Shopping in Baguio 101

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The city of Baguio is bargain hunter’s paradise. Prices in Baguio flea markets and souvenir shops are usually not fixed, so shopping in Baguio requires you to demonstrate the best of your haggling skills.

Baguio, despite being the Summer Capital of the Philippines is no tourist trap. The city offers reasonable prices and rates compared to other tourist destinations in the country. A reason why locals of Baguio are so lenient when it comes to haggling is because residents are frugal in nature. They won’t take it against you if you haggle for a lower price.

With that, here are some tips on the best places to shop and what to look for in Baguio:

The ultimate place to shop will be at the Baguio City Market where visitors can get anything and everything. Whatever you need, the City Market will definitely have it.
For Filipiniana, ethnic furniture and antiques, head to the upper floors of the Maharlika Livelihood Center where the parking lot is. This is a favorite bargain hunter place that offer shipping services.
The entire length of the Session Road is Baguio’s premier shopping area. Anchored by SM City Baguio Mall on Luneta Hill, up until the Baguio City Market located on the base of Magsaysay Avenue, specialty shops and restaurants are lined up along this city center where everybody gets their supplies.
The market at Mines View Park has a great selection of dry goods comparable to the ones found at the city market. Truth is, the park is more of a shopping area already than a park as better views can be found elsewhere in the city.
The Good Shepherd Covenant along Gibraltar Road is a favorite stop to many. This store can be found very close to Mines View Park. Delicacies such as peanut brittle, ube and strawberry jam are the store’s best sellers. They have expanded to other products such as baked goodies, tasty strawberry-calamansi juice and homemade ice cream.
Souvenir shops are located near every tourist attraction. Unlike other parts of the country, these souvenir stores are no tourist scammers. Vendors know that visitors can easily compare prices, which is why they don’t bother increasing the rates.
The Mile-Hi Center at Camp John Hay is known for its factory outlets of export overrun garments from the Baguio Export Processing Zone.
Narda’s found on the Upper Session Road is known for their internationally-renowned original woven clothes.
If you like sticking to what you know, there are malls such as SM City, Abanao Square and Center Mall where similar stuff can be found all over the country.
And of course, the Ukay-Ukay of Baguio is what bargain enthusiasts go crazy over. Also known as Wagwagan, these thrift stores sell anything from used clothes to old children’s toys. If you’re lucky, you might even find an authentic vintage Louis Vuitton Bag for a fraction of the cost found on EBay!

What used to be the city’s best-kept secret when it comes to shopping in Baguio is now revealed. Boast of your one-of-a-kind finds and enjoy haggling down to the most affordable prices!