Data Point: High altitude adventure with the GWM Cannon

Want cold? Go to Mount Data

Living in a tropical country means we get pretty tired of the hot and humid weather for most of the year. We dream of playing in the snow or retreating somewhere where the weather is cold, but there are only a few places we can experience that. 

For people in Metro Manila, that idea of a nice cold weather retreat means driving an hour or so to Tagaytay. You can go further by taking a 4 to 5-hour drive to Baguio City where temperatures can drop below 20 degrees in January up to February. But, for a motorcycle enthusiast like me, my idea of such a retreat is far and away from the busy streets of Tagaytay and Baguio – and that’s going all the way up to Bauko, Mountain Province and enjoy the silence and serenity of Mt. Data Hotel.

Being a family man, I’ve had to trade the usual 2 wheeler for something bigger: a 4x4 Cannon SLUX pickup. It's always better to be with the wife and kids, as opposed to only me on the saddle of a motorcycle.

Mount Data Hotel

The hotel sits on Mt. Data in the Municipality of Bauko, Mountain Province. It's about 350 kilometers from Manila through Baguio or 420 kilometers if you drive via Cervantes in Ilocos Sur.

Thanks to its elevation of 2,227 meters above sea level (ASL), Mt. Data Hotel offers a much cooler climate than Sagada (1,472 meters ASL) and was a popular rest stop for travelers along Halselma Highway during the 70s up to the 90s.

Unlike many of the hotels in Baguio City, Mt. Data Hotel sits on its own property secluded from the busy streets of the town. 

The drive

While most drivers would take the shortest route to save fuel or to make driving as quick as possible, we motorcycle enthusiasts would often do the opposite: take the longer route and enjoy the scenery. For this drive, me and my family took the longer and more exciting route via Cervantes, through the historic Bessang Pass and the mining town of Mankayan, the home of the Lepanto mining.

This route, though longer, offers a stunning view of the mountains in the Ilocos and the Cordillera regions and avoids the vehicular traffic buildup in Baguio and La Trinidad. Also, bad weather from the previous month's heavy rains resulted in landslides along the route. While some might be petrified upon hearing this news, I, on the other hand, was excited because it would be a good opportunity to try out the SLUX's on-demand 4x4 system. It did not disappoint, especially on slippery inclines with mud all over.

Besides the occasional mudslides and some debris-filled curves of Bessang Pass, the overall drive was amazing and was complimented by the breathtaking views of the Ilocos and Cordillera mountains.

Eat where the locals eat

On this side of the Cordilleras, obviously, there are no McDonald’s or Jollibee and other famous fast food chains that are found in the metro. Pro tip: eat where the locals eat. On our way to La Trinidad, we stopped by the famous Loyung’s Restaurant, which serves the best fried chicken (for us) and sauteed veggies on this side of town. It’s about 4 kilometers from the 2nd Highest Point marker on the way to La Trinidad (and Baguio City).

While checked in at the Mt. Data Hotel, you don’t need to go outside for a taste of good food. Mt. Data Hotel’s kitchen serves the best tinola (chicken garlic soup), tapa, and big servings of vegetable viands. What’s even better is that the hotel meals are affordably priced, making the stay even more enjoyable.

Side trip

On the trip back to Manila, I tried to avoid the congested streets of Baguio City, but not without going on some interesting side trips with the kids. Near Loyung’s is where you can find the majestic Sakura Farm, in Atok, Benguet. The farm is famous for growing Sakura flowers (Cherry blossoms), sunflowers, and many more expensive flowers that we usually find in posh flower shops in the metro. It's all Instagrammable, as the kids say.

Then the trip will not be complete without stopping by the Strawberry Farm in La Trinidad. As the name says, it’s actually a strawberry farm where tourists can buy or experience picking strawberries themselves. For us, we passed on the strawberry picking but instead splurged our PHP 300 with a 1-week supply of veggies. Yes, our PHP 300 there allowed us to bring home lots of broccoli, cauliflower, and other veggies that would put a hole in our pockets if bought in a Manila supermarket.

Experience the chill, literally

As I was finishing this write-up, the cold breeze was already being felt in Metro Manila. Up in Baguio, and even in Sagada, where the temperature has dropped to almost freezing, Mt. Data is way colder, as some friends who have stayed in the hotel recently claimed that it was the closest thing to actually experiencing winter abroad.

How about you? Would you choose the tourist-packed beaches or a cool retreat at Mt. Data?