Baao is a land of sprawling green and scenic sights in its vast rice farms, upland farms, and mountainsides. The fascinating topography of its agriculturally fertile land makes the town potential to become an agri-tourism site, industrial, and trade center for agri-products. It is a 3rd class municipality in the Philippines.
Located 480 Km south of Manila, it belongs to the Province of Camarines Sur. Of all the towns and cities in the entire Philippine archipelago, this town has its unique identity and is famously known for the following:
The only one without a Chinese resident
The hometown of the First Filipino Catholic Bishop
Mostly the family names/surnames begin with the letter B
Poultry Capital of Bicol Region
A popular joke dubbed "once you smell the poultry dung, you are already in Baao."However, despite being a poultry capital and the reeking smell of poultry dung, this town is consistently getting adjudged as one of the cleanest and greenest municipalities in the country.
The vast mountain range and valleys of rice fields, coconut plantations, and other upland crop productions are the residents' primary sources of income and livelihood. The volume of farms produces enough for this town to become one of the rice granaries in the Bicol region, thus becoming self-sufficient in food supplies. As a major producer of poultry products in the entire Bicol peninsula, the distribution reaches even its nearby regions in the Philippines, such as Southern Tagalog and Eastern Visayas.
As the town also possesses excellent potential in the tourism industry, resorts and hospitality accommodation facilities are operating and ready to welcome visitors.
For sightseeing adventure, this town offers two significant points to climb and see the panoramic sights of the city and its nearby city and municipalities:
Mount Samurai
Antipolo Heights
Caranday Chapel
Mount Samurai
The highest peak of the Baao Mountain Range. Located in Barangay Buluang, overlooking the green valleys and mountains:
Northeastern Side:
Mount Isarog is towering over the towns of Ocampo and Pili, the capital town of Camarines Sur.
Western Side
Nabua
Bula
Balatan, the extension of Mount Tancong Vaca
Northwestern Side
On the far end is the municipality of Minalabac.
Southern Side
Mount Sumagang (Asog)
Just beneath the mountain, the flickering sparks of the Baao Lake water and the green rice fields are at a closer distance.
Antipolo Heights
This is the highest point on the southern end of the Baao Mountain Range. Located in Sitio Tigbi, Antipolo Baao, Camarines Sur.
Attractions:
Century-Old Tree
Panoramic sights of the Hills, Valleys, and mountains surrounding the place.
Standing on top of the hill, guests will enjoy the exhilarating chromatic views of the hills, mountain ranges, and farmlands:
Eastern Side
Lagonoy Gulf (Sagῆay town portion)
Mount Isarog
Southern Side
Mount Asog
Mount Malinao (Albay Province)
Mount Masaraga (Albay Province)
Lake Bato
Iriga City
Western Side
Vast rice fields of Baao
Baao Town Proper
Tancong Vaca Southern extension – Nabua, Balatan &
Please click the play tab below to watch the video on YouTube
The Karagumayan Falls
Visiting the Karagumayan Falls entails the courage to face the challenge and patience to endure the tiring trek to the 90 degrees angle position of the ravine.
Karagumayan Falls is seasonal; during summer, the water volume flowing and cascading down the rock cliff walls is lower. Conversely, the water volume is higher during rainy seasons, and the current is stronger.
But the exciting part is the challenge of scaling down and up the ravine with a vertical height of approximately 300 meters. The trek will test your agility and endurance, tiring and hungering. However, if you love this kind of adventure, the place is a must-visit.
Coming here will take a 20-minute walk from the century-old balete tree at the Antipolo Viewing Height to the parking area and the take-off point to the falls. Then from the take-off point, you must prepare for walking and crawling under the forest until you reach the base of the cliff.
To know more about the Karagumayan Falls, please click the play tab below.
Caranday Parish Church - Our Lady of Lourdes
The omniscient point of view is all you got when you stand beside the Barangay chapel, beholding the sights of Mount Isarog, the tremendous gulley-like panorama of the rice field valley that connects the Baao mountain range to Mt. Isarog.
Please click the play tab below to watch the video.
Take – Off Points to Visit These Sites
Mount Simurai - Barangay Buluang
Antipolo Height & Caranday School – Barangay San Vicente
HOW TO GET TO THE TOWN OF BAAO
Coming to these sightseeing spots could be inserted into the itinerary for a one-day run to several places in Camarines Sur. Thus, your accommodation booking could be in other towns or cities.
You may arrange your hotel in Naga City, Iriga City, or Baao directly from Manila. Booking in Naga City is the best way to just run to Baao as one of the places on the itinerary.
Directions:
Stop at the town proper and ask for the direction of these spots. They will lead to the tricycle terminal and door-to-door motorbike transport service.
You may arrange with the driver about the charge of bringing you to the spots.
If you're driving your car, go your way to the take-off point barangays, and from then, residents will point you the way.
Baao is a small town, so it is not difficult to find the direction.
Exciting Activities You Can Do
Mountain Biking – The road networks in the mountain area are all concrete, so it is exciting to do the biking from one place to another with exciting terrain challenges.
Mountain Hiking
Sightseeing
Click the arrow tab to see more images of Baao.