Tours in Iloilo and Its Surroundings
Philippines articles:
Philippines Destinations |
Manila |
El Nido |
Boracay Island |
Puerto Princesa |
Bohol |
Cebu Island |Iloilo
General
The city of Iloilo, capital of Panay Island, is located in the south of the island. Near the city is an international airport, and from its port ferries arrive and depart from other islands in the Philippines.
The city is known mainly for its historical buildings.
Near the city, about a 15-minute ferry ride away, lies Guimaras Island, known as the Mango Island.
Recommended Hotels in Iloilo
♦ Courtyard by Marriott Iloilo
4-star hotel with an outdoor pool, 3 restaurants, bar, fitness center, free internet and parking. Adjacent to a convention center.
4-star hotel with an outdoor pool, restaurant, bar, fitness center, free parking and internet. Adjacent to a convention center.
4-star hotel with family rooms and suites (up to 4 guests). 2 pools, 2 restaurants, bar, fitness center, free parking. Adjacent to a convention center.
Getting There
Iloilo has an international airport located about half an hour north of the city, accessible both from various islands in the Philippines and from international destinations such as Bangkok and Singapore.
In the northeast of Panay Island is another airport in Caticlan City, which mainly serves tourists arriving at the nearby island of Boracay. From Caticlan, you can reach Iloilo by car in about a 4.5-hour drive (220 km).
Tours in Iloilo and Guimaras
Tour of Iloilo City
Iloilo City is known, as mentioned, for its historical buildings constructed during the Spanish colonial period at the beginning of the last century (1900 onwards), impressive ancient churches
and large, grand old houses,
During that era, the city experienced an economic boom thanks to the sugar industry. Many of these houses are private and cannot be visited inside, but some are open to visitors.
The city also features a beautiful promenade along the river, which is also named the Iloilo River.
Guided Tour of Guimaras Island
Guimaras, "Mango Island", is a small island in the Philippines reached by a 15-minute ferry ride from Iloilo City, costing only half a dollar per person each way!
Guimaras Island is famous for its mango crops and is rightly considered the sweetest in the world. A mango festival is held there in May.
Farmers here do not use pesticides to protect the mangoes from pests; instead, they wrap every mango growing on the tree in paper. Their best paper is paper from old foreign magazines, which doesn't stick to the fruit when wet from rain and remains durable over time.
On this green island, besides mangoes, they grow cashew nuts, dragon fruit, and even rice.
It has no luxury resorts, only a few three-star hotels on beautiful beaches, and tourism is mostly local. It is very nice to spend a day there while staying in the nearby large city of Iloilo.
On a tour from Iloilo to this island, you learn a lot about the thriving local agriculture, visit the place where "tultul" is produced—salt crystals with coconut milk used locally as a popular spice—taste mangoes, mango cookies, mango coffee, and even mango pizza! (not great...).
Touring the orchards and a mango crop research institute, and visiting the town square of Jordan, considered the smallest town square in the world.
This island gets a lot of wind, and locals utilize the wind to generate electricity. The island features huge, modern windmills located on high ground; on the tour, you travel near them and view the island's landscape from there.
Island Hopping and Beaches
The highlight of visiting Guimaras, besides the mangoes, is island hopping and cruising between nearby beaches. It is a great destination for mango lovers and anyone looking for a spot off the beaten track.
Island hopping between nearby white-sand beaches featuring snorkeling reefs and beautiful views of lush green cliffs.
We went on a boat tour in a private boat with a guide, the boat's "captain", and his assistant. A driver took us in a private vehicle to the boat after a tour of the island. That means four crew members for two tourists, all at an extraordinarily low price, as the average wage here is very low.
The seawater is pleasant and warm, the sand golden and soft, and the views magical. A highly recommended tour of about four hours. For us, this was a first taste of the Philippines' beaches after four days of urban touring in Manila and Iloilo.
The tour visits beaches and islands on the western part of Guimaras Island, including destinations: Natago Beach, Lamurawan Island, Baras Cave, Ave Maria Island, Floating Cottages.
Swimming near a cave entrance:
