“Water is precious; it is the very source of life and a free gift from the Creator.” -Desmond M. Tutu

Banaue, Ifugao, Philippines — The mountainous town of Banaue in the Philippines is world-renowned becaude of the man-made Banaue Rice Terraces, considered by many as the 8th natural wonder. But beyond this ultimate attraction are more natural sites that are equally captivating.

And it isn’t surprising that Banaue also is home to wonderful waterfalls like the Chapah and Tappiyah Falls.

Chapah waterfall (also Chappa) is located in Barangay Bocos and can be accessed from the frequented Banaue Rice Terraces virwpoint. From there, one would have a chance to see the panoramic view of the town proper and a surreal experience of walking through the famed rice paddies. This can be reached through trekking of about 1 hour.

The trek will let one walk through irrigation canals that serve as waterways to the man-made wonders. The rice terraces itself serve as walkway to the waterfall. My friends and I traversed the one-foot path while enjoying the view of fog-kissed mountains. We were still several meters away but we could already hear the falls’ cascade. Chappa Falls drop to a series of huge rocks and goes into a shallow catch basin that flows into the nearby rice terraces within the area.

Tappiyah Falls, in the otherhand, 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.

These waterfalls, Chapah and Tappiyah Falls, are essential natural wonders that continuously play a a role in the creation of the rice terraces so we have to take care of them by simply keeping them clean. Don’t be a wasted soul, be a wanderlust. Take it easy ebriwan.