Lat-asan Island, Perth Paradise Resort and Nataasan Island, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental

Sipalay is located at the Southwestern part of Negros Occidental facing Sulu Sea. Naturally it’s common features include picturesque beaches and islands amidst crystal-clear azure waters. Some areas are considered as divers’ paradise not only because of its numerous natural coral reefs but also because of several wrecks that offer adventure dives from the WWII shipwrecks to modern day cargo ships that sunk in the area. There are also canyons and sunken islands to explore.

Our colleagues, however, are not divers nor even swimmers so we just decided to visit the most well-known among the beach resorts, one of which is the Lat-asan Island which can be accessed through a hanging footbridge from the mainland. It has a view deck and also offers accommodation, dining area, salt water pool as well as freshwater pool. It has a great view of the islets in the Tinagong Dagat. Lat-asan Island is situated in Sitio Matlag in Barangay 4, Silay City.

Since many of our friends were not prepared to go swimming, we just decided to proceed to another attraction in the same barangay at Sitio Sambulawan. It has a more breathtaking view at an elevation of 43ft of the surrounding Tinagong Dagat with its hundred island-like formation of islets scattered all around. It also has an infinity pool at the hilltop viewdeck where you can relax in its cool water after a tiring climb. There are refreshments that can be bought either at the viewdeck area or in the restaurant below. Presumably it is owned by somebody married to an Australian considering the name Perth and the sculpture of a kangaroo at the viewdeck. Usually we expect a modern resort to be owned by a foreigner married to a Filipina because foreigners have the financial resources to put up the infrastructure and other facilities.

We dropped by the old copper pit mine that looked like a lake and had a photo taken in front of their City Hall. We also visited a beach resort (Nataasan Beach Resort). They have swimming pools, restaurant and dive center. They also have rooms to accommodate guests. More than swimming in the huge pool, guests always prefer going either island-hopping or diving.

Your visit in Sipalay seems incomplete if you have not actually gone to the sea. Indeed, you can see the corals as you pass by shallow areas. We did not only go island-hopping but we also had lunch at the beach, after a bit of swimming and then explored the rock formations in one island we visited. It’s great to learn that the islets remain pristine and protected by the government.

Chasing Waterfalls in La Carlota City, Negros Occidental

The most prominent features of La Carlota City aside from the sugar cane fields, and antiquated sugar mills are its rainforest-covered mountains and the spectacular waterfalls. If you’re into chasing waterfalls, this is just the place to go. La Carlota is blessed with several, some of which can only be appreciated from afar because they are not that accessible, but there are many just near the main road although you may have to trek a bit to reach the other falls which include: Dalupya Falls, EZ Falls, Busay Kapid, Busay Mayor, Busay Abaga, Busay Oro.

It takes only about half an hour to get to Guintubdan from the city proper. Accommodation is available at Barangay Ara-al in Sitio Guintubdan where the Guintubdan Mountain Resort (Pavilion) is located. The place is very cold, the temperature somewhat like that in Baguio. it is recommended that you bring a warm jacket which you will need without doubt especially at night time. Entrance fees are very cheap (P20 for adults and P10 for children) and room rates are very affordable (P300-500/pax); Food is usually not available but may be pre-ordered/arranged, otherwise, you need to bring your own. Grills for ihaw-ihaw are available and the market is just half an hour to reach if you have your own vehicle.

Bring appropriate clothes for rainforest chilly weather and be careful with the wild vegetation along the way to and from the falls. Be ready for the ice-cold water when you take a dip in the pool where water cascades from the falls. Remember also never to leave trash to keep the pristine beauty of these places and let others enjoy this natural spectacle as well.

And what better way to spend the evening with travel buddies but to revel in each other’s stories over “home-cooked” dinner overlooking the rainforest. Afterwards, having a taste of their native organic coffee is definitely the perfect way of ending a day of chasing waterfalls.

Taming a dinosaur in Campuestuhan Highland Resort, Talisay City, Negros Occidental

Nowadays, the most popular family getaway in Negros is probably the Campuestuhan Highland Resort. It boasts of a vast themepark full of various attractions. Upon entry you can already guess how much children will enjoy the place; not only little children but also the teenagers and the young at heart. Even from a certain distance you can hear the call of “Kingkong”, that giant gorilla in the movie we have all probably seen before. You can also be part of an Indiana Jones sort of movie scene or act out a scene with a superhero.

Of course who can ignore the equally gigantic dinosaurs. Children just sooo love dinosaurs even if they are mean-looking with all the huge dagger-like sharp teeth, and very long tail! Actually there are also children who are afraid of dinosaurs so they better stay where the superheroes are because the dinos are all over the place!

If you come early there are several swimming pools where children will surely have a great time as long as the heat is not yet intense, otherwise they will surely get sunburned. Furthermore during holidays and peak season it could get really crowded by midday until afternoon. There’s also a huge pool where waves are generated to make guests feel like they’re swimming/bathing in the sea.

Campuestuhan may look like a playground for children with giant toys all over, but it’s also kind of a playground for the adventurous teens and adults alike who would dare to try the hang glider, zipline, cable hamster wheel, do the rope course, just cross the hanging bridge or skybike. I have tried the zipline in other places before so I was not excited about it. I pondered on doing the skybike, but I hesitated. Later when my friends said they will try it I was also convinced that I could do it. But I was really thinking, “will I survive?” At first we said can we just close our eyes when biking while crossing a wire suspended on air between two towers several stories high. I tried to calm down and forced myself to just look ahead and not down. But then I realized it’s not just what you see but more what you feel when the wind blows and the wire starts swinging; it’s like you don’t know if your heart is still beating or it’s beating so rapidly you can no longer feel it. It was definitely an adventure of a lifetime for me, i’m never gonna do it again! And by the way I got a certificate when I reached the other tower so I passed the test, I faced my fear head-on and I was sooo grateful I am still alive!

After the skybike ride, who would still want to do the other rides or skywalks? I know there are others who are more courageous than me, but I already reached my quota for adventure that day.

Accommodations are available so if you wanna do all the adventure courses, it’s better to stay at least overnight and also to be able to go swimming early while walk-in guests have not arrived yet. There is also a restaurant serving many different choices of food and there are kiosks scattered all over for refreshments/snacks. Their accommodations are in cute hobbit houses or Indian tepees and other unique structures, even the restroom looks like a giant shoe house.

If you ask children if they wanna go back and experience it differently when they are bigger, obviously the answer is yes. I wonder if I go back there will I be brave enough to try another heartbeat-stopping and hair-raising adventure? Or may I just take really nice photos of new attractions!

Bacolod City, Balay Negrense (Silay City) and The Ruins (Talisay City), Negros Occidental

Negros is generally considered as the “sugarland” or “sugarbowl” of the country because much of the sugarcane production in the country comes from Negros. Vast areas of haciendas have been established way back during Spanish occupation. The sugar industry made many of the hacienderos very wealthy and the province in general. Hence there are 12 component cities and 1 independent or highly urbanized city, Bacolod City which is also the capital of the province. The city definitely has a lot to offer for those who are citygoers especially for those who are fond of shopping. However, I would rather visit other sites. It’s nice to see their government offices, plaza, and museums and embark on culture and heritage journey.

Since Negros is surrounded by water, the only way to get there from other provinces is thru airplane or ferry. From Iloilo, there are several fast crafts daily that depart either from Iloilo City or Dumangas, Iloilo (Oceanjet, Weesam, Fastcat, Supercat, 2Go, etc.) and takes just over an hour to get to Bacolod so it is quite easy to go back home in the afternoon.

The two cities nearby, Silay and Talisay are sometimes mistakenly considered by many people as Bacolod City although they are distinct yet they are also within the metropolitan area. The new International Airport is actually located in Silay City. Silay used to be the home of the rich and famous, among the most well known during their time was National Artist for architecture Leandro Locsin and international singer Conchita Gaston. There are 30 heritage houses in Silay, one of which became the first museum in the Negros, now known as the Balay Negrense. It was the ancestral house of Victor Gaston but it was abandoned by his heirs for a long time that it was later acquired and managed by the Negros Cultural Foundation which restored the house and has since been part of historical/cultural tourism destination in Negros.

Another ancestral house in the midst of an hacienda in Talisay City (not so far from Bacolod City) got the attention of tourists when it was opened to the public by the descendants of the previous owner. What is now called “the Ruins” used to be the family mansion of Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson. He built the Italian style mansion to honor his wife, Maria Braga. According to the guide “It was a tragic love story because Maria Braga died when she was pregnant with their 11th child.” The Ruins was the outcome when “the mansion was bombed by US forces and later set on fire by Filipino guerrillas to prevent the Japanese from using it during world war II.” Despite what happened, however, it has withstood all adversities just like the love of Don Mariano that remained even after his wife had died. Hence, the mansion is likened to the Taj mahal that’s why people visit the place not only because of the architecture but also because of the beautiful though tragic story of love that still fascinates guests to this day.