March 1, 2011, 1:33am
www.wonderful-asia.blogspot.com
MANILA, Philippines – Despite concerns about the threats to the pristine natural features of the Banaue rice terraces and the Sagada village in the Mountain Province, their enduring beauty remains a tourism allure, prodding travel firms to continue packaging special tours to these historical and world heritage sites at attractive rates.
Among such irresistible tourism packages is the one being offered for only R15,088 net per person based on twin-sharing hotel accommodations.
“This tour puts both the Banaue rice terraces and the Sagada in one package, all in a 4 days-3nights tour program that runs from Thursday to Sunday up to March 31,” said travel entrepreneur and event creator Angel Ramos Bognot.
“The package includes room accommodations at Banaue Hotel, daily breakfast, air-conditioned private transportation from Manila to Banaue and back, sightseeing tours to the viewpoint and the picturesque villages of Banga-an, Bontoc and the Sagada cave exploration, and the services of an English-speaking tour guide,” Bognot pointed out.
The excitement begins at 7 a.m. with a 10-hour trip from Manila to Banaue, passing by the landlocked evergreen provinces of Nueva Ecija and Nueva Vizcaya where breathtaking scenery unfolds all the way up to the Ifugao Province.
Tour participants arrive at 5:30 p.m. at the Banaue Hotel, itself immersed in the majestic splendor of the rice terraces pervading the view from the hotel’s rooms, making one feel nestled in the slopes of the mountain that appears like a gigantic stairway to heaven. Banaue Hotel is operated by the government’s new Tourism Infrastructure & Enterprise Zone Authority headed by former Pampanga Governor Mark Lapid as chief operating officer.
After breakfast at the hotel the following day, tourists depart onboard a jeepney for a tour of the rice terraces and its nearby villages, including Banga-an, where a 20-minute walk down a trail gives a closer look of the Ifugao community and the colorful and well-preserved native culture.
Lunch at a local restaurant energizes the tourists for a long and rugged trip to a 2,000-year-old mountain destination dubbed the “8th Wonder of the World,” depicting how the Ifugaos carved the terraces with their hands for 5,000 years.
The trip to the remote town of Sagada starts after breakfast on the third day, featuring an ancient cave with stalagmites and stalactites and other natural formations. Along the way can be viewed mineral-rich water flowing from the mountains that usher in a cultural surprise – the hanging coffins. From here, the tourists proceed to the Bontoc Museum for a glimpse of the natives’ history and their story of survival.
The Banaue-Sagada Tour was launched during the inauguration of the new corporate address of Afro Asian Travel & Tours last January 20, with Tourism Undersecretary for Planning and Promotions Daniel G. Corpuz, PAL president Jimmy Bautista, Laguna Rep. Timmy Chipeco, Tourism Assistant Secretary for Promotions Chicoy Enerio, and Latvia Consul Bobby Joseph as sponsors.
“This tour never ceases to unlock the mysteries of our tribal ancestors in the North, whose amazing work of art encompasses a whole mountain and showcases a cultural masterpiece that deserves the awe and admiration of the entire human race. Packaging this tour, therefore, constitutes a tribute to our predecessors and a gift to the current generation and the many generations to come,” Bognot said.
For reservations, interested parties may contact Afro Asian Travel (+632 5237501/5237504, or email afroasiantvl@yahoo.com), whose office is located at the 2nd Floor of the Z&N Apartelle (Hizon’s Bldg) 545 Arquiza St. corner Bocobo St., Ermita, Manila.
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