Top and Popular Pasalubong From Baguio City

What’s the best thing about traveling? Aside from the experiences and the memories that will remain with you for life, it’s food and souvenirs! Each town and provinces in the Philippines offers local delights and delicacies and as much as possible you should not miss them when you travel and take a vacation. Some local products are easier to find than others, these popular treats are usually what ends up as your pasalubong for friends and family back home too. So after our DIY tour of Baguio we have an extra bag just for pasalubong and souvenirs kaya namulubi lalo but masaya hehe.

Choose your pasalubong from the City of Pines!

Pasalubong from Baguio are so tempting that some of them may not reach your home. I am guilty of doing that, before we reach Manaoag, one bottle of small Romana peanut brittle was gone. I even tried to open one big bao of sundot kulangot on the bus back to Manila lol. However, my attempt to open the bao failed lol. Ang hirap hirap niya buksan buti pa yung normal sized sundot kulangot mabilis lang.  Kaya I recommend dun na tayo sa maliit na sundot kulangot talaga!

What pasalubong is there in Baguio?

The following products top my list of popular pasalubong from Baguio City. I hope you’ll get some ideas from the suggested products and souvenirs. I bought the items represented on the video save from the famous walis tambo, fresh veggies and the flowers.

In our house, pasalubong is equal to food and local delicacies, not ‘I love Baguio’ shirts, not keychains, not knitted sweaters etc. Well, knitted shirts and sweaters would have been cool but they are more expensive and my budget is limited. Has to find the best pasalubong that my money can afford hehe.

I don’t know how to create beautiful videos but hope you’ll still enjoy this one.  If not, at least watch to have an idea of what the pasalubong products listed below look like from the vid hehehe 

So here’s a rundown of the best of the best pasalubong from the summer capital of the Philippines on a random listing. If you have more to add, don’t hesitate to leave a comment. =) The more the merrier pagdating sa pasalubong. Yey!

Sundot Kulangot – I love this kalamay version in a tiny, tiny bao that I actually wrote a separate post dedicated to this famous Baguio product. Check the full story here –> Sundot Kulangot ba kamo? You can buy 3 bundles of sundot kulangot for only 100 pesos.

Fresh Strawberry – You can’t find this in the vid but I really want it included but for practicality’s sake I can’t because of the fruits perishable nature. If you are traveling to Manila you may be successful in bringing fresh strawberry as pasalubong but for us who are flying to Visayas and Mindanao provinces, the chance of success is slim. Transporting fresh strawberry is very tricky and difficult, so sad. :/ During strawberry season during January to March, you can buy strawberries at 100 to 120 pesos per kilo.

But we got to eat a kilo of strawberry while strolling along cold Baguio. Yey! If you are buying fresh strawberries too, try the fruit first. The sellers will allow you to have a free taste to test. Cool! You can’t do that in a mall’s grocery!

Strawberry Jams and Preserves – The best brands of strawberry preserves with whole strawberries in the bottle is the one with no brand name. I am not sure what brand you prefer but so far the white label with pic of strawberry and simple name “Strawberry Preserve La Trinidad Benguet” is our top choice. We bought our jams from the Baguio City public market at P per medium size bottle. Some of the cheaper strawberry jams sell for 3 to 5 bottles for 100 pesos while a bottle of our favorite strawberry preserves is sold at 65 pesos each.

Romana’s Peanut Brittle – Not a Baguio made product but certainly a famous pasalubong for people to bring home after their Baguio vacation. The company is actually located in Mangaldan, Pangasinan. If after your trip to Baguio you will go to Manaog for a sidetrip before heading to Manila, you will most likely pass by Romana store which is along the national highway. I super love and recommend this peanut brittle. Price of the bigger Romana jar is only 90 pesos.

Walis Tambo – I was unfamiliar with walis tambo of the City of Pines until I live in Manila/Laguna. It seems like every household I’ve visited has a walis tambo with decorated “Baguio” tag on the handle. On my first trip to Baguio, I bought two of these haha. I actually think I’s not as effective as to the ‘silhig lanot’ that we have here in VisMin but I can’t find silhig lanot in Luzon so I got used to using Walis Tambo when I was up north. Price: 3 brooms for 180.

Good Shepherds Ube Jam and other Products – There is a long queue of customers at Good Shepherd Mountain Maid complex almost all the time and the stores’ biggest draw? Probably their famous Ube Jam. No one makes Ube Jam like the trainees of Mountain Maid! Price of this pasalubong item is 120 pesos for a 12 oz. bottle while the larger 24 oz. bottle is priced at 250 pesos. They also have other products like strawberry jam, choco flakes, bread rolls, alamid “civet” coffee etc.

Choco Flakes – If you have a sweet tooth you cannot go wrong if you buy a bottle or two of choco flakes. “Mikasan” choco flakes is a popular brand for this goodies but we prefer Shabach Marketing’s offering which you can only buy in SM Baguio. Usually this pasalubong comes in 3 variants, chocolate, milk and assorted (half of milk flakes and half of chocoflakes). Choco flakes price: 80 Pesos.

Silver Jewelries – I am pretty sure you are thinking about Ibay’s silver shop right now but there are actually lots of stores who offer cheaper silver jewelry at the public market. Check out this special post about this one so you too can score more affordable trinkets for yourself, mom and lola like I did. Read post – Get your Silver at the Public Market: It’s More Affordable =) Priece of Baguio Silver earings: 250 per set

Baguio Country Club Raisin Bread – Yes, we the masses (read: non-members) can still buy the famous raisin bread from the exclusive Baguio Country Club but nope we can’t buy it inside the club’s restaurant, rather we go to SM Baguio 2^nd floor to find their kiosk which sells this famous bread. Why is it popular among visitors? The loaf is bursting with raisins and is a perfect match for your hot coffee, muy delicioso! But wait you have to be ready to shell out P180 pesos for one loaf of raisin bread hehe but it’s worth it.

 Lengua De Gato – A surprise hit in our house. I only bought 3 Baguio Tartland Lengua de Gato because I thought that no one will like it much but surprise surprise my brother finished one container all by himself in a flash. He likes its light buttery taste.  Tartland Lengua de Gato was selling for 3 for P100, good deal! Another popular brand for this pasalubong is Pines Maid. What’s your favorite brand for lengua de gato?

Baguio Fresh Flowers – Same with fresh strawberry, transporting fresh flowers can be tricky but a lot easier than strawberries. Visitors usually buy everlasting flowers so they can offer this to their altars and Sto Nino back home.

Baguio Fresh Vegetables –  The city’s climate and the weather of Benguet and Cordillera in general is an ideal place for growing vegetables and flowers. Most of the fresh produce in the markets of Manila comes all the way from Baguio and surrounding area. This is where you can buy organic broccoli and other veggies at drop down prices! Fresh potatoes here sell for 20 pesos per kilo while broccoli only sells for 80 Pesos per kilo. You can haggle more if you buy in bulk. Popular veggies source from Baguio aside from those already mentioned includes sayute, cauliflower, carrots, baguio beans (hence the name), petchay baguio, sweet peas, tomatoes, cucumbers and more.

Check here for Affordable Accommodation in Baguio City.

Where to buy cheap Baguio pasalubong?

My quick answer would be the Baguio public market as it is the hub for everything even jewelries. I was actually so surprise that they have this whole section dedicated to selling popular pasalubong items inside the market complex. If you are there just ask where is the pasalubong lane or the ‘sari-sari section” of the market. You can find almost everything there from cardigans, chaleco, silver trinkets to food items.

We got most of what we brought home from the stall no 155 of Manong Guillermo, he is very accommodating and he gives discounts. =) For the silver jewelries, we got good deals and quality items from the owner of Lao’s Souvenir and Gift Shop.

Tips to buy cheap pasalubong

Haggle, haggle, haggle. There is no harm in trying to haggle, in fact the vendors and sellers expect you to at least attempt to haggle especially if you are buying in the public market. Also as much as possible buy most of your pasalubong from just one shop so you can use this as leverage to ask for further discount. Buying in bulk also will bring down the price, if you have the money go for the 3 for P100 deals.

Happy with our best Baguio pasalubong!

Daming pam-pasalubong sa likod! Hehehe 

Looking for info on how to have a DIY Baguio Tour? Check this post, nag commute lang kami talaga.

Will be going back to Baguio this September 2015, this time, I’m hopeful we can drop by La Presa. #Forevermore ang peg haha. 

We just got back from Baguio this AUGUST 2017, I’ll be writing an update on this pasalubong list and prices soon. But again, I suggest to buy sa Palengke, not sa Mines View area.