City of Pines: BAGUIO

Baguio City is known as the Summer Capital of the Philippines for it's cold temperature even during summer season. The City is located on the Mountain part of Northern Luzon. It is also known as the City of Pines because of the number of Pine Trees growing on the area. It became the center of business for entrepreneurs and center of education in the entire Northern Luzon thereby becoming the seat of government of the Cordillera Administrative Region (C.A.R.).

Victory Liner Bus bound to Baguio City

Travelling to the City will take you a couple of hours before you enjoy the place. From Manila, It will take you for about 5-6 hours depending on the vehicle that you are taking. For me and my friends, we took Victory Liner Bus (http://www.victoryliner.com/) along Pasay Terminal which cost P455 per head. It took us 7 hours and 40 minutes to reach the place because of the road widening in the part of Tarlac and Pangasinan. You can enjoy your free Wifi on the bus as part of their extra service to the passengers.

STRAWBERRY FARM

Big Strawberry structure found inside the Strawberry Farm

Baguio City is the only place here in the Philippines that culture Strawberries. Visitors can enjoy Strawberry picking, harvesting vegetables like lettuce and picking flowers in the farm located in La Trinidad, Benguet which is 4 kilometers away from the City proper. You can buy your souvenirs like Strawberry jam, Strawberry and Blueberry wine, Peanut brittle, Sundot Kulangot (tiny kalamay hati version), Fresh Strawberries and key chains for a low price around the place. The farm is not visible to the highway and visitors have to walk a few meters to reach the place.

Fresh berries ready to harvest

Fresh Strawberries will cost you at around P100-P150 per Kilo for the large sized berries and 2 for P150 on the bite size berries (price depends on the season). If you want to pick the berries by yourself, it will mostly cost you double of its price. It is like paying the amount of the strawberries plus the same amount for your effort. Souvenirs are sold a couple of meters away from the farm. You can buy strawberry jam for 4 for P100 and Strawberry wine for 3 for P100. Also try Strawberry icecream which is sold at P20 per cone.

Strawberry vendor preparing our icecream

Vegetables and Flowers around the farm

Signboard showing the way to Strawberry farm

How to get there 

Jeepney that will take you to Strawberry farm

From the City Hall of Baguio, walk a few meters down the stairs located in front of the Building. Take a jeepney with the sign  Baguio Plaza- Camp Dangwa vice versa. The fare cost P11 which is a 4km. trip away from the City proper. Tell the driver to drop you at Strawberry farm. The farm is actually located at the left side of the road and you can see sign boards directing you to the farm. 

BELL CHURCH

Lions, Dragons and a bell are some features of the structure

 If Cebu has its famous Taoist Temple, Baguio City has its own version which is known as the Bell Church. The church has its Chinese inspired structures and different altars which Chinese people used to praise. The Temple opens at 7 a.m. and close at around 5 p.m.. Eating inside the Temple's area, taking pictures of the altars and making noise is strictly prohibited. It can be seen at the right side area when coming from the City proper and at the Left side area when coming from La Trinidad or the Strawberry farm.

How to get there 


From Strawberry Farm, you can take any of the jeepneys heading to the direction of City proper since there are only three jeepney routes passing the area. Ask the Driver to drop you at Kilometer 3 or to the Police Station (you can also say Bell Church instead). The Landmark would be the Welcome sign of Baguio City.

From the City proper of Baguio City, you can take the same jeepney heading to Strawberry Farm in the City Hall of Baguio. You can also take any of the Jeepney that goes out of Baguio City and heading to La Trinidad. Make sure to tell the driver to drop you at the Police Station located outside the Bell Church. The fare will cost you for about P8 per head.

MINES VIEW PARK 

Another tourist destination in Baguio that one must have to go is the Mines view park. It is well known for its panoramic view of Baguio's gold and copper mines which can be seen on the observation deck. A spectacular view of the Cordillera mountain ranges can also be seen on the place. There are a lot of souvenir stores around selling Baguio's delicacies and other hand-made products like wooden sculptures from Sagada.

Observation deck

 Me with Doglas the Big dog

Picture taking in an Igorot costume

Not only you can enjoy the good scenery at the Park but also other attractions. One of these is the friendly Saint Bernard dog named Doglas or DG. He is the Biggest dog I have ever seen in my entire life and also around the park. For a picture with him, an amount of P10 for a shot is worth to spend or you can have a group picture with him at a rate of P50 for five shots. A picture of yourself riding in a horse is another "must do" which will cost you P10 per shot. Senior citizens in the viewing deck offers an experience for tourist to wear an Igorot costume for P10 a shot. Indeed nothing is free nowadays especially when you are visiting a famous tourist attraction.

How to get there

Public jeepneys are available around Baguio City. Take Baguo-Plaza-Mines view route. The terminal is along Mabini Street near corner session road in the opposite direction of Mcdonald. You can also take a taxi which will cost you from P70-p110.

THE MANSION AND WRIGHTS PARK

The Mansion is the official summer residence of the President of the Philippines. In front of the Mansion is the Wrights park where tourists can enjoy horseback riding and walking along the park. Me and my friends were lucky when we visited the place. The gate was open for the visitors to take a picture of the famous structure when we arrived at the place. Of course we didn't miss the opportunity to get inside the gate and have some pictures. Usually, tourists can take picture from the outside area of the gate where security officials are strictly securing the place.

Welcome sign at the park

The Big gate of the Mansion

How to get there

From Mines view park, take the jeepney near the entrance of the observation deck. It is the only jeepney around the park that loads passengers or take a Taxi. Just don't forget to tell the driver to drop you at The Mansion or Wrights Park since both are located at the same place. The fare will cost you for about P8 (regular fare).

BOTANICAL GARDEN

Balanced nature

If you love flowers and other plants, Botanical garden is the place for you. The area of the place is big. Big pine trees are seen around the place. Gardeners maintain the plants from seedlings to its enough size to be sold. They make sure that plants are given enough water and fertilizer as it grows.

The Botanical garden is under renovation when we went there and it was a bit getting dark. A replica of the Los Angeles Bridge is found on the garden and a Big structure of Igorots on it's performance area. I was also amazed on the stone displayed on the area. It was arranged layer to layer. According to a friend of mine, Chinese (not sure about my memory) would practice to pile and balance stones vertically despite its size order.

SM BAGUIO

Panagbenga themed decoration

Open roof for air ventilation

First to third floor view

Ever heard of a SM mall with no air-conditioner?! Then go see for yourself and believe it! It's not that Henry Sy (owner of SM) has no budget for his mall in Baguio but it's because the temperature in the City even during daylight is freaking cold. The feeling inside the mall especially during night time is like shopping inside your refrigerator.  No doubt why the mall was built with an open roof, entrance and exit areas. Not only do the SM Baguio save money from spending for the electrical bill but also it lessen the effect to the surroundings.

The SM Baguio offers a view deck around the end corners of the Mall. Visitors can enjoy shopping at the same time looking at the majestic scenery of Baguio especially during night time. Another thing that's great in this mall is that it offers a Vegetarian dishes at an affordable price on its food court area. The texture, taste and the look of the food is similar to the meat that we normally eat.







How to get there

SM Baguio can be easily seen at the heart of the City. It is one of the brightest and biggest structure around the area. It is also near the terminals which visitors may walk. For other options, take a Taxi to directly drop you at the place.