Up in the Clouds Part 3: Camp John Hay

If you're looking forward to a quiet, relaxing time during your stay in Baguio, then Camp John Hay might just be the place for you. Unlike the rest of Baguio which has become highly urbanized and congested, Camp John Hay still maintains that "Baguio feel"--pine trees and all--to ensure that visitors feel relaxed and refreshed.

We stayed at The Manor at Camp John Hay during our three-day stay, and yes, we definitely had a great time. You don't even have to go out of Camp John Hay to have fun--within the compound, there are already activities which everyone in the family would enjoy. Take a look:

The Manor at Camp John Hay

You can take a stroll through the souvenir shops, outlet stores, and restaurants at the Mile Hi Center

Flags at The Manor's backyard--a reminder of Camp John Hay's American past 

Strolling through the forest near The Manor

The Manor, as seen from the forest

This looks quite creepy, actually

While you're there, you might want to check out the Cemetery of Negativism, designed by Base Commander John Hightower. It is the symbolic burial place of negativism, which is considered to be one of man's heaviest burdens. The epitaphs on the tombstones are actually quite amusing to read, though it is a bit difficult to read some of them as some letters are already missing.

Tombstones at the "cemetery"

One of the tombstones

For those who are more adventurous, then you might want to go to the Tree Top Adventure, where you can choose from activities such as Rappelling or Ziplining, and others. This place is open until 5pm, though they may also extend depending on the number of people still coming in or still in line.

A guide for the visitors

Something to think about while you're making your way there

This looks fun

This young lady tried her hand at rappelling twice but she just couldn't do it

This lady tried it too, but she also couldn't do it

Below

For those interesterd in history, then Camp John Hay's Historical Core is worth a look. For a small fee, you can go visit places such as the Bell House,  named after General J. Franklin Bell which originally served as the vacation quarters of the Commanding General of the Philippines, this house now serves as a museum which allows guests to take a look at colonial architecture, as well as a glimpse of what it was like for the Commanding General each time he was in Baguio.

The Bell House

The Bell House viewed from behind

The dining area

The living room

The master's bedroom

The nearby Bell Amphitheater

If you're interested to know more about Camp John Hay's history, the History Trail is a 500-meter trail with signs here and there telling us more about Camp John Hay's history, tracing all the way to the pre-American period. It can get pretty tiring, though.

One of the signs along the way

Just to give you an idea of what the History Trail looks like

If you want to stay at a cheaper place but still want to stay within Camp John Hay, the Forest Lodge, which  opened just last September, offers guests almost the same amenities as the nearby luxurious The Manor at a lower price. This is ideal for the more budget-conscious travelers who do want to get the most out of what they paid for.

The Forest Lodge is located right next to its more luxurious neighbor, The Manor

Dining and shopping within Camp John Hay are not strictly limited to the Mile Hi Center. You could also head over to the Baguio-AyalaLand Technohub for more restaurants such as Pancake House, Starbucks Coffee, Army Navy, and Yellow Cab Pizza, and shops such as R.O.X. and Res|Toe|Run. There are more shops and restaurants that are still yet to open, so that visitors would have more to choose from.

A word of caution though: The Pancake House branch here seems to be below average (or heck, even poor) when it comes to observing hygiene. When we dropped by for breakfast on our last day, my dad found a small cockroach mixed in with his food. There could be more of them in the kitchen, too.

One side of the Baguio-AyalaLand Technohub

And here's the other side  (which also houses a Convergys call center)