Banaue Rice Terraces

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Banaue Rice Terraces

The Banaue Rice Terraces are a unique natural site of the work of the human hand. When you see those stairs carved in the mountain, you will hardly believe they are hand made by stone, because there the panorama is stunning with the size and beauty. Many call these steps the eighth wonder of the world, however, the place is part of world cultural of UNESCO.

The Banaue Rice Terraces are located in Kambulo mountain in north of the island of Luzon in the Philippines. This hilly area in the province is up to 1500 m altitude, and the landscape around the rice fields is dominated by rocky peaks and dense tropical rain forests. Namely, they serve as natural irrigation systems to the lush mountain terraces where vegetables are grown.

Built 2000 years ago by residents of the nearby town of Batad, rice plants are still operating to this day and serve to feed the local population. Although the top soil is no longer so rich in minerals, as in the past, residents in this part of the Philippines continue to grow in them except rice several other types of vegetables. The soil management and crop management became established many centuries ago and has remained unchanged methods in agriculture.

This picturesque area covers an area of 10, 500 square kilometers and is a popular tourist destination. For the purpose of hiking here there were built several tourist routes, which can traverse and address this area, which in itself is a genius of engineering thoughts. There are also about four more smaller plantations. The tiers and terraces of Batad and Mayoyao are also quite attractive, but they are grown with white and red rice and have been fenced with stone wall terraces since 650 BC.

Local residents are particularly interesting for the culture and traditions that date back thousands of years. There are customs after a stranger dies, the body is suspended in front of the house for three days in order to understand all his neighbors that one has been received in the afterlife. After the third day the bones of the carcass is placed under the roof of ones house, it is believed that one will protect ones entire family.

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