As summer comes to an end, I’m looking back at this summer’s adventures driving a full circle around Panay Island where I got to play tourist in my hometown, explored to new areas, did new things and revisited old favorites. Panay Island is composed of 4 provinces namely Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan and Antique. Although Panay is popularly known as the gateway to Boracay, the country’s premier beach destination, less known to many is that this island itself is home to many stunning beaches, rivers, mountains & forest to which some remained untouched and hidden. It is also a region rich in culture and history. Sometimes I have a feeling that I have underestimated the beauty of what Panay Island can offer that is why I was glad to have the chance to explore the wealth of attractions and cultural heritage of the island last summer.
Day 1-2: Beaches and Island Hopping
We started our adventure in Northern part of Iloilo in municipality of Carles which is our gateway to Islas de Gigantes. It is a group of islands with diverse landscape that offers a different kind of beach experience every time. The beauty of its islands is not created equal. Some has the most beautiful white sand beaches, which will surely captivate every traveler with its crystalline clarity and thriving underwater paradise. Other islands features towering limestone rock formation and thick foliage which are reminiscent to those of the islands of El Nido and Coron. Having been to this group of islands thrice, it seems like there is a strong string pulling my feet back to this place that somehow I keep on coming back. As a beach person, staying in small islands and spending hours under the sun has been my ultimate form of relaxation.
Maybe, something like this?
So if you havent been here, these islands is not just something to read about. It deserves your time for a holiday!
Marveled at the beautiful shades of red, orange & purple colors during the so called ‘golden hour’. No matter how tiring our day has been, isn’t it fulfilling to see something beautiful like this? You judge!
Trying local food will always be one of my favorite experiences in traveling. On this trip we were spoiled by Las Islas with the unending culinary experiences. Isla Gigantes is known to have the freshiest seafood in the island. So prepare to say goodbye your diet plan and say hello to unlimited fresh scallops of Gigantes!
Day 3 - Glance at the Past
We headed east along the Iloilo- Capiz East coast road towards Roxas City, the capital of Capiz. This leg took us through the parish of Santa Monica in the municipality of Pan-ay, which is considered a National Historical landmark and a National Cultural Treasure.
It is an Augustinian church which was first constructed in 1698 and underwent several reconstruction after. The church was able to retain much of its grand structures, the original terracotta floor, its baroque style altars and retablo, and its coral stone facade with intricate floral carvings and circular niches that holds painted stone statues.
Its towering belfry houses an unusually large bell, “Dakung Lingganay”, which holds the record as the biggest Christian bell in Asia with a height of 5 feet and a diameter of 7 feet. The bell was made from 70 sacks of coins donated by the locals and is still being used during holy mass. Beside the church the second oldest street in the Philippines called Calle Revolucion after the Calle Colon of Cebu.
And finally! We reached the capital of Capiz, Roxas City. And our first order of business was Palina Greenbelt Ecopark. It is an ecotourism park that offers offers river cruise & mangrove tour while you feast on seafoods, fishing, spa or just simply relaxing & enjoying the view.
Since we were really hungry and we wanted to have a feast, we immediately hopped on one of its native bamboo hut perched over bamboo rafts floating over the placid waters of Palina river and ordered some of the local favorites. It includes fresh managat fish cooked in sinigang style for a really delicious and comforting soup, tender squid stewed in adobo style, tasty steamed oysters freshly harvested aorund the area and my favorite classic grilled pork barbeque which still has the flavor i grew up with! We ain’t hungry, right? Archie’s notes: don’t forget to order extra rice. Here ya go…
As soon as we had our fill, we found ourselves marvelling at last few, slow moments of mother nature’s greatest performances, the sunset.
With only the serene body of water in our horizon, in the midst of the floating bamboo huts and the lush mangroove greenery, we enjoyed looking at the view watching the kaleidoscope of colors splashed across the evening sky.
Then we made our way back to city. We were full after that hearty meal but we still decided to have coffee and dessert so we stopped by Jacques Coffee along Roxas Baybay to get something to satisfy our sweet tooth. On our way out of the city we did a little side trip to Spanggo cafe, local shop popular for their homemade buko pie. They were actually pretty good (creamy but not too sweet) and great when served heated or with with strong coffee. After eating well and making food a priority on this leg of the trip, we say goodbye to my hometown and head out on the road to Tibiao, Antique.
During this leg of our journey, I cant help but ponder that event hough I was born and raised in Roxas and called it my hometown, this part of the trip made me realize that there are so much to learn about my hometown and definitely a lot of places I haven’t visited or explored. Some I’ve done when I was a kid, but seeing these same things would be a completely different as an adult. This short visit to Capiz was truly an excursion to the culinary delights of the province. A province that is also a treasure trove of scenic spots, yummy cuisine, centuries-old churches and nature’s bounty.
We arrived at our next destination around the evening and immediately went to get our much needed good night rest knowing tomorrow is filled with new adventures!
Day 4- Go Nature Adventure
With the mountains, beaches, rivers and forest, Antique is a great place to soak up some sun, sea, and sky. Our day begins bright and early with a simple, hearty breakfast at the dining area of Kayak Inn which has a rustic flair and a lovely veranda overlooking green paddy fields.
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You are dearly missed, Ascott. |
Then we headed to the town of Culasi to ride a boat going to the nearby Mararison island which is just 20-30 minutes away from the port of Culasi.
As our boat came closer to the island, we were greeted by this long stretch of powdery white sandbar surrounded by crystal clear turquoise waters. Its shore is so flawless, you’ll want to grab your swimwear and get ready to lay out and get a good tan. Our half day Island chill enabled us to experience a taste of island magic. Its fishing village, the scenic trail meandering gorgeous rolling hills, and soft white sandy beach with long, expansive sandbar.
After a filling lunch of fresh seafood with an incredible view of the beach, we did a short trek up to the highest peak of the island to get a spectacular 360 degrees view of the entire island.
This is one of my favorite shot is sitting on this giant rock overlooking the coast of the island and just enjoying the moment. If you're not convince yet to do some hiking while you're in Mararison with this views, then I don’t know what will!
It was a quick and sweet visit! Our time on the island was short, but it was a fun one. I would have wanted to stay and spend at least one night to see the sunrise and sunset, but we still have a set of destinations to explore.
On our way back to Tibiao, we found a great spot along the highway that is so photogenic we cant help it but stop and take some photos. Its not even a popular tourist destination but man it was so beautiful during sunset. The towering palm trees lining the view of the sea against the picturesque summer sky makes a dramatic scene to capture.
Then another unexpected stop that caught our eyes was a peaceful beach along the highway. It has these cool climable giant boulders poking up amongst the vibrant sunset colors as it melts into the night. An atmospheric scenery that conjures all the feelings of a remote beauty. I can’t help it but just stand there and stare in total awe of the beauty.
When driving around Antique no doubt you will come across somewhere that you'll want to stop and take photos. So keep your eyes peeled because you're in for a surprise and delight at every turn. If it catches your eye, give it a try because you may never have the opportunity again - especially the small, unassuming places. You could be passing up on the most rewarding experiences of your trip without even knowing it. This has turned out to be one of my favorite stops of the trip. Really if you like landscape, and adventure Antique is the place to go!
Day 5- A great final day
The last day of the journey can be a bit of a downer so in order to make the most of our last day, we soaked up few last vacation vibes by getting some spa action to ease the stress, neck tension, and back cramps from the long travel.
After a filling breakfast, we drove around 45 minutes to Barangay Tuno to check out Tibiao’s unique form of pampering experience known as Kawa bath. It involves taking a dip in a thick giant cauldron or “kawa” which usually comes with herbs and flowers placed over a steady fire to keep you warm. Don’t worry, you won’t get cooked here! Although in photos people might get the impression your are being cooked and simmered and thats what makes it so cool! And its very relaxing especially with its great ambiance and sense of calm youll get just by being around the beautiful Tibiao River overlooking the verdant paddy fields.
After that much needed pampering, we headed over to Sitio Lupaan, one of the village in Tibiao, which is known for pottery and brick making traditions. It is said that the village got its name “lupaan" from the root word "lupa" or soil because of the abundance of clay reserves found in this barangay. We were fortunate to see how this age- old tradition continues to be widely practiced today on this Barangay using traditional pottery techniques.
Then we headed back to Kayak Inn for lunch where we enjoyed the delicious homey meals prepared by our host. Inevitably our road trip is coming to an end. We finally bid farewell to Antique and drove on to our final destination of the day, Iloilo City, where we will all part ways to catch our individual trips back home.
It was a scenic drive to Iloilo with stunning views the mountains and the ocean and along the way we would you pull over at every historic landmark and churches we passby. Iloilo is rich in history and culture that in every municipalities it has centuries- old churches and landmarks that will surely satisfy the history buff inside you.
Our first stop is Camposanto de San Joaquin which is a Roman Catholic cemetery built in the 1800s. Its most notable feature is its famous stone steps made of white coral rocks and fossil stones leading to its baroque- style architecture mortuary chapel. Just few meters away is Church of San Joaquin which is made from limestone and sea corals. What I particularly love about it is the artwork on its facade with intricate carvings that honors the triump of the Spanish army’s over the Moors in the Battle of Tetouan.
We passed by Miag- ao Church which is a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its elaborate Baroque architecture and intricately elaborate facade carvings. On our way to Iloilo City we made a short stopover at Taytay Boni, a Spanish- era bridge built it in 1854 which was used to the towns of Miag- ao and Guimbal. It is a small bridge made coral stone slabs called tablea and was only meant to be used by carabao or horse drawn carriages during the olden times.
We arrived in Iloilo City just in time for dinner. The last dinner of the road trip ended on a great note with Ramboys specialty Liempo at Riverside boardwalk in Smallville Complex.
I was surprised to find this Panay round- the- island trip very charming and exciting. Having been around Iloilo and Roxas many times a year, I can say I’m very familiar with the place already. But this road trip made me realized how beautiful island Panay is. It ignited a brand new appreciation for my hometown and made me realized there are still a lot of things I dont know about my hometown- an experience that has made me a richer person in more ways than one. All bias aside, Panay will always be one of my favorite places to visit and I would go back again and again. There’s just so many things to love about this island from beautiful beaches, mysterious jungles, amazing dishes, rich history and traditional experiences, and genuinely friendly locals, Panay is one of the easiest places in the Philippines to travel around. Thank you Panay for another great adventure!
If you've been itching to discover Panay Island, Las Islas Travel and Tours offers the best and the most reasonable Panay loop tour packages that can cater for small or big groups. I highly recommend their very professional services guys! This travel loop tour is a new kind of travel style curated for the curious- minded traveler which provides customized itinerary loop that showcases the beauty of Panay Island and promises its participants unique experiences that only Panay island can offer. I would like to thank Las Islas Travel and Tours for arranging this trip for us. As always, the opinions here are honest and my own.
For your bookings you can reach them here
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Happy Travels!
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