I just recently came from a trip in Ifugao. I was lucky enough to have been guided by a British friend of mine who owns an inn in Uhaj (overseeing the Hungduan Rice Terraces - WHS, which is largely regarded as the first and oldest of the rice terraces clusters in the area). I was able to visit the rice terraces in Banaue, namely Batad and Bangaan in a day -- these two clusters share the same route so maximizing the opportunity to see 2 WHS clusters in one go is a give away. Batad Rice Terraces gave me the impression of might and boldness. Among the 5 clusters inscribed as WHSites, Batad probably holds the steepest terraces (from a distance, it practically looks like a cliff). It's ampitheatre-like landscape is stunning. Going there requires some time and strength as the traveling would consume about 2.5hours, including trekking to the site. On the way back to Banaue town proper, we made a quick visit to Bangaan. Bangaan, on the other hand, is humble and unpretentious. A part of me, in fact, is convinced that Bangaan has a better character than Batad and Hungduan given the landscape and the topography it is located in. Bangaan is a colorful site as with its varying shades of green and brown fields; its small village is also intact in the middle. By and large, the rice terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras are truly amazing and are among the best cultural landscapes there are to find. It is also worth noting that their traditional epic, called "Hudhud" is also inscribed by UNESCO as one representative of Oral and Intangible Heritage of the World. I guess, this - among other things - fortifies its claim as a living cultural landscape. Also, although not analogous, the rice terraces might be the Philippines' best bet in comparison to the ancient pre-colonial vestiges (Ayutthaya, Angkor, Borubudur, etc.) in the neighboring Southeast Asian countries. To a large extent, the rice terraces are even the oldest stone structures in Southeast Asia.