Guimaras | An Enticing Island Daytrip

We manage to see some of the islands beautiful scenery even for a limited time. A mere short boat ride from Iloilo City the island of Guimaras has been a top tourist destination in Western Visayas.

We had the tricycle tour around the island. We had a quick stop-over at the world’s smallest plaza, Guimaras Provincial Capitol and mango research plantation. Along the highway you can see a lot of mango trees.

We buy some pasalubong at Trappist monastery and headed to Guisi beach and Light House. The powdery sand of the beach and there’s some rock formations is a postcard perfect scenery. We also bought a box of mango pizza at The Pitstop. 

It was a short trip to island of Guimaras. There are more places to explore and I hope to comeback to this island soon.

This is part of my Western Visayas Trip.

Aklan | Antique | Iloilo | Guimaras

Iloilo | Old Churches Of San Joaquin, Miag-ao & Molo

San Joaquin Church

After 2 hours we reached the town of San Joaquin in Iloilo. The century old church of San Joaquin is one of a kind. The façade of church has the militaristic motif. From San Joaquin we hop a bus to the nearby town of Miagao. The Santo Tomas de Villanueva church is one of the 4 baroque churches in the UNESCO’s Worlds Heritage list. Built between 1787-1797 and served as fortress against Muslim invaders. Its fabulous bas-relief sandstone façade depicts St. Christopher strolling through a tropical forest of coconut palms and papaya trees with baby Jesus.

After exploring Miagao church we boarded a bus bound to Iloilo City. It’s raining that afternoon that weren’t able to pass by the Molo church. We left our backpack at City Dorm and stroll around the city. Most of the old buildings in Iloilo were restored. 

The streets were filled with locals and tourist enjoying the Dignayang festivities. We had seafood overload for our dinner.

Miag-ao Church

The following day after our short Guimaras trip we have heritage tour at Camina Balay Na Bato in Arevalo. We tried their pancit molo and chocolate de baterol. Afterwards we drop by the Molo Church. A tasty bibingka is a must try when visiting the church.

Molo Church was visited by Dr. Jose Rizal in 1886 because of its biblical paintings and it served as the evacuation center during World War II. The church was damaged during the liberation of the Philippines from Japan and was repaired by Rev. Manuel Alba with the help of the congregation. The church was declared a national landmark by the National Historical Institute in 1992 through the representation of Sir Knight Rex S. Salvilla. It is the only Gothic church outside Manila. 

Molo Church

Before Racky flies back to Manila we jog at Esplanade, had coffee at Madge Café and a delicious bowl of batchoy in Lapaz market.

This is part of my Western Visayas Trip.

Aklan | Antique | Iloilo | Guimaras

Antique | Island-hopping Malalison & Kawa Hotbath Experience

From the Bakhawan Eco Park we ride a tricycle to the transport terminal. We boarded a van and alight at the Culasi town plaza in Antique. We ate lunch at the nearby restaurant then we look a boat that will transport us to the Malalison Island.

We haggle and the boatman agreed that well charter the boat for 400 pesos round-trip. He also served us our guide. We trek the grassy hill of the island. It’s similar to the hills of Batanes and the grassy land of Mt. Pulag. 

There is also a sandbar and the sands of the island were powdery white. This island is also a marine sanctuary.

From the island we go back to the mainland and took a tricycle to the next town Tibiao, we alighted at the junction leading to the village were kawa hot-bath is located. It’s late in the afternoon that we decided to check in at Kasa Raya Travellers Inn just beside the national highway. The inn staffs were so accommodating that they allow us to occupy their aircon room and we agreed that we’ll only use fan because were on tight budget. The inn is made of bamboo materials. There is also a free breakfast. The room with private toilet is spacious and clean.

The following day we walked towards Brgy. Importante. We pass by the rice terraces and Tibiao River. We trek up to the waterfalls and have ourselves a kawa hot-bath. Going back to the inn we ride a habal-habal. We packed our things and waited a bus bound to Iloilo.

This is part of my Western Visayas Trip.

Aklan | Antique | Iloilo | Guimaras

Aklan | A Morning Walk At Bakhawan Ecopark

Together with my friend Racky we explore Western Visayas covering the provinces of Aklan, Antique, Iloilo and Guimaras Island. We landed Kalibo airport at around 10 pm with Air Asia. Since were arriving late at night our initial plan is to stay at the airport but we can’t find a place because the Air Asia-airport lounge is occupied by Korean tourist. We check the net for a budget accommodation nearby. We stayed at Airport Line Pension House.

We check-out at the pension house early in the morning and chartered a tricycle to the Bakhawan Eco Park in Brgy. New Buswang.  This eco park is managed by Kalibo Save The Mangroves Association, Inc. (KASAMA). Were too early that the eco-park is still closed. We had coffee and hard boiled camote for breakfast in a sari-sari store just across the park.

The community transformed mudflats into a mangrove forest. Their vision is shared by the municipality of Kalibo, USWAG Foundation, DENR and people’s organization KASAMA. This community based management was adopted a national strategy and received a various local and international awards. The United Nations FAO acclaimed this one of the exemplary forest managed in the whole of Asia and the Pacific.

Entrance fees were 100.00 for general admission, 60.00-Aklanons/senior citizen, 50.00-students. The 1 kilometers wooden walkway leads to the sea, passing through forest mangroves.

After spending that whole morning walking through the mangrove forest we bought some clams for our early lunch then we headed to the Kalibo transport terminal and were bound to our next destination Antique!

This is part of my Western Visayas Trip.

Aklan | Antique | Iloilo | Guimaras

Capiz | Pan-ay River,Sta.Monica Church & Bell & Baybay Beach

The province of Capiz is located on the northern part of Panay Island in Western Visayas. This place popularly known for Aswang. Aside from aswang this province is also the birthplace of President Manuel Roxas. Its capital Roxas City is named after the late president. This also dubbed as the seafood capital of the Philippines.

As part of my #ikotPinas project straight from my vacation in my hometown Iloilo going back to Manila I decided to drop by this province. 

Pan-ay River lies in the middle of the city. This is one of the cleanest rivers in the country. Panay River, which has given the City of Roxas the moniker as "City by the Sea," is a 152-kilometer waterway that starts from Tapaz town, passing through several municipalities and Roxas City. It empties itself into the Tinagond Dagat Bay in Pontevedra town.

Sta. Monica Church and Bell in Pan-ay town is established in 1572. It was heavily damaged by typhoon and restored in 1884. The bell of the church is the largest in Asia. It is made of seventy sacks of coins from the donation of townspeople. It measures seven feet in diameter, five feet in height and weighs 10,400 kilograms. This church is declared as a national historical landmark.

Baybay beach is about 3 kilometers north of downtown Roxas. It’s near the airport. This 7 kilometers brown-sand beach is lined with restaurants that served delicious and incredibly cheap seafoods.

I stayed at Halaran Plaza Hotel.

How to get there:

From Manila budget airlines have daily flight to Roxas. Frequent buses/airconvans from Iloilo runs to Roxas. (P146.00/3 hours.) From Kalibo only aircon vans are bound for Roxas City (P120.00/2 hours). Tricycles are mode of transportation with the city and nearby Pan-ay town.

Iloilo | Revisiting My Home Town

miag-ao church

Everytime I go home to my province Iloilo I made it to the point to visit the tourist spot in my hometown. Iloilo city, is known as “the city of love”  maybe because Ilonggos are known for being malambing! It is one of the progressive urban center in the Visayas region.

Miag-ao Church (Church of Santo Tomas de Villanueva) is declared as the part of UNESCO world heritage site as one of the 4 baroque churches of the Philippines. The century old gothic-renaissance Molo Church (St. Anne Church) is known a  feminist church. sixteen female saints line on both sides of the altar. Dr. Jose Rizal used to visit the church because of it’s biblical paintings and it served as an evacuation center during world war 2.

molo church

Iloilo International Airport serves direct flight to/from Manila, Cebu, Tacloban, Cagayan de Oro, Davao and Puerto Prinsesa. There’s also an international flight to/from Hongkong and Singapore.

iloilo provincial capitol

Museo Iloilo display artifacts that deficts the colorful history of Panay island. Beside is the restored Iloilo Provincial Capitol building with a combination of modern and old architecture. 

museo iloilo

The Jaro Cathedral (Nuestra Seniora Candelaria Church) is famous for it’s belfry that is not attached to the church instead it’s the front across the street. Ancestral houses were aligned along the Lopez Jaena street in Jaro district.

madge cafe

batchoy

Try a bowl of authentic Lapaz batchoy served by old timer restaurant inside the Lapaz market and the famous Madge Café is a must try when visiting Iloilo!

how to get there

There are daily flights from Manila to Iloilo. There are also direct flights from Cebu, Puerto Prinsesa, Tacloban, Cagayan De Oro ,Davao and General Santos. The new Iloilo Airport located in Cabatuan is 18 kilometers from the city proper and is accessible by jeepney, bus, and taxi.

You can reach Iloilo City by land from the other areas of Panay Island. There is also bus service through the RORO (roll-on roll-off) system.

Iloilo City is the province’s port of entry for sea transport and is just five minutes away from the city’s main commercial district. Ships sail from Manila 12 times a week, from Zamboanga or Cagayan De Oro twice a week, and from Cebu daily. Fast crafts from Bacolod City take one hour daily.

Negros Occidental | Silay Ancestral Houses, The Ruins And Mambukal Resort

I arrived early morning at the Bacolod-Silay airport. The excitement in me is immeasurable to finally land in the province which is a stone away from my hometown Iloilo. I have no problem communicating with the locals because i’m an Ilonggo. I boarded a multi-cab bound for Silay but I ended up at Bacolod City north terminal. I’m supposed to explore Silay City first before heading to Bacolod but as always my itinerary was not followed.

My first stop is the provincial capitol of Negros Occidental. Negrenses starts their day in the capitol grounds doing physical exercises like jogging, stretching and brisk walking. The design of the provincial capitol is elegant with a huge man-made lagoon in front of it. A national historical landmark designed by Juan Arellano.

I took some pictures while roaming around. Eager to explore more of the city has to offer i walked a few more blocks from the capitol grounds and i saw a tapsi stall. I ordered a tocilog for my breakfast. It was delightful meal to fill my stomach for a day long adventure

After breakfast I proceeded to the old Bacolod City Hall and the San Diego cathedral. Scattered rain shower were on and off during my visit in the province that made me stay for while. I'm standing in the façade of a bank in front of the city hall waiting for the rain to subside.

Bacolod City is quite similar to Iloilo City and other urban centers in the country. Colorful jeepney and taxi are roaming everywhere in the busy street. Banks, restaurants and commercial establishment are in every corner.

Some minutes have passed and the rain subside I boarded a jeep bound to terminal were buses going to Silay City. The city has numerous well-preserved ancestral houses. The Balay Negrense and the Hofilena Museum were among the old houses along Cinco de Noviembre street. I keep on walking and ended up to the national highway were i made quick stopover at Maria Golez Ancestral House(RCBC Bank) , Bernardino Jalandoni Museum, San Diego Cathedral and the Cesar Lacson Locsin Ancestral House (Ideal Bakery). Spending some hours of exploring the historical city i dine at the Ideal Bakery. I ordered egg pie, pineapple pie and piaya.

From Silay I headed to The Ruins in Talisay City. The picturesque structure of neo-roman grand mansion is stunning. This is the gift of Don Mariano Lacson, a sugar baron, to Maria Braga, the love of his life. The mansion is burned during the US-Japan war and only the skeletal were remained. It is located in vast area surrounded by sugarcane plantations.

It’s been a fun-filled day and I took a rest at Bacolod Pension along 11th St.

On my second day I joined the Negrenses in their morning exercises before heading to the town of Murcia to experience adventure and to see the beauty of nature of Mambukal Resort. It is located at the foothills of Mt. Kanlaon and famous for its seven waterfalls. Outdoor enthusiasts would love the resort. There you can trek the mountain and explore numerous waterfalls.

After exploring the wonders of Mambukal I went back to Bacolod City. I have my lunch at the Manokan Country and tasted their famous chicken inasal. kanamit guid ah! I bought some piayaya in the nearby pasalubong shop.

I’m supposed to go straight to the bus terminal bound for Dumaguete City but i decided to stay for another night and opt to travel early morning the next day! I spend that night at Ong Bun Pension House. I have a great two days stay in Negros Occidental.

This part of my Negros+Siquijor Trip series

Negros Occidental | Negros Oriental | Siquijor

Aklan | A Day In The World's Famous Boracay Island

A postcard-sized tropical paradise. The world’s famous Boracay Island is located in Malay, Aklan. It is just seven kilometers long, and less than a kilometer wide at its narrowest point. 

The white beach is composed of three sections. the northernmost section – Station 1 – has the widest beachfront. This has the best (and most expensive) resorts and hotels. The center of white beach is Station 2. people come here to eat, shop, and party. If you’re looking for a quieter area, then Station 3, the southernmost section, is for you.

how to get there

Fly from Manila/Cebu to Caticlan airport in Panay Island.

There are also many flights to Kalibo, travel time is 1 1/2 hours by bus to Caticlan.  

The western part of the strong republic nautical highway (SRNH) passes through Caticlan, with car ferries from Roxas, Oriental Mindoro docking at the Caticlan Jetty Port. Several bus companies operate provincial bus routes from Manila which pass through Caticlan via the SRNH.

2GO, the largest ferry company in the Philippines, offers regular overnight passenger and cargo service between Batangas City and Caticlan.

A 30 minute boat ride from the Caticlan Jetty Port brings you to Boracay Island.