What To Do and Where To Go in Iloilo City

Iloilo City has progressed so much in past couple of years that we need an updated version of ILOILO CITY GUIDE FOR TOURISTS.

The first video did well in terms of viewership and it did what it supposed to do — and that is to be a guide for visitors or tourists that are not still familiar with the city of love.

2 years passed since that video, the booming city of Iloilo has new things to offer. So here’s an article version of video.

or you may watch the video by clicking the image below

TOUCHDOWN: ILOILO

Upon arrival at Iloilo International Airport, you might be hungry, and want to taste Ilonggo food right away. If that’s the case, eat legit Ilonggo cooking at Tatoy’s Restaurant (Airport branch). It’s just a walk away from the airport gates. A quick grub of Ilonggo food before you start your tour is not a bad idea at all!

WHERE TO STAY IN ILOILO CITY

Because of the sudden surge of tourist arrivals and people going to Iloilo for economic reasons, plenty of new hotels, inns, and B&B places opened up to cater the demand.

If you want the most luxurious stay in the city, you can book suite in hotels like Courtyard by Marriott, or Richmonde Hotel. Expect around 75USD to 100USD per night in these hotels.

Less expensive but also considerably luxurious hotels like Grand Xing and Seda are very good options. Moreover, iconic hotels like Hotel del Rio and The Mansion (formerly Sarabia Manor) are operational and better than ever. Business hotels like ’21’ hotels are also scattered around the city and they bring very good service.

There are also plenty of newer hotels that you can try — like Park Inn by Radisson near SM City Iloilo and other newly opened hotels just outside the city like Gateway and Sotogrande.

Cheaper hotels for budget stay are all over the city and there are countless of budget inns to choose from. You may also try renting luxury condominiums in Iloilo City via Mangga Homes (manggahomes.com).

WHERE TO GET YOUR NEEDS & SERVICES

Malls, malls, malls… Iloilo City has lots of them. The most popular and probably the most complete is SM City Iloilo in Mandurriao district. Next would be Robinsons Place downtown — there are also Robinsons branches in Jaro and Pavia.

In Iloilo Business Park, there is the new and posh Festive Walk Mall. Not as complete but still a decent place to get your needs. It is more of a hangout place with all the luxurious conveniences.

Another marker of a booming city — like hotels, malls are everywhere in Iloilo. They usually have the things you need. So as long as you are within the metro, there is always a mall you can count on.

TRANSPORTATION

Perhaps, the most convenient, but pricey, is cab service. Taxi scams happen sometimes in Iloilo City but it is quite rare since cab drivers in Iloilo are generally honest and friendly.

The most popular and reliable taxi companies at the moment are Light of Glory, GDR, and Forbes. Nevertheless, cabs are a dime a dozen in Iloilo. So it’s okay to hail any taxi you come across with.

If you are the adventurous type and really want to experience local mass transportation, ride the Public Utility Jeepney (PUJ). PUJ’s have set routes and you just need to figure out where they go. Ask a friendly local for assistance, they will gladly help you.

Now if you are EXTREMELY adventurous, you might want to drive around the city via car rentals. Try ZTS or Bennch Transport Services. A caveat though, Filipino driving may shock you. Traffic in Iloilo City is not that bad but local driving culture can be a pain the a#*.

FOOD AND RESTAURANTS

The trip to Iloilo City will not be complete if one has not eaten local food. When you are in the city, make sure you try these Ilonggo food and delicacies.

SIGNATURE ILONGGO FOOD

Firstly, the Lapaz Batchoy…

as the name suggests, it is from Lapaz district. You may go there to eat Batchoy for a more authentic experience. The big three servers of Batchoy are Ted’s, Netong’s, and Deco’s. Popoy’s is also considerable because of its increasing popularity.

Batchoy shops are everywhere in Iloilo as there is a ‘batchoyan‘ in every popular street. Batchoy shops are also found in malls — basically, everywhere there is foot traffic!

You can even get Batchoy in a small and almost hidden spot in Santa Barbara. Batchoyan ni Jasmin (sa Ilawod) has a steadily increasing patronage among Ilonggos. People from far locations go there just to get a taste of their brand of Batchoy.

Next, the Pancit Molo…

try Kap Ising’s Pancit Molo. It is considered by many Ilonggos as the best Pancit Molo in the city. But hey, it is still okay to try any kind of Pancit Molo in the city. If it is cooked by an Ilonggo, there is a high chance it will taste great.

ICONIC RESTAURANTS

Now for restaurants that serve authentic Ilonggo cooking.

Go to Tatoy’s or Breakthrough in Villa. These two are favorite restos of locals for celebration eating and the go-to food place for balikbayans. By the way, Tatoy’s also has a branch in San Rafael, near Atria, and Breakthrough has Ponsyon in Plazuela.

Another iconic restaurant that you should not miss is Roberto’s. It is a simple and quaint restaurant specializing in Filipino-Chinese cuisine and famous for their Queen Siopao.

Iconic Iloilo Restaurants — i.e. Kong Kee, The Summer House, Dainty House — are usually found along the streets of the old business district.

“THE CITY OF THE OLD AND THE NEW”

This is just one of the more popular catch phrases that describe Iloilo City.

Iloilo is famous for preserving old buildings and particularly, old mansions and heritage houses. These old structures have become tourist attractions. They are found everywhere and a couple of these heritage houses have become museums-slash-restaurants-slash-novelty shops. Molo Mansion and Camiña Balay na Bato are two notable destinations.

Old mansions and streets of buildings bring in culture and a good feeling of nostalgia.

THE NEW URBAN DEVELOPMENTS

Because of the city’s economic boom, all of a sudden there are plenty of urban developments in Iloilo.

The most notable of all is Megaworld’s Iloilo Business Park. The former Iloilo Domestic Airport is now a ‘township‘ with luxury condominiums, posh restaurants, world-class hotels, hi-tech offices, and a lifestyle mall. It has a strip called the Festive Walk Parade — a vibrant and exciting place during the night especially the weekends.

Iloilo Business Park is dubbed as the ‘best address‘ in the city where you can Live-Work-Play. It also houses the Iloilo Convention Center and on the Southern part of the township is the future business district of Iloilo City.

Gaisano Capital’s Iloilo City Center is also one of the major urban developments along the Benigno Aquino Avenue. Right now, it has restaurants, bars, recreation hubs, KTVs, and clubs. It also has its own mall.

The Ayala developments in San Rafael Mandurriao and Smallville Complex are also developments that add more excitement to the city. They are a major part of the commercial boom of the city. Within the area, they have schools, hospitals, food and recreation spots like restos, bars, and coffee shops. The location also houses condominium buildings and hotels.

Don’t expect SM Corp to just watch these things unfold without making a move. SM is a key and major player in the commercial development of the city. Apart from the constant improvements of the mall, they now have the Strata Mixed-use Tower. They also put up and operate their own brand of hotel which is just beside SM City, and started constructing residential condominiums.

The Iloilo City Esplanade is a remarkable development. It is not only aesthetic, Esplanade also promotes wellness through health and fitness. The Boardwalk along the Iloilo river has nice restos and bars with music acts from popular local bands and duos.

Actually commercial progress is all over the city. Every district — Jaro, Molo, Lapaz, Villa Arevalo, Lapuz, Mandurriao, and City Proper — are developing at a fairly equally fast rate.

NIGHT LIFE

Iloilo City night life is fun. The urban developments just mentioned offer plety of things to do during the night up to the wee hours of the morning. Ilonggos right now is fond of Food parks — a popular thing as of the moment.

Okay, night life in Iloilo is not as exciting as in Manila or Cebu (at least not yet) but Iloilo City at night is certainly fun but most importantly… safe!

Here are other places in Iloilo that you need to visit…

Visit old churches in the city. Go and visit the Jaro Cathedral and see its Old Belfry. Next, marvel at the design of Molo Church and try to experience what it is like in Molo Plaza during Sundays. While you are there, try Jo-ann’s Fishball — a very popular street food in Molo.

Walk around the old business district of Iloilo and see old buildings and establishments there. Go to stores and shops of Chinese traders. You might see something you like.

Also make sure that you visit San Jose Church and Plaza Libertad within the Iloilo City proper area. While you are there, see the new Dinagyang Grandstand along Mulle Loney st.

Just a few meters away is the Iloilo Port area. See what it is like near the Iloilo Strait. You can see the neighboring island of Guimaras from there. Try walking along the breakwater and see people having fun, fishing and enjoying the coastal breeze. It is actually a good place to meditate and contemplate everything under the sun.

If you feel the need to eat, dine at Fort San Pedro Drive-In. It is considered as an iconic restaurant in the city. Albeit old and almost worn down, the food (especially the chicken) still tastes great! The place also has that sense of nostalgia that many Ilonggo balikbayans like.

FESTIVALS IN ILOILO CITY

The most recommended time to visit and experience Iloilo City is definitely during festivals.

Here is a great tip:
If you are a tourist and want to spend a good one or couple of months in Iloilo City, the best time to book is around mid-January until end of February. Within that time frame, you would be able to experience the most exciting festivals and events in Iloilo City.

First is the Dinagyang Festival on the 4th weekend of January. It is considered to be world-class. It never fails to put tourists in awe.

If you are a first-timer, make sure you experience the Dinagyang package. It is a week long religious-cultural festival and the last three days (weekend), the whole city basically parties with food, booze, concerts, dancing and events.

Other Festivals and events:

• Jaro Fiesta on February 2
• Chinese New Year (anyday between January 21 to February 20) and
• Paraw Regatta Festival on the 3rd week of February

It’s wonderful that these events are clump together in just over a month. It would be a great treat if you’re in Iloilo City during these days.

Iloilo is just a small city and it is actually easy to explore. Ilonggos are also one of friendliest people — they are certainly hospitable and accommodating. It’s not surprising to fall in love with an Ilonggo or Ilongga.

PASALUBONG & SOUVENIR SHOPS

You may visit Biscocho Haus or Panaderia de Molo for Ilonggo Delicacies. And for Ilonggo crafts and novelty products, you may get them in malls or heritage houses turned museums and souvenir shops.

Well that’s it! There are plenty of things going on in Iloilo so it is expected that this article missed some things. So if you think there is something you can add or suggest, say it on the comment section below.