Things to do in Baguio
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Baguio
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
The cold returns, with the coldest nights from December to February and single figure early mornings in cold snaps.
December brings Christmas crowds, peak rates and daily gridlock, while January after New Year is cold, clear and calmer.
Panagbenga runs through February into early March, and strawberry picking peaks from February to April.
Holy Week, movable in March or April, brings a national exodus to Baguio, full churches, buses and hotels.
May warms and the rains begin, with the last reliable strawberry picking and thinning crowds.
Wet season brings heavy rain, fog, slippery trails and landslide closures on Kennon Road and other mountain roads.
What's on
- Panagbenga Festival 1 February to first Sunday in March
Baguio Flower Festival, with the street dance and float parade on its last big weekend.
- Session Road in Bloom The week after the Panagbenga parades, early March
Session Road closes to traffic for a week of stalls and cafes to close the flower festival.
- Holy Week Movable, March or April
A national travel peak with full churches and hotels, sold out buses and the worst summer traffic in the city.
- Christmas in Baguio Mid December to early January
The coldest weather of the year with Christmas displays, the fullest hotels and daily holiday gridlock.
Best things to do in Baguio
Burnham Park
Baguio's central park, with a boating lake, rental bikes and gardens, best early before the holiday crowds fill it.
Session Road
Baguio's main street of cafes, bakeries and thrift shops, best on Sundays when the road closes to traffic.
Baguio Cathedral and Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of the Atonement
The twin spired cathedral above Session Road, reached by steep steps, with sunset views over the centre.
Mines View Park
Baguio's classic viewpoint over the old mining valley and Cordillera ridges, worth it only on a clear morning.
Camp John Hay
A pine forested former US rest station with a historical core, picnic grounds and the calmest walks in the city.
The Mansion
The President's summer residence opposite Wright Park, a formal photo stop with a museum open on set days.
Wright Park
A pine lined reflecting pool opposite The Mansion, known for guided horse rides and an easy family walk.
Tam-Awan Village
A hillside artists village of rebuilt Ifugao and Kalinga huts, galleries and view decks in a wooded garden.
Where to stay in Baguio
Camp John Hay
quiet, air and outdoors
Pine forest estate with the top hotels, golf, trails and cafes, and a taxi ride needed for the centre.
Session Road and Burnham Park
first trip without a car
Walk to the park, market, cathedral and night market, with the widest choice and the worst congestion.
Leonard Wood and Gibraltar Roads
families with a car
Residential and calm, between the centre and the Botanical Garden, Wright Park and Mines View cluster.
Think twice about
- Session Road strip for drivers
Gridlock, scarce parking and late crowd noise from morning to night at peaks. Walk from here, do not drive from here.
- Isolated hillside rentals far from jeepney routes
Steep, dark and wet streets at night, and taxis may not climb out to collect you at peak times or in heavy rain.
Best restaurants in Baguio
Le Chef at The Manor
The Manor's formal restaurant, Baguio's one true splurge dinner, with a bake shop locals drive in for.
Lemon and Olives Greek Taverna
A Greek taverna in a house on Outlook Drive, with sharing platters, lamb, baklava and a pine view terrace.
Cafe by the Ruins
A Baguio art world institution serving local, seasonal Filipino dishes and its own kamote bread.
Choco-late de Batirol
A garden restaurant in John Hay famous for thick hot chocolate whisked with a wooden batirol.
Cafe Sabel
BenCab Museum's cafe over the duck pond and farm, the lunch that turns a museum visit into a half day.
Oh My Gulay
A vegetarian rooftop art space over Session Road, with generous plates, juices and a view of the centre.
Farmer's Daughter Restaurant
Cordilleran cooking beside Tam-Awan Village, for pinikpikan sets, kiniing and etag shared at the table.
Good Taste Cafe and Restaurant
Huge Filipino Chinese portions at low prices, open around the clock, with buttered chicken the signature.
Outdoor things to do in Baguio
Strawberry Farm
Pick your own strawberries by weight in the La Trinidad valley fields, in season from November to May.
Mount Ulap
The best day hike near Baguio, a guided ridge traverse from Ampucao to Santa Fe over three peaks.
Mount Pulag
Luzon's highest peak, a permitted, guided multi day climb via Ambangeg and Kabayan, never a casual day trip.
Camp John Hay Eco Trail
A gentle pine forest trail inside Camp John Hay, the easiest real walk in Baguio with no summit to chase.
Tree Top Adventure Baguio
Ziplines and canopy rides through the pines at Scout Hill, including a face down Superman style flight.
Camp John Hay Golf Club
A par 69 Nicklaus design mountain course in the pines, a members club that takes booked visitors.
Mount Yangbew
A short, steep sunrise hike above the La Trinidad valley, with a sea of clouds on clear dry mornings.
Best hotels in Baguio
The Manor at Camp John Hay
Baguio's grand hotel in the John Hay pines, with gardens, a spa, Le Chef restaurant and a famous bake shop.
Le Monet Hotel
A smaller premium hotel inside Camp John Hay, with forest balconies and direct access to the pine paths.
The Forest Lodge at Camp John Hay
Spacious, good value rooms inside Camp John Hay, the sensible way to sleep in the pines with family.
Azalea Hotel and Residences Baguio
Apartment style residences with kitchens on Leonard Wood Road, strong for families and longer stays.
Microtel by Wyndham Baguio
A consistent chain hotel beside the Victory Liner terminal, the most practical arrival base in Baguio.
Hotel Elizabeth Baguio
A quiet, established hotel near Wright Park and Mines View, in a residential area away from the centre.
Hotel 45
A basic, long running budget hotel near Burnham Park and the market, walkable to the whole centre.
El Cielito Inn - Baguio
A small, friendly inn on quiet North Drive, with simple rooms, some kitchenettes and free parking.
Is Baguio expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | ₱2,000 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | ₱4,500 a person |
| Splurge | ₱11,000 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Mount Ulap: a few days ahead
- Mount Pulag: months ahead
- Tree Top Adventure Baguio: a few days ahead
- Camp John Hay Golf Club: weeks ahead
- The Manor at Camp John Hay: weeks ahead
- Le Monet Hotel: weeks ahead
- The Forest Lodge at Camp John Hay: a few days ahead
- Azalea Hotel and Residences Baguio: a few days ahead
- Book rooms and Manila buses weeks to months ahead for Panagbenga, Holy Week, Christmas and long weekends.
- Book Mount Pulag through official park channels weeks to months ahead, with a medical certificate secured in advance.
- Reserve Le Chef and Lemon and Olives for weekend dinners, and confirm golf directly with the club.
Is Baguio safe?
- Crime is a background risk across the Philippines, and the no-go areas are far away in parts of Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago.
- Watch for pickpockets in the public market, the night market and festival crowds, and keep valuables zipped and forward.
- Treat landslides and storm signals as absolute, follow local authority instructions, and dial 911 in an emergency.
- Kennon Road closes in heavy rain, so never rely on it for a fixed departure, and use Marcos Highway instead.
Baguio travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Agree any price before a photo with the dressed up dogs and ponies at Mines View and Wright Park.
- Strawberry picking runs November to May only, and viewpoints in wet season fog often show nothing at all.
- Any itinerary allowing 30 minutes between BenCab, Tam-Awan and Mines View ignores Baguio traffic completely.
Getting around Baguio: public transport and more
- Arrive from Manila by overnight bus in about 4 to 6 hours, and walk the centre, which is compact but steep.
- Use jeepneys for La Trinidad, Mines View, Camp John Hay and Pinsao routes, and metered taxis for everything else.
- Cluster sights by side of the city and start early, because short trips can take an hour in peak gridlock.
Who Baguio suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Great |
| Couples | Good |
| Bachelor parties | Not ideal |
| Families | Great |
| Bachelorette parties | Not ideal |
Make Baguio your trip
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