Northern Luzon - The Rough Guide to the Philippines - page 155

finger of hilly land, it's perfect for swimming and very undeveloped. here is little here in
terms of restaurants and shops, apart from a few sari-sari stores around the fishing village.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION BALER

By bus There are no road links north along the coast to the
Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park, but you can catch a
D'Liner bus to Dilasag (3 daily; 4hr 30min) where you can
get a boat to Palanan (no fixed schedule; 6-8hr; P500).
Destinations Baguio (Lizardo: 3 daily; 6-7hr); Manila

(Genesis: 2 daily; 5-6hr; Joy Bus: daily; 5-6hr).
Tourist information The municipal tourist o ce is in the
Municipal Building (Mon-Fri 8am-5pm; T 0928 983 7668,
W baler.gov.ph), while the provincial tourist o ce is in the
Capitol Compound ( T 0908 895 3076, W aurora.gov.ph)

ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
All the best accommodation in Baler is on or around the beach at Sabang, which is a short tricycle ride (P15) from town.
Apart from during the annual Aurora Cup in February, you won't have any problem finding somewhere to stay. The best
eating options are in the hotels; all of the options that we review have decent restaurants , some with lovely views.

3

Bahia de Baler T 0908 982 7064, W bahiadebaler
.com. Set on 2.5 hectares of land right on the beach, this
place offers a decent choice of private a/c rooms; guests can
use the amenities of the sister resort Costa Pacifica nearby,
including the swimming pool. There's an attached bar and
grill, along with a n a liated surf shop with discounts for
customers. P4278
Bay-Ler View Hotel T 0927 366 8735, W baylerview
hotel.com. Clean and comfortable accommodation right

on the beachfront with lovely views over the ocean; the
restaurant serves local and international dishes, staff a re
friendly and there's wi-fi in the communal areas. P1600
Bay's Inn T 0908 982 3509, E [e-mail].
One of the most popular resorts for budget tourists and out-
of-town surfers, boasting panoramic views of Baler Bay, the
Pacific Ocean and surrounding cliffs and beaches. It has
clean fan or a/c doubles with private showers and a popu lar
restaurant with views. Surfboard rental available. P1700

The Cordillera
To Filipino lowlanders brought up on sunshine and beaches, the tribal heartlands of
the north and their spiny ridge of inhospitable mountains, the Cordillera , are seen
almost as another country, inhabited by mysterious people who worship primitive
gods. It's true that in some respects life for many tribal people has changed little in
hundreds of years, with traditional ways and values still very much in evidence. If
anything is likely to erode these traditions, it is the coming of tourists; already an
increasing number of tribal people are making much more from the sale of handicrafts
than they do from the production of rice.
he weather can have a major impact on a trip to the Cordillera, not least because
landslides can cause travel delays during the rainy season (particularly May-Nov, but
continuing until Jan or Feb). Since the rains come in from the northeast it's the places
on the eastern side of the mountains - such as Banaue and Batad - that are usually
worst hit, and fog can roll into those areas any time from October to February.
Throughout the region it can get cold at night between December and February. It's
worth noting that the rice terrace planting seasons vary significantly; the lower-lying
areas typically have two plantings a year while the highlands have one. Terraces are at
their greenest in the month or so before harvesting, although their barren appearance
after a harvest can also look impressive.

Baguio and around
It's fair to say that its heyday as a rural retreat from Manila is far behind BAGUIO . he
city centre is blighted by a polluted tangle of smoke-belching jeepneys and the large
SM shopping mall hardly improves the scenery. Still, its position as a major hub for the
Cordillera means that you're likely to pass through, and it does have some interesting
sights, plus, as a university city, a number of excellent restaurants and interesting