Western Visayas: Pulsating to the beat of life - Food, sights, activities in Western Visayas

Details

Category: Destination

Published on Sunday, 22 January 2012 16:29

What to eat

Must-try local favorites are Pansit Molo, La Paz batchoy, chicken binakol and chicken inasal.

• Pansit Molo. This specialty of a famous town in Iloilo is an adaptation of the Chinese wonton soup.

• La Paz Batchoy. This noodle soup is garnished with pork innards, pork cracklings and vegetables.

• Chicken Binakol. This chicken delicacy uses young coconut juice as broth.

• Chicken Inasal: This is grilled chicken, marinated in local herbs and spices. The region is also known for its snacks and sweets. Biscocho, piaya and pinasugbo are local favorites.

• Biscocho: This toasted bread covered with buttermilk delicacy is the Filipino version of the Spanish bizcocho.

• Piaya: This flat unleavened bread filled with mozcovado sugar is a native delicacy of the region.

• Pinasugbo: This crunchy treat is made from thinly sliced unripe bananas deep-fried in brown sugar.

What to buy

Textiles are unique souvenirs from the region. Patadyong and sinamay are indigenous fabrics. Patadyong is a pre-Spanish fabric characterized by plaid designs. Sinamay is primarily woven from the finest abaca fiber.

What to see and do

Aklan and Antique are famous for their natural attractions. Boracay in Aklan is reputed to have the best venue for beach-based activities while Tibiao in Antique is famed for its excellent kayaking spots.

Iloilo and Negros Occidental are known for their historical attractions. Iloilo is home to the baroque church of San Agustin, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Calle Real, the historic commercial center of the province. Negros Occidental, once the Sugar Capital of the country, boasts of some of the best well-preserved colonial structures in the country.

Capiz and Guimaras are centers of agricultural tourism. Capiz is the Seafood Capital of the Philippines while Guimaras produces the best mangoes in the country. Guimaras mangoes are reputed to be one of the sweetest in the world.

For heritage tour itineraries, one can see Paranubliun, which has an extensive listing of heritage sites in Western Visayas.

Relevant Contacts

Aklan Provincial Tourism Office
Gov. Corazon L. Cabagnot Tourism & Training Center
Kalibo, Aklan
Telephone No.: (+6336) 268-8033
Fax No.: (+6336)262-4692

Antique Tourism Office
Provincial Capitol, San Jose, Antique

Capiz Provincial Tourism Office
City Hall, Roxas City

Guimaras Provincial Tourism Office
Provincial Capitol, Jordan, Guimaras

Iloilo City Tourism Office
2nd Floor COA (Elizalde) Building, J.M. Basa St.,
City Proper, Iloilo City (near Plaza Libertad)
Telephone No.: (+6333) 337-2172, 336-7572

Negros Occidental Tourism Center
Fax No.: (034) 433-2515, 476-2018
E-mail : This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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