15 Apr 2012

How To Commute To Tam-Awan Village From Baguio City

  • 15 Apr 2012
  • Lagalag


  • Tam-Awan Village is good for those who want to experience cultural travel with a bit of adventure on the side. Also known as Garden in the Sky, the model village is where you get to have a glimpse of traditional lives of Cordillera people. A major attraction outside the city proper of Baguio, this destination showcases Ifugao and Kalinga houses with an aim of promoting awareness for Ifugao Tribe's indigenous customs, traditions and their exquisite craftsmanship.

    Luccong is an upper class Kalinga Hut in Tam-Awan Village

    Ifugao and Kalinga houses as well as different native materials and instruments are perched apart from each other on various sides of the mountain. You need to climb stepped uphill trails and weedy paths that snake through dense forest to get to them.




    In some areas, trail is precarious to take. Opposite the main entrance is an art gallery called Arko ni Apo. As you climb from the entrance, another gallery called Bugnay is perched on the landing adjacent to a craft and souvenir shop, and then there's the Sketching area where you can have yourself sketched by an artist. A cafe is conveniently located on a flat part of the mountain.

    A Cafe located next to Sketching Area of Tam-Awan Village

    As you penetrate the wild uphill forest guided by common trails, you will be taken to these traditional houses that stationed in strategic locations. You get to see cottage accommodations that looked more like pigeon houses.

    A typical lodging house in Tam-Awan Village

    Yes, you heard me right. You can have an overnight stay here. It's quite an experience to live the life of our indigenous brothers and sisters, right? Well, here is your chance.

    Interior of Luccong Hut

    Up in the Viewing Deck, the magnificent sunset over tropical mountains can be seen. Another trail will take you to "Dream Catcher", "Gazebo 2", "Agape" and "Dukligan".

    Sunset in Tam-Awan Village aka Garden in the Sky

    Back to the entrance, you have the option to take first the stepped path going to the "Spirit House", "Wishing Pond", "Kinakin" and "Gazebo 1" or the one which will take you to the "Bugnay Gallery", "Village Gallery", "Craft Shop" which are all connected to the "Cafe" and "Sketching" area. Restrooms are also located here.

    Stepped access to different attractions inside Tam-Awan Village

    Aside from cultural experience, the wild travelers' destination which is also aptly called Garden in the Sky exhibits a broad diversity of flora and fauna. So, if you are into plant and flower photography, you might like it here while enjoying cultural trip.

    Trail within forest of Tam-Awan Village

    As of this writing, here's the costs of having an escapade in Tam-Awan Village. By that, I mean - to enjoy your time but make sure you're not doing things that would tarnish the highly revered cultural destination.





    Entrance Fees: Children - Php 20. Students - Php 30. Adults - Php 50. You can get in even if you're not going to spend the night. But if you want to stay a little bit longer, here are the rates:

    Lodging: 1 Person - Php 500. 2 Persons - Php 1000. Additional Person - Php 300 each. Group of 10 or more - Php 350/pax.

    Picnic Fee: Available from 9am to 6pm. Php 200 for a group of 10. Additional pax - Php 20.

    Use of a Hut w/o Bedding: Php 500 per day.

    Big Events

    Function Fee: Php 8,000. Maximum of 40 pax.

    Cultural Show: Php 5,000.

    Workshop: Php 450 per module per person.


    How To Get To Tam-Awan Village From Baguio City Proper?


    The sign in front of jeepney that you must ride should read: "Baguio Long-Long Tacay Tam-Awan Vice Versa". The terminal of these jeepneys is located at Hilltop St in Market area. Here's the walking direction. To make it more comprehensible this direction starts from Burnham Park. I also created map which you can see below this post.

    Jeepney bound for Tam-Awan Village
    Walk towards the only interconnected pedestrian bridges of Baguio City which is right beside the tall building of Hotel Veniz. Climb the pedestrian overpass and walk towards Hotel Veniz. You should be seeing the big mall of Abanao Square located to the right of Abanao St which continued Harrison Rd, the street below the pedestrian bridge. Go down the other side of the road and head to Abanao Square.





    Abanao Square
    Abanao Square is exactly located at the corner of Abanao St and Zandueta St. Turn right onto Zandueta St and walk all the way up the other corner which is Kayang St. Turn left onto Kayang St and walk to the right of the road past the small market street. Hilltop Street is the wide road to the right of Kayang Street in which to the other side of it jeepney terminal is located. Turn right onto Hilltop St and walk up to where it bends to the right. There you'll see a jeepney with "Baguio Long-Long Tacay Tam-Awan Vice Versa" wordings on its front and on its both sides. Get aboard the jeepney. See map at the end of this post.

    Tam-Awan Village exterior
    You don't need to ask the driver to drop you off at Tam-Awan Village. You just need to look to the right of the uphill bending road until you see the mammoth concrete fencing on the steep side of the mountain with "TAM-AWAN VILLAGE" wordings engraved on it. Get off the jeep right there. Now I need to remind you that you wouldn't wait for the same jeepney at the opposite lane of that road in going back to the city proper. It will take you forever.

    How To Return To Baguio City Proper From Tam-Awan Village


    Once back outside Tam-Awan Village, walk back towards the direction of Baguio City Proper. The road bends to the left. Soon you'll reach the point in which a small sloping road runs to the right of this main road. A sari-sari store is situated right at that junction. Wait for a jeepney to arrive from city proper which will make a U-Turn right there to get back to the city. There are other passengers waiting because this is exactly a loading area. Now, go take a look of the map below for bird's eye view of the direction that I have mentioned. Scroll down to see the map.

    Arko ni Apo Art Gallery

    A traditional hut in the forest of Tam-Awan Village

    Some kind of music instrument used by Ifugao tribe

    A Bontoc rice granary in Tam-Awan Village

    Tam-Awan Village's trail are precarious to take in some areas

    Location Map of Terminal of jeepneys bound for Tam-Awan Village



    12 comments:

    1. panalo talaga tong website mo! very informative for those ayaw mag taxi tulad ko hehe

      ReplyDelete
    2. @ Christian Lucas Sangoyo. Kelangan natin magtipid kya dapat ibigay ang information ng pinaka-murang paraan ng pag-commute :)

      ReplyDelete
    3. Xakto! I am really planning to go here but still have no resources to see on how to go here. Pero sakto talaga, you've made an awesome documentation out of this on how to get here which just made me feel that your blog is the answer to my tracel needs :)

      I love the "How To Return To Baguio City Proper From Tam-Awan Village" kompletos rekados :)

      ReplyDelete
    4. @ Edmaration. Thank you! Thank you! ehem, sarap pkinggan kaya magba-ba-bow ako hehehe.

      ReplyDelete
    5. I been to Baguio several times and as a Balikbayan, Baguio is easier to navigate than MM. First of all when I heard of this Village of Tam-Awan. I asked the first jeepney stationed at Burnham Park where to get a ride to Tam-Awan, and they will direct you to the jeep station by the market. Going to Tam-Awan has two jeepney service route so you have to be very specific where you want to go. I've visited at least 3 blogs looking for information about Tam-Awan and none of them could be of help. None of the bloggers have directions nor info about the village (shame on those bloggers with limited mental faculties). This blog site hits it right on the spot and is very detailed.

      ReplyDelete
    6. @ Amado. Thank you po sir Amado. Glad to hear that you have already been to Tam-Awan Village. I still need to do research on the other jeepney route bound for Tam-Awan. Thanks for the information.

      ReplyDelete
    7. The two jeepney routes are the Quezon Hill and the other one is Long long. The Quezon Hill does not pass directly in front of the Tam-Awan Village Garden In The Sky , you have to walk uphill about 500 meters. The Long long Tam-Awan route passes directly in front of the Tam-Awan Village. Just a word of caution, you have to tell the jeep driver to drop you off the Tam-Awan Village Garden on the Sky, because the whole area is known as the Tam-Awan Village about 2km.

      ReplyDelete
    8. @ Amado. Oh now I got it sir Amado. The jeepney that I had mentioned in this post that makes a U-Turn at the junction way far before Tam-Awan Village is the PUJ with another route which is Quezon Hill. Thank you so much for this info sir Amado. It's added up on the content of this entry. Thank you so much :)

      ReplyDelete
    9. how long is the travel po to tamawan village?thak you!

      ReplyDelete
    10. @ jovy casupanan. 30 to 40 minutes more or less :)

      ReplyDelete
    11. Hello. I'm just wondering if I can bring my car up to the Garden in the Sky or taking the jeep is the only option? Big thanks..

      ReplyDelete
    12. @ Ynah. Yes, you can bring your car. It's more convenient. That is if driving uphill with lots of winding turns is not an issue for you. Just take care. Be safe. You are welcome :)

      ReplyDelete


    TOP