It’s undeniable that Baguio is among the most favored holiday destinations in the country, especially during the summer and Christmas seasons. Throngs of tourists flock to the City of Pines annually for its cool temperature, countless gastronomic offerings, and a wide array of attractions. And while Baguio holds a special place in our hearts, we are also on the lookout for alternative places to escape the crowd and the city’s bustle. And our quest led us to Atok!
Located just a two-hour drive north of Baguio, the charming mountain town used to be only popular to Baguio locals. But in recent years, Atok has gained more popularity with tourists too after photos of its colorful flower farms went viral online.
In this post, we’ll walk you through the places we visited during our trip to Atok. From picturesque flower farms to stunning viewpoints, the beautiful scenery will surely take your breath away. Alright, here’s our Atok itinerary. By the way, it can get chilly up there, so don’t forget to grab a jacket. Let’s go!
NOTE: We included the operating hours and entrance fees of the attractions in this video, but note that these might change so we highly recommend you to double check these details before your trip. Also, the Municipality of Atok may suspend tourism activities due to weather conditions. Before your trip, make sure to check with the local government’s official pages for updates especially if you’re visiting during the rainy season.
WHAT'S IN THIS GUIDE?
Atok Guided Tours
By the way, we traveled from Baguio to Atok by car. The road is paved throughout, but note that it’s winding and visibility can be an issue due to its altitude, especially during the rainy season.
Atok Day Tour from Baguio
If you don’t want to drive and prefer to travel conveniently, you can book a tour from Baguio. Here’s a package we found online. This includes private roundtrip transportation, entrance fees, refreshments, snacks, and souvenirs. For more info, you can follow the link below:
✅ CHECK ATOK GARDENS DAY TOUR HERE!
Atok Tour Packages
While you can explore Atok DIY-style, we highly recommend getting a guide when you visit. Although we got here from Baguio by car, we decided to avail of a guided tour because we were not familiar with the area and the condition of the roads leading to some attractions. We parked our car in one of the paid parking lots near the Atok Municipal Hall.
Drop by the municipal hall complex first to register and pay for the ecological fee. Here, you can also book a tour. Here are their rates. These are inclusive of a tour guide and transportation within Atok, but entrance and ecological fees are not yet included.
PACKAGE 1
P1,500 (Good for 5 pax)
- Mount Olis
- Lourdes Grotto
- Sakura Park / Haight’s Place / 2nd Highest Point
- Northern Blossom Flower Farm
PACKAGE 2
P2,200 (Good for 5 pax)
- Mount Timbak
- 2nd Highest Point
- Hidden Cypress Botanical Garden
- Northern Blossom Flower Farm / Mount Olis Viewpoint
PACKAGE 3
P2,500 (Good for 5 pax)
- Mount Olis
- Lordes Grotto
- Sakura Park / Haight’s Place / 2nd Highest Point
- Mount Timbak
- Northern Blossom Flower Farm
PACKAGE 4
P3,500 (Good for 5 pax)
- Mount Olis
- Sakura Park / Haight’s Place / 2nd Highest Point
- Mount Timbak
- Hidden Cypress Botanical Garden
- Northern Blossom Flower Farm
Atok Attractions & Itinerary
Chasing Sunrise
We really hit the jackpot when we decided to stay overnight instead of just making a day trip from Baguio. Why? THE SUNRISE! And what a spectacular way to start our day exploring Atok! Plus, we had more time to chill and savor the views rather than spending the early hours of the day on the road to get here. So if you are still thinking whether to take a day trip or stay overnight, choose the latter.
The sunrise here in Atok is one of the most stunning we’ve ever seen. Because of its location, you won’t have a hard time finding a viewpoint here. Our team spent a night at Sunrise Cabin Travellers Inn. Perched on top of a cliff, it provided us a perfect spot to catch the sunrise. We got a panoramic view of the forested slopes and terraced mountainsides as the sun was slowly peeking through the clouds and the mountain ridges.
You can also catch the sea of clouds here. We didn’t see it during our visit, but the magnificent sunrise alone is worth waking up for.
NOTE: You can check out the Where to Stay section of this article for the contact details of Sunrise Cabin Travellers Inn and other accommodation options.
Northern Blossom Flower Farm
You’ve probably come across the viral photos of the cabbage roses online. Look no further and make a beeline for the Northern Blossom Flower Farm, one of the key attractions here in Atok. Aside from these famous cabbage roses, it also features other varieties of flowers like lilies, lakspurs, hydrangeas, and sunflowers.
And because it’s on the mountainside, it’s not just the flowers that will leave you in awe here but also the breathtaking view! It’s best to visit here early in the morning so if you’re a morning person, you’re in luck. It opens at 6:00 AM, and even this early, visitors are already lining up to explore the flower farm.
A ticket here costs P250, inclusive of bread, coffee, and usually, a tour. However, when we visited, we didn’t get a proper tour. Probably because it was right after the pandemic, and they were still adjusting after being closed for a while. If you’re interested in staying overnight, there are also accommodations here.
Location: KM50, Halsema Highway, Barangay Cattubo, Atok, Benguet
Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday, 6:00 AM – 12:00 PM & 1:00 PM – 4:30 PM; Sunday, CLOSED
Entrance Fee: Regular (11-59 y/o), P250; Senior & PWD with ID, P200; Child (6-10 y/o), P50; Child (0-5 y/o), FREE
Guide Fee: P250 per group
2nd Highest Point of PH Highway System
Situated at over 2,250 meters above sea level, this used to be the highest point of the Philippine Highway System. But since 2019, this record has been awarded to a point in Kiangan-Tinoc-Buguias Road in the municipality of Tinoc, Ifugao, which is at 2,400 meters above sea level. However, this doesn’t stop tourists from making a stop here to take a photo at the old signage.
And of course, it doesn’t change the fact that you get a marvelous view of the mountains here, especially Mount Timbak. Isn’t the view stunning?
Location: KM52, Halsema Highway, Barangay Cattubo, Atok, Benguet
Haight’s Place
Like Northern Blossom, Haight’s Place greeted us with its colorful flower fields. It hosts various kinds of blooms in season like cosmos, snapdragons, and alstroemeria, making the place very vibrant. If you like taking photos, you’ll have lots of fun here because multiple photo spots adorn the area.
You’ll find a café, offering meals, snacks, and refreshments. Aside from dining, you can also chill here after going around and taking lots of pic for the ‘gram. Haight’s Place is also open for pre-nuptial or pre-debut photo shoots and special celebrations!
If you want to stay overnight, you can either book one of their cabins or go camping! But keep in mind that the place is a bit far from the town center.
Location: Haight’s Place, Barangay Paoay, Atok, Benguet
Opening Hours: Daily, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Entrance Fee: Regular, P150; Senior, P100; Child (7 y/o and below), FREE
Sakura Park
Located next to Haight’s Place, Sakura Park is often mistaken as a part of it. However, according to our guides, these are two separate attractions. While Haight’s Place is a private property with entrance fee, Sakura Park is a public park that’s open to the public for free.
You will see the cherry trees that were gifted by the Kochi Prefecture and Japanese Embassy to Benguet in 2016. Forty trees were planted to celebrate 40 years of friendship, but only 34 of them blossomed. And to set your expectations, these cherry trees are not as big as the ones you would see in Japan. The trees are small, they’re actually more like shrubs, but they could still be a great sight provided that you have the right timing.
Unfortunately for us, it wasn’t cherry blossom season yet when we visited. We went in early March and they haven’t bloomed yet. We were told that they usually bloom from late March to April, depending on the rain. And their blossoms usually only last for a week or two.
Location: Sakura Park, Barangay Paoay, Atok, Benguet
Opening Hours: Daily, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Entrance Fee: FREE
Lourdes Grotto (Wagangan Rock Formations)
If you’re coming from Haight’s Place or Sakura Park, you’ll probably notice this stack of giant rocks. Known as the Wagangan Rock Formations, these rocks conceal the Lourdes Grotto, also known as the Bosleng Grotto.
To reach the grotto, you first need to go to the jump-off point, which also serves as the parking area, and pay the entrance fee. From here, you’ll take a short trek, going past the gardens and vegetable fields. It’s a short walk, and the trail is not that steep. Once you reach the grotto, you’ll find an open-air chapel with a rock altar and a cross. You will also see a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes. According to our guide, this is a functioning chapel where mass is held regularly.
At the very top of the rock formations is a viewpoint where you can get a panoramic view of the fields and mountains. There is also another view point below it which we found to be much better. Just a reminder to be careful when climbing to the viewpoint and when making your way down.
Location: Our Lady of Lourdes Bosleng Grotto, Barangay Paoay, Atok, Benguet
Opening Hours: Wagangan Rock Formation – Daily, 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM; Lourdes Grotto Gates – Saturdays, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Entrance Fee: P120/head
Halsema Half Tunnel
This 50-meter half-tunnel is located along Baguio-La Trinidad-Bontoc Road, more popularly known as Halsema Highway. With a 3.8-meter height clearance, you will pass through this tunnel if you’re coming from Baguio to Atok, just before you reach the Municipal Hall and the Tourist Center. This tunnel was created after Typhoon Trining in 1991 damaged this road. To make it passable again, they carved the cliff which produced this half tunnel that has now become an attraction here.
If you want to stop for photos, you’ll find a rest room stop and some shops a few feet away. Just remember to be careful when taking photos on the highway!
Location: Halsema Half Tunnel, Halsema Highway, Atok, Benguet
Osocan Spanish Trail
This is our last stop before heading back to Baguio. From Atok town center, we passed through the Halsema Half Tunnel before we reached the Osocan Spanish Trail, sometimes referred to as Spanish Trail. It’s easy to miss the trailhead since there are no signs here, but you can use JNB Diesel Station as the landmark to get there. From this jump-off point point, the trail is uphill. But this is just one of the two access points of the trail — the other one being near Sakura Park, which goes downhill.
You can go on a trek on this trail which spans around two to three kilometers according to our guide. Along the trail, you will see three man-made caves or tunnels. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to finish the trek because it was already noon and it was getting too hot for us.
Also called the salt trail, this path was used to transport salt, which was very precious here at the time, throughout the region. The trail was established during the Spanish era as part of a complex network of horse and foot trails.
Location: Barangay Paoay, Atok, Benguet
Loyung’s Restaurant
After exploring Atok, we were famished so we asked our guide for recommendations and they brought us here to Loyung’s Restaurant. It’s located on the side of the highway, between the half tunnel and Northern Blossom Flower Farm. According to our guide, this restaurant is a usual dining stop for travelers going to or coming from Sagada or Bontoc.
It serves Filipino dishes like Sinigang na Ulo ng Baboy and Chopseuy. Our team also ordered Liempo. These dishes are for sharing and the serving is huge. But if you’re dining solo, you can opt for the rice toppings instead. The menu also includes dessert with custard cake as their specialty. However, our team like their egg pie more so give it a try too!
Location: KM49, Halsema Highway, Barangay Cattubo, Atok, Benguet
Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday, 5:00 AM – 8:30 PM; Sunday, CLOSED
Mount Timbak
Mount Timbak is the third highest peak in Luzon next to Mount Pulag and Mount Tabayoc. But because we didn’t have much time and energy left, we didn’t go hiking during our trip. We’re also unsure if it was open at the time. But now, according to online sources, Mount Timbak is already open so you can climb up to the summit and savor the view of the surrounding mountains. If you’re a Catholic, the Stations of the Cross on the way to the top might also interest you.
Where to Stay in Atok
Atok still maintains its rustic and quaint mountain town vibe. You will not find full-service hotels here, but you can check out a few homestays, inns, and transient houses if you are planning an overnight stay. As previously mentioned, our team stayed at Sunrise Cabin Travellers Inn, which is conveniently located near the Northern Blossom Flower Farm. Below are the contact details and other options:
- Sunrise Cabin Travellers Inn
Contact Number: +63 950 658 7171
Social Media: Facebook Page - Northern Blossom Transient Rooms & Houses
Contact Number: +63 908 151 3368 | +63 967 095 9033
Social Media: Facebook Page - Haight’s Place
Contact Number: +63 967 483 4555
Social Media: Facebook Page - Burton’s Cabin & Yard
Contact Number: +63 907 882 6188
Social Media: Facebook Page - Isaac Transient & Ambiance Garden
Contact Number: +63 909 208 4203
Social Media: Facebook Page
If you are planning to spend most of your days in Baguio and only going on a day trip in Atok, here are some of the recommended hotels in Baguio according to online users, in no particular order.
Top Hotels on Agoda
- CASA VALLEJO HOTEL
✅ Check Rates & Availability Here! - G1 LODGE DESIGN HOTEL
✅ Check Rates & Availability Here! - VENUS PARKVIEW HOTEL
✅ Check Rates & Availability Here! - GRAND SIERRA PINES HOTEL
✅ Check Rates & Availability Here! - THE ORCHARD HOTEL BAGUIO
✅ Check Rates & Availability Here!
Top Hotels on Hotels.com
- THE FOREST LODGE AT CAMP JOHN HAY
✅ Check Rates & Availability Here! - MICROTEL BY WYNDHAM BAGUIO
✅ Check Rates & Availability Here! - HOTEL ELIZABETH BAGUIO
✅ Check Rates & Availability Here! - AZALEA HOTELS & RESIDENCES BAGUIO
✅ Check Rates & Availability Here! - TRAVELITE EXPRESS HOTEL
✅ Check Rates & Availability Here!
You can also check out our Top 10 Hotels in Baguio City article for more hotel suggestions in Baguio.
Find more Baguio Hotels!
Updates Log
2024.11.19 – First uploaded
Written by Astrid Alvarez and Mariah Cruz
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