MORION'S TRAVEL

First Glimpse of the Sugar Capital of the Philippines, Negros Occidental

The Ruins of Talisay, streets of Bacolod City, The Capitol, Bacolaodiat Festival, sugarcane plantations, rice terraces, the majestic view of Mount Kanlaon, Inasal...- The Sugar Capital of the Philippines has a lot more to offer than what I've expected!

Yes.I have been already explored Negros Occidental! 


This trip was planned last year after I've transferred here in Western side of Cebu -job assignment reshuffling :). Full schedule and long vacation/rest in Alabang(MM) due to major operation (acute appendicitis) caused some delays. I am currently staying here in Toledo City that exploring Negros Occidental is very much possible and less time effort. RORO ships and Fast-crafts going to neighboring San Carlos Port are available every 30 minutes. Traveling via RORO may take 1.5 to 2 hours and 30-45 minutes via fast craft.

ITINERARY AND NOTES

From Cebu to Negros Occidental
January 16, 2012- 9:30 AM. Aboard  MV Melrival (from Toledo Port)  going to the Port of San Carlos City, Negros Occidental. 
Fare:P200 (Aircon)/ P180 (ordinary)

Arrived in Port of San Carlos around 11:30 AM after  2 hours of sea travel.



Pedicab ride from Port of San Carlos going to the Terminal of buses bound to Bacolod City. 
Left San Carlos City @ 12:15 via Aircon Ceres Bus (Don Salvador road- shortcut).
1:30 PM: witnessed the majestic views of sugarcane plantations, rice terraces of Codcod, Choco Hills, Waterfalls of Don Salvador, and the famous Mt. Kanlaon.

Don Salvador's Rice Terraces, San Carlos City, Negros Occidental

The City of Smiles:) Bacolod!
2:30 PM: arrival at Bacolod South Terminal. Hired taxi for 75pesos going to SM city Bacolod.
2:45 PM: Lunch @ Mang Inasal



3:45 PM: visited the Pope John Paul II tower 
Entrance is P20 Regular/ P5 for students
          Meet 2 ladies at the top of the tower- Pearl and Roxan who gave us the information on where we  can  find cheap but decent pension House. 


The late Pope John Paul 2 seated in this chair during his visit to Bacolod City
View from the Top of Pope John Paul 11 Tower

The Ruins
4:40 pm: hired a taxi cab going to the famous The Ruins of Talisay City
Taxi Fare:  600 pesos back and forth (buti pumayag si Manong kahit lima kami:)


We arrived at the Ruins at exactly 5:30 pm. The structure is also known as the Taj Mahal of the Philippines
Entrance: P40 for Students/60 pesos Regular

6:00 PM view of  "The Ruins"
TRIVIA

The Ruins is one the grandest structures during 19th century owned by sugar baron Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson. Built as a gift for his Portuguese wife Maria Braga. The structure of the mansion is of Italianate Architecture with Neo-Romanesque colums. 
According to Roger Lacson (tourist guide), during World War II, the US forces burned the mansion to prevent Japanese Forces from using it as headquarters.
Abandoned for 67 years until Mr. Raymund Heredia Javellana  took effort to develop the place as tourist destination.


Four years since opening to the public, the 92 years old structure was recently ranked as number 12 in the Most Outstanding Ruins in the World  and declared by the Philippine Civil Engineers  Association of the Philippines as  the  Best Landmark in the Philippines.

Every 5:30 Pm the Ruins turned into gold because of direct rays of sunset.  
                    going back to Bacolod @6:30 pm

7:30 PM: Check in at Tamera Plaza Inn. 
#79 Lacson St., Bacolod City
Telefax: +63(034)709-0886.Tel. No.:+63(034)432-1708
e-mail:tameraplazainn@gmail.com
website:www.tameraplazainn.com
Rates:
Standard Room (single):  Php 950
Standard Room (Double)        1100
Deluxe Room (Twin Sharing) 1300
Superior Room (Twin/Triple) 1500
extra matress                           250
extra person                             100 
     > with free wifi
     >free breakfast for all accommodations 


8:30 PM: Dinner @ Manukan Country just in front of SM Bacolod.


Tasted  Bacolod’s native dish :Chicken Inato for 60pesos with free soup
PhotoWalk
After dinner (9:00PM) We decided to explore the City by walking!

San Sebastion Cathedral
Gazebo At the City's Public Plaza
Mani at Itlog- street foods common in Bacolod City at night.
The Provincial Capitol of Negros at Night
Artistic Bronze Statue of A Man with his Carabao in the Capitol Plaza

The Bacolaodiat Festival
Bacolaodiat Festival is a week-long Chinese New Year Celebration in Bacolod City. The celebration includes parade of illuminated floats, Chinese Lanterns, Lion and Dragons along the streets of  Bacolod. Timing na timing ang trip to Bacolod dahil Bacolaodiat! :)


Chinese Lanterns display
Party, Live bands! in every corner of the Lacson Street.
Day 2: going back to San Carlos City
 8:20 AM: breakfast (complimentary)
11:30 AM:checkout| Tamera Inn
               then ride in a Taxi going to South Bus Terminal (45pesos)
While waiting for the next bus to depart- going to San Carlos City , We decided to have our lunch 
@ Mang Pritos just  infront of the terminal.
      Chinggay            :  35pesos
      Boneless Bangus : 40pesos




The bus departed in Bacolod South Bus Terminal @ 1:00pm ...

vast plantations of sugarcanes along the road
the food vendors during bus stop-over
"Salbaro" Visayas' native bread cooked in Pugon
unexpected stay at San Carlos City
Last scheduled trip of ship going to Cebu is 3:30 Pm while we arrived in San Carlos Port at exactly 3:55
 “kaalis lng po”
We decided to look for the nearest pension house. To extend the gala jejeje at buti na lang holiday ng January 23...
Check in at Lola Nitang’s pension House.
      (Lola Nitang's Pension House is located just in front of the City Auditorium)
5: 30 PM: After 1 hour of rest and enjoying free wi-fi, we continued the  suroy suroy!
By Pedicab and Lakad we headed  to the Peoples Park, Gaisano Mall, and ended up hungry at Tio Pio's Mang Inasal(Tsiken na naman, Iya:))
The City Auditorium
Entrance going to the People's Park of San Carlos City


View of the Majestic Mt. Kanlaon from the People's Park
 Lamp post at The Park
Miniatures at the Park 
Dinner at Tio Pio's Tsiken Inasal
Departed at  Port of San Carlos City going back to Cebu around 9:30 am on January 23, 2012 with Sweet Smiles:) 

38 comments:

  1. Miss ko na negros. I used to work sa corporate head office ng CAC (Central Azucarera de la Carlota) during my time there as an auditor I used to be assigned sa la Carlota like mga 5 months in a year. And staying in Bacolod every weekend. Di pa Uso digital camera nun e, Sayang! Favorite ko dyan is yung falls lapit sa mt kanlaon... Ka miss. ;-(

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  2. nice to know that ur from negros ms violy:) indi nmin napuntahan ung 7falls(lack of time) sabi nga maganda dw,,,tnx for dropping here:)

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  3. it's nice to go to the Ruins pag gabi noh? ganda kc ng mga ilaw... yung taxi nyo, good thing pumayag si Kuya kahit lima kayu... hehehe! medyu malayu diin yun at may part na rough road pa... heheh! :)

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  4. I'm a proud bisaya :) from Tuyuman, Himamaylan Negros Occidental, na miss ko bigla ang negros, I'm the great grand son of Mario Libo-on :) I visited our place last 2010. Thank you for posting, i usually go there on plane (Cebu Pacific) I think i should blog about my travel there.

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  5. sa ganda ng pics at pang akit ng pagkain at ganda ng negros! decided! ivisit ko place na yan, promise! ganda! galing mo! from Gems of My Dailies

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  6. @Mervs: jejeje sobrang bait nga ni manong taz sbi nya nung una 350 daw 1 way qng paantay kmi 700hun taz sbi nmin one way n lng, un pla malayo at rough road nga taz wla pang sasakyan pabalik kaya pinag antay na nmin, nung bayaran na 600 n lng daw taz he also accompanied us sa paghanap ng pension house sa Lacson
    @Kiko- nice to know dat ur from negros, lalambing magsalita mga Tao sa Bacolod jejeje
    @ Gemma- Go! dami p nmin indi naexplore wla pa sa kalahati meron p daw dun na 7 falls

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  7. Ganda ng mga pics...kakaengganyo tlaga...sana nga isang araw ay mapunthan ko din itong place na ito.

    enzo - http://lourdruzz143.com/2012/01/27/healthy-investment-2/

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  8. very timing post, i would be in bacolod next month, one day trip lang. just want to see ruins and food trip na rin. still undecided kung magtake ng taxi or yung jeep and pedicab, pero sabi mu rough road?

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  9. So many things to see and do in Bacolod! :) I'm kinda annoyed that the Americans burned that beautiful mansion down! That's just so criminal! How can anyone dare to destroy such beauty? HUHUHUHUHUHUHU Also, didn't know that the Pope visited Bacolod! Hehehe kaya pala may tower pa sila :) I'll go back to this post when I go to Bacolod :)

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  10. taxi kna lng mich papuntang the ruins taz paantay kn din, mahirap kc pabalik kc wlang terminal sa loob taz rough road pa en qng medyo gabihin ka madilim pa rin ung daanan kc indi pa developed:) babait ng mga taxi drivers sa Bacolod,

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  11. @michi:umm with the consent na rin dw ni don Mariano ang pagsunog kc un nga para indi na gawing headquarters ng mga hapon:)

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  12. Ayus ito ha! Ang raming pwedeng puntahan sa Sugarland! May araw ka din sa akin!
    ------
    <a href="http://edmarationetc.blogspot.com>Edmaration</b>

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  13. Bacolod is a very beautiful place, I have never been there but I hope that I can experience their lovely festival

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  14. Thank you for sharing the best of negros....sarap naman dyn! maka tumbling nga papunta dyan...lol


    Wishing the best of 2012!

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  15. Thanks for visiting my hometown twice and blogging about it! More power to you!

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  16. Thanks for visiting my hometown and blogging about it. You made San Carlos City nice twice!

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  17. This is nice! You enjoyed some Ilongo hospitality! :)

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  18. Nice backdrop of The Ruins. Great article too! Way to go!

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  19. You've now conquered Negros Occidental. How did you find the Negrosanon? What about the foods? The transportation? I never sense from your blog that you've not found any difficulty in your hectic sked of travel. Your pictures are vividly and candidly taken. Good job!

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  20. Thanks for featuring my home city in your blog! Your photos are fantastic, especially of the carabao sculpture at Capitol Park Lagoon.

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  21. I will take my time off to visit this place. I love the ruins and will surely be here soonest Jeff.

    As usual, like the way you write the blog.

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  22. My mom is actually from Negros Occidental. I've been to Bacolod a couple of times na but I've never had the chance to tour around the area and see these beautiful sites and try out these delicious-looking food that Negros has to offer. Di bale, the next we'll be visiting this province, I'll make sure to plan an itinerary.. :)

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    Replies
    1. @Sumi, dami pwedeng i explore sa negros, sayang nga kulan din kami sa time,

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  23. I'm happy you enjoyed your Bacolod trip as well as the whole Negros. You will definitely come back not just for the chicken but for another memorable experience. :)

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  24. Actually, ang lapit ko lang din sa Negros.. Iloilo ako eh. Pero hindi ko pa talaga nalibot ang lugar. Gusto ko ring puntahan ang The Ruins.. I've been to some places pero hindi ko ppa tuluyang naexplore ang Negros. :D

    Notice ko lang, ang hilig nyo sa inasal na manok! hahahaha!

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    Replies
    1. @leah, jejeje puro manok nga;) iba ang sarap ng tsiken inato sa negros

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  25. nice pics. ok yung mga napagstayan mo. me free wi-fi talaga. haha.

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  26. Wow, maganda din pala ang Negros. Dyan ang authentic na inasal. Sarappp!!!

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  27. I kinda regret not being able to see a lot of sites when we were in Negros. But then again, I was two months pregnant at the time of our trip... Morning sickness and occasional headaches made me sooo lazy! LOL.

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  28. wow!
    I really don't know that Negros has a lot of beautiful places. Now I know that Negros has a lot to offer then I will include Negros in my list to have a vacation.
    Thank you for sharing this to us.

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  29. wish i could travel to negros occidental soon... i'm so envious of friends going there. would really love to take a photo of the ruins...

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  30. I wish that I could go back to negros. for re-exploration. :-). Especially the ruins.:-).

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    1. @bonz, worth to visit tlga ang the Ruins;) sana makabalik ulit aq dito, dami pa pwede i explore sa Negros occ

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  31. I miss my hometown. Glad you had fun in Negros! :)

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  32. ang ganda tlaga ng hometown mo rIz! if only time and budget permits i will keep on coming back to these places:)

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