Baguio City: The Mecca of Local Tourism 0
If Banaue is soaked in Ifugao culture, Baguio City is the Cordillera melting pot. Moreover, it is the Mecca of local tourists who almost never run out daily. Souvenir merchandise is a brisk industry. And for the intrepid travelers, it is the transit point to Banaue and the other off-beaten mountain destinations.
Approximately, 250 kilometers north of Manila, Baguio City is reached by a 5-hour bus ride. Bus lines, like the Philippine Rabbit, Dagupan, TriTran and Victory Liner, run the Manila-Baguio route daily. Reaching the Benguet-La Union boundary, you stop at a toll booth and climb up Kennon Road with the familiar huge lion’s head landmark at the roadside.
From Banaue. Just catch a bus. Just catch a bus heading to Baguio.
The best time to do Baguio is between November to February when tourists are few, the climate is coldest, and the mood is festive. Panagbenga (Flower Festival) is held in January. Unless you are comfortable with crowds, come between March and May when Baguio is packed with local tourists to the full. But don’t complain. The rainy months, from June to October, are inconvenient. The mountain roads are prone to landslides.
The scenery gets stunning as you climb up the mountain’s winding road. The mountainsides plunge into deepening ravines. Pine trees cover the mountain slopes.
Reaching the heart of the city, you get to Burnham Park with its lagoon and paddle boats. There is also a children’s playground and a skating rink at the south end. Its central location says it all: Baguio is all about wholesome leisurely strolls in its many parks.
From the center of Baguio, take a ride to the eastern part of the city where all the other parks are.
There is the Mansion House, the summer getaway of Philippine presidents. Military guards sell pins and t-shirts with “Office of the President” logo.
Right across the Mansion is Wright Park, again, with a long pool. There is a walkway that leads down to a stony staircase for pony rides. Keep an eye on the ponies with manes dyed in pink.
Take a short walk and you get to the Mines View Park, a cliff with a panoramic view of Benguet’s gold and copper mines and the Cordillera mountain chain. It is crowded with local tourists. Everybody is grabbing a spot for the most spectacular photo background. Just watch your step to keep from bumping somebody off the cliff.
For free, go on a picnic at Camp John Hay grounds, which have been closed to the public until 1991. A LTB (lettuce-tomato-bacon) sandwich and a bottle of red wine go well with any romantic plan under the pine trees. For newlyweds, there are honeymoon lodges and cottages complete with a fireplace.
Outside the city, take a dip in the steaming pool of Asin hot springs. Or join a two-decade old but little-publicized guided mine tour at Balatoc Mines in adjacent Itogon town. For Php 250, ride down the subterranean tunnels and see real miners work. Inside, they blast dynamites and the impact thumps hard on your chest and ears.
Related posts: