Top Things to do in Negros Island
10 Things to Do in Negros Island That You Shouldn't Miss
Discover the best top things to do in Negros Island, Philippines including Casaroro Falls, Apo Island Marine Reserve, Sugar Beach, The Ruins, Twin Lakes of Balinsasayao & Danao, Silliman University, San Sebastian Cathedral, Rizal Boulevard, Mambukal Mountain Resort, Balay Negrense Museum.
Restaurants in Negros Island
1. Casaroro Falls
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 228 reviews
Reviewed By Eager001 - Brisbane, Australia
Well worth the effort. We hired a guided bike and saw a few places during the day. Casaroro Falls was a little more physical than most places I have visited in the Philippines but not hard.
We went on a day where it rained on and off and we did need to walk through a little shallow water to get to the falls.
2. Apo Island Marine Reserve
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 472 reviews
Reviewed By Anthony A
The place is about 45-60 mind boat ride depending how smooth (or rough) the sea maybe. Jump off point is at Malatapay in the vicinity of Zamboanguita. Wednesday is their Market day so expect vehicle and human traffic during this day as you have to negotiate your way in going into the port. Boat rides varies between P2,400-8,500 per round trip depending on the number of pax riding the boat.
Once you arrived in Apo Island, you need to register with the local coast guard before you can proceed to the marine sanctuary. There is a local restaurant there to serve you lunch and beverages. Suggest you order once you arrived to avoid delays as this is only the restaurant in the island that I saw.
You also need a guide if you are to snorkel and find sea turtles. There the guide will tour you around the marine sanctuary with his floater. You can also rent a snorkel and water shoes at P100/piece since the entrance to the sanctuary is slippery and rocky. You also have the option to snorkel with life vest or not. But I prefer to swim without to have a better movement swimming with the Turtles. One observation though is the undersea current is strong which makes snorkelling a little bit of effort.
Overall, the experience is great since its very seldom to snorkel with the turtles.
3. Sugar Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 107 reviews
Reviewed By BooRadley11 - Braunschweig, Germany
The other comments tell you all about the beauty and relaxed feeling of Sugar beach.
But what almost no one does here, is hiking/trekking. Although it is possible.
Don't miss to do a short hike up the hill in the morning or evening. It takes about an hour and gives you an overwhelming view of the surrounding. Half way up lives a man called Cinto, who has travelled a lot, speaks almost fluently English and who has a beautiful soul. We met him walking up in the morning and then returned in the evening to talk more with him and enjoy the sunset :) It was very interesting.
We stayed at Driftwood Village and they organized a young guy, who lead us up.
It's a good chance to meet a fantastic person :)
4. The Ruins
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 503 reviews
Reviewed By John A - Elanora, Australia
There isnt much to do here except admire the beautiful Spanish Colonial ruins of a time gone by , it just goes to show how much influence the Spanish had in the early days of the Philippines , and is an example of how much wealth must have been here in the early days , worth the visit ,John and Gina .
5. Twin Lakes of Balinsasayao & Danao
Overall Ratings
4 based on 231 reviews
Reviewed By danerobb - Alberta, Canada
What was made by God is being exploited by an entry fee that is a disappointment to most people who visit here. Some people take one look at the slovenly appearance of the place, and leave, maybe without even paying the fee and entering. There is no swimming allowed at the pretty lakes, but then there's no one to save you if you drown.
So poorly executed, and so charging for some downtime is a dreadful waste of time.
Don't bother.
6. Silliman University
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 99 reviews
Reviewed By JohnGex - Manila, Philippines
I first thought that Silliman University was a public university but based on the conversation with the professor we had met, it was a private university funded by overseas funds.
The place we visited in Silliman was their Anthropology Museum which houses some of the rare finds in Visayan area and in other parts of the country. It was established in 1901 and the first Protestant school in the Philippines. It was also the oldest American university in Asia.
How I wished there was an exchange faculty program between my school and Silliman. There was peace and tranquility when studying in Silliman. If I have another chance to visit another place, that would be Dumaguete.
Dumaguete was a province of caves. I could say and to be sure that you will enjoy or maximize the enjoyment and happiness, you should stay at least 4 days to visit their enchanted and magnificent cave formations.
7. San Sebastian Cathedral
Overall Ratings
4 based on 174 reviews
Reviewed By violetvodka - Bacolod city, Philippines
the church itself is a magnificent architectural structure, and a must-visit for tourists. however, be wary and careful when visiting there at night. a friend was walking out of the gate around 6pm when a stranger put his arm around him and asked for his wallet and cellphone.
8. Rizal Boulevard
Overall Ratings
4 based on 506 reviews
Reviewed By Faithy18 - Las Pinas, Philippines
Had my morning and night walk in this area. Its safe. People in the day run, jog or walks. People in the afternoon stroll. There are events every weekend. There is also a street food area for merienda or dinner.
9. Mambukal Mountain Resort
Overall Ratings
4 based on 387 reviews
Visited February 2009. Roughly 30-45 minutes south of Bacolod City. It’s a good idea to rent out transportation for the day, leave early in the morning for Mambukal, and then come back in the afternoon/evening. We rented out a jeepney for roughly 2,000 pesos and brought some food to cook. There’s quite a bit to do here at Mambukal, all on cash basis, with relatively low fees. Per the website: Hotel Rooms, Water Falls, Swimming Pools, Function Hall, Therapeutic Warm Dipping Pool, Picnic Huts, Overnight Cottages, Food Court, Bat Watching, Boating, Wall Climbing, Slide for Life, Canopy Walk, and Camping Ground.http://www.mambukalhaven.com/location.htmlFirst we rented one of the picnic huts and started cooking. After we ate, we checked out the water fall, swimming pool, therapeutic warm dipping pool, boating lagoon and bat watching ….Picnic Huts – Nice views with a stand to grill and a sink wash your hands. The water comes directly from the falls.Water Fall – I’d say about it’s about a 30 minute hike to the first waterfall, over uneven ground and a single pipe railing to hold on to. Certainly a workout, I wouldn’t recommend this to the less-adventurous. There are a total of 6 or 7 Waterfalls you can hike to, each one a less safe hike than the one before. You should at least hike to the first waterfall, it will be worth the trip. Bat Watching – You can see the bats hanging down from the tall trees in the distance from just about anywhere on the resort. They have specific ‘bat watching’ signs though, on the route to the first waterfall. Boating – You can rent a kayak for 30 minutes to an hour, good for 5 or 6 people per kayak. Life vests and two paddles are provided. Nice lagoon, lots of fun and good exercise. Swimming Pool – Cool water, large pool area. Like any other swimming pool except that this water is from the falls!Therapeutic Warm Dipping Pool – Like a hot shower on a cold day, but in ‘pool’ form. If you’re not used to the hot water just give your body time to adjust and sink lower and lower …. The resort was lots of fun, don’t forget the suntan lotion. Easily took up a whole day. A must visit if you are in Negros!
Reviewed By yumcarrotcake - Sydney, Australia
It has been a very long time since my last visit to Mambukal and the place has improved by leaps and bounds. Our stay was for relaxation so we were fine with only a day trip. However, if one wants to be more adventurous and climb the falls, I recommend staying at least overnight. There are a few types of accommodations to choose from and currently, the construction of a new hotel is ongoing.
There are many activities as this is also a family friendly place. We went for the relaxing and therapeutic sulfur Springs where you have 2 options: the Japanese Ofuro and the dipping pool. The entrance to the resort is very affordable and so are the fees for use of the facilities. We enjoyed the spa as well where we had a nice view of foliage and the small stream whilst on the massage chair.
We didn't have the chance to go kayaking in the boating lagoon which looks very picturesque or climb the Waterfalls or swam in the pool or visit the Butterfly garden. Those will be for our next trip when we can stay longer. There are other attractions such as slide for life which is a zipline, wall climbing and a canopy walk where you can spot the flying foxes or the fruit bats. Mambukal is a sanctuary to at least 4 species of bats that are endangered.
Visitors can opt not to bring food as there is a small food court that serves a variety of Filipino cuisine.
Mambukal is about half an hour away from Bacolod City. We were fortunate we had sunny weather and and we had clear views of the Mountains on the way to the resort.
10. Balay Negrense Museum
Overall Ratings
4 based on 85 reviews
Reviewed By Oren1975 - Birmingham, United Kingdom
It was our 2nd stop among the museums in Silay, first impression, you get the taste of how the hacienderos used to live. The spacious living rooms with intricate staircase starting with oro plata mata concept. The lenght and with of the doors and the ventilation system used before. It was very enriching to learn and discover centuries old mansions that used to line up this areas. Thier lineage and how the descendants keep up with the reunions to continue the tradition. One minor suggestion if the tour guides could give us more information regarding the structures of the house, such as the height of the doors , and when we were having our pictures taken by the stairs going down the stairs railing appear to be unstable.
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