Traveling to the Philippines is an exciting experience and for many the reason to go there is to have a beach vacation and one of the places to visit is Guimaras. Located in the southern part of the Philippines, the island paradise of Guimaras formerly known as Himal-us is famous for its beaches with clear blue waters, clean white sand and  magnificent marine life rivalling the other more popular spots in the Philippines. Guimaras was once a province of Iloilo but is now and independent island and just a 15 minute ferry ride away.

Getting There

Like pretty much the rest of the country, Guimaras is an island and traveling there is mostly done over the sea. The island is accessible by both air and sea from Manila, or alternatively by boat from Bacolod city, with a short 15 minute ferry trip from Iloilo city. On the island getting around is through any of the different forms of public transportation, trucks, tour drivers or motorbikes.

Iloilo being the closest main city, there are ferry options that you can choose from which are offered by the local ferry companies including FF Cruz RORO Service, Pump boats from Ortiz Wharf or Parola Wharf which leave every 30 minutes, and Fel-am Transport Ferry Service. There is also the roll on roll off ferry which plies its route to the island around five times each day. You can also hire a chartered boat and travel there or if you have your own then you would be most welcome to do so.

Places to Go

The island has some of the best beaches in the 7107 islands of Paradise Philippines with a number of resorts on each of its beautiful white sand beaches. Some of the more visited beaches on the island include Puerto del Mar, Alubihod, and Roca Encantada, with more equally as interesting places also available. From anywhere between $8 to $50 a night, depending on the number of guests and the type of room you want, you can check in to any of the local resorts which offer a various amenities but the main draw is of course the great beaches right at the doorstep.

Other places to go

The beaches are obviously the first place that the visitor would want to see but other places that are of interest would include visiting one or more of the dozen or so mango plantations. There are over 50,000 mango trees on the island and a visit to any of these plantations is a unique experience on its own. The only reason anyone would want to pass up a chance to visit the mango plantations is perhaps a dislike for the fruit.

There are three main plantations on Guimaras which are some of the largest in the country, they include Southern Orchard in Jordan, Oro Verde and Guimaras Tree Farm in Buenavista. Generally they are open for public visit and you would be welcome to visit any of them with open arms although they don't often receive too many visitors. If you do decide to visit any of the mango plantations then don't forget to leave without taking with you a box of Guimaras Super Mangoes as they are called, which to many are perhaps the sweetest mangoes in the world.

Article by Paradise Philippines