The City of Baguio is a highly urbanized city in northern Luzon in the Philippines. The city is known for its mild climate.It is because of this that Baguio is nicknamed the "Summer Capital of the Philippines". Owing to its high elevation, the temperature in the city is 8 degrees Celsius lower compared to the average temperature of the rest of the country. Average temperature ranges from 15 to 23 degrees Celsius.

Tourism
Tourism is one of Baguio's main industries. During the year end holidays some people from the lowlands would prefer spending their vacation in the city. This is for them to experience the cold temperature they rarely get from their home provinces. Also, during the summer season specially during the Holy Week, tourists from all over the country would flock to the city. During this time, the total number of people in the city would double.[6] To accommodate all these people, there are more than 80 hotels and inns available for them to check in. Local festivities such as the Panagbenga Festival also attracts both local and foreign tourists.


Tourist attractions

Lion's Head Located in Camp 6 Kennon Road, this popular landmark was constructed in 1972 with the contributions of the Lions Club International members in Baguio. This 40-foot head of a lion was carved in a limestone by a local artist. Visitors passing by normally stop for a while to have a break and to take photographs as souvenir.

Tam-awan Village This artificial village was founded by Chanum Foundation, Inc. in 1998. It was constructed with the purpose of showing visitors how a local village in the highlands look like. Authentic native huts where brought from the Mt. Provinces and are rented out to those who wish to stay overnight and experience the way locals once lived. A gallery was also constructed to house the paintings and other artworks created by several local artists. The word "tam-awan" means "a high place to view". With clear weather conditions, the South China Sea and the Lingayen Gulf are visible from this location.

Philippine Military Academy Situated in the southern part of the city within Fort Del Pilar, Loakan, this military academy was created to train future officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Mansion House As an official residence of the President of the Republic of the Philippines, entry to the compound is restricted. The public can view the Mansion through its gate which is patterned after that of London's Buckingham Palace. It is located in the eastern part of the city. The Mansion has also been the site of several international conferences and a working office of the President of the Philippines during his or her visits to the City.

Camp John Hay This former American recreational facility was converted into as a world class resort. It features a golf course, a skating rink, picnic area, and a mini golf course at the Scout Hill area. Several cottages and hotels were also built to accommodate visitors.

Teachers Camp A facility currently run by the Department of Education. It features several function halls, a museum, cottages, and a race track.

Easter Weaving Room Located within the campus of Easter School, this location allows tourists to witness the process of cloth weaving as practiced by the natives of the mountain provinces for ages.

Saint Louis Filigree Shop This is a handicraft shop specializing in silver jewelry and other filigree products. This shop is in the center of the city and was established in 1916.

Wright Park It is sometimes mistakenly called "Ride Park" by some tourists that identify this pine tree park reserve for horse rides. A long stairway leads to the "Pool of the Pines", a 100 meter long pool of water lined on both sides by the famous Baguio towering pine.

Mines View Park Named for its view of Benguet's mountain ranges where gold, silver and other ores were once quarried.

Baguio Sunshine Park The park features flowering garden and a covered stage with ethnic design, which is often used, for cultural presentation. The park itself is designed after a shield.

Botanical Garden It is also called the Igorot village, which features native huts typical of the Cordillera architecture. The garden is also a site of cultural presentations and other tribal meetings.

Burnham Park The oldest of all Baguio parks, it provides facilities for sporting activities such as biking, skating and basketball, as well as picnics and concerts.

Baguio - Mountain Provinces Museum This museum is located within the Baguio Tourism Complex along Gov. Pack Road. It has on display a variety of artifacts and relics showcases the cultural heritage, customs and traditions of the cordillerans.

SLU (Saint Louis University, Baguio City) Museum Located within the premise of the school, it showcases the different culture heritages of the Cordilleras. Artifacts and relics including an ancient coffin can be seen on display.

Ifugao Woodcarvers Village Located along Asin Road, about 5 kilometers from the city, is an Ifugao wood carving village, which produces and sells hand-carved curio items.

Asin Hot Springs These hot springs are located 16 kilometers northwest of Baguio. Several private resorts took advantage of the natural springs in the area and constructed swimming pools for all visitors, as well as cottages for lodging.

Mt. Sto. Tomas and Mt. Kabuyao The highest peak is 7,500 feet high and commands a majestic view of the city. These mountains can be reached by foot or by vehicle.

Lourdes Grotto This is a religious shrine housing the image of the Lady of Lourdes. About 252 steps lead to this shrine where pilgrims brave the steep climb to offer sacrifices, devotion and prayers.

Our Lady of Atonement Cathedral, better known as Baguio Cathedral One of the familiar landmarks in Baguio, the structure with its twin spires and one hundred steps sits on top of a hill in the heart of the city, offering church goers and visitors a chance to get a bird's eye view of the entire commercial hub.

Bell Church This cluster of temples is located on the border of Baguio City and Trinidad Valley. It features oriental architecture, pagodas roof, ornate gateway, dragon ornaments and Buddha-guarded windows. The Bell Temple priest practices a mixture of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Christianity.

Baguio Grand Mosque The biggest mosque in the city, located at Campo Filipino. It also houses an Islamic Studies madrasah. Visits or field trips by non-Muslims may be arranged.

Baguio City Market Located within the central business district, this is where local products and goods from nearby towns and provinces are sold.


How to Get there
1. By air
Loakan Airport is the lone airport serving the general area of Baguio City. The airport is classified as a trunkline airport, or a major commercial domestic airport

2. On land
The three main access roads leading to Baguio from the lowlands are Kennon Road, Aspiras-Palispis Highway (formerly Marcos Highway)[5], and Naguilian Road also known as Quirino Highway. Kennon Road starts from Rosario, La Union and winds through a narrow, steep valley. This is the fastest route to Baguio but is perilous, with landslides during the rainy season. This route to Baguio is as scenic as it is dangerous. Aspiras Highway, which starts from Agoo, La Union and connects to Palispis Highway at the boundary of Benguet and La Union, and Naguilian Road, which starts from Bauang, La Union, are longer routes but are safer than Kennon Road and are the preferred routes for coaches, buses and lorries.

There is another access to Baguio from Aritao in the province of Nueva Vizcaya passing through Itogon, Benguet but this is less traveled, the road is not well maintained, and public transportation through this route is not as regular. Another road, Halsema Highway (also known as "Mountain Trail") leads north through the mountainous portion of the Cordillera Autonomous Region. It starts at the northern border of Baguio, in the Municipality of La Trinidad (Trinidad Valley).
It takes an average of six hours to travel the 250 km distance between Manila and Baguio by way of Kennon Road. It is about fifteen minutes longer through the Aspiras-Palispis Highway and could take three more hours when going through Naguilian Road, which is the usual route for travelers from the North

There are several bus lines linking Baguio with Manila and Central Luzon, and provinces such as Pangasinan, La Union, and those in the Ilocos region. Most transportation companies also offer express and air-conditioned buses at a much higher fare, though some minibuses offer cheaper fares. Bus services that operates in Baguio include Philippine Rabbit, Dangwa Tranco, Dagupan Bus, Victory Liner, Partas, Genesis, and Saulog Transit.

There are also several Taxi and jeepney operators that provide transportation within the city.

This article was taken from Wikipedia
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baguio_City