Gearing up for Summer Gearing up for Summer REDISCOVER BAGUIO CITY REDISCOVER BAGUIO CITY

byCamilleAnneM.Maitem

Nothing beats the satisfaction of living the rest of your life free of obligations after decades of working the daily grind. What comes next for you is that it's finally time to retire and enjoy the fruits of your labor after working so hard for so long

Choosing the perfect place to retire and unwind in peace is certainly the goal for anyone considering retirement. Given all the places the Philippines has to offer, Baguio City, if not the best, is among the cities that offer a better environment for retirees.

The tourism center of the Cordilleras is Baguio. It is home to various tourist attractions and is a popular weekend destination of local and foreign tourists. The best iconic locations to visit in Baguio are Mines View Park, Camp John Hay, Burnham Park, Baguio Cathedral, and The Diplomat Hotel.

Be one with nature, ride a bike or boat, join exciting adventures, and do as much shopping as you like these are just some of the few things you can do in Baguio Other new and rising tourist spots are the Igorot Stone Kingdom, Mirador Hill and Eco Park. Baguio also paved the way to other northern tourist locations, including Banaue and Sagada.

The Panagbenga Festival is another reason tourists visit Baguio. It is an annual flower festival held during the month of February that highlights the local floral industry through a parade of huge, vibrantly colored floats decorated with flowers. Visitors also look forward to the Grand Street Parade which showcases cultural dances wherein the locals are dressed in bright costumes and distinctive traditional clothing. Thousands of people gather every year to experience the festivities during the Panagbenga.

Baguio (Loakan) Airport resumed commercial operations last December 2022. It is to help boost the growth of the city’s economy and tourism industry.

Baguio is a peaceful, green city

Baguio is situated in a mountainous environment. It is about 8 degrees Celsius cooler compared to Manila and other major cities in the Philippines. Getting up every day with a cup of coffee or tea on a cool, breezy morning is guaranteed to warm the hearts of any retiree. The lush forest and the serene green surroundings promote relaxation.

Because of its tranquil ambiance and cold mountain weather, Baguio is hailed as the Summer Capital of the Philippines and the City of Pines. It is a refreshing break from the tropical heat of the Philippine climate because pine trees are planted all over the city

Baguio is not crowded even though it is one of the top tourist destinations in the Philippines for both local and foreign tourists. With the influx of visitors, maintaining peace and order is the city’s top priority, which supports the efforts to revive the local economy. Over the past decades, Baguio City has had one of the lowest crime rates in the Philippines.

Baguio is budget-friendly

The low cost of living is one of the reasons why foreign retirees stay permanently in Baguio. Food, transportation, and rental properties are significantly less expensive in Baguio compared to Metro Manila and other cities like Cebu and Davao Fruits and vegetables are also fresh. Moreover, electric consumption is significantly lower in Baguio City since air conditioners are not a necessity and fans are more than enough to keep you cool even during the summer.

Baguio is culturally diverse

Baguio City has established its reputation as one of the best places to retire in the Philippines, not just because of its cool climate and inexpensive cost of living but also because of its people and the city's unique identity. The culture and arts of the numerous ethnic groups thriving here have become the center of tourism, business, and commerce.

The multicultural and diverse city of Baguio was designated by UNESCO as a Creative City for Crafts and Folk Arts in 2017. It is a project promoting cooperation between cities that regard creativity as central to their urban development. For Baguio, this artistic culture ranges from crafts and folk art expressions to woodcarving, silver craft, weaving, and tattooing.