By Jhoana Dasig
If you feel like chilling out in summer, or at any other time of the year, Baguio is the place to be. Rising temperatures and sweat trickling down your brows may ruin your mood. Cool Baguio, the summer capital of the Philippines, will calm you down.
This family-friendly place in North Luzon tops among local and international visitors who simply want to chill out.
Its majestic trees have earned Baguio the title City of Pines. Take your loved ones to Burnham Park, where flowers bloom, the lagoon beckons, and the trees offer a comfortable shade.
Session Road, the main thoroughfare, is lined with stores, restaurants and entertainment spots. Those who wish to get a spiritual boost can visit Baguio Cathedral, with its pink façade, rose window, two square belfries, pyramidical roofs and 104-step stone staircase.
The Good Shepherd Convent is popular for its hand-made ube jam, peanut brittle and other yummy treats or pasalubong. You can go horseback riding at Wright Park, where entrance is free. The BenCab Museum in Tuba, Benguet, owned by Natonal Artist Benedicto Cabrera, or BenCab, features the visual artist’s collections, amidst an organic farm setting.
Camp John Hay, a former military facility, boasts a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course, eco trails, a Tree Top adventure and others. The Valley of Colors is a village in La Trinidad, Benguet, that shows an outburst of bold colors against the hillside.
The carved Lion’s Head at the entrance of Kennon Road, is truly Instagrammable.
Baguio has the cheapest, simplest form of transportation. Take a bus to reach the city. Jeepneys and tricycles are everywhere. Veggies, fruits, and souvenirs are sold at low prices. The friendly merchants even give discounts.
Baguio was talk of the town because of an important scene in the famous TV show, Forevermore, starring Enrique Gil and Liza Soberano. The stars went to Sitio La Presa, a strawberry farm in La Trinidad, Benguet. Viewers saw a vast farmland of fresh strawberries, One can pick the fruits himself, if he wants to buy some. Visitors are free to eat some of the strawberries, since local folk are incredibly kind.
Mines View Park, with its observation deck above the city, is another lovely spot to go to for peace and serenity.
Baguio has a lot to offer–from natural to modern attractions, for solo or group travelers. It has many hotels, transitory homes, flats and other places the tourist can stay in. Regardless of where you come from, or who you are, Baguio’s nooks and crannies, and hospitality, will give you many ways to chill out. GlobalTravelMagz
