Iloilo 101

I've just returned from a trip from my hometown, Iloilo. I've been so accustomed to everything Ilonggo that it surprised me how interesting Iloilo was for other people who heard about my trip! I realize it's actually because Iloilo doesn't really get a lot of what I call, "media mileage". It's not as popular as other destinations in the South. So today I'm going to give you a glimpse of Iloilo. Treat this not just as an introduction to the beautiful region but also as a guide to making the most out of your trip :)

Must see: Iloilo boasts of the most beautiful "old houses" in the country. What's interesting about them is that they are not only beautifully crafted but they are also surprisingly for the maharlika! Iloilo city itself is reminiscent of the Spanish era reflected in all the "rich people's" abodes and intricately designed churches. There are a lot of "authentic" mansions scattered all over the city, just open your eyes and take notice!
Must see highlights:
*Miag-ao church
*Jaro Cathedral
*St. Clement's church (supposedly miraculous! It's the one in the picture)
*Villa Beach
*Lopez Boat House
*Calle Real
* Jeepneys (they are so unique!)
*Nelly Garden in Jaro (an old white mansion nestled in a green lot. Incredibly grand!)

What to do: Tour the entire city! It's so small, you can tour it in less than a day! Afterwhich, you have to taste Ilonggo food! If you don't know yet, Iloilo is a city of great cuisine! There are a lot of interesting food to eat so I suggest you go ahead and try all of them!

Place to stay: There are a lot of hotels in Iloilo. It doesn't really matter if you stay at a grand hotel or not. A boutique hotel would be enough. It's cheap, but still offers good service. I'm also sure you would love the room service menu! I've never seen food rates that cheap! hihi :P

Essential: Sunblock! Yes, yes. It's an essential even if you're just touring the city. Because Iloilo is almost surrounded by salt water, it is much hotter in this province. So don't forget your sunblock!

What to taste: There are a lot of GREAT restaurants in Iloilo so I'm dedicating a separate post for that. But to summarize all the great food you MUST try in Iloilo, here's a list:

*Deco's original La Paz Batchoy
*Creme Horn
* De Ocampo's Barquillos
* Ibus (suman for Tagalogs)
* Dinuguan
* Tatoy's Seafood (at Villa beach)
* Chicken Inasal (my friend swears by the taste of this!)
* Pancit Molo
* Dulgie's sweets

What to bring home: Iloilo is heaven for pack rats-slash-pasalubong junkies. But not everything being sold is bound to scream "Iloilo!" and not all are bound to taste good. Hehe :) So here's a list of what you should actually buy:

*Dried products at Central Market: dried squid, guinamos (bagoong), dried fish, hibi
* Ibus
* Panaderia de Molo bestsellers: Barquillos, Galletas, Kinihad, Butterscotch, Baquiron
* Creme Horn
* Flavored Piaya by the Trappist Monks
* Butong-butong
* Baye- baye along Sta. Barbara
* Ginamos (bagoong)

Bisaya basic: The ultimate Bisaya basic you have to know: Tig-pila ini? (How much is this?) hehe :P

Cool trivias:
*Iloilo's airport is one of the best airports in the entire Philippines. It is surprisingly really high end!
*There are a lot of Koreans in Iloilo. Weird, really. But then, we're experiencing the Korean invasion so maybe it isn't so peculiar

So there goes Iloilo 101! Now that you know a lot about this tiny place, why don't you try its sights and sounds? I'm sure you'll completely fall in love with its quintessential appeal and of course, the oh-so-distinct Ilonggo way of being and speaking "sweetly". Hihi :P