Top 3 Important Things you must know before going to Baguio City . I know that you want to feel the cold temperature of Baguio City, but there are 3 important things that you have to remember before even paking your bag. Be careful, because you might go to prison if you do not know these things:

Top 3 Important Things you must know before going to Baguio City

1. ALWAYS BRING YOUR OWN ECO BAG OR PLASTIC BAG

Baguio City recently launched its Plastic- Free ordinance and prohibits stores from handing out plastic bags. All Stores in Baguio use paper bags and some street vendors do not even give out any paper bag. It is a must that you bring your own plastic bag or ecobag. In fact, even SM Baguio uses Paper Bags despite the fact that it always rain in Baguio city. So, when you visit Baguio City, do not get mad when the vendor will give you your purchased meat wrapped in paper bag.

2. BAGUIO IS A SMOKE FREE ZONE

Everybody hate smokers, even smokers do not like the smoke. If they do, they will breathe in all the smoke and there will be no second hand smoking. Baguio City implemented a smoking ban to all public areas in Baguio, including restaurants and malls.  It means that you cannot smoke in any tourist spot in Baguio, including SM Baguio. In fact, SM Baguio imposes fines of Php1,000 to those who are smoking within SM including those in the veranda. Avoid the prison and do not smoke in Baguio City.

3. WE DO NOT HAVE PARKING LOTS IN BAGUIO

If you are planning to bring your car in Baguio City, I suggest you don’t do it. Unless you want to face illegal parking charges and want to go to prison. There are only two major parking lots in Baguio City, one in SM and on in Abanao Street. These parking lots can only accommodate a few hundreds of cars, meaning our parking lots cannot accommodate all cars in Baguio. If you want a hassle free travel in Baguio, do not bring your car. We have a lot of taxis that return changes (sukli) and jeepneys (uso magbigay ng sukli sa Baguio).

BONUS: TOURIST OVERLOAD during November (ASEAN SUMMIT), December, February, and May. Normally, there is no heavy traffic in Baguio City. In fact we only have to wait a maximum of five minutes in traffic. There are also few people in Baguio City. However, during the said months, things change. We experience a three (3) hour heavy traffic and we cannot go from one place to another without bumping to another person. What’s different with these months? Well, thousands of local tourist will go to Baguio causing a Tourist overload.

So, if you see lots of people and experience super heavy traffic, it is because almost all the persons you see are tourist like you.

If you want to experience real the real Baguio City, do not go to Baguio on those months. Go to Baguio in April, June to October, these months are typhoon season but there are no other tourists to annoy you. Maulan pero solo mo ang Baguio!

So, these are my Top 3 Important Things you must know before going to Baguio City .