Baguio City: The Summer Capital of the Philippines

When we think of summer we usually imagine ourselves basking under the sun by the beach. However, the heat in the summer is undeniably annoying so this summer, in celebration of our second anniversary, we headed up north to experience the cold laid back weather of Baguio City.

There are a lot of bus lines going to Baguio, usually situated in Cubao or Pasay City. The fare is pretty affordable, around P400 per way. I recommend before your trip, just like any other, book a hotel of your choice. Search through the internet and choose the hotel near the tourist spots in Baguio. We stayed in Hotel 45 which is a 3-minute walk away from SM Baguio. If you are looking for a simple place to sleep and bathe, this hotel is fine, do not expect anything grand though, the overnight stay only cost P1,100 which is good for 2 people.

Commuting within Baguio is easy, you can ride a taxi anywhere in the city or if you want a little adventure you can walk your way to most jeepney terminals from your hotel. I think the best experience that we had was waking up early in the morning and walking in the cold breeze to get to the nearest coffee shop before we find the next jeepney terminal. The coldness in the morning may be unbearable to some so do not forget to bring your jacket.

Burnham Park, 5-minute walk from Hotel 45

Mines View Park

The Igorots :)

P20 per shot

Our Lady of Atonement

Lourdes Grotto

Botanical Garden with the Igorots

Inside the Botanical Garden

Keychains

One of the highlights of our vacation was the trip we had to Strawberry Farm, we knew that it is the farthest among all tourist spots in Baguio. It is located in La Trinidad which is a few kilometers away from Baguio City. I even downloaded Google Maps, which is very helpful, to find the jeepney terminal going to  La Trinidad.

Remember that sign if you're planning to go to the Strawberry farm

You will be welcomed by people who would assist you to their farm and give you baskets for the strawberry plucking experience. Then, the strawberries you personally picked will be weighed  and paid for P250-300 per kilo, which is a lot more expensive than just buying the strawberries outside of the farm.

Pasalubong

At Camp John Hay

And of course, to complete the trip, we bought pasalubong, Strawberry jams, Peanut Brittles, Choco and Milk Flakes, Lengua and more. Going to Baguio was a truly awesome experience, I wish we had this type of weather everywhere. I will surely go back to The Summer Capital of the Philippines.