Nestled at 1,400 meters above sea level, Baguio’s cool mountain air offers a comfortable respite for travelers seeking an escape from Metro Manila’s punishing heat and humidity.

Baguio’s cultural and creative scene is thriving. It is a hub for artists to showcase their work. It has been designated as a UNESCO Creative City, and with attractions like the Valley of Colors and Ili Likha Artist Village, it’s not hard to see why. a soft, gentle mist, wafting over the street-art littered alleyways of Carantes Street, a living, breathing entity where one can smell the soy glazed fried chicken simmering in a pot, whilst a blender whirs, creating a mango shake for one’s beloved.

It is very different from other large cities of the Philippines. Baguio feels like a city where one can breathe the crisp air, be surrounded by green spaces, from large man-made parks to the many forests and hiking trails that one can escape to. Nature is everywhere.

There is a soul to Baguio that is evident from the moment one sets foot in the city.

Baguio is…alive. Baguio brings me to life.

Like the very photosynthesis that brings lushness to these green, forests, I too, have been revived by its soft showers, and fresh temperatures, enough to make someone leave a piece of their broken heart here to be mended.

For my white, American girlfriend, Baguio served as her first introduction to the Philippines outside of the honking and chaos of Metro Manila.

I’ve always been guilty of overlooking Luzon during my many stints of travel throughout the Philippines. On this latest visit, I had to retire another passport jam-packed with stamps, and restrict myself to Metro Manila. Theoretically, I could still hop on domestic flights without a passport, and probably explain to hostels and hotels why I was a foreigner checking in without a passport, but I decided to kill two birds with one stone. I would save myself and everyone else the additional headache and potential mishaps, while also exploring parts of the Philippines that I have overlooked.

My girlfriend was here to join me, and I figured, we would have fun no matter where we went. After a week of showing her my favorite spots in Metro Manila and nearby, we hopped on a bus and made our way north.

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Table of Contents

• How To Get To Baguio
• Where To Stay in Baguio
• How To Get Around Baguio
• The Best Things To Do in Baguio
• Where To Eat in Baguio
• Closing Thoughts on Baguio
• More on the Philippines

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How To Get To Baguio

My aunt lives in Cubao, which makes for an incredibly convenient location if you want to do some overland travel around Luzon. There are other bus stations and transportation hubs scattered around Metro Manila, but Cubao has a highly convenient concentration of them.

As a traveler, you’ll likely be staying around Makati or Intramuros, so just plan on taking a Grab to Cubao’s Victory Liner Station.You can book the bus online on Victory Liner’s website. Tons of departures show up, and the buses supposedly leave every 30 minutes to an hour. However, I think they just combine these routes if they don’t fill up, because we booked a 9:30 AM bus, got there at 9 AM and they said there was no 9:30 AM departure so we should just get on the 9 AM one. Worked for us. We booked the cheapest ticket at around 640 pesos, although you can get more luxurious buses for upwards of 1,000 pesos.

Upon getting to Baguio, you’ll get dropped off at the Victory Liner Terminal. From here, take a taxi to your accommodation. Taxis are all over Baguio and are fairly affordable, starting at 50 pesos as soon as the driver picks you up, but moving fairly slowly otherwise. A 10-15 minute ride typically cost around 100 pesos or less.

Where To Stay in Baguio

There are a ton of options in Baguio, and I even saw that there was now a hostel with shared dormitories. The prices were a bit much, considering that it was $20 a bed, and we found a great hotel for $30 a night total.

We stayed at Rocio Inn just a short walk from Burnham Park, but across from the main bustling hub of Baguio City. It was quick and easy to take a shortcut through Burnham Park, and it made all the difference being able to sleep somewhere peaceful. The whole hotel felt like a garden, and it was a stark contrast to the nonstop movement and noise across Burnham Park. It also came with free breakfast, so I would highly recommend this hotel. The longanisa was amazing.

How To Get Around Baguio

Getting around Baguio is both convenient yet overwhelming. Jeepneys go to and fro in every direction, with many departing from Baguio’s central plazas and markets. Like most Jeepneys in the Philippines, they travel set routes, which are usually indicated on their windshields and painted on the vehicles themselves. However, this can be confusing for travelers who aren’t familiar with the area. It’s best to ask before getting on one to make sure it’s headed in the direction you want. Most Jeepney fares are between 15-25 pesos.

Alternatively, taxis are everywhere in Baguio. It won’t take long for one to pass by. Taxi fares start at 50 pesos and go up incrementally based on time and distance. They weren’t too expensive, though. We only took two taxis in Baguio, both about 15 minutes long and paid around 100 pesos for each one.

The Best Things To Do in Baguio

Baguio has a wide variety of activities across the spectrum. Seriously, it has something for everybody. Whatever age, whatever interest, Baguio’s eclectic array of experiences both overwhelms and excites.

• Baguio Botanical Garden – One of Baguio’s most popular attractions and lived up to the hype. Although a bit tacky, it was a beautiful place to visit, with many different areas and quiet, secluded spots to escape from the city’s noise. The orchidarium was stunning, and many of the trails through the quieter gardens were beautiful to wander through.

• Stobosa Valley of Colors – Similar to other colorful places like Chualluma in La Paz, Comuna 13 in Medellin, and the favelas of Brazil and barrios of Mexico City, Baguio puts forward StoBoSa, a collective of three villages, 200 houses, and over a million pesos worth of paint and 500 artists to make this ambitious vision a reality.

• Burnham Park – The main green space of Baguio where much of the city centers around. Aside from being a relaxing place for people to hang out, it offers activities like boat rides on the lagoon, bicycle rentals, and souvenir and street food markets.
• Ili Likha Artist Village – Perhaps my favorite place in downtown Baguio is the Ili Likha Artist Village. This is a hub for artists and creatives in many fields of expertise, from painting to sculpting to cuisine. I loved hanging out here and admiring the handiwork of local Filipino creators, not to mention the incredible food. This place is excellent all around, from the art to the food to the ambiance. It is a must-visit while in Baguio.

• Baguio Night Market – This sprawling market serves as a fantastic destination for street-food lovers and vintage clothing hunters. It’s home to some of the best deals you’ll find in the country, with secondhand clothing and fakes selling for criminally low prices. Some highlights of our street food adventure here was the Puto Bumbong, the Strawberry Taho, the Grilled Balut, and tanghulu made with Baguio’s renowned strawberries. They also offer international street foods like unique Filipino takes on shawarma, takoyaki, and other Korean and Japanese classics. One can fill up quite easily here with the massive rice meals from the street-stall carinderias, and abundance of ihaw (barbecue) and rice plate offerings.

• Mines View Park – a popular viewpoint offering scenic panoramas of Baguio and the highlands. It’s home to stretches of souvenir and street food stalls, and is particularly lively to visit at sunset or sunrise. Mines View is one of the more accessible destinations of Baguio as Jeepneys frequently go back-and-forth from Baguio’s city center.
• Session Road – the main thoroughfare of Baguio, serving as the commercial hub of the city. It is lined with shops, markets, cafes, restaurants, bars and much, much more. During certain weekend hours, it becomes a pedestrian-only walking street lined with street food vendors and local craftsmen and artists showing off their handmade-goods. You’ll inevitably find yourself wandering Session Road many times throughout your visit to Baguio.
• Baguio Cathedral – A steep climb up a stairway from Session Road will take you up to Baguio Cathedral, the city’s most recognizable building. This beautiful pastel-toned church towers over the city. On top of admiring the church itself, the location offers panoramic views of Baguio from the church grounds.

• Baguio Central Market – I love visiting local markets in every city I go to, and I was particularly fond of Baguio’s. Although bustling, it was not too chaotic, and the layout was great for wandering aimlessly without feeling cramped or claustrophobic. The alleyways are wide and perfect for window-shopping for local goods like Filipino sweets or Baguio’s famous strawberries. Fruits, vegetables, dried fish, traditional candies, souvenirs, and much, much more can be found in Baguio’s central market.

• La Trinidad Strawberry Farm – Baguio is renowned for their strawberries, and when strawberries are in season, one can visit a farm and pick your own. La Trinidad is the most famous and easily accessible.
• Ben Cab Museum – A contemporary art museum a little bit outside of Baguio’s city center.

This list just scratches the surface, and there is much more to do in Baguio. The Philippines as a whole is a very silly country. Our idea of tourist attractions definitely differ a bit from what foreigners would come to the country for. Like, a local family of domestic tourists might love to pay a visit to Baguio’s many tacky family theme parks, like Sky Ranch, Igorot Stone Kingdom, and more. Having come off of a nonstop schedule of travel over the summer, I was more than happy to take a slower approach to visiting Baguio. We planned on a two-day stop here on our way to the more rugged, adventurous destinations of the Mountain Province and Ifugao, but actually left wishing that we had more time in Baguio.

Where To Eat in Baguio

One of the highlights of Baguio was its food scene. I was pleasantly surprised at how great of a food city Baguio is, whether you are craving traditional Filipino flavors, modern twists on Filipino food, or street food from many different countries.

• Good Taste – a tried-and-true institution of Baguio that serves as a reliable joint for traditional Filipino cuisine and desserts. A massive space with six floors, robot waiters, and overall, a quirky Filipino experience with 24 hour service and budget-friendly eats.
• Foam Coffee – A convenient, yet trendy and modern, cafe centrally-located to many of Baguio’s plazas and parks. Offers both indoor and outdoor spaces, with choose-your-own-adventure style seating, from criss-cross applesauce Japanese floor seats (check Japanese name) to outdoor benches and normal tables. Remote-work friendly and great for people-watching.

• Rebel Bakehouse – A new bakery shaking things up in Baguio and beyond. Recently started by some friends who picked up baking during COVID, and clearly, found that they were doing something right. Home to melt-in-your-mouth ensaymada with a twist of local Baguio strawberry infused in its chewy layers, but also offering sweet and savory bites and drinks. A great space across from the Baguio Cathedral with lots of seating and excellent views of both the cathedral and Baguio countryside.

• Oh My Gulay – a stunning art cafe and restaurant nestled in the Penthouse of an unassuming building right on Sessions Road. Offers beautiful views of Baguio from the outside, and an array of artworks on the inside. The whole place is giving Treehouse vibes and makes you feel like you’ve stepped into something from Lord of the Rings.

• Little Milky Way – A vegan restaurant located on the first floor of the Il Ikha Artist’s Village. Some of the best Filipino vegan food that I’ve ever had, with a unique twist on traditional tastes like Adobo, Dinakdakan, and more. Budget-friendly and very delicious, not to mention a setting that is just otherworldly with intricate tile-work and mosaics, and greenery and overall, just fantastic vibes.
• Cueva – Also located in the Ili Likha Artist’s Village, this small cafe has great drinks and a gorgeous setting.
• Carantes Living Street Food Courts – Along Carantes Street, you’ll find a concentration of budget-friendly and convenient eats, from street food stalls to indoor food courts whipping up all sorts of offerings. It’s a hub for the locals looking for quick and affordable eats on their lunch breaks or after work.

• Cafe by the Ruins – Across from City Hall, you’ll find this timeless traditional restaurant in Baguio. Although the original building has burned down, it has been rebuilt and offers the same high-quality traditional food that made it famous. They have incredible pastries, like their camote bread which was unlike any other bread I’ve had before.

Closing Thoughts on Baguio

While Baguio might not be the Philippines’ premier destination for sparkling waters and sandy sunsets, it does offer a unique look into a culture and lifestyle that many foreigners do not get to experience. The Philippines is much more than just our island-hopping adventures and seaside serenity.

Baguio serves as a gentle introduction to the Philippines’ mountainous regions and cordilleras, rolling green hills and unforgiving forests, and the many, many tribes and cultures that have called this country home since the beginning of time. Baguio is a gateway to adventure, offering a varied mix of modern city life, traditional and experimental cuisine, whilst offering a glimpse of traditional art and culture deeply rooted in indigenous Filipino religion, folklore, and mythology.

Buy Me A Beer!

If this post helped you out, show some love and support for the blog and help keep my adventures going by buying me a beer! My adventures are entirely self-funded, so any show of support is greatly appreciated, and allows me to keep writing helpful travel guides and creating travel content to help you all travel the world on a budget.

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