad Rice Terraces, Bagaan Rice Terraces, Mayoyao Rice terraces, Hungduan Rice Terraces, and Nagacadan Rices Terraces.

In 1995 all five were inscribed in the UNESCO world heritage list as the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras. They were the first-ever property to be included in the cultural landscape category of the World Heritage List.

These five rice terraces of the Cordilleras are one of the few monuments in the Philippines that show no evidence of having been influenced by colonial cultures.

The Cordillera tribes are among the few peoples of the Philippines who have successfully resisted any foreign domination and have preserved their authentic tribal culture.

5. Banaue Rice Terraces is a Tourist Attraction Site

photo by William del Rosario from Wikimedia

Aside from being Philippine’s national cultural treasure, Banaue Rice Terraces are a major tourist attraction site. Tourism has become another thriving economy in the area.

The Tourism industry has developed a number of activities for visitors which may include traditional sightseeing of the terraces and visits to the tribes at the foot of the terraces.

A visit to a local traditional Ifugao doctor to receive spiritual healing rituals is also recommended for the visitors. Thousands of local and foreign tourists flock to the area every year, to be part of this rich history.

6. Banaue Rice Terraces  are Recognised as the Eighth Wonder of the World

The Banaue rice terraces are recognized as the Eighth Wonder of the World, In the pre-1900 creations category. It is measured that if all the terraces were joined end to end, they would cover half of the world.

Eighth Wonder of the World is an unofficial title sometimes given to new buildings, structures, projects, designs, or even people that are deemed to be comparable to the seven Wonders of the World.

7. The Banaue Rice Terraces were on the Danger List until 2012

photo by Germartin1 from Wikimedia

Like many other ancient historical monuments, The Banaue rice terraces have been faced with many dangers which have threatened their own existence.

One of the major threats to the survival of the Banaue rice terraces is the negative effect of erosion on the terraces.  The gradual soil erosion requires constant reconstruction and care to stop the total collapse of the terraces.

The other threat is the abandonment of the terraces by young locals in a quest to seek better opportunities in the urban areas. This rural-urban migration results in fewer people being available to tend to the terraces.

Until 2012 the terraces were on the Danger List but were removed after the national commission for culture and the arts took over the conservation of the Terraces. The current threats to the terraces are the giant earthworm and rodents which are blamed for causing damage to the terraces.

8. The Banaue Rice Terraces are Featured in Filipino Currency

The Banaue rice terraces are a national pride for the government and the people of the Philippines. They have been declared by the Philippine government a National Cultural Treasure.

The terraces were also featured in the series of one thousand peso notes that were printed from 1992 to 2012. It was again featured in the new generation currency twenty note, printed from 2010 to 2020.

9. Festivals of Tunggul  at The Banaue Rice Terraces

The Ifugao people who are the caretakers of the Banaue rice terraces are very warm and welcoming. Their culture revolves around rice and involves an elaborate array of celebrations which they share with the visitors.

These events open an opportunity for the visitors to interact with the locals and learn more about their culture. The festivals mainly coincide with the harvest season which calls for thanksgiving feasts.

The festivities are characterized by drinking rice beers and eating rice cakes, while they entail a strict taboo on any agricultural activities.

10. How to get to The Banaue Rice Terraces

The Banaue rice terraces are located 260 kilometers away from manila the capital city of the Philippines. They are two available ways to get to Banaue rice terraces, either by air or by road.

The bus is the most commonly used mode of travel between manila and Banaue, with two bus companies operating the route. one can also hire a taxi or drive their own using the highway that connects manila and Banaue.

one can also fly from Manila to Cauayan Airport in Isabela, located some 130km east of Banaue. The flight takes only a little over an hour. But from the airport, one still needs to travel by land for 4 hours to Banaue.