Our Day in Tam-awan Village and Baguio Stone Kingdom

 A Journey Through Heritage and Fantasy

Entrance to Tam-awan Village

Our day started early, the crisp mountain air of Baguio awakening our sense of adventure. As the mist lifted and the sun peeked over the pine-covered hills, we made our way to our first destination—Tam-awan Village, a sanctuary of art, culture, and tradition. Nestled in the highlands, the village felt like stepping back in time, offering a glimpse into the indigenous Cordilleran way of life.

As we entered Tam-awan, we were immediately captivated by the traditional Ifugao huts and Kalinga houses, their architecture an ode to a simpler yet meaningful existence. The intricate wooden beams and thatched roofs were a testament to the Cordillera people’s ingenuity, blending with the natural surroundings as if they were a part of the landscape itself. Walking through the village felt like an immersive history lesson, each hut whispering stories of ancestors who once called these mountains home.

The village was alive with creativity. Local artists were showcasing their works in a small gallery, their paintings capturing the vibrant colors of Cordilleran life—green forests, bright traditional fabrics, and the faces of the people. We watched as an artist carefully brought a canvas to life with each stroke of his brush, while a group of children danced to the sound of indigenous gongs nearby. It was a perfect balance of the old and the new, a place where tradition and modern art coexisted harmoniously.

We climbed to the higher parts of the village, reaching the “vantage point” that gave Tam-awan its name. From there, the view was breathtaking—a sweeping panorama of Baguio and the distant mountains, cloaked in a soft, morning haze. It was peaceful, as if time had slowed down just for us to take it all in.

After soaking in the culture and calm of Tam-awan, our next destination offered a different kind of experience—a journey into a world of stone and fantasy. The Baguio Stone Kingdom was unlike anything we had seen before. Approaching the site, we could already see the towering stone walls and terraces rising from the hillside, their gray hues contrasting against the deep green of the mountain landscape.

Baguio Stone kingdom from top view

Walking through the Stone Kingdom felt like stepping into a mythical world. The fortress-like structures, with their carefully arranged stone blocks, seemed as though they were plucked from an ancient legend. Each step took us higher up the terraces, where we could admire the detailed carvings etched into the stone, some depicting creatures of folklore, others evoking images of medieval castles.

The sense of fantasy was inescapable as we explored the winding pathways, each turn revealing a new stone tower or wall adorned with intricate designs. The castle-like feel of the place made it easy to imagine knights, kings, and queens once walking through these paths, though we knew it was a modern creation. The fusion of Cordilleran stonework techniques with fantastical elements was truly mesmerizing.

At the highest point, we stopped to catch our breath and gaze out over the kingdom below. The stone structures seemed to blend into the hillside, a testament to the hard work and vision that created this impressive site. The view stretched far beyond, encompassing the rolling hills of Baguio and the sky that seemed to meet them at the horizon. It was a different kind of beauty—harsh, rugged, and yet deeply serene.

As the afternoon sun began to cast long shadows over the stone towers, we made our way back down, still marveling at the creativity that brought the Stone Kingdom to life. The contrast between the cultural richness of Tam-awan Village and the whimsical fantasy of the Stone Kingdom made our day in Baguio an unforgettable experience.

We had started the day with a journey into the past, learning about the indigenous heritage of the Cordillera people, and ended it in a land of stone castles and myth. It was a perfect blend of history, culture, and imagination—a reminder that Baguio is not just a city of cool breezes and pine trees but also a place where stories, both real and imagined, come to life.