Road Trip To Baguio City
A planned road trip to Baguio City will finally happen this weekend. I haven’t been to that place they called the “Summer Capital of the Philippines”. I have been to many places in the Visayas and Mindanao, but I have yet to explore Luzon. My parents had been there in Baguio two decades ago. I watched in awe the pictures they took and the strawberries they brought. I think that was the first time my lips tasted the sweetness of strawberries.
This plan of ours could have taken place last May but we didn’t push through. I hope my wife and I can now proceed this time around. Ok, so what is this post all about? The purpose of this post is to solicit answers from my blogger friends who had been to Baguio. Now, here are my questions:
1. How long will it take me from Balintawak to Baguio traversing NLEX?
2. When is the best time to leave Manila and head north?
3. Where do I make a turn (or exit) in the long highway?
4. What hotel do you recommend?
5. What is the best time to go sightseeing?
6. What are the must-see and must-visit places in Baguio?
7. Where is the best place to buy local delicacies?
8. What restaurants do you recommend?
9. What are the places to avoid?
10. What is the best time to go down and travel back to Manila?
11. Any sidetrips you can recommend?
12. Any known shortcuts?
Well, I don’t have that much time to research. I appreciate very much your answers. If ever we do get lost, I just hope there are cell sites around. That means I should not rely on my Sun cell, but will make sure I’ll bring my other phone as well.
Come Monday evening, I’ll update this post with my discoveries.
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Tags: Baguio City, Travel Posted in
Ceblogger is a CPA trapped in his cubicle while his mind wanders outside watching the world, and exploring possibilities his mind conceived.
July 9th, 2009 at 11:57 pm
Sir, I can’t answer your question but I directed your question to one of our branch manager in Baguio. Hope she’ll find the time to answer. hahaha!
July 10th, 2009 at 6:43 am
i’ve been to baguio grade six pa ako. i had a really funny experience there kasi hindi naka-adjust ang katawan ko sa environment, kaya bigla akong nahilo sa mall. my gosh, everyone was watching me from above dahil doon ko pa piniling himatayin sa center ng mall kung saan makikita ka ng lahat. hahaha!
love,
nobe
http://www.deariago.com
http://www.iamnobe.wordpress.com
July 10th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Haven’t been there yet but in case you get lost, tweet ka lang from your fone.
July 10th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
You should ask freeze! she knows everything hehehe ^^
Stop by the sister’s place where they make strawberry jams and peanut brittle! The best in baguio hehehe ^^
you can read this post by my friend for veggie options …
http://crazydigger.blogspot.com/2009/04/friday-bliss.html
enjoy! mau ra man d.ay ni ang gitago-tago oi. hahaha ^^
When I was in Baguio the first time, maybe grade 6, we went to Camp John Hay! I got addicted to mini golf and demanded that they take me back again on our last day hahaha ^^
July 10th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
The first link I sent I think were the No-Nos.
Here are the places with better reviews hehehe ^^
http://crazydigger.blogspot.com/2009/04/cozy-and-warm-at-choco-late-batirol-on.html
http://crazydigger.blogspot.com/2009/04/disappointment-at-eves-garden.html
July 10th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
1. How long will it take me from Balintawak to Baguio traversing NLEX? roughly 6 hours
2. When is the best time to leave Manila and head north? if you can drive early in the morning, better. maybe around 4am? I bet you’ll be in Baguio around lunch time. hehehe.
3. Where do I make a turn (or exit) in the long highway? Take the SCTEX (Subic-Clark-Tarlac Express way, I think)
That is, you’d take the NLEX to SCTEX, then SCTEX to Baguio.
4. What hotel do you recommend? There are plenty of hotels there. I usually get a transient house. hehehe.
5. What is the best time to go sightseeing? anytime no particular time. Experience Baguio by day and night.
6. What are the must-see and must-visit places in Baguio? Grotto, Burmham park (dunno the spelling LOL), The mansion, Camp John Hey, I forgot the place near Camp John hay where kids go for gimmiks at night, and for drinks go to Legarda madami dun. Basta ikot ikot ka lang.
7. Where is the best place to buy local delicacies? Go to the market. plus pink sisters for the ube. heheh
8. What restaurants do you recommend? plenty of local restos on Session road. Sisig is on e of their specialties and aw-aw.
9. What are the places to avoid? hmm… the ukay ukay, kasi naubos dun ang pera ko kakabili ng mga stuff. bought a pair of shorts for badminton. hehehe.
10. What is the best time to go down and travel back to Manila? if you fall asleep while driving like me, better to go back to manila in the morning. At least your other passengers are still awake.
11. Any sidetrips you can recommend? Manaoag. You can go to Isdaan at Pangasinan. A local resto where you can get free food by taking the challenge. (FYI: I got free food there)
12. Any known shortcuts? SCTEX hehehe.
Sorry late comment. I will text you tomorrow and see how you are doing. Enjoy your trip!
Z
July 10th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
mon, we’re leaving in 3 hours.
nobe, ano bang experience yan? haha
luke, i dont know how to tweet from my phone.
z, thanks! I will not miss that ukay-ukay and that badminton shorts.
July 11th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
money magnet Steph, tago-tago ba! haha. surprise lang ni for her. she didn’t know until she arrived at the manila airport. thanks for the links. We ‘ll go to La trinidad early tomorrow.
July 15th, 2009 at 3:18 am
haven’t been to baquio yet bro, and it is actually one place that i really want to visit.
don’t forget our pasalubong ha, ehehe! strawberries. wow!
ingat bro.
July 15th, 2009 at 5:17 am
Wow, I love going to Baguio! Ang sasarap ng veggies dun!
July 16th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
Don’t miss a trip to Good Shepherd for some goodies. At the market, don’t forget Mikasa Choco crispies and fresh strawberries!!!
and never forget to bring some for me too! haha
enjoy your trip! i’m happy to know you’re starting to explore luzon.
July 17th, 2009 at 2:20 am
elmot bro, sobrang mahal ng strawberry coz it’s not on season. maulan ang baguio ngayon.
snow, love the place. aircon not needed anymore.
freeze, we didn’t go to good shepherd though we just pass by it when we went to mines view park.
July 17th, 2009 at 6:52 am
Hope u will enjoy ur trip to Baguio. Mayta maka adto na sab ko didto. My latest trip sa Clark-Subic lang last month. Been to Baguio 1978, 1988, espoko na, hehehe. Gikan ko twitter follow nimo then ngari. \”,)
July 21st, 2009 at 3:48 pm
hmmm…nakakamiss tuloy magbaguio..for sure ngayon sobrang mura ang mga rooms and hotels dun kasi offpick eh…
July 25th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
huling tapak ko sa baguio musmos pa lamang ako. sabi nila hindi na raw siya kasing ganda ng dati. sigh. but still, it’s a good place to visit.
July 27th, 2009 at 1:55 am
huhu… buti pa kayo nkapunta na sa baguio. ako pangarap ko talaga yan nung bata pa ako. sana balang araw makapunta ako dyan
July 27th, 2009 at 9:59 am
wow, Baguio! I was there in 2007 and I want to go back. PMA and Camp John Hay, recommended. For pasalubong, go to the palengke
btw, thanks for EC.
August 19th, 2009 at 3:45 am
sayang late ko ng nabasa ito, kasi 2nd province ko na ang Baguio…been going there since I was born…hahahah!
walang taon na hindi ako pumupunta ng Baguio except noong 1990 earthquake.
there’s no place like Baguio in the Phils. lalo na noong nandoon pa mga amerikano sa camp john hay…ibang iba ang hitsura.
ang dami ko pang memories sa Baguio…hehehe
i hope nag-enjoy kayo.