Negros Occidental - Bacolod, Murcia, Talisay and Silay, December 11-12, 2010

I just got back from a solo adventure in the "Sugarbowl of the Philippines" - Negros Occidental. Being an "adventurer", I boarded the plane without any thorough research about this province (read: this is not recommended). I just read one blog post and that's it! I'm ready to go! =D

I arrived at Silay-Bacolod Airport at around 5:30 AM. I looked for the shuttle service outside that will bring me to Bacolod City. The fare is 150 pesos and travel time is about 45 minutes.

I don't have any reservation at any hotel. So when I reached Bacolod city, I started to search for a budget hotel that will fit into my budget. Luckily, I found one, the Star Plus Pension Inn in Lacson Cor. Rosario Sts. Their room rates range from 300 - 430 pesos only per night. I took the premium room and I'm glad that they allowed me to check-in right away. Thanks, I now have a place to keep my things safe.

After fixing myself and my things, I went out of the pension house to start my solo adventure. As a first timer, I got lost around the city, I can't see where the jeepney or bus stations are. But it's okay, I'm not afraid to get lost. I know that getting lost can be a great adventure.

I went to 3 Cities and 1 Town to experience Negros Occidental's innate beauty and charm.

On day 1, I went to the town of Murcia to explore Mambukal Resort and later on, the town of Murcia.

ILOILO TOURIST SPOTS: Miagao Church, A UNESCO World Heritage Site

The town of Miagao is a 1st class municipality located approximately 40 km southwest of Iloilo City. It is well known for its 18th century church, the Sto. Tomas de Villanueva Parish Church. Built in 1787 by the Spanish Augustinian missionaries, it was declared as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Site - "Baroque Churches of the Philippines" in 1993. Its fortress-like design suggests its dual purpose - as a place of worship and as a fort used in defending the town against Moro raiders during that time.


In Baroque-Romanesque style, the church sinks six (6) meters deep into the ground with walls one-and-a-half (1 1/2) meters thick and buttresses thrice thicker in size. A truly 'Philippine Church', it exudes a native touch. Its artistic facade is decorated with a relief sculpture of St. Christopher carrying the Christ child amidst coconut, papaya and guava shrubs. A large stone image of St. Thomas of Villanueva, parish patron saint, dominates the center. Carved life-size statues of the Pope and St. Henry with their coat-of-arms above them flank the main entrance. (source)

ILOILO TOURIST SPOTS: Campo Santo in San Joaquin Iloilo

Another must see attraction in the town of San Joaquin, Iloilo is their Campo Santo or the chapel at a century-old Roman Catholic cemetery. Located on the national highway, it is just a few meters away from the town proper and the San Joaquin Church.


Sitting on a hill overlooking the sea, it is popular for its chapel with intricate baroque architecture with oriental influence. It is even made more attractive by the grand stone staircase approaching the beautiful chapel.

ILOILO TOURIST SPOTS: San Joaquin Church, San Joaquin Iloilo

San Joaquin is the southernmost town of the province of Iloilo. It is the last southern town before the province of Antique.


The San Joaquin Church is the only church in the Philippines that has a militaristic-themed facade. The masterpiece in its facade depicts the Spaniards' victory at the Battle of Tetuan. It is made of lime stones quarried from the town of Igbaras and white coral stones that can be found in the town's shorelines.

Iloilo - Budget Inn, SM City and Mooon Cafe

From Guimaras Island, we ride again the ferry boat bound for Iloilo City. Goodbye my lovely Guimaras, we'll see you again... =D



Upon reaching Ortiz Port, we took a cab and told the driver to bring us to a place where we could stay. As I mentioned in my previous posts, we are on a tight budget, so we asked him to help us find a budget hotel within the city. He then dropped us at Budget Inn located at Castilla EL-98 Jaro Iloilo City. It is indeed a budget hotel. A twin room only costs 700 pesos per night. It's clean and well maintained. The staffs are very accommodating. With all its amenities such as cable television, stand-by generator and WIFI zone, I guess it's a great deal!

Guimaras - Island Hopping Adventure

Traveling to Guimaras will never be complete without doing the island hopping tour. It was 7:00 AM in the morning on our second day in Guimaras. The sun and sea is one with our craving for interesting places to explore in the island. Hopping in the nearby islets in Guimaras is a must-do activity.

BEACH RESORTS IN GUIMARAS: Raymen and Rico Beach Resorts

Looking for a decent accommodation in Guimaras is easy, as many resorts offer very competitive rates. The original plan was to stay in Guisi, but a friend of mine suggested that we stay in Sitio Alubihod as many resorts there offer very good accommodation. We checked on Raymen Beach Resort and at first look, it's okay with us. It's a bit crowdy because it's a weekend, but it's okay.

Guimaras - Guisi Point Lighthouse and Guisi Beach in Nueva Valencia

Once we have settled at Raymen Beach Resort in Sitio Alubihod in the town of Nueva Valencia, we asked our driver/guide to bring us to Guisi to see the Lighthouse and take a dip in the beach. We have agreed for an additional 150 pesos for our rent on his tricycle. Travel time is around 20-25 minutes.