The Mansion | Baguio City, Philippines

The Mansion

The Mansion House is located on the eastern part of the city along C.P. Romulo Drive (formerly a part of Leonard Wood Road) and right across from Wright Park,

The Mansion is older than the city itself, and easily one of the most visited and photographed landmarks of the City of Pines.

Any time of the year is good, and during clear days, the Mansion is postcard perfect for photos. Most, times, especially when the President of the Philippines is not in residence, tourists are allowed to enter a little past the gates.

One, of course, should explore Wright Park which is right across The Mansion, and which is probably one of the most romantic spots in the whole country.

Camp John Hay | Baguio City, Philippines

Camp John Hay

A beautiful resort in the mountains it features a world class competition Jack Niclaus-designed golf course (said to be the only course in the Philippines to have bentgrass greens) as well as hotels, a shopping center & a convention center, among other attractions.

Located on the south eastern side of the Summer Capital of the Philippines, its Main Gate is now located on Loakan Road, a 5-minute drive from its old location at the Upper Session Road-Loakan Road-South Drive rotunda.

Camp John Hay has a second entrance accessible via the Baguio Country Club road, which is closer to the other major tourist attractions of the City of Pines.

This former rest & recreation facility for American soldiers in Asia is a tourist destination in itself.

Session Road | Baguio City, Philippines

Session Road

Session Road is the main thoroughfare of Baguio City and its commercial center, with a variety of shops, stores and offices lining each side. Session Road is so named because it was the site of the Philippine Commission's first session.

A lovely walk down from Luneta Hill toward the Baguio City Market, Session Road is where you will find department stores, bazaars, boutiques, old movie theaters, hotels, cafes and restaurants, bakeries and grocery stores. A majority of banks operating in the Baguio City are found there, as well as various offices, drugstores, book stores and news stands.

Baguio Cathedral | Baguio City, Philippines

Baguio Cathedral

The Baguio Cathedral sits on top of a hill called by Belgian Catholic Mission as Mount Mary. The Baguio cathedral served as evacuation center and shelter during World War II withstanding Japanese carpet bombing, saving thousands of lives.

Beside the Baguio Cathedral is a parking lot that also serves as a view deck for Baguio's surroundings including the Baguio Athletic Bowl, Burnham Park, Mount Sto Tomas, Baguio City Hall.

Travelers can easily identify the cathedral because it has an enticing pink façade and circular windows. Baguio Cathedral has a spacious courtyard that overlooks the business area of the city. People who want to see the cathedral can reach the place in two ways; either by walking in a stone staircase from Session Road or by walking from the nearby school, Saint Louis University.

Another attractive feature of Baguio Cathedral is its shopping center named Porta Vaga. The members of the cathedral donated and contributed for the development of the shopping center. The cathedral established the shopping center to create a strong wall that supports the building from collapsing in case a strong earthquake occurs.

Burnham Park | Baguio City, Philippines

Burnham Park

Burnham Park is centered around a man-made lake located at the heart of the city. It was named after the city's planner, Daniel Burnham. The park is a favorite place of local residents and visitors alike. There are different facilities for recreation and relaxation that are available in the park. You can row a boat, have a picnic, attend an outdoor concert, watch a football game, go biking, or just take a leisurely stroll around the park.

At the southern end of the park is a circular skating rink where skates can be rented. There are also tennis and basketball courts, a few restaurants, outdoor kiosks, a children's playground, and an orchidarium where various kinds of plants, trees and flowers are sold. Chairs and benches are distributed around the park for those who just want to sit down and relax.

WHERE TO STAY:

BURNHAM HOTEL

21 Caderon St., Baguio City, Philippines

Contact Details: 074-442-2331/burnhamhotel@gmail.com

Babuyan Islands | Philippines

Babuyan Islands

The Babuyan Islands form an archipelago located in the Luzon Strait north of Luzon island in the Philippines. It is separated from Luzon by the Babuyan Channel and from the Batanes Islands to its north by the Balintang Channel.

The Babuyan Islands consist of five major islands: Babuyan island, Calayan, Camiguin, Dalupiri, and Fuga. Note that the Camiguin island here is different from the island-province of Camiguin in Mindanao.

Politically, the Babuyan Islands are part of the Philippine province of Cagayan.

There is no electricity and no private resorts in these islands. Accommodations are provided for by the hospitable local officials in the form of cottages which can be rented for a nominal fee per night. The cottages have a communal bathroom with tap water and electricity both powered by a generator. There are no daily ferry trips here either.

Ditumabo Falls | Aurora Philippines

Ditumabo Falls

Ditumabo Falls is located at Barangay Ditumabo, San Luis, Aurora, one of the key attractions of the province of Aurora. Though currently the site of an ongoing hydroelectric project, the falls is still one enchanting site to behold and certainly worth the visit. It towers more than a hundred feet above a wide basin and imposing cliffs on both sides hem the falls itself. The locals have nicknamed it ?the mother falls.? The trek alone to the falls is a treat in itself. One gets to pass through lush vegetation, large boulders, a number of sprays and small waterfalls, and cross several streams and rivulets. There are wooden footways already in place; perhaps to aid the construction crews ferrying supplies to the small dam being constructed near the falls.

There are no campsites in the area, although there are several wide cottages about 100 meters from the waterfalls. At the time of our visit, these simple sheds were free for our use.