//
Municipality in Ifugao, Philippines
Photo: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Banaue is a town in the province of Ifugao in the Cordillera mountain range in the north of the island of Luzon, in the Philippines. It is mainly visited for its stunning rice terraces, which are designated a National Cultural Treasure.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
The Museum of Cordilleran Sculpture was founded by George and Candida Ida Schenk over 30 years ago, and evolved from a small antique store in Manila, into dream to preserve a culture that is slowly dying. There are over 1,000 pieces in the collection of the museum, ranging from large-scale, carved wooden Bululs, masks to smaller scale figures, textiles, utilitarian objects, and composite objects. Temporarily closed as of September 2023.
A geothermal hot spring next to a river can be reached via walking across rice terraces starting from Hungduan Elementary School. The road to the school however is not yet paved. Arrangements to visit will likely need to be made in town.
Sometimes called the "Eighth Wonder of the World", the 2000-year-old Banaue rice terraces are a designated National Cultural Treasure, and while many are still in use, the outer rims are showing signs of deterioration. They were created by the Ifugao (local native people), in a massive engineering project to cover the sides of the valleys (probably 200 m from floor to rim) for several miles, irrigated by means of mountain streams and springs that have been tapped and channelled into canals that run downhill through the rice terraces.
Banaue Ethnic Village and Pine Forest Resort is on a six hectare lot in a pine forest above downtown Banaue. It has large grassy areas, picnic shelters, swimming pools, and a large function hall. This would be an ideal place for a school or other organization to have training sessions or meetings.
Breath taking views and friendly shop keepers.
Natural history museum. Very small museum. Interesting things to see about Ifugao Culture, attire, handicraft, etc. Good to visit. High steps/stairs to reach the entrance to the museum, then another stairs to the lower level.
Indoor and al fresco dining on a wide veranda with great views. Filipino, Asian & Western dishes. Set meals start at ₱140.
Native Ifugao house with restaurant, surrounded with rice terraces. You can also request to see a traditional Ifugao show.
Local eatery. Good local food provided by friendly family. Main dishes usually ₱50, sometimes ₱40. Tea and coffee ₱10.
Set in a rural area with a mountain backdrop, this casual hotel is a kilometer from the Banaue Museum and 3 km from the Banaue Rice Terraces.
No power outlets in the rooms, charging for a fee at the reception. Free Wi-Fi and drinking water. Restaurant is open 6AM-9:30PM.
Basic but comfortable rooms view views of Banaue rice terraces. Some rooms with shared bathrooms. Has small restaurant for all meals. Allows for luggage hold before bus leaves. 200 m up the road from Ohayami Bus dropoff/pickup.
Nice balcony at the back with pleasant views. Basic but comfortable rooms, plus a dormitory.
Offers private rooms for 2 with shared bathroom or private bathroom.
1 km from center/bus stop. Includes pickup, free breakfast.
Small, but well-managed homestay. Short walk (500m) from downtown via hanging bridge. Staff can organize tours to rice terraces and hot spring.
The Terraceville Inn is only about 200 meters from the bus stop.
Does not accept all western cards!
Uyami's Green View Lodge and Restaurant
At this restaurant, you can withdraw cash from your credit card, but 10% fee!
By car
The distance between the Balintawak Cloverleaf, in north Manila at the beginning of the North Luzon Expressway and the Welcome to Banaue sign, is about 332 km. The road is paved all the way to Banaue.
Jeepneys (converted jeeps/bus) and tricycles (trikes) (little motorcycles with side cars) are easily available around Banaue. Vans can be hired with driver/guide.
Read in the guideChoose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Cauayan City · Regional · CYZ
Loading places around the airport…
Articles and travel topics about Banaue and Philippines.
Travel tipsFull 2026 list of visa-free countries for Philippine passport holders. Check ASEAN entry rules, stay limits, and Bureau of Immigration clearance tips.
6 min read
InspirationExplore the best islands to visit in the Philippines, including Palawan limestone lagoons, Boracay white sands, Bohol hills, and Cebu waterfalls.
6 min read
ItinerariesLearn the real difference between Palawan and Boracay with our breakdown of sand quality, boat tours, nightlife, travel transit, and vacation costs.
7 min read
Travel tipsReal-world 7-day Philippines travel budget covering hotel prices, domestic flights, island hopping tours, tricycle fares, and food costs.
7 min read
Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.