Iloilo City is the most important and liveliest city on Panay Island. It used to be called the Queen City of the South, but this title has been passed to Cebu City some time ago. Iloilo is quite a pleasant city with small central area which you can easily navigate on foot. There are plenty of shops where you can stock-up with everything you need for the continuation of your journey. Iloilo has a strong student population, which means lively nightlife. The selection of restaurants as well as hotels in Iloilo is reasonably good.
We slept at Iloilo Midtown Hotel. There is a popular Chinese restaurant Summer House on the ground floor of the hotel. The rooms at Iloilo Midtown Hotel are very clean, bright, air-conditioned, with a phone, satellite TV and bathroom with hot water. Iloilo Midtown Hotel is at a convenient location. There are shopping malls, a wet market and a port walking distance from the hotel. From the port you can get a boat to Guimaras Island, which is a nice day- trip from Iloilo.
In Iloilo it is worth browsing the Central market, where you can see a great selection of dried and fresh fish, fruits, vegetables and meat. There are dozens of small shops, stalls and workshops around the market. You can find watch repair services, key cutters, hair saloons and even gun shops. There are small local cafés squeezed in between the shops, where you can have a cup of coffee or tea and chat with friendly locals.
Other tourists attractions of Iloilo are out of the centre, mainly in Jaro district at the northern side of the city. Jaro used to be a separate town, but it is a part of Iloilo now. You can get to Jaro by jeepney. Jump on one of those displaying 'Jaro CPU' or 'Jaro Liko' signs. Just wait by the main road leading north from the city and wave when a jeepney passes by. The streets are literally flooded with them so you should not wait more than a few minutes. Iloilo is the right place to get adventurous with taking jeepney rides as it is small enough that even if you end-up going into the wrong direction, you won't go too far.
The two tourists attractions worth visiting in Jaro are Belfry Tower and Metropolitan Cathedral. Both structures are very European in style. If you prefer exotic sights, skip the two and stick around central Iloilo instead. Or, you can take a boat to Guimaras Island.
Guimaras
Tiny Guimaras Island is only 15 minutes by boat from Iloilo. But a contrast between hustling and bustling Iloilo and laid-back Guimaras is unimaginable. It is hard to believe that the two places are so near to each other and yet so different. The people on Guimaras Island are mainly farmers and fruit growers. Mangoes from Guimaras Island are believed to be the best mangoes in the Philippines. They are the most expensive too, but worth every peso. They are sweet and juicy and literally melt in your mouth.
Accommodation on Guimaras Island is scarce. There are a few accommodation options at the south-west of Guimaras Island, at Alubihod Beach and surrounding area. The beaches on Guimaras Island are pretty and empty, thus recommended to peace lovers. Avoid staying there over the weekends though as on Saturdays and Sundays they tend to get overcrowded by day-trippers from Iloilo.
If you decide to visit Guimaras only for a day from Iloilo, it is best to hire a tricycle on Guimaras Island for a day. Tricycle drivers will usually offer you only rides from point A to point B, but when you mention a whole-day hire, they are more than willing to discuss the price. Negotiate patiently but firmly and make sure that the tricycle driver really knows where exactly you would like to go to. To make things easier, visit Guimaras Tourist Information Office first thing upon arriving at the island. They are well stocked with simple free maps and can provide some useful information.
We wanted to visit Oro Verde mango plantation, but it was closed. If you really wish to visit the mango plantation, call the plantation directly to make arrangements. Tel. 091 2 / 5200345. Oro Verde mango plantation is located near Buenavista village.
We stopped briefly at the Our Lady of the Philippines Trappist Monastery, which is the only monastery in the Philippines run by monks of the Cistercian Order of the Strict Observance. The monastery church is less than spectacular, but still interesting enough to spend a few minutes in.
We also visited Alubihod Beach where we had lunch. We could have dipped ourselves in the warm tropical sea but we forgot the swimming trunk in the hotel. Do not make the same mistake as Alubihod Beach is very pretty.
At the end of our day-trip to Guimaras Island we climbed Balaan Bukid hill from where you can enjoy a nice view over Guimaras Island and Iloilo City. If you have time and enjoy panoramic views, climbing Balaan Bukid is highly recommended.