Beautiful, colorful, tribal and festive – these are the best words to describe Baguio’s Panagbenga Festival. Witness a grand showcase of their culture, creativity and craftsmanship when you join the annual celebration of Baguio’s flower festival.
Panagbenga Festival well-designed float adorned by fresh flowers| Photo by: Chema Grenda | Shutter stock ID: 1328032568
Get the best bits of interesting information about the Panagbenga Festival when you continue reading on this blog. We also included some helpful travel tips about where to go, what to eat and where to stay in Baguio.
Baguio City, Philippines: The Coldest City in the Philippines
Baguio is located in the northern part of the Philippines and is approximately 5 to 6 hours drive from Manila. Dubbed as the “Summer Capital of the Philippines”, Baguio City is one of the handful of places where you can experience a cooler climate in the Philippines – it’s no wonder why Baguio remains to be a favorite destination for many Filipinos wanting to take a break from the usual tropical climate.
Baguio, the “Summer Capital of the Philippines” | Photo by: Nicolas Guarino | Shutter stock ID: 1367188991
Its scenic location and cool climate consistently attract hordes of tourists, especially for a weekend getaway. Interestingly, Baguio City is also tagged as the “City of Pines”.
Panagbenga Festival Schedule
In Baguio, the entire month of February is dedicated to the annual celebration of their Panagbenga Festival. In this place, February is not just the month of love but also the month of flower blooms and grand festivity.
Thus, if you’re planning to go to Baguio and are looking for some unique experience, then target the month of February and have that beautiful opportunity to participate in their celebration of Panagbenga Festival. You can particularly target the schedule for their Grand Street Dance Competition/Parade and the Panagbenga Grand Float Competition – the main highlights of the festivity.
Panagbenga Festival 2021
Due to the threats of COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s celebration of Panagbenga Festival has been postponed. The official has not yet decided on the new dates to hold the event. Presumably, once the vaccine is thoroughly distributed in the country.
Panagbenga Festival Meaning
Panagbenga is a local term which means “season of blooming”. It traces its origin from a Kankanaey dialect which is the local language of indigenous people living in the Northern Philippines). | Source: panagbengafestival.com
Street dancers on their vibrant costumes during the Panagbenga Festival | Photo by: Frolova_Elena | Shutter stock ID: 322856009
Must-Do Experience: Panagbenga Festival
Panagbenga Street Dance and Grand Float Parade are best watched at the famed Session Road. So, if you want to see all the action, then make sure to wake up early, eat a good breakfast and go straight to Session Road to enjoy the show.
Get ready for a day filled with colors and tribal rhythm, streets are jampacked by spectators both locals and visitors cheerfully watching the parade, feel the street dancers’ unending smiles and energy as they groove to the beat of pounding drums, be in awe of massive floats adorned by the colorful mix of fresh flowers – it’s truly that amazing!
You could sense that every aspect of the event (floats, costumes, choreography and so on) are a real product of hard work and heartwork. It must have taken them long months of preparation to actually produce such a great show. It’s also a wonder how they are able to keep these countless flowers alive until the actual parade – it’s an impressive work of art. And I guess that’s what makes this flower festival truly outstanding.
Surely, Panagbenga Festival is a distinct festival in the country that is sure to leave a lasting impression to anyone who experiences it.
Is Panagbenga Festival the Best Festival in the Philippines?
Some people would argue that Panagbenga is perhaps the “best” festival in the Philippines.
In a country where almost every place has its own unique celebration, it’s difficult to pick the “best”. For instance, there is also Cebu’s Sinulog Festival which is said to be the grandest festivity in the Philippines and is also tagged as the Mardi Gras of Asia.
To get an idea of what other festivals and fiestas we celebrate in the Philippines, you may check out this blog.
Baguio Tourist Spots
Tourist attractions in Baguio are located in close proximity to one another. Thus, a full-day tour in Baguio can allow you to explore many of its popular tourist attractions in a day or so.
Baguio Burnham Park
This is said to be the “mother of all parks in Baguio City”, an huge open space where people of all ages can enjoy biking, boating, picnicking, skating or even playing sports.
Some leisure activities you can do at Burnham Park includes boating or biking
Mines View Park Baguio
For people wanting for a breathtaking view, then Mines View Park would definitely be a delight. This place offers a good view of the Cordillera mountains as well as Benguet’s gold and copper mines.
The picturesque view at Baguio Mines View Park
This place has become very touristy especially because of the abundance of souvenir shops and other tourism-magnet activities like wearing the tribal costume for instagrammable photos, ride a charming pony with pink hair and the like.
Photo opportunities at Mines View Park: tribal costume and colorful horses
White House Baguio: The Mansion
A quick stopover at the Mansion is typically included in Baguio itinerary. The Mansion is a museum and it serves the official residence of Philippine President in Baguio City.
In front of The Mansion Baguio
Wright Park
Wright Park is located a few steps away or just across The Mansion. This is where you will find well-tamed horses that you can hire for a relaxing horseback riding experience in Baguio.
Session Road Baguio
Session road’s central location makes it the busiest and most utilized street in Baguio. It connects major roads to tourist attraction to commercial areas. It is like the melting pot of all things touristy – hotels, coffee shops, boutique stores, restaurants, old movie houses, grocery stores, etc. A walk in the cold street of Session Road at night time is deemed a surreal experience for many visitors.
Other popular tourist attractions include Baguio Botanical Garden, Lourdes Grotto Baguio, Bencab Museum Baguio, the Baguio Cathedral, Philippine MIlitary Academy (PMA), Camp John Hay and so on. You may also view this link to see a complete list of Baguio tourist spots.
Best Food and Delicacies in Baguio
Baguio City is also most known for its strawberries. In fact, a must-do experience for people coming to Baguio is the strawberry-picking in the nearby La Trinidad, Benguet.
Because of the abundance of this fruit at Baguio, expect that many delicacies incorporate such flavor. For instance, they have strawberry taho, strawberry ice cream, strawberry jam and even strawberry wine – everything strawberry!
Fresh strawberries harvested from the Strawberry Farm
Also, please don’t miss to try the ube jam produced at the Good Shepherd. To learn more about Filipino pasalubong (take-home goodies), check out this blog where we outlined a comprehensive list of what to bring home from your Philippine trip.
Baguio Accommodation: Best Baguio Hotels
The Manor Baguio
Website: https://campjohnhay.ph/
Azalea Hotels and Residences Baguio
Website: https://www.azaleabaguio.com/
Microtel Baguio
Le Monet Hotel Baguio
Website: https://lemonethotel.ph/
Travel to Baguio, Philippines: Customize Your Baguio Tour
There’s a lot to see and do in Baguio – whether it’s for a weekend getaway, relaxing staycation, honeymoon, or experience a Philippine festival like their Panagbenga Flower Festival.
Baguio tour can also be easily combined with other destinations like Benguet, Sagada, Ilocos or perhaps the Visayas region (if you have longer travel days). We at Kapwa Travel are able to design customized tours that are tailored to our guests’ interests and wishes. If you want to have a memorable and authentic tour in the Philippines, then we are happy to design an individualized tour for you. Contact us and let’s start from there. 🙂
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