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First Time Down South: Bacolod and Mambukal Experience

It's been what, like ten months since my last post in this blog. And those were not even done with effort. Sorry. Just been so lazy lately or shall I say I've been preoccupied with things. Well this blog gotta work as what I have wanted in the first place. I mean Travel Buddy is a great idea. It just came to me while I was on my favorite seat shitting. Yeah that's right. I find taking a dump one of the best human activities. When I'm at home for a whole day, I usually do it like three times. Oh geez this is being so informative.

TOUCHDOWN BACOLOD

I arrived in Bacolod on the last day of the week-long celebration of the Masskara Festival. Well it's better getting there by that time than not getting an approved three days vacation leave at all and totally miss everything. Masskara festival week or not, I just have one thing in my mind when I planned to make that trip to Bacolod, and that is I'M GONNA HAVE SOME FUN!

Bacolod is the cleanest and greenest and the most livable city in the Philippines. That is according to their website. I couldn't disagree as I have really fell for the charm this capital city of Negros Occidental can offer. This city presents same structures that Metro Manila offers. In fact the roads in Bacolod are wider and best thing is there's a lot less traffic. And a lot less pollution. I can have an inhale and exhale exercise at their Capitol Park and Lagoon without worrying to get a TB or any lung disease. There are malls. Mall rats need not to worry. There is SM. Well, there is SM everywhere. There is all also Robinsons Place. For a list of malls in Bacolod you may check THIS.

Another thing I love in this place are its people. Specially the Ilongas. They are known to be very malambing. Just how they speak, their intonation, I could easily fall in love with an Ilonga. Some people even say that if you're not an Ilongo, you won't know an Ilongo and Ilonga couple are already arguing since their manner of speaking is just very soft. When I had a chat with Nanat's (my sister) classmates in Bacolod, I just can't keep smiling and just felt happy hearing them talk even though I don't fully understand what they are talking about. (Nanat finished her nursing degree in Bacolod.)

Day 1

Nanat fetched me from New Bacolod-Silay Airport. Airport there is neat. Though it is not air conditioned. We took a 20-minute van ride from Silay to Bacolod that costs around P150/head. We went straight ahead to the Cathedral of San Sebastian. It is one of the biggest church in Bacolod. When it's your first time in a church, you pray and make a wish. Been practicing that since I first visited churches in Nagcarlan, Liliw and Paete. Great old churches.

Touchdown Silay.

New Bacolod-Silay Airport. This neat airport is located in Silay, Negros Occidental. 

Cathedral of San Sebastian.

I was treated with a lechon at Mambe's place. (No, don't google that. It's not a restaurant. It's the name of my lola's sister.) I found out that they have a different way of cooking their lechon here. The men that cooked the lechon put salt, vetsin, batuan, sinigang mix powder and stuffed the meat with manggo and banana leaves. The finished product, a mouth wateringPinoy favorite that is not nakakaumay. I think it's the sour kick that made the difference.

After we eat, we decided to stroll downtown Bacolod. We took a five-minute jeepney ride from Bata Subdivision to get there. Nanat made me walk around the whole block of downtown Bacolod. She told me after that that Bacolod first-timers are initiated with this. Is this true? And is it also true that Bacolod first timers are made to bite sugarcane as sign of welcoming them? Damn, nauto ata ako ng kapatid ko. What is Bacolod experience if you don't experience the famous chicken inasal. And street food experience their is just awesome.

Nanat. So picky of what she eats.

Manokan Country. Inasal everywhere.

Me enjoying inasal, beer and crowd at Downtown Bacolod.

This is the real live barbecue.

Day 2

I just slept all day.

Day 3

Off to Mambukal Mountain Resort. I think this the most famous resort in Negros. Albeit, according to Nanat, there are a lot of resorts in the area. Located at Barangay Minoyan, Murcia, Negros Occidental, it's around 30-45 minute ride from Bacolod.

Welcome to Mambukal Mountain Resort.

Flowers for sale at the entrance of Mambukal.

There are a lot of bats hovering above. Better not open your mouths when looking above cause sure you don't want to catch bat shit .

There is an array of nice facilities which consist of swimming pools (adult and child), boating, canopy walk, slide for life, wall climbing, cottages, small and big picnic huts, standard lodge, deluxe lodge, Suite Room, Ishiwata Camping Ground, Coffee Shop and a Conference Hall perfect for seminars and meetings.

This is one of the huge swimming pool.

Our cottage. We rented this for P300.

That is one nice looking pool.

Boat Ride.

According to the Mambukal staff who assisted us, the deepest part here is 30 feet. 

Wall climbing.

Slide for life.

Safety first.

The Seven Falls. This is the most enjoyable part. Really really love this part. There were five of us who went through with this. Me, Nanat, Bernard, Janet and a kid who volunteered to be our guide. We don't actually need a guide since Bernard and Nanat had already been here several times. For the sake of fun of acquaintance we let him come with us.

You need to register at the base before you start on this easy trail. The first few falls will show us still smiling on the photos. Gets really tiring afterwards. But it's still fun every second of it.

The registration area.

There's also a hanging bridge along the way. 

This is the boy who volunteered to be our guide. 

We found this isolated house on the way to the seventh fall. 

Just like the movies in the 90's where a group usually find a house in the middle of nowhere and that happens to be the house of an aswang. 

Water here is ice cold.

Bernard jumping. Five seconds later, he's 20 feet below. 

When we reached the seventh fall, it just felt so amazing and fulfilling. Fulfilling in the sense that I have accomplished my goal on this trip, to have fun! We were the only group that day that went up to the seventh fall. Most of the groups stopped and enjoyed bathing at the sixth fall.

The seventh waterfall.

Goofing around. Planking is more fun in Mambukal.

Picture perfect.

The descent. It was already raining even before we reached the seventh fall. It continued up until we decided to go back. The view is wonderful. The fog. The green nature. Just lovely. Don't forget to bring zip locks for cameras.

See that fog. 

When we got back, we relaxed at the hot spring pool. Perfect.

Initially, I find the water here very hot. Good thing there are several water sprinklers installed around the side of the pool  to help bathers body adjust to the temperature. After an hour back and forth trek of the seven falls, this hot spring is the best way to relax those tired muscles.

Will see you soon again Bacolod and Illongas!