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The Three-Day Travel Itinerary for Bacolod You Need for Your Trip
There's no fear of missing out on anything with this Bacolod itinerary!
By: Shanice Reyes | June 15, 2020
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the establishments featured in this article might be closed or might be enforcing their own set of health protocols and requirements. Please coordinate with the management before visiting.
Bacolod is one of the Philippine’s best places to go for art, heritage, culture, natural attractions, and food trips.
Image: Choi2451 via Wikimedia Commons
You have definitely heard of this city. May it be from your friend’s vacation stories, a Filipino romance-comedy movie, or the news, the name ‘Bacolod City’ surely rings a bell.
Also known as the City of Smiles, Bacolod ranks as the most visited city in the country not only during its famous month-long celebration, Masskara Festival, but also during the entire year. With the city being a haven for foodies and a gateway to natural and man-made attractions, a travel itinerary for Bacolod is definitely needed.
For this three-day travel itinerary for Bacolod, you will get the best out of what this laid-back city with pretty, rustic views has to give. Ready your notes and read the travel guide below.
Day 1
1. Treat yourself to a warm welcome with cansi at Sharyn’s Cansi House.
Location: C-58 Capitol Shopping Center, Narra Ave, Brgy. Villamonte, Bacolod
Operating hours: Monday to Sunday, 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Recommended budget: PhP350
Cansi is usually regarded as a mix of bulalo (Filipino beef marrow stew) and sinigang (Filipino sour broth) combined.
Image: Sharyn’s Bacolod Facebook Page
This world-class lutong bahay (home-cooked meal) shouldn’t be missed by tourists. Cansi is the Ilonggo version of bulalo, made a little sour because of the added ingredient, batwan (batuan). To start off your Bacolod adventure, head to Sharyn’s Cansi House which serves the best cansi in town. Each bowl is full of meat that can be shared by four people. If you can’t get enough of the mouth-watering broth and marrow soup, you can get another bowlful of soup for an additional PhP5.
2. Check-in at Avenue Suites.
Location: 12th St., corner Lacson St., Bacolod City
Room rates:
Standard Room with Breakfast – PhP2,398 (good for two)
Superior Deluxe Room with Breakfast – PhP3,298 (good for four)
The Superior Deluxe Room is good for people traveling in fours.
Image: Avenue Suites Hotel - Bacolod Facebook Page
Conveniently located along the famous Lacson Street, Avenue Suites is an affordable haven for tourists. Restaurants, souvenir shops, and 24-hour convenience stores are just a few minutes away from the hotel. Avenue Suites offers cozy and peaceful rooms with a modern design. There is also a pool located at the back, so if you want to cool down for a bit, you can take a little dip.
3. Visit the iconic The Ruins.
Location: Talisay City, Negros Occidental
Entrance fee: PhP100
The Ruins is dubbed as the Taj Mahal of Negros Island.
Touring The Ruins will take you to the colorful history and heart-warming love story of Don Mariano Lacson and Maria Braganza. This monumental landmark is famous among tourists because of its beautiful structure and romantic past. If you want to get the best view, catch the sunset in this place and witness the beautiful lights after dark.
4. Have dinner at Aida’s Chicken in Manokan Country.
Location: San Juan St., Brgy. 12, Bacolod City
Operating hours: Monday to Sunday, 9:00 AM to 12:00 AM
Recommended budget: PhP150
Each inasal restaurant has its own recipes, but Aida’s Chicken stands out.
Image: Masskara Chicken Inasal Facebook Page
Of course, a Bacolod escapade wouldn’t be complete without sampling what the city is most known for: chicken inasal (grilled chicken). To get a taste of this dish, head to Manokan Country, an entire street of local restaurants selling various types of grilled food. Within Manokan Country, Aida’s Chicken is the most popular chicken inasal spot. The juicy grilled chicken is best paired with rice drizzled in chicken oil and garlic.
Day 2
1. Enjoy nature at Mambukal Mountain Resort.
Location: Murcia, Negros Occidental
Best time to arrive: 7:00 AM
Recommended budget: PhP500
Take a dip and relax your muscles in the sulfur pool.
Image: Mambukal Resort Official Page Facebook Page
If you want to relax and seek adventure at the same time, take a 35-minute bus ride away from the city proper to Mambukal Mountain Resort. When visiting this place, a day trip might not be enough since there are several activities to choose from, so it's better to sort out your interests before getting there.
You can trek to the 7th falls (which will take you about two hours); ride a zipline; climb a rock wall; dip in the sulfur pool, hot spring, or Mambukal River; visit the butterfly garden; or row down the boat lagoon. The resort also has a restaurant that serves various meals and snacks.
2. Learn about Bacolod’s culture and art at Negros Museum.
Location: Gatuslao St., Bacolod City
Operating hours: Monday to Saturday; 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Entrance fee: PhP40
The Negros Museum aims to educate the future generation about the cultural and contemporary background of Bacolod city.
Image: The Negros Museum Facebook Page
The Negros Museum is a well-curated museum that takes pride in and showcases various artworks, relics, and artifacts that tell the glorious past of Bacolod. The museum also displays story-based contemporary art from the innovate minds of local artists in Negros. If you are thinking of buying handcrafted artworks, there is also a souvenir shop inside.
3. Eat fresh seafood at 18th Street Pala-Pala Seafood Grill & Restaurant.
Location: Aguinaldo St., Cor 18th St., Brgy. 4, Bacolod City
Operating hours: Monday to Sunday, 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM
Recommended budget for 4 people: PhP1,300 – PhP1,500
18th Street Pala-Pala’s seafood dishes are rich in flavors of Filipino cuisine.
Image: Bacolod 18th Street Palapala Seafood Grill & Restaurant Facebook Page
Stocked with freshly delivered seafood every day, 18th Street Pala-Pala Seafood Grill & Restaurant offers a wide range of luxurious food choices. You can choose any seafood you want and even have it cooked the way you want. Best-sellers are the grilled blue marlin, steamed shrimp in lemon butter sauce, tangigue kinilaw (Spanish mackerel ceviche), and calamares (squid rings). With the interactive ordering setup and delicious dishes, this dining experience is something even non-foodies would find enjoyable.
4. Have a sweet dessert at Calea.
Location: Lacson St., Bacolod City
Operating hours: Monday to Sunday, 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Recommended budget: PhP100 – PhP150
Charge your sugar bar by tasting Calea’s sweet cakes.
Image: Lara Faith Dahab
End your second day in a sweet way in the city’s most widely known dessert place, Calea. For a low price, you can experience a delicious explosion of sweet flavors through the pastry shop’s best-sellers. Most customers are eager to try the mudpie, blueberry cheesecake, broken glass pie, and white chocolate cheesecake with raspberry sauce. These tasty cakes are offered in generous servings, and with the low price, you shouldn’t miss out on this sweet course.
Day 3
1. Explore Balay Negrense in Silay City.
Location: Barangay III, Cinco De Noviembre St., Silay City
Operating hours: Monday to Sunday, 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM
Entrance fee: PhP50
Balay Negrense is also known as “Bahay na Bato.”
Image: Ilaya Highland Resort Facebook Page
It’s the third day, the day to fly back home! Since the airport is in the vicinity of Silay, you might want to explore this culturally rich area. Dubbed as the Paris of Negros, Silay City is home to Balay Negrense, the first museum in Negros Occidental. It’s a must-visit heritage house for vintage lovers. The two-story house’s details highlight Spanish and American colonial architecture, showcasing the lifestyle during the late 19th-century.
2. Take a look at the Bernardino Jalandoni Museum.
Location: Brgy. II, Rizal St., Silay City
Operating hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM
Entrance fee: PhP50
The museum is accessible to foreign travelers since it is located on the main avenue of Silay.
Image: Bernardino Jalandoni Museum Facebook Page
Bernardino Jalandoni Museum is also known as the “pink house” because of its pink exterior. Inside, the heritage house is teeming with beautiful and preserved memorabilia. Touring around the house will take you on a trip to the past with items like an old piano, analog phone, grandfather’s clock, intricate bed, sewing machine, and chairs made of hardwood. The museum is also sometimes used for artistic, cultural, and educational proceedings.
3. Taste and take home sweet delicacies from El Ideal Bakery.
Location: 118 Rizal St, Silay City Heritage Zone, Silay City
Open hours: Monday to Sunday, 6:30 AM to 6:30 PM
Recommended budget: PhP150 – PhP200
El Ideal Bakery is the oldest bakery in Negros.
Image: EL IDEAL Bakery Facebook Page
After strolling around the Paris of Negros, drop by El Ideal, the oldest bakery in the province, to have a decent meal and snack. This restaurant is more than just a food chain; to most locals, it serves as a landmark, a childhood memory, or a heritage site.
Serving food since the 1920s, the bakery expanded and became a restaurant and a go-to spot for pasalubongs (take-home gifts). Piaya (flat unleavened bread), angel cookies, and all sorts of pies are its best delicacies and everyone’s all-time favorite. Take home some packed treats for yourself or your loved ones and bring them a piece of Negrense history.
A three-day trip might not be enough to see all the attractions and taste other cuisines, but Bacolod is certainly a place you should visit at least once in your lifetime.
Want to explore more? Make sure to visit Yoorekka for more trip itineraries and travel tips!
Stay safe as you travel! Make sure to follow social distancing protocols and observe health precautions wherever you go. Have a great trip!
This article was originally published in Yoorekka on September 10, 2019.
About Shanice Reyes
Shanice Reyes writes to buy herself good coffee and bike parts. When she's not writing, you can find her playing Ultimate Frisbee, traveling to new places, or hanging out with her dogs and tarantulas. Though she has an irrational fear of heights, she'd love to try sky-diving one day.
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