TRAVEL PHILIPPINES :: Island to Island, City to City and Day Trips.. loved it or not

Where have you gone? What have you seen? What was the best? What was the worst? What are you PLANNING?

All of these things are of interest to most of us. Even if we cant go ourselves we can live it vicariously through you

 

Over Night and More :: Dumaguete to Bacolod

Sometimes you just want to see what is in the next town. Im like that. But a trip to Bacolod could not only give you a trip down the road for about 5.5 hours but you also could pick up a few things that you cant find so easily here. And have a different place to eat a meal. I like that too. Maybe you do as well.

The direction I would take is up north out of Dumaguete to the town of Bais..then west up through Mabinay to Kabunkland. Good place to stop..hit the CR in the Gaisano mall as you enter K-town and no used getting on the road too early if you do the stop I suggest the mall doesnt open til 10 am..lol

Then up the west side of the island into the city of Bacolod. You can stay at quite a few places. My choice has always been Circle Inn. You can look up a lot of places on Google maps ..in fact I suggest it. The reason I choose Circle Inn is the fenced in parking lot in front of the Inn and outside all night security. Oh there is a all night *7-11* type store right as you drive into the lot that sits in front of the Inn. Its called Musterific... and those chain stores are popping up all over that area and where asking for someone to open two locations in Kabunklan.

You can also stay anywhere there and park your car down on the dock and do a full day trip to Ilo Ilo. If you need to renew your 13A..instead of going to Cebu you can choose this way. You can walk the 2-4 blocks it is the Immigration office just around the water front from where the Fast Craft docks. Ilo Ilo also has a set of malls. and fairly large and new SM Mall

Back to Bacolod...and malls.. a slew of them Gaisano ..my last choice actually. Downtown close to the dock area and directly down the road from Circle Inn. A large Robinsons going north up towards Silay on the main road Lacson. And just a few blocks north is another gem called Lopues Mandalagan. On the left side..you will see the sign and just prior to it there is a access road to the left and parking in behind the stores on the left as you go back. A little place to end that was nice 10 months ago.. foreign owned and clean.. but started to have a lot of out-of-stock issues just prior to us leaving up there. In Lopues you will have a large stock of foreign import food stuff and a larger than usual booze supply. If you go possibly offer to pick me up a bottle or 3 of a Spanish Med Sweet Sherry St. Isabel..sort of like a Cream Sherry from the USA.. a nice desert aperitif good with cigars..lol

Must point out there is a new (..ok one year now) Mall going up the same main road north to Silay on the right side of the road..you shouldnt miss it with a large food store now as well called Ayala Mall. Still farther north a lot of people like to go to eat a meal..again on the right but hidden from the road..watch for signs to Natures Resort Village. You could try it if time allows.

Along the main drag..again Lacson at 15th street going south on the right or water side of the road. Is L'Fisher Hotel. a bit of parking behind there and a good place to go for a local food Sunday brunch or a glass of wine in the evening with possibly a piano player. Well they did anyways.

But directly across from L'Fisher is Calea and a darn good pasty shop and just a bit farther in as a wine bar. *CELLAR*.. You can get imports there you can find no place else..but it can be pricy..watch it. Just next to the front door of the L'Fisher is also a small bakery that makes really good bread. Sorry name eludes me at the moment

You can go to Lacson and 12th going north turn right down 12th about 2 blocks to the back and you will come to the entry of BACA...the same culinary school run by G. Sanin here in Dumaguete next to Casablanca and he has open a restaurant back there as well. Tyrol has parking available.

L'Kaisai is a Japanese restaurant with fair to good sushi..a bit pricey again but you could get a tuna sashami fix in the little shop L'Kaisai has open in the south mall building of SM Mall.

My favorite restaurant by far is the chinese place called Golden of Fortune. its also on Lacson..sort of.. all the way to the south of it. Lacson extended starts..goes down to a 2 lane road over a bridge and another 30 yards go right into the parking lot. They make excellant soups. They sell live seafood * as they say better than fresh* but they charge way too much..but if you must have live eel or crab with your roasted duck then by all means take out a loan ..lol You can go there with a party of 8 and eat family style with the big lazy susan in the middle of the table.. Love it.

If you must see something old then while up the north end you probably should go to The Ruines..many do

Ok well Im sure you can find more and other things and add to this but I tried to give a trip to Bacolod a good start. I can tell you if you go during Mass Kara you cant get around in the town..AT ALL.. good luck and enjoy