🏞️ Besao
Nestled high in the cool embrace of the Cordillera mountains, Besao, Mountain Province is a hidden gem that feels like stepping into a living museum of indigenous culture, untouched nature, and spiritual charm. It’s not just a place to visit, it’s a soulful experience wrapped in pine-scented breezes and age-old traditions.
🗺️ Where History Meets Nature
Besao is known for its ancestral terraces, similar in grandeur to the world-famous Banaue Rice Terraces, yet quieter and more mystical. The town is home to Mount Pokis, a spiritual site often shrouded in fog, perfect for hikers seeking peace and panoramic views. Wander around Lake Danum, where sunsets blaze gold against still waters, or walk through Kin-iway, the old barangay rich in stone pathways, echoing centuries of indigenous wisdom.
🧙♂️ Culture Carved in Time
This town beats to the rhythm of Kankana-ey culture, one of the richest indigenous traditions in the Philippines. Locals preserve oral epics, tribal rituals, and communal decision-making systems like the dap-ay, a stone circle where elders gather. You’ll witness old-style architecture, stone walls, and native wood carvings that whisper legends of spirits and ancestors.
🗣️ Language of the Ancients
People of Besao proudly speak Kankana-ey, a melodic language filled with metaphor and respect. While many also speak Ilocano, Filipino, and English, it’s the native tongue that carries the soul of the town. Don’t be shy to learn a few words, it’ll earn you warm smiles and deeper connections.
🍠 Food from the Heart of the Highlands
Taste the bounty of the mountains! Besao’s cuisine includes pinikpikan (a ritual chicken dish), etag (salted smoked pork), and sweet native delicacies made from sticky rice and coconut. Locally-grown camote, gabi, and mountain vegetables fill the tables of every household, fresh from terrace farms.
🎉 Festivals That Unite Generations
The Begnas Festival is the heartbeat of Besao, a vibrant, sacred celebration of harvest, unity, and spiritual cleansing. Here, locals dress in traditional woven garments, chant ancient prayers, dance the tayaw, and offer rice wine to the spirits. It’s not just colorful, it’s deeply meaningful and mesmerizing to witness.
🎶 Sounds of the Soul
Besao’s music is anchored in the gangsa (gongs), native flutes, and vocal chants that reflect their connection to nature and ancestry. The tayaw dance and banga performances showcase their elegance, strength, and harmony as a people. Every beat tells a story.
🌄 What Besao is Known For
- Ancestral rice terraces
- Spiritual mountains and sacred grounds
- Indigenous Kankana-ey culture
- The dap-ay (council circle) tradition
- Scenic Lake Danum sunsets
- Mystical and peaceful highland lifestyle
