Guimaras five regions – Buenavista, Jordan, San Lorenzo, Sibunag and Nueva Valencia.
Guimaras Island is located between the islands of Panay and Negros in the Central Visayas of the Philippines. It has five regions which are Buenavista, Jordan, San Lorenzo, Sibunag and Nueva Valencia. There is no airport. But it has a lot of boat ports from Iloilo (Panay Island) and Bacolod and Pulupandan (Negros). Mango is the popular fruit for importation.
Bacolod to Guimaras via Pulupandan to San Lorenzo,
Guimaras to Iloilo via Jordan to Ortiz, and
lastly, Iloilo to Bacolod via Dumangas Port to Bacolod Port
Best time to travel
November to May are the best months to visit the island. These months are not that rainy especially summer season of the Philippines, March to May. June to October usually have thunderstorms and rain shower which will just spoil your trip.
San Lorenzo
Ride a tricycle as you alight off the boat from Pulupandan to San Lorenzo, Guimaras, so it will be your private vehicle to different destinations such as:
the windmills
the town hall of San Lorenzo where you can see more of the view (P10/head entrance fee)
instruct the driver to stop over to eat Mango Pizza in Pitstop Restaurant
The boat docked at San Lorenzo Wharf , Guimaras coming from Pulupandan, Negros Occidental
Jeepney, Tricycle and Motorcycle (habal-habal) terminal at San Lorenzo Wharf in Guimaras
Can you spot the windmills behind me?
San Lorenzo Town Hall, Guimaras
The tricycle of Guimaras painted with their pride tourist spots and mangoes
Mango Pizza and Mango shake at Pitstop Restaurant in Guimaras
Nueva Valencia
Raymen Beach Resort
We chose the resort here in Guimaras as they are providing island hopping tour package but there are other resorts that offer a different set of islands. When we booked using travel apps like agoda.com, we got a discounted price at 1,350 php a night.
Swim in the sea
Have your breakfast booked the day before in their restaurant as that is their rule
If you have brought food, you can grill and eat beside the beach with friends.
Raymen Beach Resort in Nueva Valencia Guimaras
Island Hopping Tours
Raymen Beach Resort offers island hopping tours here in Guimaras. The islands included are the following with its entrance fee:
1. Fairy Castle
Sightseeing
2. Baras Cave
No Entrance
3. Ave Maria Island
No Entrance
4. Sea Turtle Sanctuary
5 php/ head
5. Baras Beach Resort
25 php/ head
6. Nagtago Beach Resort
50 php/head
7. Solly Luna
Sightseeing
8. Lamurawan Beach Resort
donation
9. Isla Naburot
Sightseeing
10. SEAFDEC
30 php /head
Boat rental fees:
1 boat (good for 16-20 passengers)
1000 php 1st hour and additional 300 php for succeeding hour
1 boat (good for 11-15 passengers)
700 php 1st hour and additional 200 for succeeding hour
1 boat (good for 1-10 passengers)
500 php 1st hour and additional 150 for succeeding hour
The captain of the boat decided which islands to visit first and cannot be visited due to circumstances but we decided on how long we stay in an island. The crew waited for us as we enjoyed the view.
Number of hours spent
Overall, we spent 4 hours. We went to the main office to register at 5am, then, we rode at 7am. And, we finished and arrived back at 11am.
SEAFDEC
What you can do:
Learn from the staff the different marine species that the department is taking care of.
Feed the fishes
Support the SEAFDEC by buying souvenirs or being part of their advocacy
Allotment time: 30 minutes
Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC)
Ave Maria Island
This island is beautiful but a bit crowded when a lot of tourists came together at the same time.
Have a picture taken to the sandbar and the island itself
Snorkel to see some fish
Swim
Allotment time: 30 minutes
Ave Maria Island
Lamurawan Beach Resort
The island was a beach resort ran by nuns before. There were rooms and toilet rooms however, they were not in use.
Have your picture taken to the numerous island viewed when you get there
Allotment time: 10-15 minutes
Lamurawan Beach Resort – one of the islands to see in Guimaras
Lamurawan Beach Resort which is abandoned but considered a part of the island hopping tour in Guimaras
Overlooking the islets from Lamurawan Beach Resort Island
Nagtago Beach Resort
This beach resort was for me the best island among the rest. The scenery was gorgeous and the feeling was totally relaxing especially when you rest in the hammock and in the beach rest house’s chair looking at the sea.
go to the pathway island to see a great view
in the pathway turn left to go to the rest house (which you can also rent but it is expensive)
down the pathway island, play and swim in the sandbar
back to Nagtago Beach dock, go up to the stairs and see the mini-chapel
go down and rest in the hammocks
buy and drink freshly picked buko/coconut juice.
Allotment time: 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes
Nagtago Beach – one of the islands to see in the island hopping tour in Guimaras
Nagtago Beach Rental House in an islet and the sandbar
Nagtago Beach’s Sand bar
the view from the Nagtago Beach rental house in an islet
Nagtago Beach’s Main Rental House
The hammock, the sea breeze and the view – what a great feeling!
the little chapel on top of this island
Jordan
Guimaras National Crop Research, Development and Production Support Center ( a.k.a Mango Research Center)
you can walk around or better yet let the tricycle driver drive you around the center, just register your name before you enter at the entrance gate which the guard will let you do it.
Allotment time: 15 minutes
The Guimaras National Crop Research, Development and Production Support Center
Our Lady of the Philippines Trappist Monastery
It has a church, souvenir shop, a retreat house and a monastery.
Pay visit to the church and pray
If you are lucky, a monk is giving a short blessing and prayer to visitors just across the church.
Buy some souvenirs to help the people and have yourself some gifts to your friends.
Allotment time: 10 – 15minutes
the chapel in the Our Lady of the Philippines Trappist Monastery in Guimaras
Back to Nueva Valencia
Guisi Lighthouse Ruins
The ruins of the oldest lighthouse in Guimaras and also the new one are standing in Nueva Valencia. It is a beautiful spot to have a pre-nuptial photos because the scenery is really magnificent because there are palm trees aligned along the coast and the ruins give the historical feeling of the place.
Unwind after a long trip by watching the waves of the sea and breathe the sea air
Take a photo with the oldest lighthouse
If you are brave enough, you can try to climb up the lighthouse but it is very fragile-looking as it is so rusty.
Guisi Lighthouse Ruins
the view from the Guisi Lighthouse ruins
Guisi Lighthouse Ruins
another lighthouse from the Guisi Lighthouse Ruins
We haven’t tried to use the public transportation such as the jeepney as we were in a limited time and we would want to visit many places in a day.
There is no taxi. Tricycle is the taxi. So negotiate the price to the driver.
Because tricycle is a bit pricey, it is better to travel here in a group of 4 to divide the expenses.
In summary, as a couple, we have enjoyed our short stay in Guimaras. It is still a rural place but I personally liked it because I like the simplicity of an island without being so urbanized. It was indeed away from the metropolitan.
If you want to travel by bus or ferry, try to compare prices and routes using Bookaway.com. And you can directly book for tickets hassle-free using this booking tool below:
Remember to READY yourself before travelling, SET yourself to possibilities, GO to your dream destinations and SHARE your experience.
Sarah Jean Buhay enjoys traveling, sharing information about transportation schedules and fares, places to visit and eat and giving her genuine insights for readers. She once moved in Cebu from the suburban of Laguna for almost two years to fully become independent and explore more of herself and her home country, Philippines. When she travels, she tries to stay longer to understand more of the people and the place. She also stayed in South Korea for 2 months, visited Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam for a week and is currently living in Sydney, Australia.
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