Getting Around:
Lucap Pier has a tourist office with information, map and arranges tours.

Coming & Going:
Bus. from Manila, Buses (Dagupan, Five Star, Rabbit) leave on the hour to Alaminos, 6 hours P105.

Baguio City

approximately 250 kilometers north of Manila, is situated in the Province of Benguet. The developed portion of the city corresponds to a plateau that rises to an elevation of 1,400 meters. Most of it lies in the northern half of the city. There are two great valleys found in the south and north of the city. The more famous Guisad-Lucban Valley has an elevation that ranges from 1,300 to 1,400 meters and is centrally located towards the north. The southern valley is composed of long and narrow vales surrounded by low hills and transected by a network of hills. Some of the more important vales are Camp 7, Loakan, Bakekeng and Crystal Cave. These valleys are arables as they are rich with alluvial deposits.The summits on the plateau offers panoramic views. The summits that face the west : Quezon Hill, Mirador-Dominican Hill and the Bureau of Animal Industries Stock Farm offers splendid view of the Ilocos Coastal Plain, Lingayen Gulf and the South China Sea during cloudless days. Cordillera Province. 1500 metres high in the hills, a cool and relaxed place. From Baguio to the gateway to the famous rice terraces.Another famous promontory is Mines View Park which overlooks the mining towns of Itogon and offers a glimpse of the Amburayan Valley. All over the city, however are sporadically scattered steep side hills and mountains. About half the area of the City has a slope of 25% or more.

Climate:

Baguio is 8 degrees cooler any month on the average than any place in the lowlands. When Manila sweats at 35 degrees centigrade or above, Baguio seldom exceeds 26 degrees centigrade at its warmest. The lowest temperature reading made by the local weather bureau was 6.27 degrees centigrade, recorded in January 18, 1961. Baguio is very wet during the Philippine rainy season which is from June to October. It gets the biggest amount of rainfall in the country, twice the volume of rainfall as compare to Manila. The record for the heaviest volume of rainfall occurred in Baguio in July 1927 when it measured 4.77 meters. However from November to May, Baguio becomes a tropical paradise, a refreshing break from the hot and humid Philippine climate. Christmas season is when Baguio glows with the nippy winter air. Nights are good for bonfires. In the summer months of March, April and May, Baguio lives up to its title as the Summer Capital of the Philippines when thousands of visitors from the lowlands and Manila take their annual exodus to the city to cool off. Casual clothing is recommended worn with jackets or sweaters especially in the late afternoons or evenings.

The People:

of the city as of 1995 is 226,883.English is widely spoken and understood. It is the medium of instruction in all public and private schools. Most newspaper and magazines are printed in English. The national language, Filipino, language is of course spoken by everyone. Ilocano is also spoken by almost everybody.

Events:

Baguio Eucumenical Holy Week. Focuses on Baguio as a spiritual center. The first commemoration initiated by the religious sector of the Non-Government Organization started last March 1991. The theme was, Baguio, a journey to spiritual renewal
Floral Festival (February)Highlights included, flower, flower exhibits, lectures, garden tours, floral contest and a parade of floats.Baguio Arts Festival (November to December) features: visual arts (photography, film, video, sculpture and art installations); performing arts (modern dances drama, music, poetry reading) and ethnic arts.
Christmas activity highlighting numerous activities like cantatas, children's mardigas, Phil-Am Golf Tournament, sponsored by the national Correspondents Club of the Philippines.

Tourist Office:

in the Dept. of Tourism building. tel 4427014, Telephone area code is 074

Coming & Going:

AIR. PAL flies to Baguio daily, Asian Spirit and Laoag also have flights. see Air travel Page.
BUS services to/from Manila (P115, 6 hours), Dau, Olongapo (6 hours), Dagupan (2 hours), San Fernando (P25, 2 hours), Banaue (9 hours), Bontoc (8 hours), Sagada (P115, 7 hours).

Coming & Going:

AIR:Philippines Airlines and Asian Spirit flies from Manila to Cauayan, Isabela where transport to Banaue is available.
BUS: from Baguio, Banaue is about 12 hours away by bus through rough mountain road that nevertheless give the traveler an astounding preview of the beautiful countryside.
Bus lines from Manila also ply a shorter route to Banaue via Salinas and Bayombong in the neighboring province of Nueva Viscaya . The drive takes 6 to 7 hours including rest stops. Baguio to Bontoc. 150 km. About 8 hours (P130) up the mountains on slow winding roads. .
Bontoc to Banaue by daily jeepney.
Baguio to Sagada. daily. P135, 7 hours.