Top Bacolod City Tourist Spots Including The Ruins
Explore the city of Bacolod and learn why it’s called the City of Smiles. Discover the must-see attractions and food you can’t miss. Read on to find out everything you need to know when planning a trip to this destination.
One of the most advanced cities in the Philippines is Bacolod. It is located in Negros Occidental, a city center that prides itself on its eclectic heritage, culture, and religious sites. You can also check other tourist spot blogs in the Philippines.
Bacolod is known as the City of Smiles because of its Mashkara festival and the locals also have a smiling faces. Also because this city definitely makes anyone smile!
It’s a city you can really call a second home, like the ease of being alone in Bacolod. Read more about the best tourist attractions in the City of Smiles.
1. Discover The Ruins
Bacolod is the sugar capital of the country, and the elderly here make their fortunes from it. Remains of this period are ruins, which were once the mansion of sugar tycoon Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson.
This is one of the top tourist attractions in Bacolod. Its beautiful architecture is still visible today, but it was burnt down during World War II.
The ruins are not as accessible as the rest of the city. You can ask around the city center for a jeep to the Pepsi bottling plant, and from there you can take a tricycle to the site.
Alternatively, you can take a taxi directly to the ruins or take a day trip from Bacolod.
2. Explore Negros Museum
Negros is a great place, especially because it offers visitors an immersive experience. This is a museum whose focus is not on storing artifacts, but on telling interesting stories about the Negros region.
This is primarily a children’s museum, but it also has something for adults who want to learn about the amazing role of the Negros in the formation of the Philippine Republic.
Getting here is easy. Just ask to be taken to the Provincial Capitol, where the museum is just a short walk away.
3. Pray at San Sebastian Church
It is a structure that was opened to the public in 1882 and now houses the Bishop’s Palace on its grounds.
It has elegant architecture that dates back to the Spanish era and is considered an important historical landmark by the Philippine Historical Council.
The church closes around 8pm, so get to one of Bacolod’s most well-known tourist attractions early!
Getting here is easy too. Just take a jeep to Manokan Country and it will pass the church.
4. Visit Pope John Paul II Tower
This is another sacred landmark of the city, dedicated to the present Holy Pope John Paul II. This is in honor of the Pope’s visit to Bacolod.
The tower houses many memorabilia of the Pope, including his papal throne and various photos of him and his visits. As a bonus, the top deck has a viewing area with beautiful views of the Bacolod skyline.
5. Have a Fun Day at Mambukal Resort
If you want to spend some quiet time with your friends and family, then you should take the time to visit this famous resort. Mambukal Resort is managed by the government of Negros Occidental and covers 23 hectares.
Its fame lies in its beautiful springs, which flow down seven waterfalls (hence the name “Seven Falls”). This is a great trek if you want to see all seven!
There are also boating lagoons, hot springs, and other water activities. You can even rent a cabin here for the night.
To get here, take a jeep to Libertad. This will take you to a bus stop serving the Mambukal area. Take the bus and get off directly at the resort. You can also take a day trip to the Mambuka Resort.
Travel time from the city center takes about an hour, and it is one of the tourist attractions in Bacolod, perfect for outdoor enthusiasts.
6. Eat at Manokan Country
This is a small group of restaurants located in the SM Bacolod car park, so it’s easy to find (just follow directions from the airport).
All the places here offer pretty much the same thing, but it’s still worth a visit due to their high quality grilled chicken.
It’s also very affordable. There are also chicken parts, such as the intestines and chicken butt. By default, the stalls here don’t provide cutlery, as the famous snot across the country are now eaten the traditional way.
7. Go on a Day Trip to Silay
Silay is a neighboring city to the north, and if you’re coming from Manila, it’s actually your first stop on your visit to Bacolod.
Silay is as good as Bacolod in terms of historical signs and you can go hiking here! In fact, Silay is known as the country’s second “museum city” after Wigan.
Check out El Ideal Bakery, the oldest bakery in Silay (don’t miss out on local delicacies!). Balay Negrense or Victor Gaston House houses artifacts from Silay’s heyday as a major economic city in the Negros region.
There are also the Bernardino Jalandoni Museum and the Santiago Pro-Cathedral.
Also check out the Cinco de Noviembre Marker, which commemorates how the Neglons bluffed toward freedom during the Philippine Revolution.
To learn about the history of the country, try a heritage tour in Silay.
Indeed, the Negros region is a very diverse region, and Bacolod and its warm and inviting atmosphere best reflect this.
It’s not the first on the tourist radar, but seeing the tourist attractions in Bacolod is well worth a visit for anyone! Check out Bacolod Tours and browse our list of the best Bacolod hotels to start planning your trip. You can also explore the nearby Visayas province, check out our Bacolod Guimaras Iloilo itinerary for more information.
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