Unique Places in Baguio City

If your into walking/hiking go out Magsaysay Avenue and keep walking you eventually leave the city limits and then you will be in beautiful country side! There are many smaller side roads you can take and just enjoy the scenery!

From Bontoc, it's a 2-3 hour bus-ride to Banaue. Water
falls, natural pools, rice terraces, mountains (if you're
into mountaineering), forests ... hiking galore for the
nature lover. If you're more into "cultural" sightseeing,
take a tour of the villages and check out the weaving, and
woodcarving.
That should be a good, FULL week-long trip up north.
Caveat: Prepare yourself for the rough, winding roads and
the altitude.

From Baguio, take a bus up to Sagada. It's LOONG (7 to 9
hours) and ... er ... not exactly the most comfortable ride
in the world (part of the Sagada adventure is the journey
there). There are several lodging houses where you can
stay for around 2 to 3 US dollars a night. In the town
proper, you might want to visit the cemetery and echo
valley ... or buy Sagada-woven clothes.
Set aside AT LEAST an entire day for the REAL Sagada
adventure--spelunking and mountain hiking. You can catch a
GORGEOUS view of the rice terraces, less than an hour's
walk away from the town proper. After that, a must-see is
the hanging coffins in the ancient burial caves (just ask
for a guide to take you there--you can inquire about guides
at most restaurants)--be sure you have a flashlight with
you, and some snacks. If you really enjoy spelunking, a
single day won't be enough, because there are around 20
GORGEOUS caves to choose from ....
After a day or two in Sagada, you can take a jeepney ride
to Bontoc. Have your camera with you in the jeepney--the
view is breathtaking! From there, you can visit more rice
terraces, or visit the hot springs.

The cool, rarified heights of Mountain Province beckon with the promise of romance. True to its name, this northern province is hidden among mountains of evergreen forests 7,000 feet above sea level. Well-paved trails and dirt roads wind through terraced slopes planted to rice and vegetables. Visit Bauko town with its landscape of rolling mountains, waterfalls, boulders, and streams.
Take a day tour to explore the nearby town of Sagada, with its fascinating caves and hanging coffins, striking rock formations, and natural pools.

Marcos Highway is the longer route up and down Baguio but it is more travel friendly in that it doesn't have the more dangerous, sharper, dizzying zigzags of Kennon Road. If you keep an eye out, you may even spot the Marcos Bust on a mountain side. The Bust of the former president of the Philippines was the first lady Imelda's tribute to her famous husband - a lasting testament to his greatness. It attempts to replicate the majesty of Mt.Rushmore but since there are no huge natural rock mountain sides, the bust was constructed of poured cement. The bust was strategically placed as to make it seem Marcos' eyes are overlooking the vastness of the land... signifying Marcos' vigilant watch over the good welfare of the Philippines.

As with most places/monuments associated with the Marcos regime, when the president was deposed and exiled, these were either destroyed or put to neglect. Used to be there is a viewing deck and parking area you can stop at so you can see the bust closer and even have your picture taken but I think now, the path is probably unpassable with the mountain greenery taking over the road.

For a time, it was considered fashionable to have your picture taken with your finger giving the bust the "universal friendly" hand sign. I guess the people were still very angry then and this small act of defiance is an attempt to get rid of all the anger, fear and contempt for a very controlled life they had under his dictatorship.

As with most historically significant sites, I feel a pang of regret that instead of developing these and possibly generating more interest in the area, most of these monuments are neglected and left to ruin. History is not just about the good times..... sometimes dark ages teach us more and we can view them as 'what not to do' instead of trying to bury it... the lesson soon to be forgotten.

MARYKNOLL PARK The Maryknoll Sisters of Baguio has its own nature park and Bio-Center building which is accessible from the Marcos Highway. A small trail leads visitors around the park where there are Igorot huts, flower gardens, and a hanging pedestrian bridge. A scenic panoramic view of Mt. Santo Tomas is visible from the park on a clear fogless day.

BOTANICAL GARDEN The beautiful garden is a favorite among those who enjoy looking at different plant species that have adopted well to the climate of Baguio. There are trails that allow visitors to walk around the garden underneath the shade of tall pine trees. During the Marcos regime it was called Imelda Park but was later renamed as the Baguio Botanical Garden.

TAM-AWAN VILLAGE portrays authentic Igorot huts which are constructed on a hillside somewhere behind Quezon Hill. The visitors hut has a display of some Igorot handicraft, books, and other literature. On a clear day at its highest point, Lingayen Gulf and some towns of the Province of La Union are visible