For October, we’re spotlighting the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. With Filipino American History Month recognized throughout October, it’s a good opportunity to learn about the history and traditions of the Indigenous Ifugao people.

Carved into steep mountain slopes, the terraces have been shaped and maintained by generations of Ifugao farmers. The UNESCO site includes five terrace clusters, each supported by traditional farming practices, irrigation systems, forests and communities that work together as part of the landscape.

Why It Matters

The rice terraces are a living cultural landscape. Farmers continue to cultivate them using knowledge and practices passed down through generations, including techniques for managing water, conserving soil and growing rice on steep mountain terrain. Maintaining them requires cooperation across the community and careful management of the surrounding environment.

They also hold cultural and spiritual significance for the Ifugao people. Farming traditions are connected with rituals, chants, social practices and beliefs, making the terraces an important part of cultural identity as well as a working agricultural system.

What to See

• Batad Rice Terraces: Terraces arranged around a village in a distinctive amphitheater-like formation
• Bangaan Rice Terraces: A terrace cluster surrounding a traditional Ifugao village
• Hungduan Rice Terraces: Known for terraces that form an unusual web-like pattern across the landscape
• Traditional villages and farms: Communities within the heritage landscape continue to cultivate and maintain the terraces today

If You’re Planning a Visit

The terraces are spread across remote mountainous areas of Ifugao, so getting there takes some planning. Batad and Bangaan are among the best-known UNESCO-listed clusters for visitors, and reaching viewpoints or villages can involve hiking on steep and uneven paths. Weather can also change quickly in the mountains, so comfortable footwear and rain protection are useful. Visiting with a local guide can help you understand how the terraces work and the traditions connected with them.