#maligcong rice terraces

[hyperthalamus]

Discovering Maligcong's Gems: Hiking Mt. Kupapey, Mt. Fato and Maligcong Rice Terraces

With an upcoming overseas trip to a nearby country known for its bay filled with towering limestone karst cliffs and rice terraces (that’s the clue! 😉), I suddenly had the urge to visit the latter locally to compare the possible differences during my trip and finally fulfill my desire to see and experience the Cordillera region beyond the province of Benguet. Known for its unique culture, lush…

[youngchopshoppoetry]

The "Sea of Clouds" in Bontoc, Mountain Province, is a magical landscape where thick clouds blanket the valleys, transforming the mountain peaks into floating islands under a vast sky. At dawn, these clouds drift over the lush terraces and rugged terrain, creating a breathtaking view that seems almost otherworldly. The scene is best viewed from the highlands, such as Mount Kupapey or the Maligcong Rice Terraces, where early risers can catch the sun's first rays painting the clouds in hues of pink, gold, and lavender. As the sun rises, the mist slowly disperses, revealing the stunning landscape beneath—a serene, lush green vista that speaks to the heart of the Philippine Cordilleras. This natural marvel reflects the tranquil beauty of the region and draws hikers, photographers, and travelers alike, each seeking to experience the enchantment of standing above a sea of clouds in one of the country’s most pristine mountain provinces.

[southeastasianarchaeology]

Maligcong Rice Terraces: The Next National Cultural Treasure of the Philippines?

via Good News Pilipinas, 14 September 2023: Maligcong Rice Terraces aim for National Cultural Treasure status, a move that could secure funding and preserve their rich cultural heritage.

via Good News Pilipinas, 14 September 2023: The Maligcong Rice Terraces in the Philippines are vying for the status of National Cultural Treasure, a recognition that would provide government funding for their conservation and acknowledge their historical and cultural significance. The majestic Maligcong Rice Terraces in Bontoc, Mountain Province is eyeing the distinguished honor of becoming a…

[justinjovellanos]

Born On A Different Cloud

In the midst of summer in the Philippines, damp weather is seldom expected. But in the Cordilleras, conditions can be different from the rest of the country.

I'm no expert in weather patterns, but a heavy downpour the previous day probably soaked the air and terraces enough to allow these low-lying clouds to settle during dawn the next day.

Bontoc, Mountain Province | Philippines

Nikon D7200 AFD 50mm (Benro 10-stops + Haida NanoPro CPL)

[wingless-angel-hornless-devil]

#LagalagLife #lagalagera #Fato #MountFato #Bontoc #RiceTerraces #hiker #Mountaineer #Mountain #TravelisLife #travelph #traveler #TravelisLife #Nature #forest (at Fato Kupapey Maligcong Rice Terraces) https://www.instagram.com/p/B-YqDd2lVaj/?igshid=t8pwoga83446

[midnightblues05-blog]

Maligcong Rice Terraces, Bontoc, Mt. Province

[adrenalineromance]

Mt. Kupapey to Mt. Fato Traverse: Discovering the Gems of Maligcong

Mt. Kupapey to Mt. Fato Traverse: Discovering the Gems of Maligcong

Far away from the chaos, noise, and bustle of the city are sanctuaries of serenity, natural beauty, and simplicity. Places like these—rural towns, highland villages, farms—may be simple and even “backward” in the eyes of city dwellers. But it is through these humble places where you learn the most important things in life such as simple joys, peace of mind, respect for Mother Nature, and…

[wandergirl]

Recent hike, Mt. Kupapey feat. Maligcong rice terraces.

Fortunate to witness the sea of clouds here 🥰

[onesteptrekkers]

Maligcong Twin Hike

MT. FATO & MT. KUPAPEY

Location: Bontoc, Mountain Province

Features:

🌿 Majestic Maligcong Rice Terraces

🌿 Sea of Clouds at Mt. Kupapey summit (seasonal)

🌿 Rock formations at Mt. Fato summit

🌿 Friendly and Cute Guide dogs

🌿 Scenic trails covered with rich Fauna and Pine trees

🌿 Fascinating bonfire and picnic spot

You can experience this for only:

3599 php/head

Package Inclusions

Round trip AC Van transfers (MNL-Bontoc-MNL)

Diesel and toll fees

1 night Homestay accommodation

Registration and Guide fees

3 full board meals

Wood for bonfire

Coffee and snacks for picnic

OST Staff service fee

For further inquiries, send us a message: m.me/2367177550221206

Facebook: One Step Trekkers

Instagram: @onesteptrekkers

Tiktok: @onesteptrekkers

Email: onesteptrekkers@yahoo.com

Mobile: +639052815228

[katchalater]

Are we there yet? 🥺⁣ ⁣ @kareenbsatorre's goal is to visit all rice terraces in Banaue. Hopefully when the pandemic is over, I will "revenge travel" all the places in my list--including Maligcong Rice Terraces. ⁣ ⁣ #travelstory #travelscape #traveltheworld #riceterraces #Batad #Cordillera (at Batad Rice Terraces) https://www.instagram.com/p/CTrL7oZpEpk/?utm_medium=tumblr

[jasfhercallejo]

Recently, adventure enthusiasts have been flocking this once sleepy town of Bontoc for its cool sweater-weather, untouched rice terraces, and mist-laden mountain viewpoints. It is more than 400 kilometers away from Manila and getting there requires a combination of bus and jeepney rides, either through Banaue or Baguio City. Getting there from Baguio means taking a scenic road trip at the Halsema Highway across the Cordillera Central range. The long and winding roads gave me a glimpse of the pristine countryside of mountains covered in fog and sparkling rapids tracing down their way to the valleys. Greens neatly lined in plots and wild flowers perched on the rocky slopes of the mountains. It was like that for about hours.

To  travelers looking for a low-paced lifestyle, this town is quite easy to call home. The weather was pleasantly cold. It was clean and quiet. Being the capital of the Mountain Province, the town is a busy area for trade. In the public market, we had a taste of their kapeng barako, delicious carioca, and glutinous rice in tapuy (rice wine) for dessert. We had our lunch in food hubs that are literally beneath the ground, which only entrance is a narrow pathway through a small opening. Talk about a “hole in the wall” kind of dining experience!

We stayed at Ate Vilma’s Homestay which started operation just January of 2016. This quaint two-storey house is conveniently located right before the Favuyan turning point in Maligcong, a few steps away from the jump off point going to the rice terraces and Mt. Kufafey. Ate Vilma's brother, Jonathan, was our guide for the hike. He shared a lot of stories, and even pointed to us the places where the rain dance is usually held.

After dinner prepared by Ate Vilma, we decided to have some drinks and fun games for us to know each other. We bought bottles of Bugnay (a brand of local rice wine) and some cheap brandy to push our bonding moment further. Deeper in the night, we were already laughing at each other’s drunk story telling, and were singing our hearts out.

It was impromptu, unrehearsed, and raw, and it sounded wonderful.

We were pretty early at the summit at 5AM, and it was freezing at 13 degrees, that’s why our guide decided to light a bonfire for us. Aside from our group who braved the cold, a few dogs also hiked with us. They are either dogs of the guide or dogs of the homestay. It was 6AM and the rain started to slowly pour, and the sunrise was nowhere to be seen. Unfortunately, there was no clearing and we only saw a glimpse of the rice terraces from the summit of Mt. Kupapey. 

One could take a detour to take the trail on the descent to pass by the rice paddies. So if the view of the terraces from the summit is obstructed by the sea of clouds (or in our case, no visible terraces is seen from the summit), hikers can still have an overlooking view by taking a detour from the backtrail. 

The rice terraces are best viewed from the two vantage points – Mount Fato and Mount Kufafey. The hike to Mount Kupapey is usually at sunrise and takes about forty five minutes, one way, through concrete stairs and uphill dirt trails. Mount Fato, on the other hand, is usually hiked during sunsets. The trek is slightly more challenging but takes about the same time as Kupapey.

From the get-go, I can see that Bontoc’s rice terraces are far more untouched by civilization than its Ifugao counterparts. There are hardly any built structures around it, albeit the terraces is on a lesser scale, at least.

Planting season has barely begun. The paddies are filled with gray, lifeless water, in total contrast to when these mountain fields would be filled with verdant rice saplings as they start to grow, or even golden fields when it’s almost harvest time.I was told that Maligcong Rice Terraces has only one season for harvesting. Planting starts in March, with the seeds growing into a lush field by April to May. By August, everything turns golden as the rice becomes ready for harvesting. Unfortunately, we visited during its barest. But to say the least, seeing the terraces was a feast to the eyes. This experience is a balm to the spirit.

Having not seen the terraces in its greeny glory, I now have a reason definitely come back.

[lifeunscriptedbylawrence]

Maligcong Rice Terraces as seen from the summit of Mt. Kofafey, Maligcong, Bontoc, Mountain Province, Philippines. 2017. #photographersontumblr #originalphotographers #lensblur #landscape #blackandwhite #monochrome #vsco #vscocam #mobilephotography #GalaxyS8

[justinjovellanos]

The Morning After

Bontoc, Mountain Province | Philippines

Nikon D7200 HSM 10-20mm

[wingless-angel-hornless-devil]

#LagalagLife #lagalagera #Fato #MountFato #Bontoc #RiceTerraces #hiker #Mountaineer #Mountain #TravelisLife #travelph #traveler #TravelisLife #Nature #forest (at Fato Kupapey Maligcong Rice Terraces) https://www.instagram.com/p/B-Yp7bYlDS6/?igshid=13588ec5meip8

[xyzrel]

Maligcong Rice Terraces #traillove #huaweimobilephotography (at Maligcong Bontoc Mt.Province) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bymo4BNHjEC/?igshid=72iauev63wm2

[ptpc2-blog]

Bontoc

Every year, I look forward to the month of January to visit my home province in the northern part of the Philippines. I make it a point to block some time off from work and head over to the place where my childhood and present memories mix. The place is called Bontoc, the capital of Mountain Province. Bontoc is about a 10-hour drive or 400 kilometers away from Manila, the country’s capital where I also work. If via public transport, it’s about 12 hours of drive via expressways, municipal roads, and sharp zigzags which may cause motion sickness for those not used to this kind of land trip. But upon reaching the place, the long drive is all worth it. There are so many places to visit my hometown which makes my annual sabbatical always exciting. The weather is cooler since it’s situated in a mountainous region. During the months of December to February, the temperature range may be from 8 degrees to 21 degrees Celsius. It may get warmer to as high as 30 degrees Celsius as soon as the months of March to May set in. While in Bontoc, it never fails that I always meet tourists from different countries who are mostly going to the place called Sagada. It offers several off-beaten tourist attractions that are not as famous as other known areas in the country but will still provide those awe moments. Consider this list that I am most proud of since they are located in our province and for those who want a different adventure: Hiking at Echo Valley going to the Hanging Coffins Spelunking at Sumaguing and Lumiang caves Hike and sea of clouds view at Marlboro Hills and Blue Soil trail Kiltepan trail and sunrise viewpoint (sea of clouds view) Rice terraces such as Maligcong and Banga-an Waterfalls of Bomod-ok, Pongas, and Bokong Sunset view at Lake Danum Bontoc Museum The hanging coffins may make any tourist wonder why our ancestors do such rituals. It’s a very unusual way of sending off our departed relatives instead of 6-feet under. It’s a form of respect for our tribal elders and also a practical way to protect their resting places from wild animals and human poachers. As for the viewpoints, these places always make me appreciate the natural wonders that are bestowed to my hometown. We probably sometimes take the occurrence of sunrise and sunset for granted but surreal views of these daily phenomena make me appreciate each day I am given. As for food, Bontoc offers local delicacies such as rice cakes (patupat), cakes, meat stews such as adobo, and their famous Sagada coffee (both Robusta or Arabica). A trip to Sagada will not be complete if I don’t visit these restaurants: Gaia Café & Crafts Bana’s Restaurant Strawberry Café Sagada Brew Sagada Lemon Pie House I particularly like the lemon pie since it goes very well with the Sagada coffee. A trip to Gaia doesn’t only fill my tummy but it provides me a chance to look at the local crafts they are consistently producing. These places also serve mountain tea, a unique form of drink that is both healthy and refreshing. Don’t expect any hotel-like 5-star ambiance from these restaurants. They’re simple and quaint but full of rustic feel. It will make you feel that you are a local resident. Each year, I look forward to returning to this place which is my first love. As they say, home is always where the heart is. Read the full article