Tapiy-ya Falls 8th Wonder Batad Ifugao Philippines

Here's where we left off and the concluding part 2/2 of Tapiy-ya Falls. Here we see tourists carrying their handmade wooden poles used for walking, support and balance (a very essential utility for trekking down/up Batad Rice Terraces/Tapiy-ya Falls) going down to the waterfalls area. I highly suggest that once you arrive at Poblacion, Ifugao or at Batad, Saddle Point, you get a hold of one. Alternatively, you can purchase online a monopod.

By the way, for first-time readers of this blog series, let me teleport you to the following blogs links below (following top to bottom order prerequisites):

• The Unconventional Guide to the 8th Wonder of the World;


• Travel Destination 8th Wonder Batad Rice Terraces Ifugao Philippines A Day in A Life;
   
• Travel Destination 8th Wonder One Batad Rice Terraces Morning; and


• 8th Wonder Tapiy-ya Falls Experience the Philippines

Long Exposure photography or slow-shutter photography (e.g., water, clouds, etc.,) involves using a long-duration shutter speed to sharply capture the stationary elements of images while blurring, smearing, or obscuring the moving elements. To achieve this, one has to be properly equipped with basic photography gear. 

A sturdy, lightweight aluminum alloy entry level tripod will be an ideal investment. It can handle a DSLR weighing 35.140 oz. (996.2g), measured with battery, a CF card, and an SD card.plus a 24-70mm lens approximately weighing 31.7 oz. (900g). This entry-level tripod will be more able to more than handle mirrorless cameras and lens combo.

Long exposure photography also requires photographic filters which are compatible with your camera brand/model.

It's a real challenge to shoot long exposure photography at Tapiy-ya Falls due to water mist build up which causes external lens fogging thus, I have to wipe/cover the lens after every shot. 

I asked my local guide to go ahead whilst I pause to capture this "mountain face" as a sudden drop in the weather's temperature got me to put on my mountain jacket. It was getting cold as the clouds are showing their heavy dark posture. 

Never underestimate local guides as my Batad local guide sports the latest Windows Mobile phone. 

Oops, by the way, there is no Wi-Fi/internet access in Batad proper. You'll be lucky to get even a mobile phone signal so, just use your mobile phone/tablet to photo document just in case you forget to bring your camera.

Whilst heading back up, my local guide and I stopped by at a convenience store we call "sari-sari store". Pictured here is Batad Tapiy-ya's version of a Seven Eleven. Here we find a woman with her child who sells various beverages, snacks, sundry items to visitors/tourists/backpackers, etc., incoming (going down to) and outgoing (going up from) Tapiy-yah Falls  In my humble opinion this short stop-over is likened to an oasis in a desert, a timely pit stop to refresh during an F1 race, a perfect spot for the tired, thirsty and weary traveller. Heaven!

My guide called my attention and asked me do you hear that? I said yes, what is that disturbing sound. My guide replied that's rolling/falling rock boulders. I imagined giant bowling bowls rolling down the mountain with a fast speed hitting tree foliage along its rampaging free fall and stopping to a thunderous halt when it reaches the mountain's base. My guide added that these rock fall events happen esp. during rainfall (light/heavy). It was good we made it to a safe part of the back portion of Batad Rice Terraces. My guide cautions trekkers to always seek the assistance of a local guide as they are more knowledgeable of the conditions of Batad. Trekking without a guide in Batad is like playing Russian roulette with your life.

Here's a short video I took. 

It's amazing to see the amphitheater like 2,000-year-old hand made rice terraces without the intervention of any modern machinery. 

I spotted a Local Batad boy walking at the Batad Rice Terraces carrying a guava. He knows that the rain is about to come and he heads back home.

Here's a cropped and closer view. He's totally unaware that he is the "main star" of this shoot.  

My guide said, He's actually midway and close to where he lives amongst those cluster of houses. What is unique in the Cordillera Administrative Region is cluster communities due to the terrain/topography. In my humble opinion, ethno-indigenous folks have more common sense in rural planning/development handed by their forefathers rather than modern urban schooled planners.  

Out in the middle of the Batad Rice Terraces what you'll just hear is the water irrigation flow, the wind passing you, cicadas, cricket harmonies. So laid back that time just seem to stand still. We're near the cluster of huts hopefully in time before the rain starts pouring. 

We approach and get near the community home cluster of Batad Rice Terraces. 

A very peaceful Batad community. Definitely no karaoke music here.

As we head back to the inn ... Mother Nature showers its blessings in the form of light drizzle and that wraps up our Tappiy-ya Falls adventure.