Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
over the terraces. There's a good restaurant serving a
variety of international dishes including freshly
baked
pita
bread, Israeli
shakshuka
(P75) and pizza (P100).
P500
most hikers stop off for the night on the way back to
Banaue. Rooms are basic and spartan, with cold showers
- you can ask the staff to boil some hot water for you.
You can also overnight in traditional huts that sleep four
to six people
(P600
). The restaurant serves simple Filipino
dishes (P90).
P400
BANGA
AN
Banga-an Family Inn & Canteen
T
0909 101 9068.
Overlooking the village from the highway, this is where
Pula and Cambulo
From the Banaue Awan-Igid viewpoint, 9km outside Banaue, you can trek east through
fields and terraces to the villages of
PULA
and
CAMBULO
. There are some unforgettable
sights along this route, including waterfalls, steep gorges and a hanging bridge near
Pula that requires a bit of nerve to cross. The journey from Banaue viewpoint to Pula
takes about four hours, and from Pula to Cambulo it's another two hours. You can
camp or spend the night at one of the small
inns
or homestays in Cambulo. From here
it's two hours to Batad, from where you can walk up to Batad Saddle and hop on a
jeepney back to your hotel.
Pula is also the start of a hike up
Mount Amuyao
(2702m), a full day's walk and not
something to be attempted without a guide and plenty of stamina. You'll need to sleep
at the top and return next day, or you can continue on to Barlig (see p.171) and
eventually Bontoc.
3
ACCOMMODATION
PULA AND CAMBULO
Cambulo Guesthouse
Cambulo.
This family-run place
offers a selection of basic rooms with communal bath (cold
showers only). The owners can rustle up a few d
ishes
such
as pancakes, omelettes and rice and vegetables.
P500
Hapao and Hungduan
The rice terraces in the barangay of
HAPAO
, around 16km from Banaue, are
spectacular. Hapao has a couple of homestays and is home to the
Hapao hot springs
,
where you can take a dip in two natural pools. Further on, the small town of
HUNGDUAN
, less than 10km from Banaue as the crow flies but reached by a protracted
looped road, is the location of the
Bacung spider web terraces
, at their best in April and
May. The trip is well worth it, and you can overnight in the town itself. Hungduan is
also the start of a hike up
Mount Napulawan
(2600m) for which you will need a guide.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION
HAPAO AND HUNGDUAN
By jeepney
Jeepneys from Banaue run to Hapao (every
30min noon-6pm; 1hr; P25) and Hungduan (every 30min
noon-6pm; 1hr 30min; P37).
By tricycle
You can travel by tricycle from Banaue to
Hapao (1hr; P400) and Hungduan (1hr 30min; P750).
Guides
It is possible to organize guides to both Hapao and
Hungduan at the tourist information point at Bokikwan
on the way to Hapao; this is where all visitors must register
and pay an environmental fee of P20.
ACCOMMODATION
Base Camp
Hapao
T
0935 292 2982,
E
guitrek_v
@hotmail.com.
A pleasant place to stay with just two
native huts with communal bathrooms. Guests are
encouraged to have a go at pounding rice with pestle and
mortar before consuming the finished produ
ct. You
can
also plant rice with the locals in harvest season.
P500
Coop Lodge
Hungduan.
In a building with a sari-sari
store selling snacks and other basic necessities, this
simple lodge is popular among climbers heading to Mount
Napulawan who overnight here before leaving at sunrise
or on their way b
ack to
Banaue. Staff can heat up hot water
for a quick wash.
P500
Mayoyao
Home to some beautiful UNESCO rice terraces,
MAYOYAO
is rarely visited due to
the poor road condition, although it's well worth taking the time to travel here. The
terraces are punctuated by distinctive pyramid-roofed local houses, and by stone
