(Strawberry Farm @ La Trinidad Benguet)
(Day 4, March 16, 2015)
Your Baguio Trip will not be as fulfilling when you missed out to visit the strawberry farm in La Trinidad, Benguet.
After our Tam-awan Village visit, we went for lunch at Marosan’s Viewdeck Cafe and Restaurant in Long Long Road, La Trinidad Benguet which is along the way going down to the Strawberry Farm. Marosan’s Viewdeck Cafe is overlooking the La Trinidad Valley where strawberry farm is located. We hurriedly ordered their best seller meal as our tummies were rumbling already.
(You will know you’re at Marosan’s if you can see this old restaurant sign along the road)
(View of the strawberry farm in La Trinidad Valley from Marosan’s View Deck Dining Area)
(Small oranges a.k.a kiat kiat oranges @ Marosan’s)
(Ordering for our lunch, ended up having same order for all of us – the best seller meal combo, hahaha)
(Lunch is served)
(Thanks Kuya Jhong for taking this pic and bringing us in this place – nice view and nice meal)
(This is their best seller meal combo – deep fried chicken, with Lechon Kawali, veggies siding, fried rice and egg – forgot the exact name of this meal – a different type of cooking)
(Our free dessert)
After our lunch, we went down to the valley to have some strawberries.
Strawberry Farm: La Trinidad’s Valley of strawberries
(Strawberry Valley Hotel and Restaurant @ La Trinidad)
Situated around 3 kilometers from Baguio City proper is La Trinidad Valley where a vast strawberry farms are located that made the place as a strawberry capital in the Philippines. It is the main attraction of La Trinidad which has a total land area of approximately 8,300 hectares that consists of mostly mountains, springs and rivers. It has a floor elevation of around 1,300 meters above sea level that made La Trinidad one of the places with cool temperature conducive for growing strawberries all year long.
Strawberry picking is one of the activities that is highly recommended when you visit La Trinidad. It is a unique and fun experience when done together with friends or family members where you get to pick fresh strawberries for your consumption or to bring home alongside with the Ibaloi farmers.
But don’t get too excited yet, as strawberry picking is a bit costly activity. Rates may vary depending on the farm. Generally, the cost for picking your own strawberry is about twice or more than twice as the market price. Some may find it strange as compared to orange picking or apple picking rates but strawberries are very delicate plants compared to oranges or apples. Most of it were wasted when fruits were picked by amateurs. That is why strawberries you picked yourself in the farm is more expensive per kilo. It is to cover the possible losses to the Ibaloi farmers due to wasted strawberry plants. You can pick as long as you want, there is no limit. It is because they will just weigh the harvested strawberries after and charge you for it with the agreed price.
Here are some of the snapped moments while we were picking strawberries.
(Yes, there are some sunflowers in the farm also)
Also, its not all strawberries that are grown in the farm. You can find there some vegetable farms in the valley as well – like lettuce, cabbage , etc.
When visiting La Trinidad, you must try its Strawberry Ice Cream and Strawberry Taho as well that are sold right outside the Strawberry farm. There are stalls also that are selling souvenir items, strawberry and bugnay wine, strawberry jam, etc. You can also buy already picked strawberries at regular price per kilo if you’re not going to do strawberry picking by yourself.
(Stalls right outside the farm, selling souvenir items, wines, etc)
(Strawberry taho)
(Norman and Aldrich were trying their Strawberry Taho)
(Meanwhile, Aimie and I were trying the Strawberry ice cream)
(Strawberry Jam, Wines, etc – never mind the snake though :))(Me trying to turn my ice cream upside down, testing if it won’t slip as the vendor said it won’t. Hahahaha, guess I’m a tester after all :))
After buying some souvenir items and wine, we went back to the City to visit Mines View Park but first we had to make a quick drop at Chinese Temple – the Bell Church.
How to get there?
By Public transport – From Baguio, ride the jeepney bearing the “Buyagan” sign and ask the driver to drop you off at Strawberry farm.
By Hired Cab/ Van – just tell the driver to drop you off at Strawberry Farm in La Trinidad.
Have you been to Strawberry Farm in La Trinidad Benguet Philippines? How was it?
Share your experiences by leaving a comment below.
