BAGUIO: The Route from Manila to Baguio in
See my update as of May 2015 below!!!:
It's my first time to drive to Baguio. Last week, in May 2014, a Thursday, it took me 4 hours to drive from Petron Lakeshore in NLEX San Fernando, Pampanga to Le Monet Hotel, Baguio City. I didn't include travel time before arriving at Petron Lakeshore where we had lunch because prior to arriving at Petron Lakeshore we made a lot of stops so travel time is not accurate.
It's my first time to drive to Baguio. Last week, in May 2014, a Thursday, it took me 4 hours to drive from Petron Lakeshore in NLEX San Fernando, Pampanga to Le Monet Hotel, Baguio City. I didn't include travel time before arriving at Petron Lakeshore where we had lunch because prior to arriving at Petron Lakeshore we made a lot of stops so travel time is not accurate.
On our return to Manila, my husband, a seasoned driver, was able to drive from Baguio to Cubao in 4 hours 40 minutes, with a 40 minute stop at Caltex NLEX for lunch. The departure date and time from Baguio is a Sunday in May at 11:00 AM. Prior to that, my husband rode the Victory Liner non-stop deluxe bus from Cubao to Baguio, and they made it to Baguio in 4.5 hours.
My point in sharing this to you is to show that it's actually possible for a seasoned driver to drive non-stop from Cubao to Baguio and vice versa in 4 hours.
The full map from NLEX-SCTEX-TPLEX (until Carmen)-Magilas Trail-Kennon Road-Le Monet Hotel:
My tip:
1. Take the Magilas route. It avoids the towns of Villasis and Urdaneta and cuts travel time, especially since the portion of MacArthur highway in these towns are under construction.
2. At the end of the TPLEX at Carmen, make sure to turn right to take the Magilas route. The sign at the end of the TPLEX at Carmen says that you should turn left to go to Baguio. Ignore that.Turn RIGHT instead.
VIDEO OF THE EXITS
As a first-time driver to Baguio, I familiarized myself with videos of the route. Before I drove to Baguio, the only video available online is the first video below. So I uploaded the video my son took of the signs and the exits to TPLEX and Magilas trail.
1. Manila to Baguio from NLEX to SCTEX...
Video courtesy of www.gobaguio.com
Note that the video above was uploaded in 2008, before the SCTEX and the TPLEX was connected. Instead of exiting at La Paz, Tarlac, you enter the TPLEX. Checkout the video below.
2. ... From SCTEX to TPLEX...
3. ...From TPLEX to Magilas Trail.
UPDATE AS OF MAY 2015:
The full map from NLEX-SCTEX-TPLEX (until Urdaneta exit)-Binalonan-Pozzorubio-Rosario-Kennon Road-Le Monet Hotel:
The video above is still good except NO. 3. You no longer turn right to Magilas trail. You go straight until you reach the end of the construction, which exits at Urdaneta but avoids the town
