Day 1
Manila – Bacolod – Silay City – Manapla – Bacolod
Meals: lunch
Arrival at Bacolod-Silay Airport. Your guide and driver will pick you up at airport. Start touring right away.
First, we will visit the Balay Negrense (House of Negros). This museum will give you an idea of how a sugar planter in the 1800s lived. Next is a visit to Jalandoni and Hofilenia ancestral houses (if tour falls on Monday, visit Balay Ni Tana Dicang instead) and do some walking around the heritage area of Silay. You will have lunch in a local cafeteria offering local dish.

After lunch, proceed to the Gaston Mansion, a beautiful Spanish-style white mansion in the middle of a sugar plantation of Hacienda Sta. Rosalia, where you will also get to hear the interesting story of how it was able to preserve its timeless beauty. Leisure time at the Hacienda includes a stroll around the sugarcane plantation; visit at the unique Chapel of Cartwheels and lastly, visit the Hacienda Crafts where beautiful handicrafts made out of bamboo and other local materials are being done by hand.
The day ends at the Hacienda with a tea time. After this, transfer back to Bacolod and a quick visit at The Ruins on the way. The Ruins is a mansion built in early 1900’s by a sugar baron but met its sad fate in the early part of World War II when the guerilla fighters in the Philippines burnt the mansion to prevent the Japanese forces from utilizing it as their headquarters. To this day, the 903 square meter structure still stands tall amidst sugar plantation and continues to awe tourists. Truly, a picture-perfect backdrop and a magnificent sight to see especially at dusk. Drive to Bacolod and check into the hotel. Overnight will be at La Planta.

Day 2
Bacolod – Cadiz – Bantayan
Meals: breakfast
Your driver will meet you at the hotel. Drive to Cadiz where the ferry for Bantayan will leave at 0900. Make yourself comfortable for the boat trip which takes about three hours. Upon arrival your driver will meet you at the pier. He will transfer you to your hotel which is located right on the beach. Check in. Rest of the day is free at leisure.
Overnight will be at Anika Island Resort.

Day 3
Bantayan
Meals: breakfast and lunch
After breakfast your private boat will be waiting for you. Together with your boatman and private guide you will explore some of the offshore islands. The boat is a local boat but provides cover against the sun and has lifevests. At at leisure speed we cruise through this archipelago. Most people at Bantayan live from fishing or other sea-related activities such as harvesting seaweed or collecting shells. We admire the lush mangrove forests of this wonderful area.
We will visit a fishing village where you can see some of the above described activities. There is time to chat with the people and take pictures.
We leave the village and make the short trek through coastal and mangrove forest to a bamboo bridge, the Panitugan bridge. Villagers constructed this bridge to allow children from Panitugan island to go to school on Moamboc island. We cross this beautiful bridge and trek to the school. We say hello to the pupils. It is a short visit as we don’t want to disturb the lessons. We hike back to our boat.
We continue cruising and will spend time on a wonderful deserted beach. Here we will stay for a while. It’s time for snorkeling and swimming. Your guide will show you how he prepares a typical fisherman’s lunch. You can assist him. After a delicious seafood lunch (with seaweed!) we will bring you back to the resort where you will arrive at 1400. Rest of the day free at leisure.
Overnight at Anika Island Resort

Day 4
Bantayan
Meals: breakfast and lunch
Your guide will meet you at the hotel after breakfast for your Cultural Immersion tour of Bantayan. The island has a rich history dating back to the 16^th century. Today we will use only local transportation. Main transportation will be the tricycle, a motorbike with sidecar. We will do some stretches by pedicab or trisikad, a local bicycle taxi. It’s good fun and make for great photo opportunities. We will visit the market of Bantayan which has an extraordinary offering of dry fish and other sea products. Your guide will explain and let you taste some of it. We continue to the Peter & Paul Parish church, established in 1580. We continue to Obo‑ob Mangrove Garden, a community-based mangrove protection project. We take the mangrove walkway and have lunch at the restaurant. On the menu will be local imbao soup! Imbao is a seashell. You will love it!
After lunch we will transfer you back to the hotel. Rest of the afternoon free at leisure.
Overnight at Anika Island Resort

Day 5
Bantayan
Meals: breakfast
After breakfast your driver will transfer you to the bus station. A place has been reserved for you on the airconditioned bus from Bantayan to Cebu. The bus will go on the ferry and then continue to Cebu. Total driving time will be about four hours. The bus will stop once along the way where you can buy snacks and drinks.
After arrival in Cebu City take a taxi on own to the hotel.

End of Services.