The real "Stairway to Heaven" (No, not the Led Zeppelin song!) is located in the Philippines. In beautiful, rugged Banaue, you will be able to see one of the most incredible engineering feats ever pulled off by primitive man. The rice terraces of Banaue is one stop that must be made while you are in the Philippines, and it is always the sometimes long and arduous bus ride.
Once in Banaue hotels are a little hard to come by, but there are places to stay. Banaue is a small village that serves mostly as a tourist stop for people coming to visit the rice terraces. There are a few Banaue hotels, but really what you will be looking for are guest houses or bed and breakfasts. It doesn't matter though, just find a bed and get ready to see one of the most amazing sites you will ever see.
The Banaue rice terraces are small gardens, carved out of mountains, giving the appearance that they are steps climbing the mountain. If you are the adventurous type, you should take a hike up the mountain, but be prepared for a tough hike and most certainly don't try it if you are afraid of heights. The mountain steps are very steep and safety apparently wasn't a huge priority for the Ifugao tribespeople who built the steps centuries ago!
Your trip to Banaue will take several hours from Manila, so make sure you have checked out Banaue hotels before you head north. There are only so many rooms available in this small town and you will want to make sure you have somewhere to stay when you get there. However, once you arrive in Banaue, you will be glad you made the trip up to see one of the most amazing man-made sites ever.
