Bacolod Trip: My First Solo Adventure Outside Luzon
I once mentioned that except for Boracay, I’ve never been to the beautiful islands of Visayas (and the last time I was in Boracay was 16 years ago!). That was true until July of this year. Finally, I had my first solo trip outside of Luzon (congratulations to myself!) and set foot on the City of Smiles, Bacolod.
Bacolod is a city located in the northwestern part of Negros Island and is the provincial capital of Negros Occidental. The city is also known for its Masskara Festival, an annual festival that’s celebrated every October and has masks as motif. It is similar to carnivals found around the globe.
The City of Smiles is also known for its amazing food. Bacolod is home to cansi (an Ilonggo/Negrense soup dish), desserts and sweets, and, of course, chicken inasal (grilled skewered chicken). And yes, I’m blogging about the food in the next entries!
So what can you do in Bacolod? Honestly, unless you’re food tripping, there’s not much to do in the city. But there are nearby cities and tourist spots that you can visit on a day trip. Unfortunately, I did not visit them all as I was on a serious foodventure in the city. Anyway, here are 5 things I did in and near Bacolod:
1. Do a Food Trip in the Birthplace of Chicken Inasal
You just can’t go to Bacolod and not do a food trip! That’s a sin to be repented of!
Bacolod is the birthplace of the chicken inasal. There are many restaurants offering this Bacoleño delicacy. But the best ones are found in Manokan Country, which is a complex of inasal sellers. But whether you eat there or not, any inasal in Bacolod, I believe, is still better than the ones you can eat in Manila. (I will be writing about all the inasal I tried in Bacolod in a separate entry. So stay in touch!)
Chicken Inasal and Talaba (Oysters) at Aida's
Of course, there are other dishes and dining experiences you can try in Bacolod. You can try cansi and other soup dishes (also stay in touch for a separate entry on this). Or you can try pala-pala restaurants, which is equivalent to Manila’s dampa (they’re basically seafood restaurants).
Fried Cansi and Cansi Soup at Sharyn's
2. Try Amazing Desserts
Negros Occidental, being the top producer of sugar in the country, is rightfully called the Sugar Bowl of the Philippines. And Bacolod, being the capital, boasts of amazing desserts and pastries. Among them are Calea’s cakes, Felicia’s Ensaimada, Pendy’s Half Moons, and Roli’s Napoleones.
Cakes and Coffee at Calea
(And also stay in touch for a separate entry on the desserts I tried.)
3. Relax at the Provincial Capitol Lagoon
Bacolod is not as chaotic as other Philippine cities, especially Manila! But if you want to escape the little chaos that Bacolod has, then come to this place and experience serenity in the middle of the city.
At the Provincial Capital Lagoon
I came at noontime and it was not an ideal time to visit (the scorching sun!). But I’m pretty sure it’ll be nice to hangout there in the afternoon.
4. Fall in Love at The Ruins
Technically in Talisay City, The Ruins has become a famous destinations for tourists visiting Bacolod. It’s the ancestral house (mansion!) of the family of Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson and Maria Braga Lacson. It was burned down during World War II so that invading Japanese forces can’t use it as headquarters.
The Ruins
The Lacson couple has an interesting love story. In fact, the mansion was built in memory of Maria, who died while giving birth to their 11th child. Thus, The Ruins is called the Taj Mahal of Negros or of the Philippines.
There’s a romantic atmosphere at The Ruins. It’s the kind of vibe that would make you wish you’re with someone special (honestly, I got a bit sad!). So if you’re coming as a single, visit at your own risk! LOL.
5. Take a Day Trip at Silay Heritage City
Just a bus-ride away (approximately 20 minutes) is Silay City. It is home to many ancestral houses, in which some of them were converted into museums. If you’re a heritage buff like me, you’ll enjoy this place.
Inside Balay Negrense
And yes, stay in touch again for a separate entry on my sidetrip to Silay City.