What to do in Igorot Stone Kingdom (and how to fight boredom)

If you are tired of the typical tourist sites in Baguio, the Long Long Benguet road awaits you to visit one of the city's newest attraction - Igorot Stone Kingdom! Igorot Stone Kingdom is a 6000-square meter destination that will amaze you with the rocks formed as high walls replicating those of castles, and even the great wall of china in some angles.





The entrance ticket is worth P100 with special discounts for senior citizens and PWDS while 100% for infants. As you enter, those who are up for physical activities and adventure will be easily thrilled due to the course of the Kingdom which will require you to climb numerous stairs or heights to reach the different view decks for picture taking or sightseeing. For tourists like me, who prefer to appreciate more the place by reading or appreciating the place's ambiance, here are the alternatives:



1) Find the affectionate spots. These tells the owner's rugs to riches story and be amazed with his love of family by dedicating spots for them. The place will made you think of Taj Mahal in India or the Temple of Leah in Cebu.




2) Look for the mini-attractions such as the story of the white carabao, wishing well and fish pond. These mini-attractions will entertain you while taking a break from one side of the kingdom to another. You can also wish with a coin as an offer to the fairies of Baguio, if you are a believer of such.



3) Jive with the locals playing traditional musical instruments or performing dance. You can take pictures with them or even rent an Igorot costume, for a cost, to make the moments more picture worthy. If you are lucky, you can even join the group dancing to the local music and circling around ala the tribal rituals.

4.) Have a sip of the Strawberry or Ube Latte at the long road coffee shop right in front of the Stone Kingdom. You can also park there in case the parking facility of the Stone Kingdom is already full.




A lot of the Stone Kingdom's sites are still under construction. Though it is safe already for tourists, majority of its spots, though named already, are still not underdeveloped (hall of fame of famous igorots, cafe in the sky, etc.) which made me dismayed during our visit last December, 2021.

To be honest, I envisioned the place to be a site for local history suckers wherein it will tell how Igorots raised their a stone kingdom for protection and as sign of civilization. However, these are all just in my mind and the entire concept of the tourist spot is superficial. I believe it will be more fascinating and worth-remembering if will feature more of local history or culture. The concept of creating a kingdom out of stones as a sign of progress and prosperity in life is a bit disconnected since stones represent ancientness and heritage.##