Visit a rice terraces Southeast Asia

“Soon, our path through the jungle opened up to the famed rice terraces. We knew this point was coming, but our minds were still blown at the view. Our timing was perfect– the sun was due to set in an hour, so the light was golden and hazy. Deep shadows and shimmering highlights enhanced the view even further. [...] Our path was only a foot wide; it's a 15-foot drop to the next terrace, which meant lots of careful steps.”

“We picked our way along the terraces for another two hours before reaching our destination for the night: the village of Cambulo. Children and dogs greeted us as we walked past the village huts and to the guest house. We tossed down our packs and slumped down on stumps outside. A village woman showed us our "shower": a bucket of water with a scoop. We both politely declined, and drank beers outside as our sweat dried.”

“I remember feeling consistently baffled at the sheer breadth of the terraces, not to mention what an engineering feat this is. I also remember being positive that Bri and I had made the right choice in taking the long, trying bus ride north of Manila. [...] Apparently, the Batad Rice Terraces are more impressive around March (when they're a little greener), but I was in awe during my August visit. The day was primarily spent hiking around the terraces, complete with a stop (and freezing cold swim) at the Tappia Waterfalls.”