The wrong time to visit the Strawberry Farms in Benguet

27 September 2016

If you want to visit the Strawberry Farms in La, Trinidad, Benguet and participate in their strawberry picking activities, then don't go at this time :)  Harvest season is between November and May.  We told the kids not to expect that they'll be berry picking and they understood.  We still went though because we were curious and at least the next time that we come back, we already know the way.  I have included directions to get there from the City.







Here are the directions we followed to get to the Strawberry Farms:

1.  From either Session Road or Gen. Luna Road, you need to turn RIGHT to get onto Magsaysay Avenue.  Basically, Magsaysay Avenue is the only road that you'll be on for the rest of the trip, only it becomes the Halsema Highway when it merges with the Bokawkan Road.

2.  At the first intersection after you turn right on Magsaysay Avenue (the landmark is the Baguio Center Mall to the RIGHT), you need to turn LEFT and just keep heading straight.  You'll find these (see pictures) along the way.

on your right

3.  After around 30 minutes of driving straight on the Halsema Highway, you'll see this notice on your RIGHT.

4.  At the street where you'll turn RIGHT, you'll see more signs like these (below) at the corner.  

5.  Just drive on until you reach a parking lot right in front of the strawberry fields.  Of course, they're all covered now because of the rain and the cold weather.  Right across the strawberry farm, you'll see a lot of souvenir stores so you know that you're in the right place.

6.  If you continue to keep walking until the road curves to the left, there are more stalls and more strawberry farms.  I think this is where you arrange for strawberry picking. 

Even though we didn't see any strawberries, we did see some peppers. :)  The kids were also excited because the fields remind them of the Harvest Moon game that they played where they did plant strawberries in rows like these.  So they really do understand what these are :)

We tried going to the restrooms but we didn't see them at first.  We walked to the end of the street, reaching a small cafeteria and hoping they could let us use their bathroom.  But, instead, they directed us to a spot near where we were originally.  We missed seeing the restrooms because they were right next to the trash dump and they were grimy and stinky.  There was no way I'd use those.  There was a store nearby and they let us use their bathroom for P5 per person.  They mentioned that the restrooms may be renovated soon.  We just bought a few souvenir items from them.  

All in all, it wasn't really disappointing that we didn't get to see strawberries.  I guess it wasn't what I expected either but that's how it is.  We didn't stay long because the rain was starting to come down hard.

The road getting back is the same and when you see this sign, you know you've reached Baguio City. :)  Be prepared for a build-up on the roads because you have to share them with public utility vehicles.