28 Apr 2011

How To Commute To Baguio City's Tourist Spots

  • 28 Apr 2011
  • Lagalag


  • During Lagalag's trip to the city of Baguio, he made sure he could be of help to other vacationists flocking the summer capital of the Philippines this peak season by making list of terminals of jeepneys that ply the routes to major destinations. These are the Baguio Attractions and Historical Landmarks inside the city limits:




    Baguio Cathedral
    Botanical Garden
    Burnham Park
    Camp John Hay
    Crystal Cave
    Good Shepherd Convent
    Lourdes Grotto
    Mansion House
    Mines View Park
    Panagbenga Park
    Philippine Military Academy
    Session Road
    Sunshine Park
    Wright Park


    For Dinosaur Island and Holy Land, go to:

    How to get to Dinosaur Island & Holy Land




    Read these separate directional articles:

    How To Commute To Tam-Awan Village From Baguio City

    Strawberry Picking: A What To Do In La Trinidad

    Baguio City Visita Iglesia Route Guide


    Session Road is the main avenue of Baguio City where all city life happens. It is the commercial center of Baguio and the major destination for shopping, dining, banking and bar hopping. SM City Baguio is situated along upper Session Road. Baguio Cathedral can be reached from SM City via Session Road and terminals of jeepneys going to Mines View Park, Mansion House, Wright Park and Good Shepherd Convent are located here.

    How to get to Camp John Hay




    The jeepneys that ply the route passing by Camp John Hay is located at Burnham Park. In the map this terminal is called Bakakeng Jeepney Station. Now, I think Bakakeng Station is just one of the many



    jeepney stations in this terminal. From anywhere along Session Road, e.g. SM City Baguio, Prime Hotel, Baguio Cathedral, walk downhill towards the end of the road where DBP Bank Building is located. Turn left at the corner of DBP Building. There's a KFC at ground floor of DBP Building. Now, use the pedestrian overpass to get across Harrison Road. Exactly at the foot of the stair of the footbridge is the terminal of jeepneys going to different locations. This is Bakakeng Jeepney Station. Look for jeepneys with "Baguio Plaza-Scout Barrio" sign. These jeepneys pass through a certain "crossing" as drivers told me. From this "crossing", Camp John Hay is walking distance. I never got a chance to go to Camp John Hay but I did went to other attractions such as Mines View Park, Philippine Military Academy, Mansion House, Wright Park, etc. And I will guide you to the jeepney terminals plying the route to these never to be missed spots in Baguio City.



    Additional information: Next to jeepneys with "Baguio Plaza-Scout Barrio" sign are few L-300 vans with the same sign, Baguio Plaza-Scout Barrio. According to the driver of one of the van that I talked to, their route is different from the jeepneys as they pass through exact location of Camp John Hay. At any rate, you can talk to driver of either jeepney or van to find out which one pass through the excellent spot of Camp John Hay.



    How to get to Philippine Military Academy





    Reminder: All visitors entering PMA must have individual valid IDs. A person without a valid ID can't enter PMA. If you're in a group and you don't have ID, you will be instructed to get off the jeepney at the gate and wait for your companions with IDs while they're enjoying the tour.


    In the same terminal of Bakakeng Jeepney Station is the station of jeepneys with "Baguio Plaza-KIAS-PMA-Springhills-Apugan" sign. This is the only jeepney at this terminal going directly inside PMA. From loading area of "Baguio Plaza-Scout Barrio" jeepneys, walk further up ahead until you see the sign board that read: "LOADING AREA: PMA-KIAS-SITEL-EPZA". Ride the jeep being filled up with passengers by a dispatcher.




    From Burnham Park Lake. Let's say you're anywhere in the lagoon of Burnham Park. Go towards Lake Drive corner Perfecto Street. Lake Drive is the road between the Burnham Park and the football field. Just walk along Lake Drive until you see Ganza Restaurant to the right. Next to it is Perfecto Street as indicated by the road sign at the corner. From this road sign, just a few feet along Perfecto is the sign of the jeepney station bound for PMA.




    The jeepney station sign read: ""LOADING AREA: PMA-KIAS-SITEL-EPZA". And beside the sign are jeepneys with "Baguio Plaza-KIAS-PMA-Springhills-Apugan" sign in front and on their both sides. Ride the jeep being filled up with passengers by a dispatcher. Click here to view map of walking direction from Burnham Park to this terminal.

    Don't get worried when the jeepney get past the gate of PMA without dropping off passengers to the PMA. The jeep will just take the other passengers to the last point of the route then it will get back from the turning point to the same route. The jeep will then enter the gate of PMA, it will stop for a moment and the officers will approach to collect all IDs of passengers. Your group will be given only one gate pass ID that one of you must wear all the time while inside the PMA ground. Please read the reminders at the back of the ID to avoid embarrassment of apprehension. There are some restrictions that you must observe.

    The jeepney will take you to the loading and unloading area at the main PMA Building where important attractions and facilities are located. The jeep, then, will fetch the waiting passengers and head back to Burnham Park.

    There's also a souvenir shops near the drop off point. To maximize your tour of the PMA, after you take photos at this area, you can walk your way from the PMA building downhil towards the gate to see other attraction inside the camp. There are other important landmarks you get to see along the way. Then after getting your ID, you can wait for a jeepney outside the gate to get back to Burnham Park Bakakeng Jeepney Station. But if you're contented with attractions around the PMA main building, then you can just wait for a jeepney with the same sign at the loading and unloading area waiting shed. Jeepney fare to PMA from Burnham Park is 18.50 pesos per passenger.

    How to get to Crystal Cave

    The terminal of the jeepneys going to Crystal Cave is located at the corner of Otek and Shanum streets. From Session Road, walk downhill from SM towards the end of the road where DBP Bank Building is located at the corner. Turn left on the corner of the building. There's a KFC Restaurant at the ground floor of DBP and opposite DBP Bank Building at the other side of the road is Maharlika Livelihood Complex.




    At this point, you're looking at the pedestrian walkway overpass. Use the stair at the middle of the overpass then turn right to get to the other end of the overpass. This overpass is crossing Magsaysay Avenue. Don't get down at the stair located at the end of the overpass. Instead, turn left and take another overpass walkway extending from the first footbridge to get across Harrison Road. At the end of the second footbridge is Hotel Veniz. Turn left again on another extension of the footbridge. Now, go down the stair to the right of the footbridge extension.




    You're now at Shanum Street. The building at the corner of Shanum Street and Harrison Road is Hotel Veniz. Walk along Shanum street until you get to the next intersection which is Otek Street. At the opposite corner of Otek and Shanum, you will see the sign board that read "Loading Area: Crystal Cave".




    From Burnham Park. Let's say you're in the lagoon area also known as Burnham Lake. Go towards Lake Drive. Lake Drive is the road between Burnham Park and the football field. Walk along Lake Drive past Ganza Restaurant until you get to corner of Lake Drive and Shanum Street. Turn right on Shanum until you get to the next street intersecting Shanum. That is Otek Street and in the corner is the terminal of jeepneys bound for Crystal Cave. Click here to view map of walking direction from Burnham Park to terminal of jeepneys bound for Crystal Cave.



    Additional information: Talk to the dispatcher of the jeepney. Tell him that you're going to cave itself. Crystal Cave at the sign of the jeepney doesn't refer specifically at the cave itself. It refers to Crystal Cave Road. And majority of the passengers are residence living in different areas along Crystal Cave Road. It's important the driver knows he has passengers going to the cave so that he can drop them off at the street leading to the site of Crystal Cave. As of this time, jeepney fare to Crystal Cave is 8.50 pesos.

    How to get to Lourdes Grotto




    From Burnham Park, you need to get to Hotel Veniz first. The hotel is visible from Burnham Park. Get down there.




    Once there, climb the pedestrian overpass to get across Harrison Road. From the overpass, you can see the Abanao Square Shopping Mall, to your left. Now, go towards that mall and turn right onto the road that borders it to its right side. That road is Zandueta Street. Walk along Zandueta Street towards the next intersection which is Kayang Street. Click here to continue reading or go to the last paragraph of How to get to Lourdes Grotto. Click here to view map of walking direction from Burnham Park to the terminal of jeepneys bound for Lourdes Grotto.


    From Session Road, walk downhill from SM towards the end of the road where DBP Bank Building is located at the corner. Turn after you get past DBP Bank Building. There's a KFC Restaurant at the ground floor of DBP and opposite DBP Bank Building at the other side of Magsaysay Avenue, the road where Session Road ends, is Maharlika Livelihood Complex.


    You need to get to the back of the Maharlika Livelihood Complex to go to the terminal of jeepneys that ply the route going to Lourdes Grotto. Here's what you do. Use the stair located at the middle of the overpass, turn right to get across Magsaysay Avenue and get down the overpass via stair located at the end of the overpass. At this point, you must be seeing the big mall of Abanao Square one block away. If not, you're in the wrong way. There's a big "Abanao Square" sign above the corner of the mall. Walk towards the Abanao Square and turn right onto the street that borders it. That road is Zandueta Street. Walk along Zandueta Street towards the next intersection which is Kayang Street.

    Now, turn left on Kayang Street where you will see to the left of the road jeeneys parked side by side facing the other side of the street. These are terminals of jeepneys going to different destinations. First terminal is for jeepneys going to Guisad. Next to it is the terminal of jeepneys with the sign in front and at the side of the jeep that read: "Baguio Plaza-Dominican-Lourdes VV". This is the jeepney you must ride to get to Lourdes Grotto. Just look for the one being filled up by a dispatcher. Fare is 8.50 pesos.




    The sign in the photo stands at the terminal.

    How to get to Good Shepherd Convent and Mines View Park

    People going up to Baguio City never miss to go to Good Shepherd Convent to buy different preserved native products made by the nuns to generate money for different charities sponsored by Good Shepherd Convent. My favorite is the Ube Preserves. It's so yummy and the best I ever tasted. Good Shepherd Convent and Mines View Park is near to each other. Just a stone throw away. In fact, the terminal of jeepney going to Mines View is located near gate of Good Shepherd Convent.

    The sign of jeepneys going to Mines View Park is "Baguio Plaza-Mines View VV". Their terminal is along Mabini (lower) Street near corner Session Road, opposite McDonald's (now gone). Your new landmark is the City Center Hotel which is located at the other side of Session Rd corner Upper Mabini St. To get to the terminal from upper Session Road, e.g. SM City Baguio, Prime Hotel, Victory Liner, Baguio Cathedral, walk along the left hand side of Session Road until you get to Lower Mabini St which is the last street before the end tip of Session Rd and it is downhill from the corner of Session Rd. Turn left onto (Lower) Mabini Street. Located at the right hand side of Mabini is the terminal of "Baguio Plaza-Mines View VV" jeepneys.




    From Burnham Park, walk across Lake Drive, the road between Burnham Park and Football Field. Then go to Harrison Road, the road where interconnecting overpasses are located. Don't cross Harrison Road via overpass. Instead, from the stair of the overpass, walk along Harrison Road and get across the other side where a BPI Bank is located. That street is Mabini. And the terminal of jeepneys going to Mines View is located near opposite end, which is corner Session Road.




    Alternatively, walk across the football field toward Melvin Jones Grandstand, go up the grandstand and exit at Harrison Rd where you can easily walk across toward Mabini St. Then, just walk your way up the uphill Mabini Street from the corner of Harrison Rd until you get to the terminal of jeepneys bound for Mines View, to the left of Mabini Street. Click here to view map of walking direction from Burnham Park to this terminal.




    Addional information: If you're going to Good Shepherd Convent aside from Mines View Park, ask the dispatcher if the jeepneys you're going to ride is via Gibraltar Road. There's also different route going to Mines View Park but most of the time the jeepneys pass through Gibraltar. Still, you need to make sure.




    How to get to Mansion House and Wright Park





    If you're fond of horseback riding, you will like it there at Wright Park. Mansion House, the official summer of Philippine President, is located next to it. You can get to Mansion House from Wright Park via stairs that goes directly to the landscaped walkway with a distance of approximately 330 meters from the stair to the gate of the Mansion House.





    Ride a jeepney going to Mines View Park and get off at Wright Park.




    If you want to go directly to the gate of Mansion House, ask the dispatcher if the jeepney he's filling up is via Gibraltar. If it does, don't ride it because it won't pass by the Mansion House. Try the next jeepney.





    How to get to Botanical Garden, Panagbenga Park and Sunshine Park


    These three parks are located near to Baguio Plaza. Just ride a jeepney going to PMA or Mines View Park and ask driver to drop you off at any of these spots.


    Location Map of Terminals of Jeepneys bound for Baguio City's Tourist Spots


    Walking direction from Burnham Lake to terminal of jeepneys bound for PMA and Camp John Hay

    Go back

    Walk from Burnham Park to terminal of jeepneys bound for Mines View and Good Shepherd Convent

    Go back

    Walking direction from Burnham Park to terminal of jeepneys bound for Lourdes Grotto

    Go back

    Walking direction from Burnham Park to terminal of jeepneys bound for Crystal Cave

    Go back



    32 comments:

    1. I recently toured Baguio City after 30 yrs. As a balikbayan from New York, I can't help but be dismayed with the extent of air pollution in the city. The smoke belching jeepneys continue to pollute the air. The Crystal cave is now severely neglected by the city government. The sign to the cave is nowhere to be found, even in city maps it is not mentioned. The downhill steps towards the cave entrance is abutted by rows of private houses and the steps are littered by dog poop as well as unleashed dogs roam around the area. The steps to the Crystal Cave entrance is gone thanks to Ondoy who washed it away and NO THANKS to the LGU who continue to neglect it. Is it because of continued government corruption that hinders maintenance of this tourist spot. I beg all elected government officials that if you cannot serve the people , to just resign and leave the work to deserving people, after all you cannot take that much money wherever you're going which is more likely downstairs!

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    2. I think you have a point sir Amado. Crystal Cave, the way I see it, has lost its former glory. Maybe, our adventurous hiker friends who prefer to take trip off the beaten path might still find the place interesting :-)

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    3. nice guides. matagal na ring akong di nakapunta sa baguio. magagamit ko to.

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    4. Thanks Mannoy, medyo dami ngayong bago sa Baguio.

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    5. => Even Baguio you conquered the direction sir! as the name implies.

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    6. Our primary purpose is to help people get to a destination or destinations. So even in a vacation, I find time to do just that. :-)

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    7. => I'm so amazed how obsessed you are about those things and it makes me wonder how you were able to do those things! Iba ka sir phil!

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    8. Hehe hilig lang po mag-Lagalag.

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    9. => Sana next time sa Vigan naman sir! hehe. This is not just a blog for me.. it's a pro website.

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    10. :-) Thank you for very nice sounding words. Yaan mo po, one day, makakapunta din ako sa lugar nyo.
      One day kc di ko pa masabing soon hehe.

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    11. i always wanted to go to Baguio seeing this pics made me realize Baguio is still a good place to relax, never been ruin.

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    12. @ philtrvia01, Baguio will always be the right place to visit for relaxation. It's now summertime, so I think you will find it conducive to go on a trip up there, sir.

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    13. Is it ok if I will Migrate to BAGUIO? What are the
      pros and cons living in Baguio? Please give me your opinion.. Thank you MR.JOHANN from USA

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    14. @ MR.JOHANN, pros - you get to eat fresh vegies and fruits, you can even pick strawberries right form its farm, read Strawberry Picking: A What To Do In La Trinidad, weather is great during summer season of the Philippines, the city is conducive for jogging and morning exercise, low cost of living and for me this is cheapest place to live while enjoying both city and country living, green surroundings with different species of flowers, 24-hour Manila to Baguio and vice versa public bus transports.
      Cons - extreme cold from December to February, you don't get to see sunset and sunrise except if you live in a suburb located up in higher mountain.

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    15. It's nice to commute in Baguio and even if maglakad ka during the day, di ka pag-papawisan. =) Looking forward to explore Baguio again hopefully soon! Thanks for these direction tips!

      Cille, Penfires!

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    16. @ penfires, you are welcome po. Watch for directions to Tam-Awan Village. It's quite a destination :)

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    17. Great info about tourist spot i love to get my family there and i invite you to get flights for pakistan and explore new spots which are famous as s region of Switzerland i m talking about Swat valley.

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    18. Sir, this is one of a kind. Love your blog! I'll refer to it often on my own blog. More power!

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    19. @ asanefruition. Sir, thank you so much for appreciation, I appreciate your good intent. Hoping for the best of luck on your blog :)

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    20. I want to know on how to get to "LEONARD WOOD"

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    21. @ c_chaco13. What is the exact address please?

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    22. Thanks for your blog, it gave me an idea to tour around Baguio via jeep :D

      dalawa lng kasi kami ng barkada ko kaya mahal kung taxi. Buti sana kung 4 kami.

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    23. @ Charissa Mae Lopez. You are welcome. Mas enjoyable po sa jeep kesa taxi ang pag tour sa different attractions of Baguio City :)

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    24. very informative, will surely help me in my coming trip to baguio. thanks a lot.

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    25. @ il mio viaggio. The pleasure is mine. Hope you enjoy your stay in the summer capital.

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    26. This comes in very handy for my planned last-minute family vacation! Thanks Lag alag!

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    27. @ Mark Salumbre. You are welcome. Enjoy your vacation :)

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    28. Hi Sir Lag alag.I already a booked a flight to baguio this coming november 2013 with my husband to celebrate our 4 years of marriage. Thank you so much for this informative blog of yours. Now we can both explore baguio na hindi kami mawawala since you have all the information we need para maka visit sa mga tourist spots. We prefer jeepney kasi, mas enjoy. If it's ok to ask, where is the best place to stay in baguio? Makakahanap pa kaya kami ng place to stay during november month without prior booking in a hotel?Or we must book a hotel na?Thanks in advance:)

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    29. @ Marian. You are welcome. I highly recommend Benguet Pine Inn because of its affordability and proximity to Burnham Park which is just across the road. The view is awesome if you pick a unit with terrace overlooking Burnham. The Jeepney Terminal I mentioned above is also a stone's throw away. I don't think you need to have prior booking since November is not peak season. Besides, there are lots of hotels in the vicinity including Eurotel. Nothing to worry much about that. Hope you enjoy your trip to the summer capital.

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    30. The university is a private, Christian liberal arts institution. Allen University is coeducational, with an enrollment of less than 900 students.

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    31. hi! good day! i would like to ask for directions on how to go to pink sisters convent in baguio city (by commute, coming from burnham park). thank you!

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    32. @ christine villamora. Please go to the terminal of jeepneys near Burnham Park and ask the driver of a jeepney bound for Wright Park if he passes by Pink Sisters Convent. If not, kindly ask him as to what jeepney route to take.

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