The center of Catholic faith in Silay City, the San Diego Pro-Cathedral is said to be the only church in Negros Occidental with a dome. It is also the only pro-cathedral in the Philippines outside Metro Manila. … [Read more...]
San Diego Pro-Cathedral – Silay City, Negros Occidental, Philippines
June 25, 2012 by Leave a Comment
The Budget Travel Guide to Bacolod City and Negros Occidental, Philippines
July 11, 2011 by 17 Comments
Negros Occidental is one of the biggest provinces in the Philippines in terms of land area and population. Yet, a big part of its territory remain unknown to many non-residents. But at the rate that the country's tourism is growing, it looks like it is only a matter of time before many of its best kept secrets will be discovered and rediscovered by the travel-crazy public. Bacolod City is most well-known for three things --- sweets, chicken inasal, and Masskara Festival. But there's more to the city and the rest of the Negros Occidental province than its food and festivities. Its coasts are strewn with white sand, its streets flanked with historic buildings, and its islands blessed with … [Read more...]
Silay City Walking Tour – Negros Occidental, Philippines
July 11, 2011 by
The night before, we asked Arvee, a Punta Bulata employee, to talk to three habal-habal drivers to pick us up at 5:30am the following day. At exactly 5:30 am, our habal-habal rides were at Punta Bulata waiting for us. The problem was, we had just woken up. The exhaustion from the Danjugan Trip the day before got the better of us. We immediately packed our bags, settled the bills and got ready for another bumpy ride to the highway and then waited for a bus going to Bacolod. It was around 11am when we reached the laid-back and historic city of Silay. The first thing we did was have lunch at an eatery called Ma'am and Sir. Afterwards, the mandatory camwhoring began. The city reminded us so … [Read more...]
Danjugan Island: A Back to Basics Adventure – Negros Occidental, Philippines
July 11, 2011 by 17 Comments
There was a knock on the door. It was Arvee, a member of the Punta Bulata staff, informing us that the boat had just arrived, ready to pick us up. "Are you sure it's safe to go now?" The rain seemed to be getting heavier and the waves stronger. Honestly, my two friends Celine and Ronnie and I had been having second thoughts. We were not sure whether we wanted to brave the downpour and the waves to go to Danjugan Island. But we figured that the 4 hours of travel time from Bacolod to Cauayan would be pointless if we chose not to push through with our daytrip. But as it would turn out, we would miss so much had we chosen otherwise. Our visit to Danjugan Island was the highlight and the most … [Read more...]
The Budget Travel Guide to Danjugan Island, Negros Occidental, Philippines
July 11, 2011 by 12 Comments
It sounds like a tale straight from a fantasy film. A remote island far far away is brimming with beauty. The inhabitants, in an attempt to make a living, have started a small quarry to extract lime mineral from the ground and burn trees for charcoal. One day, a group of "outsiders," who frequent this island to scuba dive, find some locals on their way to the tallest tree on the island --- a tree that has been home to a number of species of eagles and other birds. At a loss, the outsiders convince the locals to spare the tree for a fee until such a time that they have figured out how to resolve the situation. Well, maybe not a very fantastic fantasy film. Not even action-packed. No … [Read more...]
A Day at Punta Bulata – Negros Occidental, Philippines
July 11, 2011 by 12 Comments
Hidden 156 kilometers south of Bacolod City, Punta Bulata White Beach Resort and Spa is a tropical paradise in Cauayan, Negros Occidental. Cauayan is the municipality just before Sipalay City, which is also very well-known for white beaches. It's 4 hours away from the city center of Bacolod. You might be asking, "Why do I have to travel 4 hours to go to this resort? Is it worth it?" Well, let this post give you an answer. Punta Bulata prides itself on its stretch of creamy white sand, clear shallow water, a booming diverse marine life and a magnificent view of Sulu Sea. The place also boasts of an infinity pool and spa. The staff is also very friendly and helpful, a reflection of the … [Read more...]
How to Get to Punta Bulata – Cauayan, Negros Occidental, Philippines
July 10, 2011 by 14 Comments
There was a drunk man speaking Mandarin seated in front of us while waiting at the Ceres Liner South Terminal and he was talking to us, to my friend Celine in particular. The man didn't look Chinese at all but he kept on uttering Mandarin phrases. Apparently, the drunk man thought Celine was Chinese and he must have been enamored by the feminine charm beside me that he felt the need to impress. Unfortunately for the drunk man, Celine was not Chinese and she did not understand a single word he had said. Unfortunately for us, he kept on following us even into the bus. … [Read more...]
Late Night Walk at the Capitol Park and Lagoon – Bacolod City, Philippines
July 10, 2011 by 3 Comments
It was almost midnight and there we were at the Capitol Park and Lagoon in Bacolod City, walking around like excited tourists. Well, that was exactly what we were --- excited tourists. Coming from Calea, we walked a short distance to this park at the heart of the city. Although one of the first things we noticed about Bacolod was that the city was generally darker than the other cities we had visited, we actually felt safe exploring the place. Unlike the rest of the city, the park was well lit and there were a number of people killing time. In fact, there was a group of what seemed like high school students playing patintero somewhere in the park. … [Read more...]
Sugar Rush at Calea – Bacolod City, Philippines
July 9, 2011 by 43 Comments
"Hello. This is Calea." said the woman on the other end of the line. "Hello, good evening," my friend Celine perkily responded. "Until what time are you open?" "11pm, ma'am." And with that, we went hysterical. There we were, all three of us, standing in front of San Sebastian Cathedral, worried as hell that we would not get to Calea on time. It was a few minutes before 9pm and we thought the store would close at around 9:30 or 10. But we were wrong. Thank God we were wrong. … [Read more...]
San Sebastian Cathedral from Outside the Gates – Bacolod City, Philippines
July 9, 2011 by 3 Comments
The facade and exterior of San Sebastian Cathedral in Bacolod City look stunning. I'm pretty sure its interior looks just as amazing. If only we were able to enter. LOL. That's probably one of the biggest mistakes we made in this whole trip. On the way to Manokan Country, our jeepney passed by the Cathedral. It was a bit before 8pm and it was wide open. We decided to visit the church right after dinner since we were all hungry. FAIL!!! Had we known that the church closes at 8pm, we would have dropped by first and then have dinner. It was a decision that deprived us of a would-have-been awesome experience inside the religious structure. Quel dommage. … [Read more...]
