Family Activities in Bacolod - Philippines

If you are running out of spots to bring your family to, maybe you haven't discovered Bacolod City yet. Bacolod City, as well as its neighboring towns and cities, is a one-stop stop for a unique nature and cultural experience.

The City of Smiles is just an hour's plane ride from Manila. And once your plane lands, you will be greeted by genuine Bacolod hospitality from the respectful porters and the all-too-helpful staff. If you have no idea yet where to take your family, visit the Negros Occidental Tourism Center at the Provincial Capitol Building, and they will give you an array of places to visit and activities to enjoy. Here are the top-five family activities to do in Bacolod.

Unwind at Nature's Village Resort

Get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and book your family a room at Nature's Village Resort in Talisay City, the neighboring city, which is just around fifteen to twenty minutes from the airport. A tourist spot in itself, the resort has amazing facilities and offers a variety of activities. It has a 16-bay golf driving range, a butterfly sanctuary, an Olympic-sized pool, a nature park with lush greens, and a garden that's fit for meditation. You can take a stroll around the resort with your sweetheart while the children play with the butterflies and take a dip at the pool.

Take Sugar-Making Lessons at Victorias Milling Company Inc.

An educational tour will definitely be a plus for the kids, so why not drop by Victorias Milling, which warmly welcomes tourists to see their facilities and explain the process of making sugar. See your kids stare in awe as tons and tons of sugar cane turn into mountains of sugar. Such a breath-taking experience.

Fill Your Tummies with Yummy Ilonggo Cuisine

The Manukan Country at the Bacolod Reclamation Area has rows and rows of stalls selling the famous chicken inasal. You may also squeeze in a fresh oysters snack at Aboy's (Liroville Subdivision), which specializes in grilled and savory seafood specials. Or visit Enting's Special at 22nd Street for mouth-watering seafood and lechon. Then go to Bong-bong's and satisfy your sweet tooth with piaya, a sweet delicacy made of flat dough and filled with sugar paste. If you're lucky, you may experience a piaya-making session and make your own dessert, which you and the kids will definitely enjoy.

Travel Back in Time at Balay Negrense

Let Don Victor F. Gaston's ancestral home take you back to the old Spanish times and get a taste of the lifestyle back in another era. Balay Negrense is well preserved and houses old artifacts owned by a prominent haciendero . Aside from Balay Negrense, there are also some ancestral houses that dot the streets of Silay City. To cap your historical experience, take your family to a dinner and cultural show at the Balay performed by the Kabataang Silay Performing Arts and Rondalla Ensemble.

Immerse in the Beauty of Nature at Mambucal Mountain Resort

Cap your vacation with an overnight trip to Mambucal Mountain Resort located at Murcia town at the foot of Mount Kanlaon, one of the highest peaks in the Philippines. See the seven waterfalls, cross the canopy walkway, and be engulfed in the rich flora of the resort. If you have the adventurous streak, you can go boating, mountain trekking, and even wall climbing. Or you can just sit back at the pool side and enjoy the fresh air while the kids dip at the cool springwater pool or the warm hotspring tub.

Bacolod is definitely a friendly place for the family. So why not hop into the next place and have a taste of the sweet life in the land of sugar and smiles!