“Water is precious; it is the very source of life and a free gift from the Creator.” -Desmond M. Tutu Tappiyah Falls is a stunning, 70-meter waterfalls tucked in the mountains of Banaue. This is part of an Ifugao sojourn together with a trek to the world-renowned, amphitheatre-like Batad Rice Terraces. (FYI:  Tappiyah is a local term that translates into “splash” in English). Going to this wonder requires a walk through tortuous, precipitous and treacherous trail. It surely is not for the faint-hearted but the experience and the waterfalls ‘beauty is more than rewarding. To reach the falls, one has to pass through the verdant and stunning Batad Rice Terraces. Then, one gets to pass a landslide prone, downhill area will test your patience and endurance. Extra caution should be practiced in this slightly steep descent to the waterfalls. There is a resting area with a local selling some much needed refreshments. The rest of the trail downhill to the falls can already be easy. Batad Rice Terraces blog here at https://roamulofied.wordpress.com/2015/05/27/batad-rice-terraces/ Once you arrive, the imposing beauty of Tappiyah will mesmerize your senses. The water is extremely cold. One would surely love to take a dip to relax your tired body muscles after that long, hot walk.

How To Reach Tappiyah: Manila to Banaue: Take a 9-hr overnight Ohayami Trans bus to Banaue. It leaves at 10PM from the Ohayami station near UST (Lacson Avenue cor. Fajardo Street). The fare each way is around 500php and it gets you into Banaue at 7AM the next day Sagada to Banaue: From Sagada town, take a 40-min public jeepney ride to Bontoc for 50php. It leaves every half hour from 6:30AM until 9AM, then every hour from 9AM until 1PM. From Bontoc, ride in a van bound for Bananue for 150php. The van leaves from the tourism office three times a day at 8:30AM, 10AM, and 1PM. Travel time is around 2 hours. Banaue to Batad: Upon arrival in Banaue town, visitors are requested to register at the tourism office and pay the the environmental. You can then take a jeepney or tricycle to an area called the Saddle — the closest point to Batad village that a vehicle can go. From here, walk your way through the rice terraces until you reach the waterfalls.

Don’t be a wasted soul, be a wanderlust. Take it easy ebriwan.