Things to Do in Baguio in May
May weather, activities, events & insider tips
Low Season · Budget Friendly
May Weather in Baguio
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
76°F (24°C)
High Temp
61°F (16°C)
Low Temp
13.4 inches (340 mm)
Rainfall
70%
Humidity
⚠ Mountain roads become slick within minutes of rain. Brake early on Kennon Road's 180-degree bends.
Is May Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
Advantages
- + Temperatures hover at a perfect 24°C (76°F) high, cool enough for jackets at night, warm enough for T-shirts at noon. You'll use that sweater you packed. Manila? That sweater just eats luggage space.
- + Strawberry-picking season is in full swing at La Trinidad farms 3 km (1.9 mi) south. The berries are sweetest in May. Fields smell like jam cooking under morning sun.
- + Hotel rates drop 25-35% after the Easter increase. Snag a Session Road view room for the price of a parking-lot vista in April.
- + Morning fog rolls down from Mount Sto Tomas and lingers over Burnham Park until 9am. The city feels like a giant terrarium. Photographers love this.
Considerations
- − Afternoon downpours start around 2pm and drench the city for 30-45 minutes. Session Road turns into a shallow river. Jeepneys splash muddy water to knee height.
- − Leeches wake up in the pine-forest trails around Camp John Hay. Hike the 4 km (2.5 mi) Yellow Trail after rain and they'll inch up your socks.
- − UV index hits 8 even when it's cloudy. You'll burn faster here than on a Boracay beach at sea level.
Best Activities in May
Top things to do during your visit
Strawberry Farm Walk & Pick Tours
May is the tail-end of berry season. Plants are heavy and farmers let you eat as you pick. Soil smells like compost and crushed fruit. Fingertips stain red within minutes. Morning slots (7-9am) dodge both rain and tour-bus crowds.
Booking Tip: Book the day before. No need for weeks ahead in May. Look for farms that include jam-making. You'll leave with a jar that sets because the berries have enough pectin right now.
Botanical Garden Orchid Photography Walks
Humidity keeps the orchids open until noon instead of closing by 10am. The garden's 100-year-old Benguet pine trunks drip resin that smells like lemon and turpentine. Bring a macro lens for the orange lady-slipper orchids that only bloom in May.
Booking Tip: Go on a weekday. Schools run field trips on Fridays and the garden echoes with recorder practice. Entry is free. Hire a guide at the gate if you want the Latin names pronounced correctly.
Session Road Bar-Hop & Acoustic Nights
Cool evenings mean you can sit outside without sweating through your shirt. Local bands start acoustic sets at 9pm when the rain has stopped and the asphalt still steams. Order a strawberry beer (yes, it's a thing) and the musicians might hand you a tambourine.
Booking Tip: No cover charge on weeknights. Arrive before 8:30pm to get the balcony seats overlooking the foggy street. Weekends swell with Manila uni students. Fun but loud.
Mount Costa Outdoor Art Park Trek
May's light is soft and yellow before the rains, good for the technicolor art installations dotted along 2 km (1.2 mi) of hillside paths. The grass is still green from April showers and won't brown until June. Photos look like you visited during the dry season.
Booking Tip: Morning tickets sell out less often in May. You can usually walk in before 10am. Wear shoes with tread. Clay paths turn slick ten minutes after the first raindrop.
Wright Park Horseback Riding with Fog
The horses are frisky after overnight drizzle. They'll jog instead of plod. Fog drifts across the 600 m (1,970 ft) reflecting pool so you can't see the other end. It feels like riding into a cloud. Guides let you canter if you demonstrate balance. May's soft ground is forgiving if you fall.
Booking Tip: Show up before 8am. Horse shifts change at 9 and you'll wait 45 minutes while they hose the mud off tack. Bring cash for carrots. The ponies expect tips in sugar.
Where to Stay in Baguio in May
Hand-picked hotels across price tiers for May travellers.
May Events & Festivals
What's happening during your visit
Early May
Panagbenga Flower Float Parade (Post-Festival Exhibits)
While the big parade is in February, leftover floats are parked around Burnham Park for the first two weeks of May. Petals are freeze-dried and still smell faintly of roses. Local kids climb on them for selfies before they're dismantled.
Early to Mid May
Strawberry Festival Market Extension
La Trinidad extends its April festival through May 15 with smaller pop-up stalls along the highway. You'll find strawberry chicharon (yes, strawberry pork rinds) and wine that tastes like jam and vinegar had a baby. Locals swear it's better after a year bottled.
Packing Checklist
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Essential Tips
Insider knowledge and common pitfalls to avoid
Insider Knowledge
Skip the overpriced strawberry taho at Mines View Park. Walk 200 m (656 ft) to the local vendors behind the parking lot. Same taho, half the price, and they'll let you add extra berries.
If you need to dry shoes overnight, stuff them with Benguet pine needles from the hotel garden. They absorb moisture and leave a citrus scent.
The Ukay-Ukay (thrift) stalls along Session Road restock on Tuesday mornings after the Manila trucks arrive. May rain means fewer diggers, so you'll find branded jackets barely worn.
Order 'Kini-ing' (smoked pork) at the city market eatery near the post office. Locals lunch there at 10am before the rush, and the meat is still warm from the wood fire.
Avoid These Mistakes
Assuming May is dry season. It isn't. Travelers skip rain gear and spend afternoons trapped in malls instead of trekking.
Booking horseback rides after 10am. Horses are tired and guides push for shorter loops once tour buses arrive.
Buying strawberries at the first stall near the highway. Prices drop 20% if you walk 300 m (984 ft) deeper into the farm lanes.
Ignore altitude dehydration and you will drink twice the water you need in Manila, then wake up with a headache anyway.
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Top-rated things to do in Baguio this May
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