WATCH: Baguio, Benguet Christmas season 2024 captured using Redmi 14C
MANILA, Philippines — This upcoming holidays, if you only have two to three days to spare for a short road trip out of bustling Manila, Baguio City and its neighboring towns in Benguet Province offer the winning combination of cold weather and new experiences — even for the seasoned traveler!
Make sure to include the following Baguio and Benguet destinations in your itinerary, as shown in this video captured using Redmi 14C:
- Baguio Museum — a historical and anthropological museum where one can learn not only Baguio's rich history and heritage, but also that of the entire Cordilleras. Among its artifacts is a Sagada mummy, which is not allowed to be captured on camera as a sign of respect.
- BenCab Museum — this rest house and museum of painter and sculptor Benedicto Cabrera contains not only his best works of art, but also his collection of artworks from different fellow artists and National Artists. It has a cafe offering twists on Filipino fare; a souvenir shop where one can score memorabilia signed by the artist, as well as a small farm with fountains, a duck pond and a hut overlooking the mountains. The pond even has scorpions!
- Botanical Garden — a sprawling lush garden with many colorful flowers, different cultural pavillions, and a variety of themed areas such as for cactuses and soon, an orchidarium. History junkies go here to spot the mouth of the Japanese Tunnel, where hundreds of Japanese military men reportedly accidentally bombed themselves at the end of World War II, making many to believe that the tunnel was haunted.
- Camp John Hay — this former American military base is now best-known as a hotel now dressed up like a giant gingerbread kingdom for the holidays this year.
- Baguio Korean Palace — This famous Samgyeopsal restaurant in South Drive uphill from Session Road is housed in a historic American-era house considered to be among the best examples of American colonial architecture in the Philippines.
- Strawberry Farm — A massive farm complex offering good horizon views, and much better, a fresh taste of the strawberries that come in many forms — from wine to Tupig (grilled sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves) to the trendy Tanghulu or sweetened Korean skewered fruit.
- Mine's View Park — Although there is not much of a view to see here nowadays, plus it can get really crowded and still has pickpockets, this is still where one can score good bargains and finds for "pasalubong" or souvenir shopping. Of course, there remains the horses with pink-dyed hair, which one can ride while wearing an Igorot costume for pictures — but for a hefty price!
- Burnham Park — The city's historic leisure center, which used to be a skating rink during the American period, is now, as it had been on-and-off since the '80s, a boating park with many "cute" boats to choose from — from the traditional white swans to unicorns and Little Mermaid. Visitors can also now feed fish in the manmade lake, with pellets that can be bought onsite. Just across is a biking avenue where people of all ages — even toddlers — can rent bikes. At night, the park's front transforms into a night market selling mostly "ukay" or second-hand clothes.
- Wright Park — Another spacious historical park for walking, souvenir shopping and horseback riding. Its Japanese Pavilion is one of the first and remaining examples of pre-Japanese colonial architecture in the country. It now symbolizes peace between the Philippines and Japan.
- Tam-Awan Village — This local artists' village is a steep and slippery hike especially when it rains. But even if one would not climb it to the top, even at the lower levels, one can already meet Indigenous tribes and artists, who visitors can commission for a portrait or a henna tattoo. There are also ready-made artworks and souvenirs available at the sovenir shop. The village's cafe offers healthy and playful twists on Filipino dishes.
Redmi 14C, with its elegant and sleek 8.22-mm ultra-slim body with flat frame design, is a good travel companion with its cinema-view large display and 50-megapixel AI (Artificial Intelligence) dual camera system that delivers high-quality, sharp and vibrant photos and videos. Since it is powered by an Octa-core processor, it has a fast shutter speed, enabling one to capture every pivotal moment during one’s travels or special occasion celebration like Christmas. Complementing both the front and main cameras are a range of filters perfect for creating engaging photos and videos.
The smartphone features a 6.88-inch display, the largest on Redmi number series to date, offering a spacious and immersive viewing area for reading, watching videos, or gaming. The larger screen enhances one’s ability to see more content at once, making it easier to multitask and enjoy multimedia without constant zooming or scrolling. With a display that is TUV Rheinland Low Blue Light (Software Solution) and Flicker Free-certified, coupled with DC dimming, users can enjoy minimal eye fatigue even during extended use. Moreover, Reading mode and Dark mode let you adjust the screen brightness to suit different lighting conditions, ensuring a more comfortable and enjoyable experience whether you're indoors or outdoors.
This is complemented by up to 16 Gigabytes (GB) of Random Access Memory (RAM), including 8 GB of extended RAM for added efficiency and seamless multitasking. At the same time, the phone also prioritizes convenience with several user-friendly features, including a large 5160mAh battery powered by 18 watts fast charging, providing users peace of mind to stay connected without frequent recharging. It also includes a side fingerprint sensor, allowing for quick and secure access to your device, making it easy to unlock your phone swiftly, as well as a 3.5-millimeter headphone jack, which ensures compatibility with a wide range of audio devices. The improved 150% volume boost over the previous generation enhances the audio experience, making it easier to hear calls, media, and notifications in noisy environments. — Video by Deni Bernardo; additional video editing by Martin Ramos
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