The Banaue Rice Terraces are ancient, hand-hewn rice paddies carved into the mountains of Banaue, in the Cordilleras. They stand as an enduring symbol of indigenous engineering and cultural heritage.

It is set at an altitude of approximately 1,500 meters above sea level, fed by an age-old gravity-flow irrigation system from the forested peaks above the terraces.

The terraces were carved by the ancestors of the Igorot (Ifugao) people over 2,000 years ago using only simple tools. This vast network of stone-walled paddies and earthworks represents an unparalleled feat of tribal cooperation and ecological harmony.

Declared a National Cultural Treasure under Presidential Decree No. 260 in 1973, the Banaue Rice Terraces are often called the “Eighth Wonder of the World.”

Although not individually inscribed, they form the heart of the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995 as a living cultural landscape.

The terraces remain a working agricultural landscape, but visitors can experience the terraces from the viewpoints, or trek deeper into clusters like Batad and Hapao.

Best time to visit is during the planting season (February–March) and harvest season (June–July) for vibrant cultural activities and lush scenery. April–May and October–November are when the terraces are at peak greenness and weather is most favorable.