The “BIG” (Bacolod-Iloilo-Guimaras) adventure is one of the most-listed must-try adventures in the Philippines. It’s also one of the bests, I guess, as you can actually visit more than 20 spots from two different provinces in three days, plus more water and mountain adventures in different islands around the provinces. Not to mention the really good food in Visayas! Here’s our BIG itinerary and travel guide to help you on your trip!
Aside from leisure and work, one reason why I love going to places is that it helps me with my way of thinking and honestly, feeling. And while traveling can be mostly exciting and fun, it’s so much more than posing for pictures and trying out some unfamiliar delicacies like I always share here or on social media.
Hey there! My name’s May and you can view more about me here. I travel a lot for both work and leisure. Thanks to being an auditor and a content creator and, of course, to my love for travel, I barely feel I’m actually at work when traveling. And if I’m actually off work, I usually am with friends or family, discovering places and trying out new food. I’m juggling three jobs – the two mentioned + being a single mom. You think it’s easy? Of course not! But what glues me together is my passion and love for these three. More about my story here.
I love sharing what I know and how I do things, so if you haven’t read these yet, visit the following pages to view:
- how I take and edit my blog photos + what devices and apps I use;
- how I plan my travels;
- how I treat my sunburns (from the mildest to the wildest!); and
- what do I get from traveling, by the way?
Traveling is not just a great content for a blog. For me, traveling is one hell of a stress-buster. There are times I cannot help but feel pressured by work or being a mom or a family provider, and with that I always I knew I needed some new environment to refresh my mind. Well, I won’t be able to be the “superwoman” I am if I’m super stressed out, right?
So after the looong week(s) of working harder for some monitoring at work, and even though my daughter is still at a veeeery young age, I needed to go away and regain my energy and courage and…my superpowers. So thanks, lolo and lola, for taking over as Mnemo’s 5-day parents.
Pre-travel Guide
How to get there?
We started our BIG week as I wanted to start with a more “chill” itinerary for the first day: Iloilo City Tour. To get to Iloio City from Manila, you can either book a direct flight or ride a ferry.
The fastest way, of course, is by plane – about 1 hour to 1 hour and a half – via AirAsia, CebuPacific, or PAL. There are direct flights from Manila at around P3,000 to P5,000. But here’s a tip: register a free account from different airlines to get notified for future seat sales. They could offer as low as P1 fare! There are also flights coming from Davao, Cebu, Puerto Princesa, Cagayan de Oro, Hong Kong and Singapore.
From the airport, you can hire a private van (most recommendable for groups), cab, and even Grab. I don’t know why I didn’t consider Grab when I was planning my itinerary, but lesson learned: do a little research if Grab or Uber is operating within your destination. It’s easier to book + more safe.
If you are on a tight budget, you can ride a jeep or multicab. Take the ride from the airport to Bangga Dama in Santa Barbara town (P10*) then ride another jeepney to SM City Iloilo (P16*).
If you are coming from Manila, there are weekly schedules for ferry trips. One way trip would take 8 hours via 2Go Travels. I’m not really sure if there are other lines offering service from Manila, but I highly recommend 2Go in terms of sanitation. service, and they also offer single-journey travel insurances which I think is not very usual among domestic ferry rides.
*rates are as of January 2020.
When is the best time to visit BIG?
It really depends on what you want to do. All year is ideal when you visit each of the islands, but of course if you want to go island hopping, it’s best to go during summer. If you want to avoid the crowd, it’s also nice to visit the islands months before, like February to March. If you want long and cold nights, go have a staycation far from Manila during rainy days. But of course, always mind the convenience and safety of your travels.
Where to stay for accommodation?
I still really think the best place to enjoy most of Iloilo is Richmonde Hotel. If you’re looking for a comfy room and yummy food, Richmonde is one perfect place. Check the latest promos and book here!
Other options would be:
◘ Courtyard by Marriott Hotel Iloilo
◘ Sheridan Boutique Resort
◘ Circle Inn
◘ Urban Sands Hotel Iloilo
◘ You can also try these cute Airbnbs within the city.
5-day BIG itinerary
Note: The following itinerary section is in tabs format. You may click the headings to view the contents for each day of the trip. I also shared important contact details below in case you need resources/references for your BIG trip.
WELCOME TO ILOILO!
I partnered with Richmonde Hotel for my first day in Iloilo. It was my first time in the city, and I am more than thankful for one of the best guest experience I’ve had so far. I visited other hotels in the area, too, and I can say all of them have their fair share of doing a great job. But if you ask me where to stay in Iloilo, my first answer would be Richmonde.
◘◘ Experience luxury at an affordable price.
- Richmonde Iloilo offers an upscale buffet experience at a low price. From the usual cost of P1,000-3,500 to dine in a comfortable hotel restaurant, The Granary can actually give you the same great dining experience for just as much as P950*. For less than a thousand peso (PHP), you can allow yourself to enjoy a wide variety of all-you-can-eat dishes for dinner, while buffet breakfast costs only at P675*.
- They have the most friendly and accommodating staff, ever! At our day 2, I already checked out to explore more of Iloilo. But I still had the same guest treatment when I came back for dinner. Which is very rare and almost impossible when you such in a big city.
- Food is unexpectedly great.
◘◘ There’s nothing to worry about if you’re planning to go for a city tour. The hotel’s location is very accessible and they also offer private service for your preferred itinerary.
Read more of my Richmonde Hotel Iloilo experience here >>
EXPLORING ILOILO CITY
Iloilo’s hidden gems are mostly showcased in its delicious cuisine, historical buildings, and cultural traditions. One big thing I noticed during my stay was people (as in literally everyone) are nice, friendly, and very accommodating. Not to mention the their wealth when it comes to the arts and history.
◘◘ ILOMOCA or Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art is home to the arguably largest collection of modern art outside Manila. Seeing the totality of the Museum will make you even more prouder of being a Filipino. Read more about my (funny) ILOMOCA experience here >>
◘◘ St. Anne Parish Church / Molo Church. Unlike other churches which are dominantly furnished with statues of male saints, St. Anne is known to be a feminist church or Church of the Women because the images of the saints in the church are all female.
◘◘ San Joaquin Cemetary and Church.
◘◘ Jaro Cathedral. Also known as Jaro Metropolitan Cathedral and the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Candles.
◘◘ Miag-ao Church Widely known as one of the UNESCO Heritage spots.
◘◘ San Jose Church.
◘◘ Garin Farm. Iloilo is rich of heritage churches that are truly worth visiting. Garin Farm also is a pilgrimage site open for people who are looking for peaceful place to pray. But if the religion limits, Garin Farm also have outdoor activities open for everyone. Read more about my Garin Farm experience and travel guide here >>
THE ISLANDS OF GIANTS!
Islas Gigantes or the Islands of Giants, is a remote group of islands located off the coast of Carles and Estancia towns in northeastern Iloilos. It takes at least 5 hours to get there from Iloilo City proper. Though far, Gigantes Islands is a must to be included in your itinerary when traveling to Iloilo. What to do in Gigantes Islands?
Read more about my Gigantes Islands experience and travel guide here >>
GUIMARAS, THE ISLAND OF THE SWEETEST MANGOES
The island of Guimaras became so special to because of two reasons: good food and good people. I said Iloilo has the kindest people, right? Guimaras, specifically, are probably the roots of this kindness. <3
Below are the spots we visited:
◘◘ Smallest Plaza
◘◘ Guimaras Plaza
◘◘ Mango Plantations
◘◘ Trappist Monastery
◘◘ Guisi Lighthouse
◘◘ Guimaras Island Hopping
◘◘ Baras Cave
◘◘San Loranzo Windmills
Read more about my Guimaras experience here >>
ENDING THE TRIP IN THE CITY OF SMILES
◘◘ And of course, you should definitely visit and have at least a day tour around Campuestohan in Bacolod. Not only because this place is Instagrammable, but they also are offering fun activities that will surely make the most of your BIG adventure. Read more about my Campuestohan Resort experience here >>
Wrap-up
Along the cities and seas and mountains, Bacolod, Iloilo, and Guimaras are indeed a treasure. And it is absolutely a must to include them in your bucket list!
Since I had a very limited time I visited just a few beautiful spots around BIG. I have plans on coming here again soon, and maybe explore more adventures and less-known places.
OMG, can’t wait!
Have you experienced the BIG adventure yet? I'm sure your whole trip was full of beautiful stories. Let me know your thoughts and leave a comment below!
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