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Showing posts sorted by relevance for query La Trinidad. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query La Trinidad. Sort by date Show all posts

Tourists often visit the town of La Trinidad in Benguet to see the strawberry and flower farms and buy fresh vegetables. But now, there is another reason to make the trip from Baguio City.


On June 23, the STOBOSA Hillside Homes Artwork was unveiled. It is the first and largest community artwork in the Philippines.

The project is a component of the Department of Tourism-Cordillera Administrative Region’s Rev-Bloom (Rev-Up, Revive, Revisit, Revitalize) Urban Redevelopment Tourism project supported by Davies Paints.

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WHAT IS STOBOSA?

STOBOSA stands for Stonehill, Botiwtiw and Sadjap—the three sitios on which the artwork now stands. The project was inspired by the Favelas in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 

StoBoSa Hillside

The 200 houses that line the stone hill on Km. 3, La Trinidad previously formed something akin to a confusing wall overlooking the Balili River. It has now been transformed into an 18,000-sqm. collective canvas that’s brilliantly painted by 520 residents and volunteers (The endeavor commenced in January 2016.). This is a testament to the bayanihan spirit still alive among Filipinos.

Davies Paints team Davies Paints/Clinton Aniversario

Davies Paints, the country’s number one paint exporter and number one in colors, provided environment-friendly paints as part of its advocacy to beautify the Philippines, give back to communities and bring color into people’s lives.

StoBoSa Hillside Before and After

The local government of La Trinidad provided paintbrushes and rollers and built scaffolding. Tam-awan artists, led by Jordan Mang-osan, designed the connective landscape. The residents and volunteers executed the artwork beautifully, motivated by community spirit.


The STOBOSA community has pledged to make the project sustainable by touching up the artwork as necessary. Working together has also inspired representatives of the households—mostly women—to undertake other efforts to beautify their area by keeping it clean and infusing life by planting greens. 

Valley of Colors

After their collective effort, the area is now a burst of vibrant colors—a welcoming sight as you enter the town. So the next time you go up North, get your cameras ready. The community artwork will be visible on your right after you cross the La Trinidad arch from Baguio City.


A few fun facts about the project:

Three villages

The art project transformed three sitios of Barangay Balili in La Trinidad. These are Stone Hill, Botiwtiw, and Sadjap.


180 houses

As of writing, 180 houses have all been painted just in time for the unveiling activity.

80 days

The giant mural was finished in 80 days since it started on January 18. The sessions included painting training.



2,800 gallons of paints

It took 1,000 gallons of primer paints and 500 gallons of colored paints to design StoBoSa Hillside Homes. They will be needing 1,300 gallons more to complete the project. Davies Paints provided all these for free.

520 people worked together

The residents of the three villages, local artists, and members of volunteer groups—all 520 of them—put together their hands to make one giant work of art.


ATTRACTIONS TO SEE IN BAGUIO 

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Six volunteer organizations

Aside from the residents, six groups participated in painting the huge mural. These include the Benguet chapter of the Boy Scout of the Philippines, NSTP students from Baguio State University, NSTP students from King's College of the Philippines, Baguio-Benguet Photographers, Hikers,and Artists Club, Botiwtiw Women's Brigade and Organization, and police trainees from the Philippine National Police in the Cordillera Administrative Region.


HOW TO GET TO VALLEY OF COLORS

If you are going to commute via jeepney, you must get to La Trinidad Jeepney Terminal in Baguio City. Take the jeepney which will pass by the "Valley of Colors" located at the right side of the road. You will not miss it, as it is just a few meters away from the La Trinidad welcome arch.

For those who are bringing own vehicle, you may follow directions from Google Maps or Waze. However, parking near StoBoSa hillside is difficult.


OTHER TOURIST ATTRACTIONS NEAR STOBOSA

Here are other tourist destination to visit in La Trinidad, Benguet:

WHERE TO STAY IN LA TRINIDAD, BENGUET

Here's a list of homestay and hostels in La Trinidad, Benguet:


You may also check Top10 hotels in Baguio on our separate blog.


ACTIVITIES AND TOURS IN MANILA



Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Valley of Colors StoBoSa


  • What is StoBoSa Baguio?
    "Stobosa" is a portmanteau of the names of the sitios the artwork is situated namely Stonehill, Botiwtiw, and Sadjap. The three localities are all within Barangay Balili.

  • How do you get to Valley of Colors in Baguio?
    By Jeepney: Get to La Trinidad Jeepney Terminal in Baguio City. Take the jeepney which will pass by the "Valley of Colors" located at the right side of the road. You will not miss it, as it is just a few meters away from the La Trinidad welcome arch.

  • What are Valley colors?
    It is a massive canvas made from houses on a hillside in Benguet; an attractive project made by Department of Tourism – CAR, in cooperation with the residents and artists of Tam-Awan Village

  • Why is La Trinidad called the Valley of Colors?
    The Valley of Colors is composed of three villages transformed from drab sights to a tourist attraction. These include the Stone Hill, Sadjap, and Batiwtiw. Since the project started in January of last year, over 180 houses were painted in bright colors and thus created a giant mural.

  • Is there an entrance fee to Valley of Colors?
    No entrance fee.


IMPORTANT NOTE: The rates, contact details and other information indicated in this post are accurate from the time of writing but may change without IMFWJ's notice. Should you know the updated information, please message us on Facebook.

WHERE TO STAY IN BAGUIO:


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VALLEY OF COLORS: The Recreation of StoBoSa in La Trinidad, Benguet

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Visited the most famous strawberry farm in the Philippines.


Everytime I visit Baguio, visiting this farm in La Trinidad, which is the capital of Benguet, is always on the list. As a Filipino who doesn't eat strawberries often times, and as a Manileno who can't buy them fresh, going to Strawberry Farm somewhat gives me an excitement to eat them as I pick them.


So here is your La Trinidad Strawberry Farm DIY guide.



ABOUT LA TRINIDAD STRAWBERRY FARM

The Strawberry Farm is located in the nearby town of La Trinidad, Benguet, about less than 10 kms away or 30 minutes travel time from the center of Baguio. You can also side-trip Bell Church and Stobosa Hillside along the way.


Upon entering the gate of La Trinidad Strawberry Farm, you’ll notice that there is a wide space surrounded by souvenir stalls. On the opposite side, you’ll see a giant sculpture of a strawberry. You can take pictures from here.


THINGS TO DO INSIDE STRAWBERRY FARM

Strawberry Picking
 

Strawberry Picking

As the name suggests, the main attractions in La Trinidad Strawberry Farm are the strawberries. Picking strawberries is one of the activities you can do here though it is optional. Harvesting your own strawberries is a bit pricey, that costs P350 per kilo.

If you are on a budget and still wanted to take home strawberries, I suggest that you buy a fresh-fetched ones instead for P150-P180 per kilo. The only downside is that they always get out of stock. In the end, you will just look for strawberries in the market.

Strawberry in the Philippines

The strawberry picking season is from November to May. You don’t have to reserve slots, but the best time to go is in the morning, when there’s not a lot of people yet.

The Strawberry Farm also produces other fruits and vegetables, but most people just go to pick strawberries. They say that this farm has the best sunset view in La Trinidad Valley. The natural flowing water around the farm is used to water the strawberries.


You can opt to have a guide who will give you a basket and assist you in picking the ripe fruits. The strawberry is the only fruit with seeds on the outside. It grows very close to the ground and is a member of the rose family. You can succumb to the temptation to eat it and taste for yourself if it’s really sweet.


Vegetable Picking


Aside from the strawberries, you’ll also see different vegetable species grown here. Among them are cabbage, lettuce, spring onions, tomatoes, pechay, broccoli, and many more. I guess these are back-up crops of the farmers since strawberries are seasonal.


Try Strawberry Ice Cream and Taho

There are also local peddlers selling strawberry taho and ice cream. Don’t miss trying these out.


Buy Souvenirs

And if this place is your last destination of your trip, then I suggest that you buy your souvenirs here, too.


HOW TO GET TO LA TRINIDAD STRAWBERRY FARM

From the public market, ride a jeepney bound for La Trinidad. Fare is less than P20. I suggest you visit in the morning to avoid being stuck with the traffic especially for those who are bringing private vehicles. Parking will take long if you are going during rush hours (same with exiting).

From Manila to Baguio, you can ride buses such as Joy Bus and Victory Liner.
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Strawberry Farm

Address: La Trinidad, Benguet
Hours open: 07:00 am - 07:00 pm daily


HOTELS IN BAGUIO


You may also check the full list of hotels and lodging in Baguio. You can also look for an affordable Airbnb in the city. Get up to P3,100 FREE credits on your first booking.

You may also check Top10 hotels in Baguio on our separate blog.

Read my COMPLETE BAGUIO TRAVEL GUIDE to know more about Baguio City.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The rates, contact details and other information indicated in this post are accurate from the time of writing but may change without IMFWJ's notice. Should you know the updated information, please message us on Facebook.

WHERE TO STAY IN BAGUIO:

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La Trinidad Strawberry Farm DIY Guide (How To Get There, Strawberry Picking, Fresh Vegetables)

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Quaint Buddhist temple with colorful archways, a small lily pond & scenic hillside views.


The Bell Church is a Chinese temple of the Chinese Filipino indigenous religious organization of the same name in La Trinidad, Benguet, Philippines.


ABOUT BELL CHURCH

Bell Church is a Taoist temple that is known to be one of the most peaceful places in the city. A striking pagoda and beautifully landscaped gardens soothe the soul even before you enter the temple.


Bells, dragons and flags welcome you to this Chinese temple that is calmly spiritual and incredibly tranquil. There is even a lotus pond that adds to the beauty of this serene temple.

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MY VISIT TO BELL CHURCH 

Visiting Bell Church is something you can just add up if you have a loose itinerary. Going to this place will give you the need to go to a jeepney terminal in Slaughter House Area along Magsaysay Ave. for you to get a jeepney ride bound to La Trinidad.


Bell Church is actually located in the boundary of Baguio and La Trinidad. Visitors make this a sidetrip to Strawberry Farm which is a few meters away from here and today's famous Stobosa Hillside or the Valley of Colors which I haven't seen yet during my visit here in 2012.

Once you see the welcome sign to La Trinidad, you will be dropped off in front of the entrance along Magsaysay Ave. The temple itself is not yet seen from here. You need to walk and hike up to reach the site that will give you a vantage point of the rest of Baguio City.


The pathway is easy to track as it is surrounded by a residential area. Chinese exteriors and signs are already visible from here as you walk to the temple. 


You will be welcomed by these two lion sculptures upon entering the outside area of the temple. The whole place will really gives you a Chinese ambiance. It is surrounded by plants and trees too. The temple is located at this level. There's no entrance fee.


Some levels will give you another view of Quirino Hill in Baguio City.


At the time of our visit in 2012, we weren't able to get inside the actual temple. We just decided to explore and took some photos.

We took a short rest then we headed to Strawberry Farm after.


Cheapest Flights and Airline Tickets Online Booking

HOW TO GET TO BELL CHURCH

From the public market, ride a jeepney bound for La Trinidad. Fare is less than P20.

From Manila to Baguio, you can ride buses such as Joy Bus and Victory Liner.


Bell Church

Address: FA 347 Bell Church Rd, La Trinidad, Benguet
Hours open: 06:00 am - 05:00 pm daily


Save this pin for later. 


HOTELS NEAR BELL CHURCH


You may also check the full list of hotels and lodging in Baguio. You can also look for an affordable Airbnb in the city. Get up to P3,100 FREE credits on your first booking.

You may also check Top10 hotels in Baguio on our separate blog.

Read my COMPLETE BAGUIO TRAVEL GUIDE to know more about Baguio City.


IMPORTANT NOTE: The rates, contact details and other information indicated in this post are accurate from the time of writing but may change without IMFWJ's notice. Should you know the updated information, please message us on Facebook.

WHERE TO STAY IN BAGUIO:

 What to do in Bell Church, Baguio How to go to Bell Church, Baguio Bell Church, Baguio entrance fee 2019 Bell Church Baguio opening Hours Bell Church Baguio address Bell Church Baguio Map Bell Church Baguio contact Number Bell Church Baguio history tagalog

BELL CHURCH: Your Guide to the Chinese Temple in La Trinidad, Benguet

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This is about my unforgettable Baguio experience. 


It wasn't my first time to Baguio. Yet, I was still excited to go back. Baguio is the city I love the most. I even imagined myself living a life there. I love the cold weather, the city-on-a-mountain vibe and its culture. That's why if you are going to ask me to come with you to Baguio, my answer will always be, "yes".


Here, I will just narrate what happened on my second visit to Baguio City (plus some important details, budget spent and itinerary) in 2012.

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WHAT TO BRING FOR BAGUIO

Here are some things you might consider bringing with you for your day tour / adventure:

Shopee is my go-to app for things I needed like the ones above. If you'd like discounts and vouchers, you may get the best offers here:

First Day in Baguio

It all started with a bus ride from Cubao. Me and my girlfriend hopped on to a Victory Liner bus at around 6am on a Friday. The bus fare was P445 way back then. We planned to spent 2 nights in Baguio.

The trip took about more than 6 hours with 2-3 stops along the way. We reached Baguio at noon time, just the right time for us to have our first meal in Baguio.

We ate a food stall (canteen) on the second level of Victory Liner terminal near SM City Baguio.

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First meal in Baguio

After we had our lunch, we took a taxi ride to our lodging located in Gibraltar. We booked a 2-night stay a month prior to our visit. I did it online. After checking in, we rested a little then went out for a walk at 4pm.



We both decided to take a jeepney ride bound to SM City Baguio. We dropped off a nearby road in SM City Baguio then took a walk headed to Session Road. We went straight to Burnham Park for a stroll.

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Afternoon stroll


Stroll to Burnham Park

At Burnham Park, we found this bazaar or tiangge where a line of stalls were selling merchandise, souvenirs and food. We were caught of this iced strawberry in a cup, so we bought one. It wasn't too cold that day but we were both wearing jackets.



Dinner at Jim's Retro Diner

Before the sun hides out, we took a walk around Burnham Park until we reached Session Road back. We were looking for a place to eat dinner and we found Jim's Retro Diner.


We ordered their Giant Burger and fries at P199 and drinks. The burger was literally huge as we sliced it into 4 pieces. It was heavy enough that we did not try to order more food.

It was still early when we left the restaurant. At 8pm, we had a short time to buy some groceries in SM City Baguio. We stayed their until the mall is closed.


Second Day in Baguio

On our second day, we didn't rush to wake up early, instead we got up at 9am and headed back to Session Road and visited the Our Lady of Atonement Cathedral or mostly known as Baguio Cathedral. 


Baguio Cathedral in the morning

Along our way to the church, we had our Strawberry Taho, a snack food made of fresh soft/silken tofu, arnibal, and sago pearl you can only have (usually) in Baguio. After a few minutes, we took the church's 100+ steps down back to Session Road.


At this time, we strolled all the way to lower Session Road until we reach the Malcolm Square (People's Park). We asked the locals where to get a jeepney ride to La Trinidad since we planned to go to Strawberry Farm. They directed us to the jeepney terminal near the "slaughter house" along Magsaysay Ave.


Traveling to La Trinidad

We get in to the jeepney with mostly locals riding with us. Didn't know where to drop off, we missed the Strawberry Farm's entrance. We almost reach the upland area of La Trinidad before we asked other passengers where should we stop for the farm.


Although the farm can be viewed from where we dropped off, the locals recommended us to take another ride back to go to Strawberry Farm's entrance. It was another lesson learned experience.



Strawberry Farm

Entering the farm at (almost) noon time was bit challenging. Good thing, the mountain weather in Benguet helps a little to ease the heat. During our visit, the Strawberry Farm wasn't that crowded compare to our second visit in 2019 where their parking area was almost full and people are scattered around it.


In 2012, all we had to do is sign a log before we enter the farm (different farms in the area). Since it was summer time, there were only a few fruits can be noticed. Despite of this, a few people still took advantage of strawberry picking. For us, we just took photos and bought freshly picked ones at the counter before we exited.



Visited Bell Church

Along Magsaysay Ave., there's another tourist spots located near the boundary of Baguio and La Trinidad. After our quick visit to La Trinidad Strawberry Farm, we took another jeepney ride to Bell Church. Learning from our trip earlier, we made sure to drop off the entrance to Bell Church. 


Though it is still better for you to ask the driver to drop you off, Bell Church's entrance is easy to see because of its Chinese-style structures. From the road, we followed the signages going up the church. Along the way, you will see Chinese exteriors and more dragons.


Bell Church is a Taoist temple that is known to be one of the most peaceful places in the city. A striking pagoda and beautifully landscaped gardens soothe the soul even before you enter the temple. The whole area is elevated and you have to take stairs to access other spots that will give you a spectacular view of Quirino Hill in Baguio. Plus, it's entrance free!

It was already 12nn when we decided to leave the place for lunch.


ATTRACTIONS TO SEE IN BAGUIO 

Klook.com

Afternoon tour

Still our on our second day, we took a rest for 2 hours at our accommodation before we headed out for another tour in Baguio.


Wright Park

This time we went to Wright Park which was near our stay. Here, we only took a quick stroll (we loved walking back then, haha), took some photos then walked straight to The Mansion which is located adjacent to the park.


The Mansion

At The Mansion, we were allowed to enter the huge gate and were advised by the guard to stay in the front area since it is prohibited for guests to go near the mansion itself. So we took selfies as usual then leave the place.


Exploring Camp John Hay

It was already 4pm and it was a bit early to end our day so we decided to go Camp John Hay via taxi. At Camp John Hay, we only wanted to visit the Historical Core, where we tour the following:
  • Liberty Loop
  • Panagbenga Flower and Totem Pole
  • Bell Amphitheater
  • Bell House
  • Cemetery of Negativism


Snacks at Chocolate de Batirol

After touring around the tourist spots in Camp John Hay, we took a long walk (more cardio for us, haha) to end our day at a cafe located inside CJH. It wasn't yet dark when we arrived at Chocolate de Batirol. Here, we tried their bestselling hot choco and Pinoy snacks.



Back to Burnham Park

After we had a light snack, we decided not to go back to our accommodation yet. The night was still young and we had a lot to do. So we came back to Burnham Park and had another food trip along Harrison Road until we brought ourselves to a bar along Session Road at 8:30pm.



Night life in Baguio

We stayed at the restobar for a bottle of beer while listening to a live band playing acoustic songs. After roughly 2 hours, we took our feet back to Harrison Road to get to experience Baguio Night Market. Ending our night, we took a taxi ride back to our homestay accommodation, tipsy and sleepy. 

It was a jampacked day for both of us.


ACTIVITIES AND TOURS IN BAGUIO


Third Day in Baguio

Woke up almost noon time, we agreed not to visit Mines View Park anymore. Instead, we headed to Good Shepherd Convent to buy our pasalubong. Of course, ube jam was first off the list. We bought other products from the convent and more souvenirs outside near the road towards Mines View.


We already reached the bus terminal before the clock hits 12 o'clock to head back home.

Baguio for me is an ideal travel destination in the Philippines, not only for couples, but for any type of travelers: solo, family, barkada, etc. 



Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)


  • How to get to Baguio?
    There is a few ways getting to Baguio (from Manila and other places in the Philippines) but the most commonly used is by bus (land travel). Read my complete bus guide to Baguio for details.

  • How long is Manila to Baguio?
    Baguio is only 4-6 hours away from Manila, depending on which part of Manila you're coming from, which route the bus takes, and whether or not it makes a stop along the way. Regular buses usually take Dau Exit (NLEX) or Concepcion Exit (SCTEX) and make at least one stop. Travel time is around 6 hours. For those who are planning to bring own vehicle to Baguio, you may opt to take TPLEX for faster travel.

  • How much budget you need for Baguio trip?
    The estimated budget for an overnight stay in Baguio City for 2 people is around Php5,000.00 per person. This is on the assumption that: the accommodation is Php2,000.00 per night or lesser, 6 meals with Php200.00 per person per meal budget and commute around Baguio City.

    For our 2 night stay, we spent Php8,000.00 including food, transportation, entrance fees, and accommodation. Read our sample Baguio 3D2N itinerary for details.

  • Where to eat in Baguio?
    Just like any other cities, not only the Philippines, but in the whole world, finding a place to eat is not a problem! For us, we went to restaurants near the places or tourist spots we visited. Most of them are located in the city center (Session Road, Burnham Park and SM City Baguio)


WHERE TO STAY IN BAGUIO

Here are some of the many top hotels with Certificate of Authority to Operate (CAO) from the Department of Tourism in Baguio:

For a list of Baguio hotels that have certificate of authorization to operate, check out this post: LIST OF DOT-ACCREDITED HOTELS IN BAGUIO!

You may also check the full list of hotels and lodging in Baguio. I also wrote Top10 hotels in Baguio on a separate blog.



IMPORTANT NOTE: The rates, contact details and other information indicated in this post are accurate from the time of writing but may change without IMFWJ's notice. Should you know the updated information, please message us on Facebook.

WHERE TO STAY IN BAGUIO:

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BAGUIO ITINERARY FOR COUPLE: Where to Go, Where to Eat, Where to Stay (with Directions & Budget)

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