Dinagyang Festival in Iloilo City

Pros

1. Great Food - La Paz Batchoy, Pancit Molo, baye-baye, KBL (Kadyos, Baboy, at Langka)
   
   
   

   Batchoy doesn't get any better than in La Paz

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2. Cinemateque Cinema - quality Filipino full-length movies for free twice a day on weekdays inside an air-conditioned comfortable cinematic screening room
   
   
   

   Cinemateque Cinema offers a spacious and comfy screening room

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3. Oysters - oysters are abundant and cheap at P60/bowl
   
   
   

   big oysters at P60 for this bowl

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4. River esplanades - Iloilo City has many rivers with wide, cobblestoned walkways lined along its banks, often on both sides
   
   
   

   River esplanades line up the banks of Iloilo City's rivers

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5. Dedicated bike lanes - major thorough fares are clearly marked with dedicated bicycle lanes
   
   
   

   Dedicated bike lanes along Iloilo City's major thorough fares

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6. Heritage mansions - although most have been neglected and now in a state of disrepair, there is a growing movement to restore them. This one, the Molo Mansion, was purchased by SM and refurbished back. The surrounding grounds were converted to chill-out zones with popular eating stalls
   
   
   

   Molo Mansion

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7. Yoga community - from what I've seen, Iloilo has a vibrant yoga community. It has many yoga studios and fitness gyms offering yoga. There also seems to be a healthy conscious community. This means a lot to me. I would be in my elements.
   
   
   

   many yoga studios and fitness gyms offering yoga

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8. Shopping Malls - Iloilo City has 3 Robinsons and 2 SMs. Ayala is yet to develop its mall but it's in the works. A mall is a litmus test or a benchmark to a city's progress. A backward city probably has a 'mom and pop' mall like Tagbilaran's ICM Mall where they will cancel a last full show if there aren't at least 5 people - forget about the people who made the trip to see that movie.
   
   
   

   fashion show at Robinsons Mall

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Cons

1. Black Smoke Emissions - public jeepneys and most commercial vehicles spew black smoke from their mufflers leaving Iloilo's air dirty and unhealthy. This is simply a matter of enforcing existing emission laws, but this practice goes on unabated. This tells me the public officials are too comfortable inside their SUVs, they no longer know what's happening at street level.
2. They Destroy Good Roads - on the surface, it looks stupid but the reality is blantant corruption.
   
   
   

   Corrupt politicians destroy good roads if there's money in it for them

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3. Drivers do not Yield to Pedestrians Crossing the Pestrian Lane
   
   
   

   these vehicles will run over you on a pedestrian lane if you're not careful

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Travel Tips:

• from the airport, a cab is around P300. But a van (where passengers are pooled until it gets full) is only P50 to SM. However, you can negotiate with the driver to drop you off your hotel at no extra charge. But you have to ask for it, otherwise he'll drop everyone off at SM. It's also a good idea to get his number and arrange for pick-up to the airport.
• When in Jaro, negotiate with a pedicabby to take you to all the old-world mansions. Mine agreed to P100 for an hour of touring.
• when in Iloilo City, you must eat their Batchoy especially at La Paz for the renowned La Paz Batchoy
• take the short jeep ride to Villa Beach and eat by the beach

Places to Stay:

• Ong Bun Pension House - single bed with shared bathroom, P150/night, near corner Quezon-Ledesma Street, (033)3351271 or (0910)4335048

How to get to Iloilo by boat

From Cuyo
• MV Milagrosa - +(63)947.790.4873 / +(63)915.265.7032, Economy P475, Deluxe P575, Tourist Class (a/c) P750

From Bacolod
• Ocean Jet - 8 round trips daily, 6:15am/7:45am/9:15am/10:45am/12:45pm/2:15pm/3:45pm/5:15pm, (033)335.8887/509.7543/509.9018

1. Healing Iloilo - Molo Mansion, Molo, Iloilo City, 5000 Iloilo, 09270790391
2. Barefoot Yoga Studio - 26C Luna St, La Paz, Iloilo City, Iloilo, 09476838627
3. Bamboo Yoga - Santa Barbara, Iloilo
4. Yoga Moeh Garden Studio - Merlo Street, Santa Barbara, Iloilo
5. Perfect Total Fitness - 3/F Lourdes Building (Medicus Corner, Quezon Street, General Luna St), Iloilo City Proper, 0335036857
6. Bereber Pilates Wellness Center - Avanceña St, Molo, Iloilo City, Iloilo, 09603654400

1. Trans Asia Shipping - Terminal 2, Pier 3, 15 hours, Tuesdays and Saturdays, 6 pm (ETA 8:30 am, next day), Trans Asia 19 boat, Tourist P1545 (SR P1236), 2nd Class open air P1400 (SR 1120)

1. FF Cruz Shipping Corporation - M/V Felipe III (CARGO-PAX), Port of Jordan Roro Wharf (Guimaras), 30 mins, Economy (Non-aircon): P35, daily every 30 mins/1 hour from 4:30 am to 6:30 pm