A Quick Guimaras Tour

Last Monday, you can locate me at Iloilo City.  My dad is an Ilonggo – he came from Capiz, but that was the first time I travelled to Iloilo.

I arrived early morning and finished work by 3pm.  Before resting at the hotel, I asked my colleague there to tour me to Iloilo’s tourist spots.  But she decided to bring me to Guimaras instead.

Guimaras is a small island located south of Iloilo.  It used to be a sub-province of Iloilo but later on it earned its own right to be its own province. 

Going to Guimaras from Iloilo will just take 15 to 20 mins by boat.  Boat ride cost Php14 day time, and Php20 night time. 

Bangka traveling to and from Iloilo - Guimaras

We landed at Jordan, Guimaras.  Touring the area will require you to rent (arkila) a tricycle or multicab which cost Php500 or Php900 respectively for back and forth ride.

Busy Guimaras Port

We visited the Trappist Monastery.  Here, monks don’t speak with each other inside.  They don’t eat anything pork or anything “delicious”.  They live by rice, fish, and vegetables alone.  Baybz, my colleague, knows a monk in there, Brother Peter.  He prayed for us.  Initially I declined, but they were insistent so I agreed.  After all, I am a firm believer that we all serve the same God even with different religions.

Then we went to Raymen Beach Resort.  Stayed there for 15 to 20 mins to do some picture taking then headed home.  The sand is Boracay-ish (powdery white) with some small shells.

Sorry for the macho background.

Honestly, when you go to Guimaras, you have to stay overnight.  Why?  The travel to the beaches takes about one hour and another hour back to the port.  So much time wasted for traveling in day tours.  Sayang naman.

The nice part is that it’s the harvest season for mangoes.  Guimaras is famous for export-class mangoes.  I was able to bring home some. J