Kabugana-an Showcase: Western Visayas tour packages beckon

Tour packages in Western Visayas have a lot to say; but make the journey and let it speak for you.

Tour packages will be featured in Kabugana-an showcase of Western Visayas staged at Intramuros, Manila on June 15 to 28. Kabugana-an is one of the showcases under The Best of the Regions in Intramuros that has a theme Ginintuang Pamana : Arts, History and Culture.

Take a walk and a boat ride into a 70-hectare mangrove forest in Kalibo Aklan. Be ready to be greeted by clear water lapping in the slow outrigger boat and the sound of birds chirping conveyed in many voices and moods. Then there is also a silence deep within the mangrove forest.

Such is the appeal of the Bakhawan Eco-Park Tour in Aklan. The mangrove forest has reaped national and international awards for excellence in environmental protection. The park is also a visited by scientists and students who study mangroves and other marine life. It also houses a training center, restaurant and a souvenir shop.

A 20-minute boat ride from Iloilo takes a traveler to Guimaras Island for a day tour. Guimaras has unspoiled landscapes and white sand beaches. It also has mountain resorts like Valle Verde which gives a panoramic view of the sea. Guimaras offers island hopping and visits to coves and secluded beaches. For a more quiet time, a visit to Trappist Monastery or a hike to Balaan Bukid is a must.

If you're searching for what is authentically Ilonggo, a city and countryside tour in Iloilo is a good place to start. A visit to Museo Iloilo that outlines the history of the Iloilo province introduces a visitor to origins and many influences that make up the Ilonggo culture. A drive through the old commercial district, known as Calle Real, and a stopover to the Iloilo Producers Association showroom are rewarding.

A visit to Jaro district brings traveler to see turn-of-the-century buildings and homes and the stately Jaro Cathedral where all its icons are male saints. This contrasts with that of the Molo Church, inspired by Gothic-Renaissance style, where all saints are females. While touring Iloilo, it is best to sample two famous dishes – batchoy and pancit molo .

In a city tour of Roxas City, Capiz, one basks in freshness and abundance of seafood of which Capiz province is known for. A visit to Teodoro Arcenas Trade Center and Banica Dried Fish Market is a must. These places offer a wide variety of fresh and processed. Baybay Beach has rows of restaurants and resorts that serve delicious seafood grilled, stewed and cooked the native way. Try your angling skills at Capiz Bay Resort.

For a glimpse of culture and history, visit the Ang Panubli-on (Heritage) Museum and Roxas City Display Center where handicrafts and cut flower and ornamental plants are sold.

Discover Antique and Negros Occidental tour packages and know more about adventure and culture in these provinces. Antique tours appeal to the adventurous while that of Negros Occidental attract those who would like to soak up on culture and history. Antique offers exploration of its mountains, reefs and marine reserves.

Negros Occidental tours bring visitors to the cities of Talisay and Silay. The latter was once known as the Parish of Negros, the center of arts and culture. Today, Silay City is dotted by 31 ancestral houses identified by the National Historical Institute as cultural landmarks. The Negros Occidental tour is best capped with a visit to Victorias Milling Company, said to be the largest integrated sugar mill and refinery in the world. (DOT VI)