Tourists wanting to travel again for a breath of fresh air after months of being cooped up inside their homes can start looking forward to planning their itineraries. Baguio City is gradually opening up to visitors from this month, with famous parks such as the Burnham Park reopened to residents on September 1.
Residents of Baguio can now be seen in Burnham Park doing their morning strolls and exercises, riding bikes, and taking boats as the City Government of Baguio has begun reopening to tourism with safety protocols in place to help the economy recover.
You can support the locals by taking a ride on buggies or by renting a bike at P50-P80 (~USD1.03-USD1.65) per half hour. Snacks such as taho, mangoes, and cotton candy are usually on sale here at around P10-P30 (~USD0.21-USD0.63) a pop.
Aside from Burnham Park, tourist sites such as Wright Park, Mines View Park, and Dominican Heritage Hill and Nature Park have also begun opening to residents.
Image credit: Heryen Hermogenes Dagoyen
A group of fit and healthy senior residents has already been spotted practicing aerobic exercise and martial arts in local parks such as Burnham – we only wish we could be as strong as they are at their age!
Residents from Region 1 – La Union, Pangasinan, Ilocos Sur, and Ilocos Norte – can visit the city soon, too, starting September 21.
Prospective tourists, however, according to City Tourism Officer Aloysius Mapalo, will have to go through various protocols first.
They will have to register online first on the Baguio Visitors Information and Travel Assistance (VISITA) app which will be launched by the middle of September.
Upon arrival, they will have to undergo swab testing at their own expense. Once tested negative, they can start touring the city but only with an accredited tour agency. Visitors can only stay at hotels accredited by the government, as staying with relatives or friends will be prohibited.
We’re all aching to enjoy the outdoors soon months into quarantine, but while COVID-19 is still here, opening up our tourism sites gradually is the best we can do to balance our need to be outside and keeping the virus at bay.
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Cover image adapted from: Public Information Office – City of Baguio
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