Guimaras Island Resorts March 2018 Preview 3 of 3

          When you come to Iloilo, the beautiful, yet underrated Guimaras Island should be included in your itinerary. White sand beaches, rock formations, mango plantations, innumerable islands, and the list goes on for this charming island just 10-15 minutes away from Iloilo City by boat.
           Click the links under each resort to learn more!

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It's almost summer! These are my 3 picks for March 2018 v3.0:
(These are in no particular order. They are randomly chosen from the many resorts in Guimaras island for this particular post. The photos are taken from the web.)

1. La Puerta Al Paraizo Resort

Address: Nueva Valencia, Guimaras
Google Maps Location: La Puerta Al Paraizo Resort 

Website: see other links below
Other Links: Facebook Page
                      TripAdvisor
                      Ocean Island Travel

Description:
          Very pristine beach with a good view of the surrounding islets. The cottages are good with some located on top of the hill with majestic ocean views.Perfect for those who want a little more privacy.

Shots from the Web:

2. Isla Naburot Resort

Address: Jordan, Guimaras
Google Map Location: Isla Naburot Resort 

Website: see other links below

Other Links: Facebook

                      TripAdvisor

                      Lonely Planet

Description:

          "Occupying its own island, this absolutely private resort is one of the best offshore options. Those who fantasise about being a castaway will enjoy the eight cottages made from natural materials, including pebbles, shells, tree trunks and the discarded parts of other houses. Each rustic structure is well designed and comfortable." - Lonely Planet

Shots from the Web:

3. Cabugan Adventure Resort

Address: Nueva Valencia, Guimaras

Google Map Location: Cabugan Adventure Resort 

Website: see other links below

Other Links: Facebook

                      TripAdvisor

                      Agoda

                      Lagawone

Description:

          "Cabugan Nature Resort is Guimaras' Ecological Reserve. It gives you a whole new experience of "Going Back to the Basics"... Thus, A Way of Life..."

          This resort is across Magic Island Resort.

Shots from the Web:

Sea Urchin Roe or 'Uni' as the Japanese people call it.

Iloilo Eats!

          Iloilo's culture is a fusion of Spanish-Mexican, Chinese, Indian, and local inputs from centuries of contact with these people through colonization and trade. The culinary heritage of Iloilo followed suit and has become a melting pot of this diverse array of different cultures.

          I linked a few videos below to give you a graphic description of the more common and popular Ilonggo dishes.

          PS: Ilonggo cuisine is fond of using batuan as a souring agent for soups or stews. Ginamos, a flavoring agent made of fermented anchovy or small shrimp/krill is another popular Ilonggo ingredient. Of course, let's not forget kadyos/pigeon peas, batchoy, and others.

(All rights reserved. The videos were taken from youtube.)

Guimaras Island Resorts March 2018 Preview 2 of 3

          When you come to Iloilo, the beautiful, yet underrated Guimaras Island should be included in your itinerary. White sand beaches, rock formations, mango plantations, innumerable islands, and the list goes on for this charming island just 10-15 minutes away from Iloilo City by boat.
           Click the links under each resort to learn more!

Link to Preview 1 of 3
Link to Preview 3 of 3

It's almost summer! These are my 3 picks for March 2018:
(These are in no particular order. They are randomly chosen from the many resorts in Guimaras island for this particular post. The photos are taken from the web.)

1. The Clara Beach and Guesthouse

Address: San Lorenzo, Guimaras
Google Maps Location: The Clara Beach and Guesthouse 

Website: https://www.theclarabeach.com/
Other Links: Facebook
                      TripAdvisor
                      Agoda

Description:
          "The Clara Beach, our boutique guesthouse on the beach in Guimaras-Philippines,  provides the facility to stay, to eat, to day visit, or use the whole facility for functions and meetings.
          Its simple, its relaxing, and its quality, with a gentle mix of eastern and western cultures blended together suiting both home and foreign visitors."

Shots from the Web:

2. Tatlong Pulo Beach Resort

Address: Jordan, Guimaras
Google Map Location: Tatlong Pulo Beach Resort 

Website: see other links below

Other Links: TripAdvisor

                      Pinoy Travel Freak

                      Valerie Caulin

Description:

          A breathtaking white-sand beach resort in Jordan, Guimaras unknown even to most locals in Iloilo. It sits in a beautiful cove beside Balingasag Beach Resort, protected from strong waves by a stunning islet just offshore.

Shots from the Web:

3. Costa Aguada Island Resort

Address: Inampulugan Island, San Lorenzo, Guimaras

Google Map Location: Costa Aguada Island Resort 

Website: see other links below

Other Links: Facebook

                      TripAdvisor

                      Agoda

                      Asia Travel

Description:

          "A first-class eco-tourism island resort where nature and people lived as one. Visit us and we will definitely bring you straight into the embrace of paradise."

          An island resort off the eastern coast of Guimaras.

Shots from the Web:

Guimaras Island Resorts March 2018 Preview 1 of 3

          When you come to Iloilo, the beautiful, yet underrated Guimaras Island should be included in your itinerary. White sand beaches, rock formations, mango plantations, innumerable islands, and the list goes on for this charming island just 10-15 minutes away from Iloilo City by boat.
           Click the links under each resort to learn more!

Link to Preview 2 of 3
Link to Preview 3 of 3

It's almost summer! These are my 3 picks for March 2018:
(These are in no particular order. They are randomly chosen from the many resorts in Guimaras island for this particular post. The photos are taken from the web.)

1. Andana Resort

Address: Nueva Valencia, Guimaras
Google Maps Location: Andana Resort 

Website: http://www.andanaresort.com/
Other Links: Facebook Page
                      TripAdvisor

Description:
          "Nestled within a secret cove southwest of Guimaras sits Andana. A 70-room luxury resort with white sand beaches, serene waters and mesmerizing scenery."
          This resort is near the more mainstream Raymen's Beach Resort or Alubihod.

Shots from the Web:

2. Kenyama Beach Resort

Address: Nueva Valencia, Guimaras
Google Map Location: Kenyama Beach Resort 

Website: see other links below

Other Links: Facebook

                      TripAdvisor

                      Agoda

Description:

          A white sand beach resort at the westernmost part of Guimaras Island in close proximity to the historic Guisi Lighthouse.

Shots from the Web:

3. Vilches Beach Resort

Address: San Lorenzo, Guimaras

Google Map Location: Vilches Beach Resort 

Website: http://vilchesresorts.com/

Other Links: Facebook

                      TripAdvisor

                      Ocean Island Travel

Description:

          "Vilches Beach Resort was established in 1993 and originally called Sunrise Beach Resort. A major renovation took place in July 2007 which resulted in a modern yet authentic resort. Our accommodations include a air conditioned beach house, 2 bedroom air conditioned cottages and native cottages where you are literally steps away from the ocean. Enjoy waking up every morning to see the beautiful Guimaras sunrise...."

          This resort is just about 2.5 kilometers from the Guimaras Windmills.

Shots from the Web:

Beautiful ILOILO

All rights reserved. Credits to the owner(s) of this video.

Iloilo River Esplanade 1

          The Iloilo River Esplanade is a 1.2 km. stretch of linear park along the northern bank of the Iloilo River (it's technically an estuary). The project is the brainchild of Senate President Franklin Drilon who is an Ilonggo by blood and by heart. The esplanade was inspired by the famous Singapore Quay which was also designed by the same architect who designed the Iloilo River Esplanade.

The City's iconic signature "I Am Iloilo" is located on the western end (near Carpenter's Bridge) of the Esplanade.

The Medical City Iloilo, a hospital operated by the The Medical City Group in Manila operates in Molo District beside Carpenter's Bridge. The second phase of Esplanade 1 runs in front of the hospital up to Diversion Road near Hotel del Rio.

Phase 2 of the Esplanade. The two towers of the gothic Molo Church is on the left side while the crane on the right side is the one building the expansion of The Medical City - Iloilo in the on the top.

Medicus Medical/Diagnostic Center (the blue building with the tower), Ayala Technohub 1 (the white and black building to the left) and Injap's condominium (the cream colored building) along Gen. Luna Street to the right is visible in this picture.

The winding path of the park hugs the mangrove-laiden banks of the Iloilo River.

Kadyos-Isda-Kapayas (KIK) ~ an authentic Ilonggo cuisine!

          Iloilo is famous for its kadyos(black beans/pigeon peas)-based dishes. Kadyos is the local name for the seeds (as beans) and the particular plant under the family Fabaceae or legume family. Its scientific name is Cajanus cajan. This small, rounded, black, yellow, or white beans are known throughout Southern and Southeastern Asia. In Iloilo, 99% of the time, the black variety is used as it is more favored over the other varieties for its rich earthy taste.

     Here in the Philippines, the kadyos beans are most utilized in the province of Iloilo and the surrounding provinces of Western Visayas. Three main dishes are derived from this vegetable. These are Kadyos-Baboy-Langka or KBL (Kadyos Beans-Pork-Unripe Jackfruit), Kadyos-Manok-Ubad or KMU (Kadyos Beans-Chicken-Chopped Young Banana Husk[the 'whitish'  innermost layers of the trunk of the banana]), and the topic in this discussion, Kadyos-Isda-Kapayas or KIK (Kadyos Beans-Fish[Fried]-Unripe Papaya). All these dishes are cooked in boiling water (literally, they're soupy dishes, not saucy or dry). This post will show you how to cook this proudly Ilonggo dish and how yummy it looks (and tastes), well, at least for me. :)

Ingredients:
     about a cup of fresh kadyos beans (dry beans will require longer cooking time)
     2-3 slices of fried fish (it can be tuna, trevally, jack (my favorite), or any other fish)
          *PS: the head is the tastiest part so if possible, include it in the menu
     2 small unripe papayas, sliced into 1 inch thick slants
     about a bowl of kamote (sweet potatao; Ipomea batatas) leaves and tops
     3 pieces of spring onions, chopped 1 inch long
     salt
     pepper
     dash of MSG or 1 tsp. of sugar (optional)
     chopped shallots, garlic, and tomatoes
     lemongrass leaves in a tight bundle

Procedure:
1. Prepare all the ingredients
    Wash thoroughly the beans or if you're using dried beans, soak it overnight before using.
    Peel the papaya and remove the immature seeds using a spoon. Use the tip of the spoon to remove the seeds. Slice it in slants of about 1 inch thick.
    Prepare two to three slices of fried fish of your choice.
    Prepare and wash about a bowl of kamote leaves and tops. For the leaves, do not include moast of the petiole or leaf stalk as it is to fibrous to chew, just the part nearest the leaves.
    Chop three spring onions into 1 inch-thick 'tubes'.
    Chop shallots, garlic, and tomatoes separately.
    Tie about 5 leaves of lemongrass into a tight bundle that won't easily get untied while cooking.

Bottom-left: tomatoes, left: garlic cloves, center-left: spring onions, top: unripe papaya, top-right: fried fish, center: kadyos beans.

Unripe papayas, scrape off the seeds using the tip of a spoon.

Slice these further in slants.

"The" Fish.

Kadyos close-up view.

Kamote leaves.

2. Sauté the garlic and shallots in oil and add the tomatoes after the shallots turn pale.

3. Add the kadios, sauté a little more, and add hot water to boil. Boil until the beans can be easily crushed by a spoon against the surface of the pot.

4. Add the fried fish into the boiling pot. Let boil for about 5-10 minutes.

5. Add the papaya and allow to boil until tender (but not "mashable"). Add the flavorings (salt, pepper, and MSG/sugar[optional]) by now and adjust the flavor by adding a little more of any of the three to suit your taste.

6. Add the lemongrass and let boil for about 5 minutes.

7. Add the kamote leaves and boil for 5-10 minutes. PS: the kamote leaves are easily overcooked.

8. Sprinkle the chopped spring onions and remove from heat. Serve while piping hot. Makes an enjoyable pair with rice.

Serve and enjoy!