7 Can't Miss Places to Visit in Atok, Benguet (2021 Ultimate Travel Guide)

You might have heard of Atok when the Northern Blossom Flower Farm went viral. Now, a lot of tourists take the 1.5 to 2 hours trip to Atok from Baguio to see flowers in different shapes and sizes. But what if I tell you there’s more to see in Atok than just flowers?

Interested? Keep reading.

Use this Atok, Benguet travel guide to help you plan the perfect itinerary!

How to Get to Atok, Benguet

Via Commute

If you’re coming from Manila, first ride a bus going to Baguio. You can book a bus ticket to Baguio in advance here.

From Baguio City

Ride a bus or van that passes by the municipality of Atok in Halsema Highway such as trips going to Sagada, Bontoc, Mankayan, and Abatan. You can find these in the Dangwa terminal located behind Center Mall, Magsaysay Avenue.
Ask the driver to drop you off at Marosan’s Restaurant in Atok. The fare is around 100+ pesos and travel time from Baguio is 1.5 to 2 hours.
From here, you can choose to go to the Paoay Barangay Hall near Marosan’s Restaurant to register and avail of their tour packages around Atok. (Read below under “Tours” for the package information.)

Via Private Car

If you’re coming from Baguio, drive to Halsema Highway and use Waze or Google Maps.

IMPORTANT: Following the Executive Order No. 09-2020 by Mayor Raymundo Sarac on lifting the temporary suspension on tourism activities, it is asked that all tourists, visitors, and guests visiting the municipality of Atok, to pre-register first at the designated registration area at PAOAY Barangay Hall in Sayangan, Paoay, Atok, Benguet for monitoring purposes. (NO PRE-REGISTRATION, NO ENTRY).

Important Things To Know About Atok, Benguet

ATMs: There are no ATMs in Atok so be sure to bring enough cash and some extra.

Languages Spoken: Most locals speak Kankanaey, Ilocano and Ibaloi. But they’re also fluent in Tagalog and English.

Best time to visit:

Best months to visit would be December to May for the least rainfall and to avoid the typhoon season. Coldest months are November to February.

During these times, Atok experiences frost. Most of the crops and flowers get destroyed by the extremely cold temperature.

February to April would be the best time to visit Atok to see the blooming sakura trees in Haight’s Place. (Note that the trees are still small so you might only see a handful of flowers.)

Getting Around:

The Paoay Brgy Hall located behind Marosan’s Restaurant in Sayangan offers tours around Atok’s best tourist spots. Included in the package are transportation and a tour guide.

If you want to see what Atok has to offer, I’d recommend availing of one of their Circuit tours (more on this later…)

Internet Connection in Atok, Benguet: Mobile data signal for Globe in Atok is 4G so you can use that if you want to connect to the Internet.

Top Things To Do In Atok Benguet

Note: For all the tourist spots, if you decided to visit all in one day, you’ll only pay the P20 registration fee once.

Now, here’s where to go in Atok, Benguet.

Northern Blossom

Entrance Fee: P250 (plus P20 registration fee)
Travel Guide: Northern Blossom

Northern Blossom Flower Farm is the most famous destination in Atok, Benguet. Photos of their flowers went viral on social media back in 2018. Since then, the flower farm has been opened to the public. They are well known for their rose cabbages.

If you love flowers, this place is a must-visit!

Haight’s Place (Sakura Park)

Maintenance Fee: P80 (plus P20 registration fee)
Travel Guide: Haight’s Place (Sakura Park)

Back in 2016, around 36 sakura trees were planted in Paoay, Atok in the land owned by the Haight Clan. In around 5 to 10 years, the trees would be mature. Now, you can still get a glimpse of the sakura flowers when the trees bloom around February to April. However, there are only a few flowers.

While waiting for the trees to grow, Haight’s Place have planted cosmos flowers creating a field of pink/purple field of flowers! It’s a sight to see!

Lourdes Grotto

Entrance Fee: Free

Lourdes Grotto in Atok, Benguet is a big rock formation. You can climb to the top and get a magnificent view of the surrounding mountains and vegetable farms in the municipality.

This is the best spot for sunset viewing!

Half Tunnel

Entrance Fee: Free

When going to Atok, Benguet from Baguio, you’ll pass by a half tunnel before reaching Sayangan. It’s quite a sight so be sure to keep your eyes open.

Spanish Trail

The Spanish trail was called as such because of its construction during the Spanish period. Now, the trail has been divided into two because of a big obstruction inside the trail. You can

Mt Timbak

Registration Fee: P20 registration fee
Tent Rental: P100 per head
Camping Fee: P100 per head
Travel Guide: Mt Timbak

Mt Timbak is the third highest mountain in Luzon. It is most famous for its sea of clouds during sunrise. According to our guide, April is the best time to camp and hike in Mt Timbak to get a glimpse of the sea of clouds.

Highest Point

Entrance Fee: Free

Highest Point is apparently the highest point in the Philippines’ highway system. However, in 2019, it became the 2nd highest point. The highest point is now in Mount Gui’ngaw along the Kiangan-Tinoc-Buguias road.

Tours

After visiting Northern Blossom Flower Farm, you can go to the Paoay Brgy Hall to avail of the following packages:

Circuit I

Price: P1,200 (good for 5 persons)

Places to visit:

Sakura Park (Haight’s Place)
2nd Highest Point
Lourdes Grotto

Circuit 2

Price: P1,800 (good for 5 persons)

Places to visit:

Sakura Park (Haight’s Place)
2nd Highest Point
Lourdes Grotto
Mt Timbak

Circuit 3

Price: P3,500 (good for 5 persons)

Places to visit:

Sakura Park (Haight’s Place)
2nd Highest Point
Lourdes Grotto
Mt Timbak
Spanish Trail

If you want to visit Northern Blossom Flower Farm after the tour, you can ask your guide to drop you off there.

Where to Stay

Haight’s Place

Contact: (09099253005) Catherine or (09095409059) Eddie

There are three rooms and one cabin you can book for an overnight stay. Each room can accommodate 4 to 6 persons and has its own mini kitchen and hot shower.

You can also camp. Just bring your own tents and sleeping bags.

Good for 4pax – P3500
Good for 6pax – P4500
Kubo – P3500 with kitchen, toilet and bath, mattress on the floor
Camping (if with own tent) – P100 head
Tent Rentals – P500 plus P100/ head

Northern Blossom

Contact: 0908 151 3368

If you want to spend the night, Northern Blossom has several transient houses and rooms that you can book.

Good for 2 persons – P1,500
Good for 3 persons – P1,800
Good for 8 persons (2 rooms, and 1 toilet & bath) – P3,000
Good for 8 to 10 persons ( 3 rooms, 1 toilet & bath, living room, and kitchen) – P3,500
Good for 8 to 10 persons (4 rooms, 2 toilets & bath, kitchen, and living room) – P4,000

Others

You can also contact the Atok Tourist Information Center (09465147799 and 09301892757) for places to stay in Atok.

Where to Eat

I’d recommend Ricken Star. This is one of the most common van/bus stops when traveling around Halsema Highway. Their food is really tasty.

There are also several restaurants you can find in the town.

Responsible Travel Tips

When traveling to one place, make sure you practice responsible tourism. Here are some tips to do so.

1. Respect the environment

Don’t litter. Please hold onto your trash until you find a garbage can.

2. Avoid single-use plastic

Bring your eco bag and refuse single-use plastic.

3. Shop local

Keep the traditional crafts alive and support local artisans. Buy from them. And try not to haggle, P20 may seem small to you but it can mean a lot to them.

4. Always ask permission

Be sure to ask for permission first when taking photos or videos especially when it comes to children.

What to Pack for Atok

Eco-friendly Reusable Water Bottle
Thick Jacket
T-shirts, a nice top, and a long-sleeved shirt
Power Adapter
Packing Cubes
Ecobag
Microfiber Towel
Travel Insurance
sneakers, hiking shoes (if you’re planning to hike) and some flats
reusable straw and reusable bag (no to single-use plastic!)

Our Camera Gear

Mirrorless Camera: Fujifilm XT3
Lenses: Fujifilm Fujinon kit lens (18-55mm) | Fujinon 35mm f2 | Fujinon 50mm f2
Drone: DJI Mavic Pro 2
GoPro: GoPro Hero Black 7
Power Bank: Romoss Powerbank
Camera Backpack: Case Logic Camera and Laptop Backpack
Monopod: Ifootage Cobra 2 a180
Mic: Rode VideoMicro
Gimbal: Zhiyun Weebill-S

7 Can’t Miss Places to Visit in Atok, Benguet (2021 Ultimate Travel Guide)