Day Trips from Baguio
The best excursions and trips you can do in a day
Full-Day Trips
Worth dedicating a whole day to explore.
Sagada Rice Terraces & Hanging Coffins
$25–$30 (bus $18 RT, cave guide $4, environmental fees $3)A spectacular mountain drive leads to Sagada’s iconic limestone cliffs, subterranean caves, and the mystical Echo Valley where centuries-old coffins cling to rock faces. Sunrise over the terraces and a bowl of hot etag (native smoked pork) complete the experience.
Hundred Islands National Park, Pangasinan
$35–$40 (bus $8 RT, island-hopping boat $22 split among 6, entrance & eco fees $5)Trade pine trees for white sand and emerald lagoons. Island-hop among 124 mushroom-shaped islets, snorkel with giant clams, and climb the 120-step viewpoint on Governor Island for a 360° South China Sea panorama.
Mount Pulag National Park – Ambangeg Trail
$30–$35 (jeep $25 split among 7, DENR fees & guide $6–$8)Stand on Luzon’s rooftop above a carpet of dwarf bamboo and witness a sunrise sea of clouds at 2,926 m. The Ambangeg trail is beginner-friendly yet delivers true alpine grandeur within Benguet’s borders.
San Juan, La Union Surf Town
$25–$30 (bus $6 RT, surf lesson & board $15, food & beer $5–$8)Spend a day riding the famous left-hand breaks of Urbiztondo, then unwind with farm-to-table cafés and sunset craft beer along the shoreline. No surfboard? Lessons and rental shops line the beach.
Kabayan Mummy Caves & Mt. Timbak Summit
$20 (bus $8 RT, tricycle & guide $7, donation $2)Drive the highest highway in the Philippines to see centuries-old Ibaloi fire-mummies hidden in burial caves, then scramble 20 minutes to Mt. Timbak’s summit for a sweeping view of the Ambuklao watershed.
Banaue & Batad Rice Terraces
$40 (bus $18 RT, jeepney & guide $12, lunch $5, entrance $5)Wander the UNESCO-listed amphitheater terraces of Batad carved 2,000 years ago and cool off in the 70-ft Tappiya Falls. Lunch on native tinola and pure Ifugao coffee in a village homestay.
Half-Day Options
Shorter excursions when time is limited.
La Trinidad Strawberry Farm & Stobosa Hillside Art
$5–$7 (jeepney $0.50 RT, strawberries ~$1.50/kg, entrance donation $1)Pick fresh strawberries in the cool Benguet sun and snap photos of the giant StoBoSa sunflower murals painted across 18,000 sq m of mountainside houses.
Camp John Hay Eco-Trail & Tree Top Adventure
$12–$15 (taxi $3, zip-line $9–$12)Walk the whispering pine trail, then zip-line Superman-style 100 m above the forest floor—all within city limits but feeling worlds away.
Asin Hot Spring & Tuba Eco-Tour
$6–$8 (jeepney & tricycle $2, pool entrance $2–$3, snacks $2)Soak in natural hot pools beside the Bued River and visit a roadside wood-carving village famous for Ifugao bulul rice gods.
Mines View Park & Good Shepherd Sunset
$3–$5 (jeepney $0.50 RT, snacks & jam $3)Watch the sun drop behind old mining mountains while shopping for ube jam and strawberry wine at the Good Shepherd Convent bazaar.
Day Trip Tips
Make the most of your excursions.
- Leave at dawn (5:00–5:30 a.m.) to beat mountain fog and secure bus seats; most buses do not reserve in advance.
- Bring layered clothing: Baguio weather can be 15 °C cooler than the lowlands, and mountain passes are windier.
- Load Beep or GCash for small-town purchases; many rural stops have limited cash machines and no card facilities.
- Split costs by forming small groups at bus terminals—jeepneys to Sagada or Pulag require minimum passengers.
- Pack motion-sickness tablets for Halsema Highway’s winding ascent; the views are impressive but the road is serpentine.
- Download offline maps; signal drops on mountain roads and inside cave systems.
- Respect indigenous customs—ask before photographing burial caves, terraces, or rituals; a small donation is appreciated.
- Be back in Baguio by 7:00 p.m. if you want to enjoy Camp John Hay nightlife or dine at popular Baguio restaurants without queues.