Bacolod 2014 [B.I.G. Adventure 2]

After a very sumptuous breakfast at La Paz, we went back to our hotel to check-out and rode a cab to the port. We bought a Libre Balik ticket to Bacolod for P410 at Ocean Jet. Travel time is 1 hour.

Scorching heat welcomed us as we arrived at lunch time. We quickly hailed a tricycle going to the nearby SM City Bacolod for our luggage check-in. Spending only a few hours here so we didn’t want any unnecessary weight. And since we’re kind of tight with time, we decided to hop in a cab to go to the famous local site, The Ruins. We agreed on a P400 rate which I think is a bit of a rip-off but, yeah with the heat and all that, I’d rather pay for some comfort.

Entrance fee for The Ruins costs PhP80. We thought it’s a bit too small to be a mansion but it’s beautiful almost unreal, to be honest! The photos I’ve taken did not look real. Few groups were in there and it’s almost quiet. No tours going around. Not minding the heat, we went around the place while the dry grass tickled our feet.

We asked the cab driver to drop us off the capitol. From there, we just went around looking at different places. There’s a wide lagoon at the park before the capitol. Beside it is the Negros Museum and Cafe (entrance fee is PhP100-150).

The highlight of our Bacolod trip is Calea! We rode a pedicab from the capitol to Calea. There are lots of cake choices and I can’t choose one! We’re not that hungry but we decided on ordering a few bites since our trip back to Iloilo would be too long since we’ll go straight to Guimaras.

Calea made up for the rather expensive and quick trip we had in Bacolod. Literally, the White Chocolate Cheesecake which we deemed as the Redeemer did it! I can say, hands down, that it’s the best cheesecake I’ve ever had. And what’s more awesome about it is that it only costs PhP85/slice!

We might have enjoyed Calea a little too much. We ended up missing our ferry back to Iloilo. we had to pay another PhP100 to Ocean Jet for the rebooking.

All in all, Bacolod has still a lot to offer which I haven’t seen yet. Maybe it’s just because we didn’t have much time to roam around and commute, that’s why I felt this quick trip is a bit too expensive. Maybe next time I need to dedicate a day to explore and not ride cabs! 😉

If you’re planning to do the B.I.G. adventure, I’d suggest you start with Bacolod than Iloilo. Fly to Bacolod from Manila then depart from Iloilo back to the Manila. Would cost you less with the ferry fare.

Next and last stop — Guimaras!

Iloilo 2014 [B.I.G. Adventure 1]

B – Bacolod            I – Iloilo             G – Guimaras

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Iloilo is very tourist-friendly. From the airport’s exit, there is a station for vans bound to SM City Iloilo for PhP50. From the famous mall, jeepneys going around the friendly town roam around. We rode one going to Mandurriao to get to Go Hotels. It is located at the Robinson’s Mall. Have booked a room early this year for almost PhP800. Regular room rate won’t cost you much (probably less than PhP1,500).

After leaving our luggage to them, off we went to our first stop – Molo. There are jeepneys directed to the nearby town. Molo Church would easily get your attention. Don’t hesitate to ask the drivers as most of them are happy to help and guide you. Regular fare is PhP7.50.

From Molo, we then rode another jeepney bound to San Joaquin (thanks to the kind policemen who waited for a ride with us!) I was originally planning on visiting Miag-Ao which is 45 minutes away from the city. San Joaquin is even farther but since it’s only 15 minutes awa from Miag-Ao, we gave it a shot. Fare is PhP60 each.

The surroundings of the towns we visited are identical. Near the church is the plaza and the town hall. There’s usually a gazeebo and a statue of Jose Rizal. San Joaquin Church’s facade was under construction. After a few moments of silence and roaming around the town, we traveled going to Miag-Ao. Fare is PhP15.

Miag-Ao is one of the UNESCO World Heritage site. To be honest, I expected it to be bigger but it’s still beautiful! The architectural details and the historical vibe of the place really made all the effort worth it. The sun is not shying behind the clouds but it was very cool even inside the church.

From Miag-Ao, we traveled back to the city. We arrived an hour past lunch (and an hour away from hotel check-in!). We didn’t go far and had lunch inside Robinson’s Mall. We tried Hungry Ninja. Cheapest food (a portion of a chicken and rice) costs PhP46. As our feet grew tired for half a day’s adventure, we retreated to our room for a quick nap.

I was surprised at how pleasant the room is (given the amount I paid for it). There’s one queen-sized bed, a flat TV, basic toiletries, shower and a foldable table (?). AC worked pretty well. Only complain I have would be the noise from the hallway and the other rooms which are audible inside our room. But other than that, I felt like I got more of what I paid for.

At half past four, we roamed around the city. Starting with Plaza Libertad. Found nothing special about this place but it’s close to a branch of Coffee Break and Biscocho Haus. It’s a stone’s throw away, too, from the downtown where we walked in search of Calle Real. We asked a lot of people where it was and we got different answers. Little did we know that we are walking along the place we are looking for! It was a five-block (rough estimate) stretch. We walked from Plaza Libertad to the Iloilo Capitol and back.

Just as the sun is setting, we visited one of my Iloilo favorites – Coffee Break! We just chilled there until we decided to go to Smallville – Iloilo’s district for night life.

We had dinner at Mojave. For less than PhP900, we had a rack of ribs and shrimps! With little sleep and tired body, what’s a greater way to end a long day than having a hefty dinner? 🙂

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First half of our second day was spent in Bacolod. But before we rode a ferry going to the nearby city in the Negros province, we stopped by La Paz for breakfast. We searched for Netong’s which we found inside the public market. I’m not a big fan of noodles and innards, but Netong’s batchoy is a must-try for all those who wants to visit Iloilo.

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Jumping to our fourth day… We had a few hours left before our flight back to Manila, so we decided to visit Museo Iloilo and Jaro. Entrance fee for the museum is PhP50. There are a few interesting things in there. But what captured me the most is the gallery where they showcase paintings of local artists. They are for sale. Unfortunately, it’s out of my budget. I wanted to buy one piece (maybe when I come back soon).

Jaro is 10 minutes away from the museum which is just beside the capitol. We visited Jaro Cathedral and its belfry. Too bad the church was closed for maintenance but it was one of the most photogenic places I’ve seen. The belfry at the plaza across the church is so intimidating. It’s almost similar to the bell tower we visited in Ilocos earlier this year. But this one is bigger.

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In general, Iloilo is one of the friendliest places I’ve visited. Though we had an itinerary at hand, going from one place to another is a task. We rode jeepneys without any guarantees that they’ll take us to where we want to go. But thanks to the kind locals who are always very willing to help out a lost traveler.

I can’t wait to be back and explore more towns! 🙂

Cebu City 2014 [Part 1]

After leaving the beautiful Bantayan island in Northern Cebu, it’s now time to explore the city! We checked in to the old-styled Marco Polo in Lahug. Booked through Agoda. 😉

With no definite itinerary, we just chilled the whole afternoon at the nearby coffee shop, Dolce. Fell in love with the place’s modern take on architecture. The whole place is divided into three shops – Dolce (the coffee and pastry shop), Grill and TEAsers. At the middle are the cool couches al fresco overlooking the upside residential parts of Cebu.

Dinner time, we went to IT Park (which looks like a mix of Araneta Center and BGC) to try Da Vinci’s Pizza. We ordered their famous white sauce pizza. Worth it! 🙂

We then looked for La Marea for dessert. Was quite disappointed with the Banana Cream Pie I ordered. I’ve read quite a handful of good reviews about the place but unfortunately, I didn’t really enjoy it.

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Activities started after checking out Marco Polo, the next day. We dropped our baggage at the traveler’s lounge beside SM City Cebu. We paid around P35 only (overnight baggage drop not allowed though). They are open until 8PM.

We had lunch at Harbour City inside SM. It was one of the best Chinese restaurants I’ve tried! And the cost is not too pricey. We were so full after ordering siomai, rice toppings, buchi, pancit canton, siopao and halo-halo. Definitely worth coming back for!

 

We rode a jeepney (which I’m still fascinated with because of number coding) going to Sto. Nino Church. Main church is closed (under renovation due to recent earthquake which destroyed major parts of the old place). Lit three candles at the Dagkutanan and prayed for a while.

We then walked to the Magellan’s Cross, then to the City Hall before crossing a few blocks to Fort San Pedro. It was like a mini-Intramuros and was the only place which we paid entrance fee (PhP30).

We visited the Cathedral two blocks away from Sto. Nino Church. It started to rain lightly so we hailed a jeepney going to downtown Cebu. We stopped by University of San Carlos. The place reminded me of Manila’s university belt. Afterwards, we passed by Cebu Capitol.

We rested our tired feet at Kai – Lex Best Western Hotel’s restaurant. They had a promo called Cuppy Hour. Unlimited coffee plus one slice of chocolate cake for only PhP150! We left the place when the streetlights are on. A few hours before our flight back to Manila, we went back to SM to buy pasalubong and kill time at Coffee Bean.

In general, I’ve had a wonderful in Cebu! With no itinerary at hand, I think we pretty much covered what Cebu has to offer. I still have a chance to see and visit what I missed when I come back this October! 😉

Bantayan Island, Cebu 2014

After one hour of flight, four hours of bus ride and another hour of travel by sea, we were welcomed by this paradise located in northern Cebu. Thank God for a cloudy day!

We stayed at Kota Beach Resort. I was seriously surprised with how beautiful and peaceful the place was! It was far from the noises of mainstream Boracay (though Boracay still has finer sand). We booked a standard fan room through Agoda for only P1, 200 that’s good for 3 pax without breakfast. Their beachfront cabanas (shown below) cost from P3,400-3,800 per night. I would totally be checking in to one of those when I return.

The resort’s service is really, really good. As soon as we arrived, we ordered lunch before checking in. In less than an hour, we have settled in to our basic room and our food is already prepared. First time to eat kilawin (raw fish marinated in vinegar with chili, tomatoes and onions)!

Wasted no time, right after lunch, we went to the beach and enjoyed the sun. More than the water, I enjoyed the quietness of the place. No noise is heard aside from the waves! The shore is very much stretched so it doesn’t feel crowded.

We rented bicycles for P130 each/ 24 hrs. I already forgot the last time I rode one so it’s quite a feat to get back on this. We biked around the island in the late afternoon and stopped by a bakeshop to have snacks.

Fell asleep when we came back to our room and woke up for dinner. We went to Arjaymay to have lechon manok. It’s located adjacent the church, two blocks away from our resort. The chicken costs P170. It’s delicious and juicy! Two thumbs up for the taste and service!

I almost haven’t slept a wink after that. By 5AM, we were out to wait for the sunrise. I was sitting in the damp sand while clicking on my camera. One of the loveliest sunrises I’ve ever seen, really.

Our stay in Bantayan ended to soon. Since we’re on a 3D/2N trip and we still have the city to visit, we left after breakfast (which was also good, by the way, just a little pricey) and headed back to the city.

Will definitely return to Kota soon! Really worth every penny.

Ilocos 2014 [Part 4]

It’s the last day of our adventure so we better make the most out of it. We started out a little past eight in the morning with a decent breakfast inclusive of our stay at Grandpa’s Inn. We wasted no time and headed out to the city. Our feet scrambled towards the plaza where we visited the Vigan Church.

After a few minutes of silence, offering a prayer of thanks and guidance for our safe adventure, we went and rode a calesa (horse-drawn carriage) to tour us around Vigan and nearby town of Bantay. It’s actually my first time to ride though there are calesas roaming around the city of Manila. All I can think of is how slow and quiet the life before when cars are not yet invented. And somehow, I remember the flashback scenes in the Vampire Diaries!

We visited Burgos Museum. It’s a typical Hispanic house and the display includes memorabilia from the time when Vigan is still under Spanish regime. We saw the old benches with little cabinets at the foot where they put chickens. One room shows old caskets made of wood, jewelries and weapons. A few sites are closed for renovation so we left and continued with our calesa ride. It costs P300 per hour.

Next, we visited Bantay Church and its famous bell tower. The tower was closed for maintenance so we just stayed outside. Plus, we wanted to cover more places in two hours so after offering another prayer, we left and went to Crisologo Museum. To be honest, this was my least favorite part of the tour. Not sure why though.

We quickly passed by Baluarte. Didn’t pique our interest that much so after a few minutes of rest, we rode our calesa back to Calle Crisologo to our hotel. We ate lunch at a nearby local pizzeria (I think it’s called Dexter’s, not sure).

We checked out at past 12PM and went our way back to the bus station going to Laoag. This is the only bummer in the trip. I thought there’s a decent trip going to Laoag from Vigan and vice versa. Thank God we have at least half a day until our flight! You’ll be a chance passenger in the trip from Vigan going Manila which passes by Laoag. We weren’t late for our flight but we hadn’t had a chance to roam around Laoag.

All in all, this trip is the longest and the best (local) I’ve had so far. It seems like our Pagudpud trip is entirely different from our Vigan trip. The long bus rides in between are fun! I didn’t regret having to commute from one place to another with a big bag in your back. We pretty much covered a lot of places and enjoyed different sceneries in just less than a week. But Ilocos has still more to offer and I can’t wait to be back!