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Baguio / Benguet
7,000 TIMES MORE MEMORABLE
Towards the turn of the 20th century, the American city
planner Daniel Burnham carved on a valley in the upland
Cordillera region of northern Luzon a summer recreational
center, the city of Baguio. With its nippy climate and
pleasant mountain scenery, Baguio is a favored destination
among artists, honeymooners and others looking for a cool
retreat. It is also a faith healing haven and a university
town.
Also nestled within the Central Cordillera mountain range is
the postcard-pretty town of Banaue. Banaue's claim to fame
are the rice terraces - part of the 20,000 hectares of
engineering marvel that also span the towns of Hungduan,
Mayoyao and Kiangan. The terraces were built more than 2,000
years ago by the Ifugao tribe, using only their bare hands
and crude implements. Inscribed in the World Heritage List,
this "8th Wonder of the World" serves as a living testament
to man's genius at turning a rugged and forbidding terrain
into a continuing source of sustenance. Baguio and Banaue
are anchor tourist destinations and part of the 7,000 times
more islands that make up the Philippine archipelago.
BAGUIO OF LEISURELY PURSUITS
One of the cleanest and greenest cities in the country,
Baguio is made for sightseeing. And for strolls and boat
rides and gentle trots around the park. And for golf. Kennon
Road, completed in 1905, opened Baguio to tourism. The
zigzagging path previews the scenic highlights of the city.
Along the 32-kilometer highway are the Bridal Veil and
Colorado waterfalls. Synonymous with Baguio is Burnham Park.
Located in the heart of the city, the park's features
include a man-made lagoon ideal for boat rides, a skating
rink, an athletic field and stadium, basketball and tennis
courts, a biking zone, tree-and-flower lined promenades, and
a plant market.
A popular golfing destination, the city takes pride in its
Baguio Country Club and Camp John Hay. What used to be the
rest-and-recreation base of American military personnel, the
Camp is being transformed into a world-class resort and is
also Baguio's biggest pine tree conservation area. Its newly
refurbished 18-hole golf course rivals that of the Country
Club which has pretty garden-patched cottages surrounding
its fairways. Ornate iron gates open to the Mansion House,
the official summer residence of Philippine presidents. It
offers tourists with great photo opportunities with its
rectangular reflecting pool along a tree-lined walkway. It
also houses a museum of presidential memorabilia. Near the
Mansion House is Wright Park where neophyte riders can trot
around an oval track guided by trainers who lead horses with
a hand-held leash. At the Mines View Park, tourists can have
a panoramic view of the old mines of Benguet. At the park
entrance is a flea market for souvenir items.
Sitting on top of a hill in Upper Session Road is the
twin-spire Baguio Cathedral, a city landmark. Another
pilgrimage site is the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes which
sits on top of Dominican Hill. Devotees prefer to climb the
252-step ascent than drive through a winding road to reach
the shrine. Bell Church holds a religious service of mixed
Buddhist, Taoist, Confucian and Christian dogmas but
tourists come here to have their fortunes told. Located on
an elevated pine-forested ground is the Philippine Military
Academy, the country's foremost military learning
institution. Its Saturday morning Parade in Review by cadets
in full regalia never fails to attract visitors. Also within
campus is a Military Museum. A cultural haven established by
noted Baguio artist BenCab, Tam-awan Village recreates a
typical ethnic village in the Cordilleras with authentic
tribal homes uprooted from their original locations and
re-set on similar terrain. There is also an art
gallery-cum-coffee shop.
BANAUE OF PAINTERLY DREAMS
Because of its high altitude, Banaue is often described as
"where land merges with the clouds to meet the heavens" with
the rice terraces as "the stairway to the sky." Banaue is a
place for nature adventures and cultural immersion. Days are
for indulging in such activities as strolling, biking, and
trekking. Evenings are for campfire chats at a village or
warm indoor cosseting at the lodges and inns.
A leading tourism destination in Asia, the Banaue rice
terraces start from the base of the Cordilleras and reach up
to several thousand feet high. Its length, if stretched from
end to end, could encircle half of the globe. The rice
paddies are fed by mountain springs and streams that are
channeled into an irrigation canal that runs downhill
through the terraces. In the village of Batad, the terraces
take the shape of an amphitheater and can be reached by a
12-kilometer ride from Banaue Hotel and a 2-hour hike
through mountain trails.
After trekking through the terraces, cool retreats indeed
are the spring-fed stream of Guihob and the magnificent
Tappiya Waterfalls which has an enormous basin for swimming.
Shopping takes a different twist in Banaue. While souvenir
items are offered by curio stores, the more exciting way to
shop, however, is to go on a village visit, watch a family
demonstrate their native craft and then haggle for a better
price on their product.
ISLAND FLAVORS
It has been said that there is only one kind of lucrative
business in Baguio, and that is dining. This, of course, is
overly exaggerated but then who can question this wisdom
with the proliferation of food places offering all kinds of
eats in this tiny city!
Star Caf้ along Lower Session Road is noted for its
excellent breads and pies and fine Chinese cuisine while the
adjoining Dainty Restaurant has the best coffee in town and
good noodles, too. For really great old-fashioned
breakfasts, check out Casa Vallejo at the Upper Session
Road. New Bonuan at the Happy Glen Loop, Jade Restaurant
along Marcos Highway and Barrio Fiesta at the Upper Session
Road are where you can partake of home-cooked native
cooking. Kalapaw Restaurant in Chuntug Street specializes in
grilled squids and tuna jaws. Inn Rocio in Kisad Road dishes
out Continental food, Mario's Restaurant in Upper Session
Road has good steaks, great Caesar's Salad, and decadent
cakes. And the artsy Caf้ by the Ruins in Chuntug Street
serves eclectic, seasonal dishes. At the Hotel Monticello in
Kennon Road, Hakuun Sanso Restaurant serves authentic
Japanese cuisine while 50's Diner specializes in traditional
American staples. Rose Bowl Steak House and Restaurant in
Harrison Road offers an international fare of Chinese,
American and Filipino dishes. The local food chain Don
Henrico's has its beginnings at the Upper Session Road and
serves yummy pastas and pizzas.
While Baguio bursts at the seams with restaurants, one has a
limited choice in Banaue where most dining outlets are found
in the mountain inns and lodges. Banaue Hotel has theme
restaurants and offers catering services for picnic meals
