A place in my heart competition winner

©Hamish Smith

Hamish Smith, A place in my heart competition winner

Where? Batad, the Philippines

Why? Few people will ever go. It is a nine hour bus journey from Manila, two hour jeep ride then a two hour jungle trek. The 'Stairways to Heaven', as it is sometimes referred, are rice terraces carved from the mountainside more than 2000 years ago by the Ifuago tribesmen. They were created using primitive tools but with an understanding of irrigation that was way ahead of their time. Laid out flat, the rice terraces would stretch out more than 12,000 miles, end to end. This engineering feat makes Batad one of the man made must-sees of the world. For now, the rice terraces of Batad are overshadowed by the internationally celebrated Inca trail and Egyptian Pyramids. With better PR and improved access though, this millennium-old phenomenon would rank among the world’s most eminent sights.

Where would you stay? Our guest house Rosasna's afforded us meagre comforts; it was equipped with a bed, four walls and a ceiling. This of course was of little worry as the view provided an uninterrupted panorama of Batad's ancient amphitheatre-like rice terraces. In Batad, there are no complexes, hotels or motels - only rustic, hillside perches that offer you what you need: a place to sleep. We even got to meet Rosanna - a hunched woman in her 80s. After a 12 hour shift on the rice terraces she sat down with her four guests and spoke of her life and her toils. A charming lady; it struck me that our lives couldn't have been more different.

Best meal? The food was not the reason we were there, but Rosanna's granddaughter cooked a mean vegetable fried rice. Chicken is possible but it does mean condemning one of the egg layers that strut around the grounds. I couldn't have watched one of the family pets being slaughtered on a whim.

Best way to spend an hour? Take a guide (ours was Gilbert), and trek through the rice terraces to Tapplya Waterfall, an 82-foot towering sight that harnesses enough energy to create large swirling waves that crash around in its considerable gorge. It may be slightly more than an hour to make it there and back, but who's counting?

Top tips? The Philippines is not on the British tourist trail, but it offers unimaginable beauty and should be considered the number one tropical paradise. After all Alex Garland's 'The Beach' was not based on Thailand, that's right... the Philippines. The most important tip is: don't be scared to rough it. Some of the best sights are not complemented by 5-star facilities. Don't let a penchant for Jacuzzis and complimentary bottles of shampoo cause you to miss out.

Comments

[Davey]

Hmmm, a colleague married a Philipina and knows all the ropes. Beware of taxis with trap door boots (trunks) that drop your luggage for accomplices to collect. Also never accept oranges, bananas etc from strangers on public transport as sometimes these have been injected with tranquiliser. As soon as one nods-off to sleep ones wallet and passport will disappear! Travel broadens the mind but empties one's wallet!