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WELCOME TO BAGUIO

You know you are in Baguio when you begin to smell the sea of pines surrounding the mountain valley and when you feel the light chill on your body. A heavenly retreat in the mountains, Baguio is the favorite vacation destination of the Filipinos. Families and friends often go to the “City of Pines” to enjoy the refreshing scenery of the mountains and create memories to add on the memorable experiences of past visits. So come and visit Baguio and feel the best of the Cordilleras!

OVERVIEW:

Known as “The Summer Capital of the Philippines,” Baguio welcomes thousands of visitors every year who happily reminisce on their past trips to the well-known sites of Baguio. To the lavish interiors and peaceful grounds of Camp John Hay to the proud and patriotic soldiers of the Philippine Military Academy in Fort Del Pilar; the lively summer mornings at Burnham Park to the busy street scene of Session Road; and the majestic mountainside frame seen at the Mines View Park down to the loud and colorful elements of Baguio Market, everywhere you go in Baguio, is a memory done and to be relived again and again.

As the gateway to the Cordilleras, Baguio has become the center of commerce in the mountains. Products and other goods from all over the Cordillera Region are often brought to Baguio so visitors can experience the best products of the mountains. It has also paved the way for outsiders to be introduced to the olden ways of the Cordillera by bringing parts of the various Cordillera traditions to Baguio. Here you can see traces of the past thru the various structures, products, and locals who have lived here for generations. Baguio is also the home of the Igorot tribe as well as many other small indigenous mountain ethnicities.   


GEOGRAPHY:

Baguio is a land-locked city situated on top of a plateau 1500 meters above sea level in the southwestern part of the Cordillera mountain range. It is approximately 50 kilometers from Manila.

CLIMATE:

Wet season in Baguio lasts from June to October. The best time to enjoy the place is during its coldest season from December to March. As the “Summer Capital of the Philippines”, Baguio is always crowded with tourists during April and May. 

HOW TO GET THERE

You can travel by air and land when going to Baguio. Travel by land going to Baguio will take 6-8 hours. There are many bus liners that have a route in Baguio just make sure you come to the bus station early to purchase you ticket and be ready for the rise in number of passengers during weekends and holiday season.
 
For air travelers, Zest Air has seasonal flights to Baguio. Arrival will be on the Loakan Airport in near Camp John Hay.  

To go around the city, there are many jeepney running around the city and taxis which has a flag down rate of 25.00. Taxi drivers in Baguio are known for their honesty and will return to you your exact change.

WHAT TO SEE:


TAM-AWAN VILLAGE

The Tam-Awan Village is a must in any Baguio visit. The village was created by the Chanum Foundation Inc. which is headed by one of the country’s national artists, Ben Cabrera. The place starts with an eco-tour with long rocky stairs leading up to the main village. It is surrounded by tall trees and pines decorated with flora and fauna found within the mountain provinces. When entering the Dap-ay (stone-paved gathering place), one can see the beautifully reconstructed Ifugao houses surrounding the main square.
Already rich with culture, Tam-Awan is also overflowing with talent. The village holds exhibits, art fairs and many other events that showcase the works of different artists. The huts provide visitors an organic venue for viewing the artwork. Part museum, part art gallery, the works that are displayed here are also being sold to those interested. The village also has a coffee shop that acts as a specialty store that sells custom-made wooden clocks, paintings, wood carvings, wooden and metal amulets and necklaces, and other native crafts made by the resident artists.
  
PHILIPPINE MILITARY ACADEMY
Fort Del Pilar is home to the Philippine Military Academy. It was named after the youngest general in history of the Philippines, Gregorio Del Pilar. This is where Cadets of the Philippine army are trained to become the future soldiers and protectors of the country. 
The fort’s compound is filled with historical buildings and exhibits of the academy. The different grounds of the fort display old military war artilleries and even fighter jet planes. It is extraordinary to see those kinds of displays, thinking that they were once used for combat in the past.    

CORDILLERA MUSEUM
The Cordillera Museum holds numerous artifacts and evidences of the traditions around the Cordilleras as well as the history of the city of Baguio. The first floor is an exhibit of the Cordillera people’s way of life from costumes, pieces from customs and rituals and numerous images that portray the people and their culture. The second floor showcases the history of Baguio thru a collection of various images. 

BURNHAM PARK
A traditional destination to visit in Baguio is Burnham Park. The is always filled with families and couples who what to enjoy the various activities offered in the park.
You can see individuals and families riding on rented bicycles, tandems, tricycles and even  bikes with kiddie seats (the rental fee depended on what kind of bike was to be used) going around the park area. Another activity to enjoy is the boat road around the man-made pond in the middle of the park. All over the place you can see vendors sell street foods, drinks and souvenirs for those who were interested.

SESSION ROAD
Usually after Burnham Park, one can walk on to Session Road the commercial district of Baguio. This historical road has seen the progress of Baguio from the American colonization that developed the city up to the present day. Session Road remains to be a center road of Baguio. Every inch of the side street was parked with a car and we got lucky to find one when we arrived. You can see a lot of new restaurants and fast-food chains and a number of old popular establishments like the Star Café.

BAGUIO CITY MARKET
The Baguio City Market is the most complete market place you can visit filled with goods, very fresh produces and lots more. Every corner you would see stalls brimming with fresh vegetables harvested from the neighboring municipalities of the mountain province. Onions, cabbages, carrots, lettuce, leeks mushrooms, strawberries galore!

Another part of the market is the souvenir shops. Everywhere in Baguio you could really spot these souvenirs being sold. In the market place you could buy them at a bulk—wood carvings, finger foods, preservatives, those infamous Baguio labeled straw brooms, bonnets jackets, shawls and many more.

MOUNT STO. THOMAS
Mt. Santo Thomas is said to be the tallest peak in Baguio. Here you can find tall satellites and cellular towers are stationed. It is also a good place for hikers with their trekking excursions. The road going up can be bumpy and a bit rocky, but you will surely enjoy the abundance of wild flowers growing on the side of the mountain. Hundreds of thousands of baby’s breath and white bells were growing along the path. Once up the mountain tourists are rewarded with a whiff of very fresh air and glorious view of the whole city.

MARYKNOLL BOTANICAL GARDEN
The Botanical Garden maintained by the Maryknoll Sisters Center for Justice Peace and Integrity of Creation (MSCJPIC) is more than any other park or garden. It is a private sanctuary for the flora living within the garden as well as a serene retreat place for those who need a peaceful haven within the city. Signs are scattered around the garden concerning about the interconnection of the earth and its people. The Maryknoll sisters made this garden in memory of the 1990 killer earthquake of Baguio that took thousands of lives in the process. They created this place as a remembrance and as a mark between the sacred connection of life and the other living things around it. A part of the garden was a replica of the infamous stone hedge in England. One can take a moment here to reflect and see the different floral treasures Mother Nature provided in this beautiful garden.

MINES VIEW PARK
Mines View Park is a traditional Baguio site visited by many tourists for years. When arriving at Mines View you would be greeted by hundreds of stalls crowding the stone stairs all over the mountain ridge. Here you can buy hundreds of souvenir items like clothing, accessories, blankets, street foods, drinks and even local wines. When travelling to the edge you can visit the lookout point of the old mines made by the Americans during their gold rush to the mountains hence the name, Mines View Park. 

LA TRINIDAD VEGETABLE MARKET
A whirlwind of action and vegetables is what you can experience in the La Trinidad Market. The size of the place is much bigger than 2 basketball courts. Huge trucks are either loading or unloading produce with vegetables are piling up everywhere. Heads of cabbages, lettuces, and stalks of leeks, broccolis, carrots, fresh mouthwatering strawberries and different sizes of potatoes can be seen. The produce are sold by the bulk  in very low prices which ranged from Php 30.00-50.00.



STRAWBERRY FIELD IN LA TRINIDAD
Fresh produce everywhere! A trip to Baguio also means a brief visit to the wide plains of La Trinidad, just 3 kilometers north of the city. Harvested here: an array of fresh produce: all sorts of vegetables, many mushrooms, and their ever-famous strawberries. Rows and rows of strawberry bushes grow in the fields. Farmers can be seen preparing and harrowing their territories. Not only strawberries are being grown but also other vegetables like cabbages and lettuce. The streets surrounding the fields are lined up with strawberry farmers selling their freshly picked produce for the day as well as the numerous stalls selling many other goods and souvenirs.

WHAT TO DO:

ENJOY THE ACTIVITIES IN BURNHAM PARK
What makes a Baguio visit very memorable is the family trips people go to Burnham Park. Everyone can do all sorts of activities such as renting bicycles, riding on boats and even just walking around the grounds of this wonderful park.

HORSEBACK RIDING IN WRIGHT PARK
Popularly joked as “ride park,” Wright Park is the place where people can take their children for horse-back riding sessions. A horse ride costs Php 300.00 per hour and it comes with a handler and a tour around the various parts of the city. This is where you can also see one of the most scenic places in Baguio. Called the “pool of pines” the park has an elongated pool surrounded by rows of tall pines and street lights.

SPA HAVEN IN THE MOUNTAINS
At first glance, you wouldn’t expect to find this mountain haven in the premises. The North Haven Spa is located in what looks like an old ancestral house said to be built in the 1960’s along the quiet Avelino neighborhood of Ferguson Road. What makes North Haven Spa special is how unique and original their treatments are. The spa specializes in body scrubs using native and indigenous ingredients. The spa also uses traditional spa treatments rooted from the Cordillera region.

STRAWBERRY PICKING IN THE FIELDS
Visitors can do their own strawberry picking in the La Trinidad strawberry fields for only Php 100.00. Just remember to clean the strawberries very well before eating them!

ART CLASSES IN TAM-AWAN VILLAGE
The village not only centers itself on showcasing the talents of its members but also provides a venue for people to learn. It holds a number of workshops on the different kinds of art done inside the village – from Basic and Advance Drawing, Printmaking, Solar Drawing, Painting, and more.

GOOD FINDS AT THE WAGWAGAN
Baguio is known for its numerous thrift shops or wagwagan stalls. For those wanting to have the perfect fashion find, here is where you can search and scavenge for various clothing and accessories at very inexpensive prices. The thrill of the experience is also the haggling of prices to a much lower cost. 

WHERE TO EAT:

LE CHEF
This high class restaurant in The Manor Hotel at Camp John Hay offers its patrons an incredible fine dining experience serving continental feasts with a selection of sumptuous Filipino dishes. They offers indoor and patio dining and often serves buffet style or sit-down meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Le Chef is known to be one of the top restaurants in Baguio.

EBAI’S
Ebai’s Café and Pastry is located along Session Road, just a short walk from the Baguio Convention Center. The place mainly serves Filipino and other popular dishes but the real treat for the customers are their pastries. Their most popular dessert is the carrot cake.

CAFÉ BY THE RUINS
Café by the Ruins is a great place for music, young art, poetry and good food infused with a cozy atmosphere. The restaurant is known throughout the city not only because of their great dishes and the restaurant’s historical site but also the friendly and homey ambience made from the various owners of the restaurant. Here they serve the famous Cordillera chicken dish, Pinikpikan. Other dishes on the menu are the Ruins Pasta which is Fettucine noodles with fish roe sauce, Tita Susie’s Crispy Tapa and the Spicy Bangus.

CHOCO-LATE DE BATIROL
One the best places to drink a cup of hot chocolate in the city is Chocolate de Batirol inside the grounds of Camp John Hay. The place is small but pleasant covered with various plants and furnished with hard wood tables and benches with pebbles and stones for its flooring.
The hot beverage served here are made traditionally using batirol sticks and thick chocolate paste made from the restaurant’s own recipe. The place not only sells hot chocolate but also meals and delicious preserves.

LITTLE JOHN’S
Little John’s is located at the Mile-Hi Shopping Complex. They serve traditional and comfort foods that have made customers coming back for more. A must try is their “out of this world” rib eye beef tapa with garlic rice and sunny-side up egg. For dessert, you can try their sumptuous chocolate fondue with fresh strawberry and banana.


EVERYTHING NICE
Also located at the Mile-Hi Shopping Complex is the restaurant, Everything Nice. They serve traditional and favorite dishes, breakfast meals, pastas, salads specializing in breads and desserts.

OH MY GULAY!
Owned by one of Baguio’s most enigmatic personalities, Kidlat Tahimik, Oh My Gulay! Restaurant is a feast for senses. Visitors are never failed to be amazed by the artistic ambiance that surround the establishment. Customers can either seat inside the different tables of the restaurant or get a table outside the verandah for an outstanding view of the city. The place serves meat-free dishes. They promote fresh produce and healthy living with their menu of salads, pasta and noodle dishes.
The place also often holds concerts for local bands, events and artist festivals.

50’S DINER
When entering The 50’s Diner located along Leonard Wood Road it’s like stepping back into the 50’s era. The place is decorated like a soda fountain joint familiar in old films. Movie posters and pictures of Old-Hollywood celebrities are posted on the walls. The place is bright and filled with classic music coming from a jukebox in one corner. Even the food attendants are dressed in the 50’s waitress costume. The place serves classic American food like salads, steaks with French fries, big sized hamburgers, club sandwiches and fried chicken. They also served shakes in different flavors and traditional desserts like cakes and ice creams.

DROP BY NATUBLE
Drop-by Natuble is not your ordinary restaurant. When driving by Natuble, you can easily miss this small establishment because of its ordinary structure located along the mountain highway. Don’t underestimate this establishment though. Beneath its poor-looking exterior is a great culinary find recommended by travelers who drive by frequently around the area.
The Drop By Restaurant serves beef and other meat dishes in big portions. Be served with mountains of steaming red rice, hot bulalo (bone marrow) soup, pinapaitan (bitter soup made out of a sheeps innards) and chopped beef liver. The best thing about the restaurant is that sell their meals for less than Php 90.00 per dish.

WHERE TO SHOP:

NARDA’S
While waiting for your food in Ebai’s, Customers can explore Narda’s Hand Woven Arts and Craft. Narda’s has attracted the local and international fashion market with their innovative use of the Cordillera’s traditional Ikat Weaving. The store has two floors and sells numerous products from tapestries, blankets, bags, purses, pillow casings, wallets, to clothing and apparels like shawls, ponchos, jackets, and even gowns and children’s wear.

WAGWAGAN OR UKAY-UKAY SHOPPING
Baguio is known for its Wagwagan or ukay-ukay style of shopping. Hundreds of stalls and shops sell numerous thrift items like clothes and other kinds of apparel as well as shoes, bags and accessories. Buyers can purchase them at cheap costs and can even haggle for lower prices. The fun in shopping in a wagwagan is the one of a kind item you can find while scavenging through the hundreds of goods in a store. Wagwagan shops can be found anywhere in the city but the most visited ones can be located below Session Road and the Baguio City Market.

MINES VIEW PARK
Mines View Park has gained a lot of stalls and shops over the years.  Locally made trinkets, finger foods and other goodies can be bought here. Children can also get their pictures taken with the horses found on the viewpoints of the park.

GOOD SHEPHERD CONVENT
The Good Shepherd Convent near the Mines View Park is one of the best places to buy tasty souvenirs. The sisters of the convent make manage and sell various products like peanut brittle, lengua de gato, and ube jams. All the money generated from their sales is used for the maintenance of the convent as well as putting Cordillera-based students into colleges.

WHERE TO STAY:

THE MANOR AT CAMP JOHN HAY
The atmosphere is always bright and refreshing when you stay or just drive around Camp John Hay. This former American recreational facility is a favorite destination for tourists because of their expanding number of establishments from restaurants, entertainment facilities and their 18-hole golf course. The Manor Hotel located on a hilltop is a grand site to stay in. With over 180 lavish rooms and suites available for staying, the Manor assures their guests the luxury and comfort they deserve. Camp John Hay even has its own small commercial hub. The Mile-Hi Shopping Center consists of numerous restaurants and stores that is just a short distance away from the manor.
Camp John Hay Loakan Road, Baguio City
(63 74) 446  0231
            446  0250

BAGUIO COUNTRY CLUB
A witness to more than a hundred years of Baguio’s history, the Baguio Country Club is the first resort established by Americans in the city.  It offers golf, several restaurants, recreational and numerous sports facilities. The Country Club also has a heated swimming pool and Jacuzzi. It is a good place to hold for conferences with luxury hotel amenities and impeccable service. For larger groups and families the Country Club also has 17 European-inspired Cottages complete with Master’s bedroom, twin rooms, living room and kitchen with maid’s quarter.
Baguio Country Club
Country Club Road,
Baguio City
(63 74) 619 2050

RIDGEWOOD RESIDENCE
One of the most comfortable places to stay in Baguio is at the Ridgewood Residence. The main lobby of the hotel gives a feeling of a private rest house with a big fire place located at the café for those cold and chilly nights. Located near the historical attraction, The Mansion, Ridgewood prides itself on its impeccable service and dependable staff. It offers 51 hotel and apartelle type rooms, each equipped with private toilet/baths, color TV, coffee/tea makers, IDD/NDD telephone system, and mini bars in the family rooms and apartelles. When staying at Ridgewood Residence you’ll feel like you’re in your own vacation house in the mountains.        
17 Julian Felipe Street, Barangay., Lualhati, Baguio City,
(63 74)446 6295
www.ridgewoodhotel.com

HOTEL VENIZ
Hotel Veniz offers 70 air-conditioned rooms with private toilets/baths and suites.
It is conveniently located in the heart of downtown Baguio in walking distance to
restaurants, shops, the Baguio market and Burnham Park.
One Abanao St., Baguio City
(63 74)446 0700
www.hotelveniz.com

PKNY BED AND BREAKFAST
The PKNY Bed and Breakfast is one of the most delightful and comfiest places to stay in the city. It can literally provide its guests the comforts of home. This old vacation house was converted into a stylish bed and breakfast bringing its guests the feeling of their own Baguio retreat. PKNY has 4 rooms which could literary fit a family. Each has its own bathroom which is perfect for those travelers who want to have their own privacy.
Beside the house is the PKNY Café. Everywhere you look old pieces and colorful items filled the interior of the place. The bed and breakfast is also known for their breakfast meals. A must try are their breakfast meals, Gourmet Tinapa and Mushroom Omlette.
13 Leonard Wood Road, Baguio City
(6374) 446 7094
     444  5418
www.pnkyhome.com

MICROTEL INN AND SUITES
For the tourists who seek the nearest and most comfortable accommodations in Baguio, Microtel Inn and Suites is the ideal place to spend the night. Located near the Victory Liner Bus Station in the city, Microtel offers its guests affordable and relaxing lodging after a long day of travelling by land from the capital.
Upper Session Road,
Baguio City
(63 74) 619 3333

TAM-AWAN VILLAGE
What used to be a small hillside parked with used Cordillera tribal huts now acts as a unique mountain village. The wooden Ifugao houses that are scattered around the village are a marvel. They look simple from the outside but how they were structurally-made by the Ifugaos are beyond belief. Each wooden hut belonged to a tribe from the Cordillera region. They were made without the help of any nails or hardware. Furnished with only fresh cogon roofing, the huts still serve their purpose. Visitors can actually stay overnight in the reconstructed huts for a fee. Staying in any of these huts is a great way to experience how the mountain people lived in the past.

BOUNTIES OF BAGUIO