Bacolod Tourist Destinations

Bacolod, often referred to as Bacolod City, is among the highly urbanized cities in the Philippines. It is the capital of the province of Negros Occidental where its is geographically located. It is considered as the most populous city in the Western Visayas and the second most populous in the whole Visayas after Cebu City, having 561,875 inhabitants based on a census in 2015.

 

The city is very popular for its annual festival, the Masskara Festival held every 3rd week of October. It is also known to be a very friendly city where it derived its nickname “The City of Smiles”. It topped a survey in 2008 as the “Best Place to Live in the Philippines” conducted by MoneySense Magazine. The Department of Science and Technology has also proclaimed the city to be the “center of excellence” for information technology and business process management operations. It was also awarded as the “Top Philippine Model City” by the Manila Times.

 

Having these awards, visitors from all over the country and beyond became curious about the city. Lately, tourism in Bacolod City increased not just because of its popularity for its awards but also because of what the city has to offer. Amazing tourist destinations await every visitor.

 

Here are the most popular tourist destinations in Bacolod:

 

  1. The Ruins – This is the remains of the mansion of Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson built in the early 1900s in memory and honor of his wife, Maria Braga Lacson.
  2. Laguerta Home of the Vintage Glasses Museum – This is a museum filled with glasses of different shapes, colors, and sizes. It is a collection of Mr. Tomas Claridad Casiano.
  3. San Sebastian Cathedral – This is one of the century old churches found in Negros Occidental. The present structure was was constructed and inaugurated in January 20, 1882.
  4. Negros Museum – Originally, this museum started its construction from 1987 at the Provisional Capitol Building. It contains fake cannons used to scare the Spanish. It also has a small gallery, gift shop, and an outdoor cafe.
  5. Capitol Lagoon Park – This park is located right in front of the Capitol building of Bacolod City. This is a place perfect for strolling and jogging.
  6. Pope John Paul II Tower – This is a seven storey building dedicated to Pope John Paul II who visited the capital in February 20, 1981.
  7. Bantug Lake Ranch – This ranch is located in Barangay Alangilan, Bacolod City. This is a place where one can relax, unwind and commune with nature. There are animals roaming around the ranch, a swimming pool, and a man-made freshwater lake.
  8. Campuestohan Highland Resort – This is a highland resort that offers not just accommodation but a variety of outdoor activities like zip line, Sky bike, hamster wheel, chair lift, bungee trampoline, carousel (for kids), and mini train (for kids).
  9. Mambukal Mountain Resort – This resort boasts a number of hot sulfur springs which are believed to have medicinal benefits for the body.