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.

Dingalan Lamao Caves | Aurora Philippines

Dingalan Lamao Caves

Lamao Caves

A dozen caves along the seaside cliff of Paltic, Dingalan, Aurora, Philippines, are constantly pounded by Pacific Ocean waves. A few mini-beaches serve as docking points for bancas and during the calmer months of April to June, one can maneuver a small banca inside the caves. Aside from a small waterfall that trickles outside one of the caves, the site would seem deceptively ordinary.

A close inspection inside one of the caves, however, reveals a delightful natural waterfall gushing from an underground stream. Another cave showers water, giving the impression of an indoor rainstorm. The shore facing the cave steeply descends and is immediately immersed in the deep sea. Rare marine life such as giant turtles and some sharks patrol the area. Local fishermen have spotted more interesting undersea life along the coral reefs a few hundred meters southeast of the caves. The hills that encompass the north and south of the cliff show well-groomed grassland continually caressed by the sea breeze.

WHERE TO STAY:

DINGALAN BAY RESORT

Location: Brgy Paltic, Dingalan, Aurora

Contact Details: Eddie Cruz/0920-818-3160

FIL DANE INN

Location: Gomez St., Poblacion, Dingalan, Aurora

Contact Details: Contact Person: Raymond Bugarin/0918-418-8483

SAN DIEGO FARMS

Location: Brgy. Matawe, Dingalan

Contact Details: John Marquez/0919-525-8431

Dikasalarin View | Aurora Philippines

Dikasalarin View

Dikasalarin is a secluded cove located about 20 kilometers southeast of the more accessible Sabang beach in Baler. It's a favorite picnic site of the Baler locals and is one of the most beatiful beaches in Aurora. It's accessible via boat or land but there's no road leading directly to the area. By boat it's only a 45-minute ride along the shoreline of Baler. You can start your boat ride from Sabang or the Duongan river, entering the sea through the delta of the Pingit-Kinalapan river at Sitio Castillo, then riding the waves along the shorelines of Cemento and Digisit. Along the way you will have a magnificent view of Baler from the sea, its endless beaches, the coconut-hemmed skyline and gentle mountain slopes. If your boatman is adventurous enough, he can glide your boat between the rocks of Lukso-lukso or take you on a slight detour under the cliffs of the Anyaw island. Then you can marvel at the crystal-clear waters and the bed of corals visible just below the surface. If you reached the point of Cape Encanto where the tip of the mountain is bare but for gently swaying cogon grasses, then Dikasalarin is not that far. From there the boat will take a right turn, glide under the shadow of hundred foot cliffs, roll over 15 foot waves coming from the cove and then - paradise.

WHERE TO STAY:

LITTLE GIRL'S SURFER LODGE

Location: Buton St., Brgy, Sabang, Baler, Aurora

Contact Details: Chona Cope/0918-685-9449

AMIHAN APLAYA LODGE

Location:103 Bgy Sabang Baler, Aurora

Contact Details: Lina Ferreras/0918-693-5904/0918-426-3268 / 0918-632-8566

BAHIA DE BALER GARDEN RESORT & RESTAURANT I

Location: Bgy. Sabang Baler, Aurora

Contact Details: Meryl Kate Almarez/0921-576-5655

Casapsapan Beach | Aurora Philippines

Casapsapan Beach

The Casapsapan Beach, an unspoiled beach in Brgy. Culat, is comparable to Boracay when it comes to beauty. Aside from its powdery, white sand and crystal clear, blue water, Casapsapan Beach is also rich in marine life. Different kinds of corals, sea urchins, fishes, crabs and the Casiguran’s pride, the Golden Shell, are very abundant in Casapsapan Beach. The Golden Shell, according to the Casiguranins, can only be found in the town of Casiguran.

WHERE TO STAY:

CASAPSAPAN BEACH RESORT

Location: Casapsapan, Casiguran, Aurora
Contact Details: Richard Tan/0910-648-6906


PEÑA'S LODGING HOUSE
Location: Liwayway st., Casiguran, Aurora
Contact Details: Irene/0921-584-0044


RIVERVIEW LODGING HOUSE
Location: Casiguran, Aurora
Contact Details: Kris/09084123578