Stories of Places, People and Photography in the Philippines and Beyond
Venture deeper into the heart of Ifugao province and discover the magic of Mayoyao municipality. Immerse yourself in the beauty of mesmerizing rice terraces, enchanting waterfalls, and the rich cultural heritage of the e-Majawjaw, people of Mayoyao, still deeply rooted in their traditions.
Going on a picturesque 5 km journey along a winding mountain road led us to the enchanting Tenogtog Waterfalls, tucked in barangay Mapawoy, within the charming municipality of Mayoyao, in the scenic province of Ifugao. Our guide for the Mayoyao rice terraces trek, Leandro Elahe, enlightened us that “Tenogtog” in the local dialect means “chopped,” harking back to a time when early Mayoyao hunters would gather at this very spot to prepare and distribute their game among comrades.
Aside from the majestic Mayoyao Rice Terraces, Mayoyao municipality also boasts some enchanting waterfalls steeped in local legends. One of them is the A’pfaw Mahencha Falls in Barangay Chumang. One morning, I, along with my media companions, Tourism Promotions Board, and Shroff Travel, set off on a 5–6km ride up to an overlooking Khohang Garden and Viewpoint for a picnic breakfast. The garden serves as a gateway to the falls concealed within the lush forest of Mayoyao.
The Ifugao Province is blessed with a culturally rich landscape, boasting five clusters of rice terraces inscribed under the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1995 as Living Cultural Landscapes. These include the Batad and Baangaan Terraces in Banaue, the Mayoyao Rice Terraces, the Hungduan Rice Terraces, and the Nagacadan Rice Terraces in Kiangan. Among these, the Mayoyao Rice Terraces stand out for their exceptional preservation, owing to their remote location, resulting in minimal tourist activity and thus, reduced environmental impact. My long-awaited journey to Mayoyao was made possible thanks to the Tourism Promotions Board, as we joined their Community-Based Tourism workshops in Mayoyao.
It was three days and 2 nights at the cool highlands of Ifugao. It was a mini Photo Adventure with the small number but we did give out what we promised which is adventure, immersion and tons of photographic opportunities. This was our first Backpack Photography for the year and we’re cooking something up for the last quarter of the year. In the meantime here’s our itinerary for the Banaue Photo Adventure last May and I’ve also added some Ifugao posts from previous weeks.
Not many people really stay in Bangaan as it’s a place that’s either far or in between. The rice terraces of Batad usually overshadows that of Bangaan by coming in first geographically and If you are headed to Mayoayao, it’s a place you usually pass by on the road. But how did I came about it? Well you could say early in my traveling sojourns, I was with a bunch of crazy travelers with sadistic humor and chose to torture us then, newbie hikers, by going to a longer back trail route to Bangaan from Batad. But seriously, we were just yearning for more adventure then and took an off-the-beaten trail which promises a much rewarding experience.
It’s such a sheer delight to open our doors and be greeted by the morning scenery of Batad Rice Terraces and the surrounding mountains. Waking up was effortless, but seeing the warm-lit clouds like a painted sky above the mountain skyline put each of our initial plans to wash up when we got out of bed to a halt and quickly grab our cameras instead to capture what’s left of this sweeping light. Having woken up several times in this place, it’s a rare moment for me to see the sky lit up like this.
