After four months travelling mainly in the land by bus, train and discover more and more beautiful places, it is time for the chickens to start the ISLANDS SEASON!!!!
We hope this part of our trip will delight you as much as us and get ready because we plan to show you dreamy landscapes!
The divine rice paddies of Banaue
To begin our journey in the Philippines, we were keen on seeing the rice paddies of Banaue and Batad, situated north of Manila. Our friends from Toulouse came to share a little stage around the world for a fortnight. So we switch to vacation mode during this world tour (yes we are funny).
After an endless wait of our friends at the airport, we wander a little during a day in the streets of Manila, a city that is not very interesting but where people are smiling and kind. We already feel the Filipino heat, and moreover we see that we do not feel at all in Asia anymore. A fine mix of culture between South America and the United States is present. The Filipinos are much more at ease with Westerners, and much more liberated on naughty jokes which offer us an immediate change of scenery.
At night, we are heading north of the island by night bus, to the delight of our jet lag friends, to discover the beautiful rice paddies of Banaue and Batad.
This trip is particularly appreciated by our little French touring band who discovers then the joys of travelling in Asia (cold polar, comfort seats or almost, incessant stops, crowded bus) and so on. However, they had been well informed and equipped accordingly.
As lucky as we are, the timing is impeccable as we fall in the middle of the Imbayah festival in Banaue. Festival that will prove to be as interesting as the white pigeon festival in Rennes (I specify that this festival exists) due to a misunderstanding on the program festivities! Activities of interest having been celebrated the day before.
Our arrival in Banaue is under the Filipino heat, and by the rather disappointing festival we decide to take directly the direction of Batad in a Jeepney. The jeepney is a big jeep that can accommodate two full Filipino families and which are especially pimped as ever! Since we only have one life, we naturally travel to the roof of the jeepney. The magnificent view of the landscapes offered to us requires us to (for our mom, yes the world trip is a bit adventurous too!).
The arrival in Batad is done by a sumptuous road in a green nature then by a hiking path by foot extending the road that does not loosen the village. It is this difficulty of access which makes this place still preserved from mass tourism and leaves you without voice during its discovery.
Indeed, when we arrived at the top of the village and what a beauty strikes us in front of this village landlocked in these 500 years old green ricefields with this feeling of being lucky to be able to contemplate this panorama at the end of the world. To get to our base camp, we must go down to the heart of the village at the bottom of the valley through giant staircases and the edges of paddy fields. A real little obstacle course with our bags, in an overwhelming heat.
We will reside for three days in traditional houses in the heart of the valley of the village of Batad. On the program, discover the surrounding waterfall also by stairs that will be our main activity during this stage. Sporty hike with our host to discover the village of Cambulo 3 hours walk away. Our guide will be impeccable on the timing to find us a shelter during the small episodes of tropical rains, and we will forget the difficulty of walking by his kindness and his smile. When we arrive in Cambulo we take the time for a well deserved swim in a river with half of the children of the village. Then the return to our camp will be more tonic, because to return before dark we need only 1h30 to regain Batad (yes we have a little drag on the go, but the chickens with their friends are growing wings!).
Finally, to recover from our emotions our merry group will have a massage each by the women of the village. Another local massage tested, it looks more like a rugby massage at the end of a game but will be beneficial to be sure to renew the effort the next day.
After really enjoying our nest and this magical place, the return to Banaue is done in the rain to vary the pleasures and take a night bus to Manila, a step eagerly awaited by our friends!
Turtles on the left, sardines on the right, that’s Moalboal
The trip, as it is often the case in the Philippines, is quite long because we use night bus, plane, mini van before arriving at our final destination Moalboal.
The first day is not without surprise because instead of our afternoon beach so desired, we will experience scooter adventure! Indeed, our friend Jessica or Jean-Michel Driver in search of strong sensations decides to try the scooter for the first time. This trial will undoubtedly be a failure since she will end up in the barbed wire of the neighboring field and will allow Audrey to test the completeness of her first aid kit and genetic skills as a nurse. Mom, be reassured, the next generation is here, the sterile-strips will be put with a mixed brio but the care will be of quality and the first aid kit totally suited! We could also test the medical infrastructure of the island, fans of Grey’s anatomy abstain!
Fortunately Moalboal doesn’t have only stunts to offer us. Except for our poor Jessica who must rest (but be reassured she is well now), we start looking for the impressive schoals of sardines and the turtles of Moalboal. A first magical discovery of the Philippine seabed as rich as expected. Our friends Jp will be delighted with his long face to face with turtles!
The next day, or rather named between us the international day of the loose in second position after the day trip of 24h and fall to scooter also holds all these promises. Indeed, the initial idea is to discover the waterfalls of Kawasan as well as the paradise beach of Lomboc. However, the weather decides otherwise, and the waterspout on our scooter will not tell us the opposite.
Cebu will have been full of surprises, good and bad, so it’s time to explore a second island, Bohol. But this is for the next articles of the chickens!
See you soon,
Audrey & Ben