Tourists who visited Ifugao tried firsthand experience working in paddy field

Photo Courtesy || Elvis Dumaniw

Cordillera - It is likely that sinking the feet and hands in knee-deep mud in a rice field is probably not every tourist's idea of fun, and of course, it is certainly not what is included in their itinerary. 

But this group of tourists who visited Ifugao in  the Northern Philippines grabbed the unique opportunity to experience being a rice farmer for the day - and they enjoyed getting covered in mud. 

In a Facebook post uploaded by Elvis Dumawol, the tourists can be seen enjoying their first-hand experience working in a real paddy field. 

Photo Courtesy || Elvis Dumaliw

Their task was to pave the edge of the rice field with mud all by their bare feet and hands just as the local farmers are doing before the planting season.

Most Ifugao farmers would welcome visitors to come out in their field to find out what they are doing. For a bonus, they even allow those who are interested to get out and try to be a rice farmer for a day. 

Rice cultivation is not an everyday affair and it's a labor intensive work starting from preparing the fields, to planting the seedling, then sitting around while it grows and then another session of busy work at harvest time. 

Certainly, by the end of their experience, they will no doubt be muddy, but also have experienced one of the most fantastic and unforgettable moments when they visited Ifugao. 

Cordillera region is promoting Ago-tourism which encourages farm owners to create 'fun farm tourism' that involves creating agriculturally based activity like bringing tourists to a farm or ranch.