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.

Dalaag Beach Resort, Antique

          Antique is one of the four provinces of Panay Island which includes Aklan, Capiz and Iloilo. The province of Antique boasts a unique geography characterized by mountains in the east hugging the narrow coastal plains which is bounded by the turquoise Sulu Sea in the west. This interplay of mountains and sea gives Antique its spectacular sunset that other Panay Island provinces can only dream of [having only pockets of coasts that can view the setting sun unhindered be tall mountains in the western horizon].
          The northern coast of Antique is dotted by a few outlying islands and numerous coastal reefs which makes this area the new mecca for beach tourism in Panay Island after Boracay in Malay, Aklan and Concepcion (Pan de Azucar/Mt. Manaphag) and Carles (Isla Gigantes, Sicogon Island) in Iloilo. The southern coast, however, doesn't have that much islands with Nogas Island being the only island in the south. However having such a scenic coastal topography, the southern coast of Antique is gaining momentum.
          The most notable coastal landmark in southern Antique is the Punta Hagdan Rock Formation which can be seen as far as San Jose de Buenavista (the provincial capital) abouth 30 km. away. The municipalities of Tobias Fornier (formerly called Dao) and Anini-y has a wide array of black/gray sand beach resorts ranging from simple beachside resorts to resorts complete with amenities such as pools and slides and a hot spring resort in Anini-y (Sira-an Hot Spring). Nogas Island also offers white sand beach and coral reefs around the island accessible through several drop-off points in Anini-y town and Sira-an Hot Spring Resort.
          This post focuses on a newly established beach resort a little further north of Anini-y. It's name is Dalaag Beach Resort in Tobias Fornier. The resort is less than a kilometer north of the town proper. This newly built resort offers amenities from pools for kids and adults, a slide which will lead you straight to the pool after spiraling downwards, rooms for rent with climate control functionality, beach side cottages and a small stage for presentations (i.e. reunions or team-building activities).
         Done with the writing part here, the pictures will speak for themselves. :)

Facing south, Punta Hagdan Rock Formation as seen from the beach. Punta Hagdan Resort is found near the geologic formation.

The beach and the cottages inside.

Facing north, San Jose de Buenavista, Antique is barely visible at the tip of the faint piece of land jutting out into the sea. The mountains belong to the municipality of Hamtic, just north of Tobias Fornier.

The bamboo bridge connecting the beach-side cottages in the background to the pool area in the foreground.

"The Overview". The pool area as seen from the top of the 'water slide tower'.

The water slide tower.

The beach-side cottages as viewed from the top of the tower.

The more secluded part of the pool.

          Dalaag Beach Resort is more than 100 km. from Iloilo City or just about 30 km. from San Jose, Antique. Buses and passenger vans are available at the San Pedro, Molo Bus Terminal in Iloilo City or at the Antique Bus Terminal in Funda Dalipe, San Jose de Buenavista (it is more commonly called as San Jose).

Roxas City, Capiz One-Day Tour

          The province of Capiz in the island of Panay in Western Visayas, Philippines boasts its capital city of Roxas for being the Philippine's seafood capital. There is indeed truth to what they claim.
          Roxas City is the provincial capital of Capiz, the seat of the Archdiocese of Capiz which includes the provinces of Aklan and Romblon, and the only city and the commercial capital of northern Panay Island. A functional domestic airport is serving the city and nearby municipalities while the port of Culasi is one of the busiest ports in Panay after the ports of Iloilo, Dumangas [in Iloilo], Caticlan [in Aklan], and Dumaguit [also in Aklan]. The city is connected to other provinces of Panay by the Iloilo-Capiz New Route to Passi City and Iloilo City in Iloilo down south, Iloilo-Capiz Coastal Road to Estancia in Iloilo to the east, and by the continuation of the Iloilo-Capiz New Route to Kalibo and Caticlan in Aklan to the northwest.
          The city lies near the mouth of the Panay River which empties into the Sibuyan Sea in the neighboring Pan-ay town. The geography of the city itself is a mixture of random hills and swamps from the distributaries of the Panay River traversing through the city which forms northern delta of the river.
          The fare rates (as of July 2014) for buses going to Roxas City are as follows. Airconditioned vans are also available.

     Iloilo [Tagbak Terminal] To Roxas City [Pueblo de Panay Terminal] vv. - 3 hours travel +/- 30 minutes

Bus (Regular): Adult - Php 136.00, Senior Citizens - Php 113.00

Bus (Airconditioned): Adult - Php 161.00, Senior Citizens - Php 131.00

Airconditioned Vans: Php 150.00

     Also available are buses to and from Roxas City and Kalibo, Aklan, and Estancia, Iloilo.

A major tributary of the Jalaur River System passing through Passi City, Iloilo

The transport terminal in Passi City, a major stopover station for buses and vans plying the Iloilo - Roxas, Iloilo - Kalibo, and the Iloilo - Caticlan/Buruanga route and the final station of the Iloilo - Passi route. Passi city is the only component city of the province of Iloilo and is the economic center of central Panay. This is also the last town/city of Iloilo before reaching the province of Capiz.

Vast rice fields and sugarcane fields run along the length of the highway.

Evidence of the onslaught of typhoon Yolanda [Haiyan] in the province of Capiz. These coconut trees still bear the wrath of the storm.

From Iloilo City, the municipality of Dumarao is the first town of Capiz after passing by the Iloilo-Capiz border after Passi City.

The provincial capitol building of the province of Capiz.

Roxas City Administrative Building

The seal of the city of Roxas at the base of their flagpole in front of the city hall.

The Capiz [Roxas] Metropolitan Cathedral, the center of the Archdiocese of Roxas.

The interior of the cathedral

The People's Park Baywalk showin Mantalinga Island

Some of the food we ordered... :)

What's left after eating... :)

Panublion Museum just across the street from the city hall

Inside the museum

Ancestral House of the Roxas Family (inc. the late Philippine President Manuel A. Roxas)

Robinson's Place Roxas, the city's newest and biggest supermall.

Roxas City is a worthy place to visit when you're planning to roam around Panay Island.

Coastal Miagao

Miagao is one of the more scenic municipalities in southern Iloilo. This post will tell you why. =)