Baguio with a Kid: (Kid-friendly) Things to do in the City of Pines

Baguio City is the kid-friendliest place we've been to (runner up: Puerto Princesa, Palawan). Whether you're tagging along a 2-year-old or a 9-year-old, it's guaranteed you're all going to have a good time (yes, parents included!). That's because aside from the lovely weather, Baguio City has lots of parks filled with rides and activities to entertain every kid and kid-at-heart.

Here are the things you must try in Baguio with your kids:

BIKING (Burnham Park)

You don't have to spend a lot in order to entertain your kid. For us, that's a no-no not only because we already spent a lot on the trip but also because we just find pleasure in finding cheap thrills. Needless to say, we're glad we went biking at Burnham Park. Imagine paying only P40 for one hour of biking bliss? Well, technically, it was only Sput who did the biking. I just sat on a bench, watching people, enjoying the alone-ness. Hugo was busy taking pictures of Sput and the skaters. Highly recommended if you want to introduce your kid to biking or if you want to recharge from nonstop demands of a four-year-old. This will keep them preoccupied.

BUDGET:
BMX/MTB rental- P40/hr
Tri-bike rental- P50/hr

TIPS:
Not all bikes are in good condition. Make sure you test the bike first because some are hard to pedal or have wobbly trainer wheels.

RIDING A SWAN BOAT (Burnham Park)

Okay, what a lousy picture, eh? Hugo was not able to take a good photo because we were so busy balancing and getting scared and laughing at the same time. We didn't hire a rower because we though "nah, just an 'effin swan boat. What's so hard about that?" but that kind of confidence was gone when we were stuck in the middle of the lake and were too tired to paddle. So if you want to have a good belly-aching laughing session, then DON'T hire a rower but if you want to relax and enjoy the view without worrying about a thing, then hire a rower.

BUDGET:
Boat rental- P100
Guide/ Rower fee- P50

TIPS:
If you do not know how to row, don't try to save a few bucks by not hiring a driver/guide. Especially if you have a kid.

STRAWBERRY PICKING (La Trinidad, Benguet)

Marion loves listening to "Strawberry Fields Forever" by the Beatles. For three weeks now, we listen to it during bedtime and first thing in the morning. So make a wild guess why she was so excited to go to Baguio? Yep, the strawberries. La Trinidad Strawberry Farm is just a 20-minute ride from Baguio so you have to give it a visit when you're in Baguio. However, there's a chance you won't find strawberries when you visit the farm because the fruit is seasonal. Best to go there during March- April. Aside from strawberries, you can also find lovely flowers and green, leafy vegetables in the farm.

BUDGET:
Exploring the farm is free. But if you're going to pick strawberries, you pay P300 per basket (P400 during December).
Taxi fare from Baguio City to La Trinidad- P200
Strawberry Taho- P20
Strawberry Icecream- P15

TIPS:
If you really want to pick strawberries, make sure you go there during their fruit-bearing season.
Shop for knitted clothes in La Trinidad. There are more choices there and they're cheaper.
Wash the fruits before popping it in your mouth to get rid of the chemicals.
Let your kid listen to "Strawberry Fields Forever" while you're in the strawberry field.
On your way back, visit the Bell Church (old Chinese temple). You won't miss it because it's very visible from main road. Worth visiting if you want your kids to explore a temple. However, kids are not allowed to get inside the meditation/prayer areas so they can only explore the exteriors. (Photo below)

HORSE RIDING (Wright Park)

Wright Park is one of the favorite destinations of families going to Baguio. Every kid wants to ride a pink (or purple or green) horse. Sput was beaming when she chose her horse which she later named Lollipop. So worth it! There are over 200 horses-- big or small, pro or just cute-- that are lined up near the entrance, available for hire.There are two lanes/circles: the inner circle which is for walking horses (for the kids and amateurs like myself) and the outer circle, which is for the pros with running horses. When it comes to safety, there is absolutely no need to worry because the guides (aka Pony Boys) have been doing this since they were little. Besides, the walking horses walk so slow you won't have a panic attack even if you have an infant in your arms (Just to prove a point. I haven't tried riding one with an infant, though. And don't try it).

BUDGET:
30-minute ride- P200
1-hour ride- P300
Taxi from

TIPS:
Go for the 30-minute ride even if the 1-hour ride seems cheaper. 30 minutes is a lot of time for a tot and she didn't whine when she got off the horse after the sixth round.
Never ever go to the Riding Circle if you have a kid.

Eating "the best strawberry cake ever"

PARK HOPPING 

There are plenty of parks in Baguio City. Burnham Park and Children's Park are the most popular parks because they have colorful slides and bars and swings---the works. Plus, they're close to each other and are located at the heart of Baguio. Plus, there are no entrance fees. What I love about the parks in Baguio is that they're so clean even if they're free for public use.

BUDGET:
FREE

TIPS:
This is the best time for parents to relax from parenting but make sure you keep an eye on your kids because there are plenty of kids in these parks.
Buy snacks while you're waiting for the kids. It would probably take an hour before they get bored.

Palawan with a Kid: Summary and Expenses

ITINERARY 

DAY 1
6:00- Arrival at Puerto Princesa airport
6:15- Airport-Inn (Tricycle, P10/pax, 10-minutes)
6:30- Check-in at Casa Linda Inn, quick bath
7:30- Breakfast
8:00- City tour:
             Crocodile Farm
             Mitra Farm
             Baker’s Hill (plenty of snacks sold here)
             Butterfly Garden w/ a quick visit to the Palaw'an tribe
            Cathedral and Plaza Cuartel
             Baywalk
14:00- Robinson's Mall for some quick shopping (toiletries, undies, etc)
15:00- Bought tickets and permits for the Puerto Princesa Underground tour the next day
17:00- Dinner at Ka Lui's ( paid P600+ for a suptous meal for 3)
18:00- Visiting shops
19:00- Sleep

DAY 2
6:00- Prepare extra clothes, snacks, mosquito repellent for the tour
6:30- Quick breakfast
7:00- Van pick-up in Casa Linda. Travel to Sabang Beach.
9:00- Arrival at Sabang and registration. Waited for our boat.
9:20- Boat ride to the Underground River (10 minutes)
9:30- arrival at Puerto Princesa Underground River. Waited for 15 minutes for our turn.
9:45- Start of the Underground River "cruise"
12:30- Back in Sabang Beach. Lunchtime.
14:00- Travel back to Puerto Princesa city
16:30- Back in Casa Linda Inn. Rest.
19:00- Dinner at Rene's Saigon (Vietnamese food)
20:00- Beer and chips at Casa Linda's gazebo while the kid is trying to sleep in the room.
21:30- the kid joined us.
22:30- Sleeping time.

DAY 3
8:00- breakfast at Casa Linda Inn
9:30- Palawan Special Battalion WW-II Memorial Museum
10:30- Souvenirs
11:30- Lunch at Badjao Seafront Restaurant  (crabs, clams, shrimps, squid, talakitok,etc etc)
3:00- Flight back to Manila

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EXPENSES

Airfare for 3 (Zestair)- P 3,500
Taxi Fare to from airport- P1,000
Casa Linda Inn (2 nights)- P 1,800
Underground River Tour- P3,500
City Tour- P600 (including fees)
Food- P 2,500 (Ka Lui, Badjao Seafront, Rene Saigon, home-made food at the Sabang huts,etc)
Pasalubong- P1,000
Beer and snacks- P500

TOTAL ESTIMATE: 13,400

* If you already booked your tickets, P3,500/pax is a safe amount to bring for a 3D2N stay in Puerto Princesa Palawan.
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SAFETY

If you want a worry-free travel in Puerto Princesa, follow these tips:
1. Travel during the dry season (Nov- May).
2. Don't go to remote barangays especially those with dense forest areas, swamps, and slow-moving water.
3. Apply anti-mosquito lotions, use DEET stickers, sleep in air-conditioned rooms or use a mosquito net.
4. Don't take medicines. The probability of you and your kids getting side effects is much higher compared to you getting bitten by malaria-carrying mosquitoes.

Palawan with a Kid: All You Need to Know About the Dreaded Malaria

The first thing I Googled when I was planning for our trip was just how prevalent malaria is in Palawan. You know how people have always feared of going there because of that deadly disease. When I told my friends we're going to Palawan, all of them warned me about the killer malaria-carrying mosquitos especially since we're tagging along a 4-year-old.

So being an ultra paranoid mom that I was, I searched the internet for answers. I Here are the things I gathered in my research about Palawan and Malaria:

WHAT IS MALARIA?

Malaria is an infectious disease of tropical countries. It is spread by mosquitoes. It is manifested by fever along with chills and rigors. Unless it is diagnosed and treated promptly, it can be fatal. A single mosquito bite may be enough to cause the infection.

In 2010, according to the World Health Organization, there were 216 million episodes of malaria and 655,000 deaths worldwide. Of these deaths around 91% were seen in the African Region, followed by the South-East Asian Region (6%), and the Eastern Mediterranean Region (3%). About 86% of deaths globally were in children.

NEWS-MEDICAL.NET

IS THERE A VACCINE FOR MALARIA?
None.

ARE THERE ANTI-MALARIA MEDICINES WE CAN TAKE?

Yes. You can take anti-malaria pills. However, people react differently to it. The pill could have bad side effects to your liver so parents are strongly discouraged to let their kids take these pills. Also, the prophylaxis will not make you immune to malaria but will only lower the severity of the disease.

WHEN IS THE SAFEST TIME TO GO?

If you're a paranoid parent like me, it is best to go to Palawan during DRY Season (Nov-May) since malaria-carrying mosquitos are usually found during the rainy season. Not only will you be safer, you'll have peace of mind which is a requirement if you don't want to ruin your Palawan experience.

WHAT PLACES IN PALAWAN ARE MALARIA-INFESTED?
Provincial Gov. Joel T. Reyes said that although malaria was endemic in some places in Palawan, urban areas-including resorts and tourist destinations-were safe… Governor Reyes said the habitat of malaria-carrying mosquitoes was usually found in the remote barangays or villages with dense forest areas, swamps and slow-moving rivers and lakes.

Reyster Langit, Rey Langit's son contracted malaria in Rizal, Palawan, approximately 300 kilometers from the city, when they hiked eight hours into the mountains going to the Tau't Bato area.

WHAT SHOULD WE DO TO MAKE SURE WE WON'T GET BITTEN?
* Apply Mosquito repellent every six hours but especially during night time because that's the time Malaria-carrying mosquitoes usually bite from dusk 'til dawn.
* Stick DEET stickers to your kids' clothes (and yours, too. why not)
* Sleep in an air-conditioned room
* Bring a mosquito net if you're really that concerned
* Go to Palawan during the dry season (Nov- May)
* Don't go camping in the mountains with your kids. That's where the mosquitoes usually live.

CONCLUSION:
1. If you want a worry-free travel in Puerto Princesa, travel during the dry season (Nov- May).
2. Don't go to remote barangays especially those with dense forest areas, swamps, and slow-moving water.
3. Apply anti-mosquito lotions and follow the other safety tips above.
4. Don't take medicines. The probability of you and your kids getting side effects is much higher compared to you getting bitten by malaria-carrying mosquitoes.

Palawan with a Kid: The Casa Linda Experience

Casa Linda Inn is one of the coziest and probably the most affordable inns in Puerto Princesa, Palawan. We were so happy we picked this place over the other "commercial" hotels. In the two nights that we stayed there, we kept saying "It's a good thing we chose this place", "Yeah, it's so sulit" and so on and so forth. The accomodation is definitely one of the main reasons why we really loved our trip.

We wanted to book a hostel/inn because who wants to stay in a typical hotel when you're in Palawan? My top considerations when choosing a place to stay are as follows: the room should have a veranda for drinking and smoking (so that when the kid's asleep we can have our date), it should be close to the heart of the city, it should be squeaky clean, it should serve good food. And voila! Casa Linda has it all plus really friendly staff that would greet you with warm smiles no matter what time of the day.

The casa only has very few rooms (I think fifteen?) and some would stay there for weeks and months, mostly foreigners doing projects/ missions.  It's just a 10-minute ride from the airport and it's just a few steps away (no exaggeration here. It really is just steps away) from the best restaurants of Puerto Princesa like Kinabuch's and Ka Lui.

The entrance

The moment you step inside the door, you can take off your shoes and walk barefoot.

The lobby

We arrived around 7am and after paying at the counter, the staff ushered us to our room. I was pleased by what I saw- the garden, the wooden floors and Sput's silly dancing in the bamboo hallway. We passed by their little cafe and saw a blonde girl inside the kitchen, putting her groceries in the fridge. When we asked the staff if they have a foreigner chef, she said no and explained that guests are allowed to cook in the kitchen for a minimum charge and the fridge is free for everyone to use.

Casa Linda cafe

The cafe has a good menu. We only tried their breakfast which we ate at the gazebo. So delish. We felt so English with our special breads and sausages.

The garden with a gazebo 

On our second night, we wanted to have our date so we bought beer at the nearby convenience store (again, just a few steps away), and put the cans in the communal fridge. We waited and waited for Sput to sleep but she seemed to be enjoying the place so much she can't sleep. She told me " Mommy, I'm alright. You have a date with Daddy". I was so touched by her sweetness. So Hugo and I had our date at the gazebo (no one else was there, it's so silent at night) while we continue to check on her until finally, she joined us. Well...that's life...with a kid.

The pathway towards the room from the gazebo

Lovin' the sawali walls plus the cozy lamp and good airconditioning. Perfect combo for snuggling.

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PRICE: P900 for a queen-sized bed for three

WHY WE LOVE IT: Cozy, close to the airport, very close to Kinabuch's and Ka Lui, affordable.

WHY WE HATE IT: We don't. 

WIFI: Signal's only in the lobby

KID-FRIENDLINESS: 5/5

CLEANLINESS: 4/5

STAFF: 5/5

OVERALL RATING: 4.5/5

_________________________________________________

CONTACT NUMBER: 048-433-2606

WEBSITE: Casalindainnpalawan

ADDRESS:  Trinidad Road Corner Rizal Avenue, Puerto Princesa City (beside Kinabuch's)

Palawan with a Kid: Puerto Princesa Underground River

Row,row,row your boat gently down the river, slowly, slowly, slowly please or it will capsize. Boy do I make lame versions of Nursery Rhymes.

But that's pretty much how it was like for an edgy mom to be exploring the Underground River with a hyper 4-year-old tot. That's because one slight movement in the boat and you'll be rocking it. From the dock to the cave, I was an annoying mom, well...more annoying than usual: " Sput, sit down! Please!", "Sput, don't lean!", "Sput, don't keep moving!" while Hugo was just being his usual self, taking pictures and stuff. Geez, what a cool mom, eh? Sure, we had life jackets and hard hats but it's just that I don't want to get wet especially because the water is brown and I did not bring extra clothes. 

When we were finally inside the cave, I was amazed by its grandness (and maybe paranoid with other things like the darkness and bat poo) that I forgot about my fear of the boat capsizing. There was a section in the cave that looks like it's straight out from a National Geographic magazine. I'm not exaggerating. I had to blink a few times because it looked like a 3D rock with the milky way as the backdrop. It took my breath away even though I'm not really into rocks. 

Sput didn't enjoy it as much as I expected, though. I expected she's get a Dora kind of high. She was more concerned of finding spiders inside the cave instead of finding rock formations. What she found entertaining were the silly monkeys we met on our way back to the beach. She also enjoyed playing with new-found-friends at Sabang Beach. So my tip is, don't be like me. Don't be too paranoid while you're exploring the Palawan Underground River because, trust me, the boat won't capsize. If you're thinking of leaving the kids at home and just enjoy Palawan with the hubs, you will regret it because Puerto Prinsesa is one of the kid-friendliest cities in the Philippines. Sure, the Underground River experience might make you nervous but that's just one of the many things to do in Palawan. And if you learn to control your paranoia, then trip would score ten out of ten.

Puerto Princesa Underground River Summary and Tips:

HOW TO GET THERE:

BUDGET:

TIPS:

* Don't go near monkeys. They will bite you.

* Apply Mosquito Repellent every two hours. Let your kids wear those repellent stickers. Palawan is a paradise but it is known for Malaria. Make sure you're protected. 

*Go DIY so you can have your own schedule and pick the resto you want. Details below.

* Let your kids play with the beach kids. That's the kind of experience that will make them grow and it's free.

* Bring a shawl. The sun could get really intense by noontime so make sure your skin is protected. There are batik sarongs sold at P150 in Sabang bu t if you'd rather use that money on something else- like a fresh buko shake- then you know what to do.

*Set one whole day for this. Don't try to squeeze in so many activities in your trip or else you would not enjoy Palawan as much. We left for the Underground River bright and early and we got home to our hostel just before sunset. 

Happy Birthday, Baby Pig!

Hi Sput! You just turned five yesterday but boy, it was a week-long celebration. Earlier this year, I decided that instead of celebrating your birthday with cakes and balloons like the usual, we'll just travel somewhere because it's about time you start exploring. That would be more memorable for all of us than having a party, I thought. But when it was just weeks before your birthday, I changed my mind. I CANNOT not give you a Peppa Pig cake! I just cannot. You adore Peppa with her oink-oinks and British accent and I know how much it means to blow a birthday candle in front of the class. So... we had a small-ish classroom party with cakes and balloons AND a quick trip to Palawan.

You were a handful during the trip, throwing tantrums because you hate walking and you hate the heat and you just want to go back to Room # 11... and 100 other reasons. which made mom snap a lot but I know you get me.  The best moment was when we were in room # 11 with you,waiting for you to fall asleep so we can have beer in the gazebo and you told Daddy Pig "I'll sleep on my own, Daddy, so you and mom can have your date." I almost cried. That's the kind of girl I want you to be.

Anyway, here are our pictures. Say "Palawan!"

Silly pigs!

Bearcat, that tickles.

Jammin' with the Palaw'an Tribe.

Underground River

With your new-found "beach friends." One has no front teeth so you didn't wanna go near her  at first coz eww, she doesn't brush. You played luksong tinik,taguan,kingkingbila and drew on the sand.

goofing around with Daddy pig while waiting for our boat.

____________________________________________________

Me: You're turning five. Yey!

Marion: I don't want to be five. I want to be four forever.

Me: Why?

Marion: I don't want to be old. I don't want you to be old.

______________________________________________________

So cute! But Sput, you're my baby always and forever and ever. And we're young as long as we keep doing things that make us feel young. like this trip and laughing and tickling and hugging in the bath (oops, thats our secret) and drawing and dancing and just being silly. Let's be silly forever. 

XOXO,

Mommy Pig

Pinto Gallery with a Kid: Why the whole family loved it.

Exploring Tanay with a Kid: Why it's Waaaaay Better Than Malling

We just got back from our quick trip to Tanay, Rizal and once again I was reminded that we don't have to spend a lot in order to have fun. 

Sput's first spelunking adventure- Calinawan Cave, Tanay, Rizal

We explored a cave, had lunch beside a waterfall, climbed up a grotto, and went to Laguna Lake to witness fishermen unload their catch. And how much did we spend? A teeny-weeny super-meager amount of P 850! I'm notalayer. That's cheaper than a Pizza Hut meal for four...or a pair of Forever 21 shorts...or hey, that's cheaper than a regular trip to the mall!

Let's compare.

Trip to the Mall with a kid:

Fare/Gas- P300

Food- P 500

Movie/Timezone/Play Station tickets- P 300

TOTAL: P 1,100

Trip to Tanay with a kid:

FX Fare- P 250

Tricycle Fare (Package which includes all the destinations)- P350

Food- P100 (just bring a canned Tuna and rice)

Cave guide fees- P100 (or any amount you're willing to donate)

Daranak falls entrance- P55 

TOTAL: P 855

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Is a trip to Tanay sulit or whut?! To make it more obvious, let's compare the "value" of these two.

What do you get from a mall trip? 

Sore feet, entertainment, maybe a full stomach, some things (important or not), more credit card debt, maybe some happiness.

What do you get from a spelunking/hiking/camping adventure?

Sore feet, realizing that you are very small and the world is so big, realizing that material things do not matter a lot, good memories, knowledge. For kids: Seeing, smelling, touching real flowers, trees, fishes, rocks. 

What does a trip to the mall teach your child? 

Hmmm...that it's nice to have things, basically. If you're a good parent, the best lesson you can teach them from a trip to the mall is the difference between wants from needs, the importance of hard work (so they can buy the stuff they want). 

What does a spelunking/hiking/camping adventure teach your child?

OMG. 1001 things- life rules like exploring without being reckless to science stuff like why fishes jump and squirm when they're out of the water.

Who gets a little richer every time you visit a mall?

The Sys and the Ayalas and the advertisers and the big brands. 

Who gets a little richer everytime you have a nature trip?

The locals- tricycle drivers, tour guides, small stores, carenderias. And YOU.

Quick Packing for Our First Spelunking Adventure

Spelunking. The term sounds sooo kick-ass but it simply means exploring a cave. But not all cave explorers are called spelunkers. There are also CAVERS and SPELEOLOGISTS, which are labels for the more hardcore and geeky cave explorers.

the term "spelunker" to denote someone untrained and unknowledgeable in current exploration techniques, and "caver" for those who are. Speleology has always been an interdisciplinary science, requiring one to have at least a smattering of geology, hydrology, biology, chemistry, climatology and survey techniques in addition to whatever specialty one has.
socket.net

Tomorrow we're spelunking with a 4-year-old kid in tow. Yey! We're going to explore a cave in Tanay, Rizal called Calinawan Cave. I chose this cave because 1.) it's close to where we live which means less travel time and less expenses; 2.) It's just a 30-minute trip inside the cave so anytime there's a sign that Sput's not enjoying the trip, we can exit fast; 3.) It's not yet too popular so I'm hoping it's not too crowded.

Sooo..packing. We expect to do duck walks and body-bending positions inside the cave so we're packing really, really light. We're preparing Hugo's regular-sized backpack and Sput's teeny-weeny bag (just so she would be responsible for her own stuff).

WHAT'S IN HUGO'S BAG:
* First aid kit
* Small pouch for our wallets
* Camera
* Extra shirts
* Slippers (for post-spelunking)
* Alcohol
* Face towels
* Century Tuna (big can)
* Can opener
* Water bottles
* Flashlights
* Head lamps
* Spoons+ forks
* Rice inside a lunchbox (to be packed)

WHAT'S IN SPUT'S BAG:
* Yam the bear
* Whistle
* small Flash light
* Snacks
* Small water bottle

That's all. Just the basic stuff. I hope spelunking with a kid would be fun (and safe) for everyone!