In the UK there are many ways we lay our loved ones to rest after they pass away.
Usually, we opt for cremation or burial and can feel close to the person by visiting their grave or keeping their urn nearby.
However, around the world there are other customs which may seem spooky to us.
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In the Philippines a small town has begun attracting tourists due to its unusual way of honouring the dead.
Over in the small town of Sagada, the locals don’t bury their family and friends.
Instead the residents nail the coffins of the recently deceased to a cliff face where they stand visible to anyone who visits.
The rock face appears hauntingly moving covered as it is in the coffins of those who have passed.
The ritual is around 2,000 years old – meaning it’s been ongoing for longer than the UK has existed.
In Sagada, the elderly carve their own coffins as part of the custom.
After they die their body is placed in a wooden “death chair” tied together with leaves and vines and placed in the doorway of their home so relatives can pay their respects.
The body is then removed from the chair, placed in a foetal position and wrapped in a blanket and rattan leaves.
To secure the coffin to the limestone cliffside holes are chipped in the rock so they can be secured with brackets or they are placed inside the caves.
It is thought that the belief stands that the higher the coffin is placed the more likely the person is to reach a higher nature in the next life.
It may also be because the practice protects the deceased from floods that tear through the Philippines during tropical storms.
Family members are placed close to their ancestors.
Over time, the coffins decay and eventually fall from their position on the rocks.
For this reason, tourists should never walk under the coffins or approach too closely.
This is to keep people safe as well as to respect the dead whose coffins should not be disturbed in any way.
To reach the haunting resting place you can take a bus or car from Manila and travel to Mountain province.
You can also catch a bus directly to Sagada from Cubao.
The area is also famous for its stunning cave formations and geologic formations.
You can fo spelunking in the massive Sumaguing Cave or the Sumaging-Latipan-Lomyang Crystal Cave.
The huge chamber will get you wet and muddy but you’ll spot beautiful stone formations such as the King and Queen, The Serpent and The Curtain.
Ensure you book a tour to explore the caves, swim through underground pools and rappel on the rock faces.
Those who prefer to find beauty above land can hike to Mount Kiltepan Viewpoint where you can look down from above the clouds.
Mum paid £4.90 for flight – and got upgraded to First Class with a suite and bed
The sun peaking over the Cordiellera mountains will leave you in awe.
You can also swim at the Bomod-ok Falls – starting with an hour long trek to the area through rice terraces and through valleys, you’ll be ready for a dip when you arrive.
Ensure you hire a guide to take you to the area to stay safe in the unfamiliar landscape.
There are hotels and airbnbs in Sagada itself if you want to stay in the nearby area.
Prices are extremely cheap with booking.com listing the Sagada Guesthouse from £13 per night and Glydee’s Lodging Home from £17 per night.
You can even stay in a hobbit home called The Shire of Sagada with a round front door and gorgeous garden from £74 per night.
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