MEW SOCIAL BLOG

Baguio 2012 Review and Guide

Baguio 2012 Review and guide

TOP 5 REASON I LOVE AND I HATE BAGUIO CITY

Baguio City, Benguet Philippines

The City of Baguio is a highly urbanized city located in northern Luzon island in the Philippines. The city has become the center of business and commerce as well as the center of education in the entire Northern Luzon thereby becoming the seat of government of the Cordillera Administrative Region (C.A.R.)

Coordinates:  16°25′N 120°36′E  

            250 Km north of Manila

            Province of Benguet

            North – La Trinidad

            South – Tuba

            East – Itogon

            West – Tuba, Sablan

·         Geography

Baguio City is located some 1,500 meters above sea level, nestled within the Cordillera Central mountain range in northern Luzon. The city is enclosed by the province of Benguet. It covers a small area of 57.5 square kilometers. Most of the developed part of the city is built on uneven, hilly terrain of the northern section. When Daniel Burnham plotted the plans for the city, he made the City Hall as a reference point where the city limits extend 8.2 kilometres (5.1 mi) from east to west and 7.2 kilometres (4.5 mi) from north to south. It is the highest major Philippine city in terms of elevation.

·         Climate

Baguio City features a subtropical highland climate under the Koppen climate classification.

·         Transportation  = VERY GOOD! J

o   You can reach Baguio City by Land and sometimes by Air (via Loakan Airport). Traveling to Baguio city by private or public car is easy as 1, 2, 3 with the help of two expressways and kenon road, it takes 6 hrs. Trip from Manila that is 250 Km south of Baguio city.

o   Road safety – kenon road is the deadliest Road in C.A.R especially when Rainy Season, the development of kenon road is far from reality the conditions are poor enough to take lives. Better to drive at Marcos highway (Aspiras-Palispis Highway) than in kenon road but it is about fifteen to thirty minutes longer through the Aspiras-Palispis Highway than kenon road.

o   Public transportation  - There are several bus lines linking Baguio with Manila and Central Luzon, and provinces such as Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Quezon, Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas, La Union, and those in the Ilocos regions. Most transportation companies also offer express and air-conditioned buses at a higher fare, although some “aircon” minibuses offer cheaper fares. Bus services that operate in Baguio include , Victory Liner, Partas, GV Florida Transport, Philippine Rabbit, Viron Transit, Dangwa Tranco, Genesis Transport, Saulog Transit Inc., Dagupan Bus Co.,Inc.., Amanian bus line, and many smaller feeder minibuses.There are also hundreds of Taxi and jeepney operators who provide public transportation in Baguio City.

§  Taxi meter rate – flat down rate/first 3km = 25 PHP and additional 1.25/km

§  Jeep minimum fare – 8.50 PHP  

o     Private Car Parking - ANG HIRAP MAKAHANAP NG PARKING LOT SA BAGUIO. I advice to commute! 

·         Places and Tourist Spot   = GOOD! J

o   I went to the some tourist spot in Baguio and La Trinidad, sad to say but I didn’t enjoy all because those place that I went to are crowded, the good things is it remain beautiful and full of adventure. (Hindi ka talaga mauubusan ng activity) 

1.    Burnham Park

2.    Camp John Hay 

3.    Tam-awan Village

4.    Session Road

5.    Mines View Park 

o   Burnham Park  - Burnham Park is the very heart of Baguio City in the Philippines. It is located at the most valuable piece of Baguio real estate and is free for the enjoyment of visitors and residents alike.

o   Camp John Hay - Baguio City’s most popular attraction is so beautiful and a destination in itself. After all, for almost the whole 20th century it is what made Baguio City “Little America” in the Philippines.

o   Tam-awan Village - A reconstructed native village which also has an art gallery and attracts many indigenous artists, most noteworthy of whom is BenCab. Directly across Tam-awan Village is sculptor Ben Hur Villanueva’s gallery “Arko ni Apo” that is also worth a look.

o   Session Road - The main avenue of Baguio City and its commercial center, with quaint shops lining each side, Session Road is the most popular road in the City of Pines. 

o   Mines View Park - Located at the extreme northeast side of the city, past The Mansion and Wright Park, Mines View Park boasts of a spectacular view of Benguet’s gold and copper mines and the Cordillera mountains.

1.     Ube Jams - Tamtanco’s (Baguio City Market), if you like it with real ube bits, and Good Sheperd’s (Mines View Park) if you prefer it creamy, although the latter is almost double the price of the former.

2.    unique ethnic items & artifacts - Rimando’s, which is on the Gibraltar side of Mines View Park market. Easy to find it with that beautifully restored Impala parked in front of it.   

3.    Best way to buy strawberries to bring home - ask to select each and every piece. Choose the ones that are not yet ripe as they ripen fast on the trip back down. If you get them very red, or choose the ones packed in a basket, they will be overripe when you get home. 

4.    Best unusual, cultural, educational adventure for boys and girls of all ages is theBalatoc undergound mines tour. We took the tour recently and we loved it!

5.     Choco Flakes - Mikasan Dark Chocolate. This is the darkest and best-tasting. Available in dark and white chocolate combo but I do not like that one as much as the dark chocolate one. It’s cheap and simply the best! 

In my 3days stay in Baguio City I enjoy it most than other places in the country. Like in Manila traffic and parking I think is the main problem of the city plus the pollution that I know the tourist like me is the cause of that, the hospitality of the locals are unique, foods are great,

“It’s more fun in Baguio city not because of climate, it’s because of locals and their culture”   

*picture with the locals

*Baguio City Locals 

*Sarap!

www.facebook.com/nikko4yuki