Baker's Hill

Baker's Hill is one of the most frequented tourist sites in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines. Puerto Princesans and visitors from various parts of the Philippines and other countries take respite from their day tours and buy an assortment of baked products.

Baker's Hill is located in the once sleepy barangay of Sta. Monica, about a 30 minute drive from downtown Puerto Princesa. The magical, scenic place evolved into a major tourist attraction as vans and service vehicles bring visitors to enjoy a view of Honda Bay, see exotic pets and take a short breath from their tour of other tourist attractions in the city.

As you enter the free admission park of Baker's Hill, you will be greeted by dreamland like houses and scenery with excellent landscaping. You can take some pictures around next to the 50's fiberglass mannequin or have your picture taken on the bench of a Japanese like garden.

While doing so, you will notice a pirate climbing up a rope at your back. There are also Looney Tune characters just next to the lawn which capture the awe of young children.

While walking along the pathway towards the mini-zoo in Baker's Hill, you can have a taste of street foods which are a typical part of the Filipino's informal eating habits. Street foods like isaw, fish balls, halo-halo, or just plain sandwich and softdrinks can be yours to cool off from your tour of Puerto Princesa. If you want fine foods, you can just walk a little and turn right to enjoy the much formal restaurant. You will get a glimpse of a pool of neatly arranged colorful flowers at your left before entering the building.

Just next to that building, you might want to enjoy the swings, the slide, and the seesaw with your children under the shade of young mahogany trees. Or you might want to proceed next to the aviary. Included in the collection of birds are the colorful peacocks (not from Palawan)

another exotic fowl, the golden pheasant

and the local Palawan talking mynah (Gracula religiosa).

Of course, the talking mynah talks. This one keeps on say "Kumain ka na?" which means "Have you already eaten". Or it chants "pangit, pangit" which means "ugly". Probably, it emulated those sounds produced by visitors when they take a peek of the mynah. It is one of the favorite pets in Palawan and even in the Philippines because it is easy to teach compared to the parrot. You might want to buy one but transport of the talking mynah, however, is strictly prohibited.Over collection of these birds as pets apparently reduced the extant population although the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies it under Least Concern.

You will get a feel of nature as you walk along the short pathway of vines and flowers at the far end of Baker's Hill. There are many places to take pictures with your friends along the cemented pathway, corners and nooks. There are seats all over to while the time chatting and resting from the day's preoccupation.

Once you are through with your tour of Baker's Hill, you can get back to the bakery and buy from a selection of bread therein. There are ready packages of bread to bring back to your loved ones back home.

© 22 May 2011 Patrick A. Regoniel Baker's Hill in Puerto Princesa