Baguio Travel Diary: First Time in Baguio + Places to Visit
When I got back from my short trip to Baguio, my friend eagerly asked me for my impressions of the city (and he even used hashtag #firsttimer). Baguio has its own charm.
I love the weather, the people and the #BaguioFeel. I love looking at people dressed in layers and jackets walking in the streets as if it is the safest place in the Philippines. The weather on mid-May is not very chilly, but it can get cold at night.
#AzaleaGroupGetaway team prepared an exciting itinerary and activities fit for groups and for first timers like me. Check out the places to see and things to do when in Baguio:
Cafe Yagam
Cafe Yagam is a home of good coffee and exquisite food. Cafe Yagam serves Cordillera coffee best paired with kakanin like suman. The cafe also serves pasta and sandwiches. I love the Pesto Chicken Sandwich the best. It is one of the highly recommended places in TripAdvisor. No wonder because of its very instagrammable feel, homey ambiance and great food.
Hello #Melonnials 🙂
Melo, Duane, Myke, Trisha, John, Ken, Mhel and I
Baguio Ukay Ukay
The Baguio Ukay Ukay is a must-do when visiting Baguio. I heard a lot of good stories and see a lot of good buys from the Baguio Ukay Ukay and I was excited to share my own story here. I thought that there was a special covered place for the Baguio Ukay Ukay (more like Bambang and Cubao), but I was surprised when we stopped at the street and saw the whole strip of sellers and shoppers.
It reminds me of La Rambla in Barcelona!
We were grouped into 4 for the Ukay OOTD Challenge. Our team: Myke, Ana, Cha and I. The place was so crowded and I did a live broadcast in periscope. Too brave for me to bring a smartphone and Fuji Camera, ha!
But, always be mindful of your things.
Tips when doing the Baguio Ukay Ukay:
Wear comfortable clothes.
Always keep your bags and things close to your body.
Bring small bills.
Haggle (still!)
Do a research on how to spot authentic items (do it in advance).
Be patient.
We got lost somewhere in the sea of shoppers. Myke and I spotted a lot of good deals. Imagine tops at Php 10! Blazers and good coats at Php 100. There are some authentic limited edition Chuck Taylor sneakers that start at Php 500.
I was successful at controlling myself and didn’t buy anything.
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For our team’s #AzaleaOOTD Challenge, here’s the style that Ana and Cha had come up with. Everything for Php 220!
Bell Chinese Church
Our day 2 started with the visit to Bell Chinese Church. If you love temples, Chinese garden, architecture and good Chinese karma, it is a must-visit. We were quite surprised to see grade school kids taking their Physical Education class.
Bencab Museum
Bencab Museum is another must-visit place in Baguio (especially if you are a fan of Filipino movie That Thing Called Tadhana. Ben Cabrera (aka Bencab) is a Filipino artist and National Artist of the Philippines for Visual Arts. We were so lucky to meet him during our visit (and he is so cool to accommodate his fans :))
Being cultured with my love, Nicole 🙂
We had a quick snack at Cafe Sabel. Yet, another instagrammable place.
So glad to have my banana fix (I eat banana every morning) via the Turon Ala Mode 🙂
with THE BENCAB 🙂
Diplomat Hotel
Diplomat Hotel is an old abandoned building in Dominican Road in Baguio. It may sound weird for some, but I was very excited when Melo and the Azalea Team included a visit to this haunted building in our itinerary.
I chose to behave while visiting and roaming around the hotel. I heard stories from other bloggers who experienced bad things when they started playing around during the visit. I am not scared but the idea of seeing something or someone when I am alone in my hotel room (or even at home – if the spirit has the energy to go home with me in Manila), is just not right. I don’t want to welcome that thought, and the spirit.
Hi Duane! I missed you!
with @chaocampoo and @katvaldes
Some of our blogger friends chose to stay in the van while we did a quick tour of the place. The place feels sad and cold, but I see it as a perfect place for photo shoots. It doesn’t look very scary but seeing old room and shady corners feel a bit weird for me. They say it is a lot creepier to visit the Diplomat Hotel before sunset.
Arca’s Yard
with Mike Will Fly and Michael Macalos 🙂
I love that Baguio is surrounded with charming coffee shops. One of which is Arca’s Yard. A beautiful house with nice veranda overlooking sweet, green pine trees. At the second floor, you can find books that can accompany you and your serving of Camote Pie and Cloud Tea Latte.
Hey Duane, Ana and Tracy!
with power couple, Seph and Trice and Mothe Pax
with Kat, Cha, Duff and Zed
Parang birthday ko lang 🙂
Camp John Hay
It is never a complete Baguio Trip without a visit at Camp John Hay. I thought it was just a large park with gold course, but I also spotted eating places, outlet stores and shops.
We were given 30 minutes to take “beautiful” photos (but, I think we kind of extended a bit :))
I love the forest feel. The shades of green and browns in contrast.
Baguio Tree Top Adventure
If you love adventure and extreme sports, Baguio got you covered with The Tree Top Adventure. It is located near the Camp John Hay and offers activities in different packages.
I highly recommend Tree Top Adventure (esp the Free Fall) after trying the one in Subic. I would have wanted to try the Canopy Ride, however, they changed the rules and they no longer allow riders in shorts 🙁
.. and that sums up my 3-day, 2-night adventure in Baguio. I love that our itinerary covered most of the things that one must-do and must-see in Baguio. A little bit of adventure and lots of relaxation. If you are looking for a place to stay when traveling with friends and family (and you still need your privacy and your own room), book a suite room at Azalea Baguio.
Read more of my travel and adventures.
Azalea Residences
#7 Leonard Wood Loop, Bgy. M. Roxas,
Baguio City, 2600, Philippines
http://web.azalearesidencesbaguio.com/
Twitter @AzaleaResidence
and Instagram @AzaleaBaguio.
and Instagram @AzaleaBaguio.
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If you are reading this post somewhere, it is originally written by Ruth and published in www.ruthdelacruz.com.
