Baguio City, the Crowned City of Pines
Situated in the heart of the Cordilleras and about 250 km north of Manila, Baguio City is blessed with a cool temperature all through out the year. A "must see place" away from the scourging lowland heat especially on the summer months of March to May.
Baguio City does not boast of many famous monuments nor historical buildings for it was destroyed during the world war II and the earthquake in 1990 leaving behind thousands of lives lost.
Baguio City, to most of the adventure seekers, is the jump off point towards Baguio's nearby destinations such as Sagada in Mountain Province, The famous Banaue Rice Terraces in Banaue, Ifugao and Mt. Pulag of Kibungan, Benguet (incidentally the second highest mountain in the Philippines next to Mt. Apo).
The city has only one five star hotel but offers a variety of comfortable accommodations or lodgings to choose from depending on your budget.
Baguio is accessible by land and air. The easiest way to get to Baguio from Manila is via the Victory Bus lines. Its terminals within Manila are in Pasay, Cubao and Calocoon.
The trips to Baguio from these terminals are on an hourly basis. During the holidays such as Christmas and Easter, the trips can be as frequent as every 30 minutes round the clock.
Other bus companies with trips to Baguio are The Philippine Rabbit Bus Lines and Partas Bus Lines.
By air, Baguio is only 55 minutes away from Manila via the Asian Spirit Airline, with its daily once a day flight to the city. Flights however, are cancelled during the heavy rainy season months of July, August, and September.
The Baguio City Loakan airport has a small runway that can be used only by smaller planes such as the Fokker.
Baguio City is on top of a mountain so aerial visibility reaches zero many times during the rainy season. This explains why flights are cancelled to the city from July to September.
Session Road is Baguio City's most popular road. This is where most business establishments are located.
At night it becomes a market where a variety of native home made products are sold at reasonable prices. Surprisingly these native accessories/products are mostly designed by the young generation of Baguio inhabitants.
Session Road is the place where most bars and coffee shops are located. To the artists and the Reggae lovers, "ayuyang "bar is worth visiting. "Le Fondue" is ideal for acoustic lovers.
Baguio people and many others living by the nearby provinces love Country Music. This would probably explain the presence of country music lounges and bars. Perhaps, the presence of country music lounges can be attributed to the fact that the Americans contributed much to Baguio City's rich history.
Taking a stroll along Session road, especially at night, is a joy in itself. Be sure to bring some jackets though as the temperature could really drop to as low as 12 to 16 degrees Celsius late at night especially on the coolest months of December to February.
During February, the flower festival popularly known as Panagbenga (which means "blooming" in Ilocano) showcases a parade of flowers in coaches and parade floats.
The parade usually starts at the top of Session Road, down to the Melvin Jones grandstand at Burnham Park. If you love flowers, the Panagbenga festival is an event that you should not miss while in Baguio City.
Remember to pass by Camp John Hay when you visit Baguio. The rest and recreation camp used to be operated by the Americans when they still had military bases in the Philippines.
At present, Camp John Hay is home to the Manor Hotel, the most elegant and cozy hotel in the Philippines.
Camp John Hay Manor Hotel
The Camp John Hay Manor Hotel has easy access to many of Baguio's tourist attractions.
The hotel has 189 guestrooms, each equipped with industry-standard amenities for guests' comfort. Guestroom appointments consist of coffee/tea, telephone (idd), room safe, television (cable), mini bar and non-smoking rooms.
The Manor Hotel has a jazz bar where jazz performers play your favorite jazz music from the 60s up to the present. Be sure to make a reservation if you visit Manor's jazz bar during the weekend.
There are also several restaurants and bars at Camp John Hay.
Even if you don't want to spend anything, you will find it very relaxing to stroll along the streets of Camp John Hay, enjoying the luscious green scenery and the scent of the pine trees Baguio City is famous for.
Concorde Baguio Hotel
Situated in the heart of Baguio, the Concorde Hotel only offers luxury guestrooms and high-standard facilities.
The design of the guestrooms and suites at the Concorde Hotel is marked by a high level of precision and attentiveness to detail.
Igorot Lodge Baguio
The Igorot Lodge Baguio has 27 hotel-type rooms plus a modern caseroom and a multi-purpose hall.
Settled on a hill with a panoramic view of a sprawling golf course, Igorot Lodge Baguio is conveniently located between the Camp John Hay and the 7th Tee Off.
Further Readings :
"100 Resorts in the Philippines", by Grele/ Dominique and Yousry-Jouve/ Lily Encyclea Publishing, 2nd Edition - 2003
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