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
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 HayThe 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 AcademyReminder: 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 GrottoFrom 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 ParkPeople 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 Street near corner Session Road, opposite McDonald's. To get to the terminal from upper Session Road, e.g. SM City Baguio, Prime Hotel, Victory Liner, Baguio Cathedral, walk to the left of Session Road until you get to McDonald's. Turn left on Mabini Street, the road that borders McDonald's. To the right 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. Just walk your way up the ascending Mabini Street 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 ParkIf 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 ParkThese 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 HayGo backWalk from Burnham Park to terminal of jeepneys bound for Mines View and Good Shepherd ConventGo backWalking direction from Burnham Park to terminal of jeepneys bound for Lourdes GrottoGo backWalking direction from Burnham Park to terminal of jeepneys bound for Crystal CaveGo back
