No picture or postcard will prepare you for the majesty of Banaue, where hand-carved terraces drape over mountainsides, halting visitors in their tracks and bringing some to their knees. They’re dubbed Stairways to Heaven, and rightly so, with some reaching 1500 meters into the clouds.

• Step into a traditional Ifugao village and witness how ethnic communities have kept their age-old traditions alive.
• Marvel at the stonewalled Hapao Rice Terraces, bisected by the sparkling waters of the Hapao River, part of the Hungduan Terraces Cluster, and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Continue along the Cordillera region to see the Maligcong Rice Terraces and the municipality of Bontoc where one can visit the Bontoc Museum, run by Belgian nuns and full of artifacts and photographs.
• Let time stand still in picturesque Banga-an.
• Get an eyeful at Sagada, known for its hanging coffins. Go trekking, exploring its caves and waterfalls, spelunking, rappelling and hiking. Light bonfires, visit historical sites and participate in Cordilleran celebrations.