Baguio Activities

Activities in Baguio

Snapshot

Baguio has a number of attractions to please the most discriminating of sightseers. More importamtly, most of these tourist sports are easily accessible via taxi or jeepney from Session Road.

Burnham Park


- Situated at the heart of the city, Burnham is the traditional venue of the city's numerous festivities. The park is named after the city's master planner Daniel Burnham. Its man-made lagoon is the site of many boating excursions, Bikers, hikers and skaters delight in the park's criss-crossing walkways. And of the romantic, a walk in the rose gardens is an absolute must.




Mines View Park
- Over the years, the Park has been transformed into a shopping showcase of sorts. It's here where you can load up on the province's bounties: hand woven jacket and blankets, silver knickknacks and jewelries, and various jams and preserve. Of course, none of these goodies could complete with the Park's breathtaking view of the hills and valleys of the Cordillera and the gold mines of Benguet.

Club John Hay
- A tour of Baguio is incomplete without a bite of the Club's jumbo-sized burgers and sundaes. Formerly the R & R center of the United States Armed Force personnel in the Phillippines, the Club features hotel type rooms, seven food outlets, an 18-hole golf course, six tennis courts, a six-lane bowling center, basketball and volleyball courts, a heated swimming pool plus more for a definitively sporty weekend.

Baguio Cathedral
- Rising above the city skyline are the pinkish hues of the Baguio Cathedral. The cathedral is but one of a number of religious landmarks which dot the city. There is the Bell Temple, north of the city; the Maryhurst Seminary with its brilliant gardens; and Lourdes Grotto with its 252 steps to heaven.

Banaue


- Although Banaue is nine hours away from Baguio by bus, the tourist who takes the time to see this marvel of culture and architecture would be greatly rewarded. Known far and wide as the eighth wonder of the world, the Banaue Rice Terraces were carved from the mountain ranges centuries ago by the Ifugaos, one of the oldest known mountain tribes of the province.



Sagada
- One of the ten towns comprising Mountain Province is Sagada which is known for its numerous subterranean caves of their ancestors, the Sagadg area is a must-see for the archaeology buffs. Added attractions include the natural clear waters of Bokong Waterfall for a quick morning dip and the studio of renowned lensman Eduardo Masferres, whose collection of photographs of the Cordilleras is a photographer's envy.


Rizal Park
-Rizal is said to be one of the greatest Filipinos who ever lived. At a time when the Philippines was under the oppressive rule of the Spaniards who came to colonize the country, Rizal's brilliance and dedication to his country served as inspiration for the Filipinos to fight for their independence. Rizal was a believer in the potential of the Filipino to seek the greatest heights amid adversity, and he lived a life that proved this.

Rizal was an academician, a linguist, historian, writer, a scientist, and a medical doctor. He wrote a book titled "Noli Me Tangere" where he depicted the condition Filipinos were living in under the hostile and oppressive rule of the Spanish friars. His books were banned by the Spanish friars in the country at that time since it sought to expose their corruption and greed. Rizal’s second novel was the "El Filibusterismo" which was the sequel to his first book and where he clarified his political ideas.


Botanical Garden

-The Baguio Botanical Garden is located east of Baguio's downtown area. You will find it between Teacher's Camp and the Pacdal Circle. Its main entrance is along Leonard Wood Road and just across the street from Gilberto's Hotel and Baguio Vacation Hotel. It is quite a large park and about the same size as Burnham Park.

There are plants that are also sold at the Botanical Garden, however, before you decide to buy any, be aware that some of these plants may not be suitable for replanting in lowland areas where the climate is much more humid and warmer than that of Baguio. Just bear in mind that the city has an average elevation of about 5,000 feet (1,524 meters) above sea level with a temperature a number of degrees lower than that of Manila and the nearby provinces in northern Luzon. It will probably be best to just admire or take a photograph of the beautiful plants and colorful flowers that are abundantly seen and grown in Baguio.


Bell Church
-The Bell Church is located north of the downtown area of Baguio along the road leading to the town of La Trinidad, Benguet. Within its compound are intricately designed arches and buildings adorned with flags, bells and dragons.

It has a pagoda, and beautifully landscapped gardens. There are some artifacts about Buddhism that you will find at the Bell Church as well as some literature about the history of China.

It is during the Spring Festival or what is more commonly known in the West as the Chinese New Year that local and foreign Chinese tourists flock to the Bell Church. Like all Chinese festivals, the date of the new year is determined by the lunar/solar calendar rather than the Gregorian calendar. The observance of the holiday falls on a different date each year and it usually varies from late January to the middle of February. This Chinese public holiday is usually observed for 3 days although the festival traditionally starts with the new moon on the first day of the new year and ends on the full moon 15 days later. The 15th day of the new year is called the Lantern Festival which is celebrated at night with lantern displays and children carrying lanterns in a parade.


Dominican Hill

-When it was still accessible and opened to the public, Dominican Hill was usually the next stop for visitors who go to the Lourdes Grotto since it was just nearby. The hill was well visited not only by local and foreign tourists but also by the residents of Baguio because of the panoramic view it provided of the city. The view from the hill is without doubt breathtaking and about the best there is to see and experience.

From atop the hill you can see the whole of City Camp all the way to Burnham Park and the Baguio Cathedral. Towards the left one could see Quezon Hill, Camp Allen, the Baguio Public Market, Center Mall, the campus of Saint Louis University, and Quirino Hill. The Marcos Highway, Green Valley Country Club, and the Sto. Tomas mountain are also visible from Dominican Hill. At night when there are no clouds in the sky, it is a sight to behold to see the glow of the city lights blending beautifully with the twinkling stars in the heavens. The best time to visit the hill and to take photographs is between mid-afternoon and just about an hour before sunset when the sun is still shinning brightly on the city.

The Dominican Order in the Philippines decided in May 1911 to construct a vacation house on top of what was later called the Dominican Hill. It was a 17-hectare property the Dominicans acquired from the previous American owners. Construction work was believed to have started in 1913 under Fr. Roque Ruano and the building was inaugurated about two years later on May 23, 1915. To take advantage of tax exemptions, a school called Collegio del Santissimo Rosario was opened in June 1915 but due to the very small enrollment, the school closed two years later and the building was reverted back to the original plan of setting up a vacation house.


Mines View Park
-There is no doubt that the Mines View Park is one of the most popular and most visited park in the city. From the observation deck of the park a breathtaking panoramic view of Benguet's gold and copper mines and the surrounding mountains unfolds before you. It is a spectacular sight to behold and should not be missed when visiting Baguio.

The park is usually the next stop taken by most visitors after seeing the Mansion or Wright Park. To reach the observation deck, you need to go down a winding stone-covered stairway which is just close to the parking area. One should be careful when ascending or descending the stairway just after a rain as the steps can be very slippery. There are a few benches at the promontory where you can sit down to rest and enjoy the view. For a few pesos you can rent a binocular and there are also some commercial photographers around just in case you want to have your picture taken. A visit to the park should also be planned earlier during the day as the view may not be visible when the fog starts to move in during the afternoon. However, this occurs only on certain months of the year.

At the entrance to the park are stalls selling native handicraft such as wood carvings, locally made silver products and jewelry, baskets, brooms, sweaters, blankets, and a variety of other items. There are also canteens, snack stores, and street vendors selling food and beverages. Items one will find here are similar to those found in the public market but only at a much smaller scale. There are however some good bargains at the stores and it is best to check and compare prices before deciding to purchase a particular item. There is an open parking area at the vicinity of the park where the stores are located.

Baguio Sports and Activities

Beachineering


- This term was coined by mountaineers in the Philippines as most mountains have their base along a beachfront making the activity some sort of a reward after the strenuous hike up to the summit of a mountain. Although Baguio is not on the coast itself, it's close enough that while on your mountaineering adventure you may find yourself close to it eventually.




Billiards
-And other 'indoor' games are available at most of the higher star rated hotels and a few pubs and other local gathering points.


Cave Exploring (Spelunking)
- Sagada in the Mountain Province of northern Luzon Island 6 hours north of Baguio City, offers great trekking and caving opportunities. One day, two day and a 3 day treks to Bontoc are possible and with local inexpensive guides are easy enough to find that are willing to show visitors the way. The recently formed Philippine Cave Guides Association offers competent and professional guide services to many cave systems around the country ask at your hotel for more info. as at the time of writing no contact addresses or telephone numbers are available.


Cross Country Cycling
-Although cycling has long been a very popular sport here in the Philippines, multi-day cross country cycling has yet to be established as one outdoor alternative. It is basically a combination of backpacking and cycling. The Baguio Sagada Circuit is a popular route being taken by an annual Baguio – Sagada Bikathon, where you cycle above the clouds, or just do it on your own and get to meet the locals as you go. For more information ask at your hotel on arrival.


Fun Runs Hash House Harriers
- There are a number of HHH Clubs throughout the Philippines. The one closest to Baguio is the Mount Santo Tomas Hash House Harriers which was in 1998. Since the original run the club has now clocked up over 110 runs, an excess of 2200 km total. The runs take place early every Thursday morning, and are known to often finish late in the Hash pub, Tramps. Mount Santo Tomas Hash House Harriers are based around the Bauang area of La Union. Bauang is located about 5 kms south of the City of San Fernando. Visitors are more than welcome and for more info contact them on: trampsgirlz@koala.com.ph or give them a call at Tramps on: (072) 242 0864  Fax: (072) 888 5448 or Int. telephone +63-72-242 0864


Horse Riding
-Horse Riding an be done in Wright Park where there are a number of ponies (not horses) for hire. (These sturdy animals can carry adults, but please consider the animals if you are slightly on the large side and refrain from climbing into the saddle if you are this way inclined.) This is a great sport for the whole family to enjoy and one can either ride around the park grounds themselves or go on an 'out-ride', with a guide.


Indoor Climbing
- There are a number of indoor climbing gyms that have opened throughout the country to accommodate climbing enthusiasts. Here one can train safely under controlled conditions before hitting the outdoors or keep fit on a rainy day. No information is available at this point in time on facilities for this in Baguio, therefore you are advised to ask at your hotel on arrival.


Rock Climbing



-Rock Climbing is a relatively young sport in the Philippines but one of the fastest growing in terms of participation. Nowadays, there are a lot of rock climbing destinations in the country though there are still many unclimbed areas. Best time to climb is between November and March.