Previous Trips - Visayas - Joey Carlotta

Happy Valley

Joey Carlotta — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

And finally there is Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental. Among other reasons, this place is special to us because it is the home town of the family of my wife, the Bilbao’s. Hinoba-an is the last town of Negros Occidental to the south of Bacolod. Suffice it to say, it is very, very laid back.

Power and the paved national highway only got to Hinoba-an in the last decade. There is very little industry except for fishing and agriculture. There was a big lumber concession that basically denuded the mountains where there was also large scale mining which likewise stopped some time ago. Most of the town was made up of large haciendas owned by a few families and these were mostly broken up by land reform programs. My mother-in-law maintains her home there and most of their family retains landholdings which includes most of Happy Valley, the best beach area.

There are a few resorts with modest accommodations. The more popular one is called Happy Valley Resort which is owned by relatives of Miren. Hinoba-an is very popular with the Bacolod crowd but the distance will require at least an overnight stay. Since our last trip there, I heard that more resorts and vacation houses were being built. On one hand, this should be welcomed developments to the town. On another, there goes another paradise.

View south from Sipalay lighthouse

Inaki, Timmy and Nina

Before Hinoba-an is Sipalay. On a hill by the sea there is lighthouse offering a stunning view.

Happy Valley Brick House

Happy Valley Sea Wind Cottage

Happy Valley Wind Blown Cottage

Happy Valley Garden Huts

Happy Valley Resort had about 5 structures with quite a number of airconditioned rooms. There are a number of Dream TV dishes around but I am not sure if all the rooms have televisions. Some of the cottages have cooking facilities and there is a grill that can be used. Meals and refreshments can be arranged with the resort staff but there is no formal restaurant.

Beach view south

Beach view north

The sand in Happy Valley is golden brown. There are no corals fronting the resort and the sea floor slopes down gradually making it ideal for kids.

Neska Bilbao

Chabeli Bilbao

The Bilbao-Carlotta and Alba-Bilbao Cousins

We often vacation with my brother-in-law Jimmy Bilbao, his wife Joana, and their 2 beautiful, charming and very intelligent girls Neska and Chabeli.

Dinner

Roasting Marshmallows

Nina and I are flying to Bacolod for Holy Week to spend the holidays with rest of the family and a trip to Hinoba-an is included. We are staying on after Holy Week for the graduation rites of Timmy.

Miren and I hope to retire here someday.

Sugar Beach

Joey Carlotta — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Another popular beach destination is Sugar Beach in Sipalay, Negros Occidental. Sipalay is about 4 hours drive from Bacolod on the way to Hinoba-an, the last town of Negros Occidental before crossing over to Oriental. As with Lakawon, there is a dirt road access to a parking lot where you get a banca ride to the beach. Unlike Lakawon, Sugar Beach is on the main coast of Negros. It is a short banca ride to this secluded cove of near-white sugary sand. Coral heads fringe both ends of the cove and span the beach. The entire rear of the beach is bordered by coral hills making the place inaccessible to cars. There are a number of resorts, mostly owned by foreigners, and we stayed in the Takatuka Dive Resort. Takatuka is owned and managed by Swiss brothers and their wives. The resort is very colorful and fancifully decorated. The isolation and seclusion of Sugar Beach makes it ideal for real rest and relaxation. I am just sorry that I did not take more pictures.

Lakawon Island

Joey Carlotta — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Another favorite excursion spot is Lakawon Island in Cadiz, Negros Occidental. Only 30 to 45 minutes away from Bacolod, it is frequented by the locals and a must for the first time visitor. The island is small, a large sandbar really, but the pure white sand beach rivals that of Boracay. The beaches around Bacolod and the neighboring towns and cities are not very good, mostly muddy or rocky. To the south, there are better beaches in Sipalay and Hino-baan, 4 to 5 hours drive from Bacolod. To the north, I haven't seen any good beaches on the mainland coast but there are also similar islands and sandbars in Sagay and Escalante, 1 to 2 hours drive from Bacolod.

The following pictures were taken when my brother-in-law got married in Bacolod about 7 or 8 year ago. My sister-in-law, Amaya Bilbao Del Castillo, came with her daughter, Sarah, for the occasion and we did a side trip to Lakawon.

The Bride and the Groom

Amaya and Sarah

Miren, Inaki and the flower girl, Timmy

Joey in barong

From the national road in Cadiz, you will be directed to enter a dirt road which will lead you to the shore after a distance. There is a secured parking lot where you can leave your car and arrange for a banca to take you to the island. The is no wharf and the beach there is shallow so you will have to wade to the boat and carry you bags and packages.

Nina and Sarah walking to boat

Wading to boat

Sarah,Amaya and her friend from Canada

Timmy and Inaki walking to boat

You can see the island in the distance and the boat ride in not very far. The water is usually calm in the morning when one would normally go there but it tends to get choppy and rough in the afternoon on the way back.

Boatride for Amaya and Sarah

Boatride for Nina

The island was not very developed at the time. There was a fishing village on one side of the island with the resort occupying the rest. There were sevaral beach huts for rent and there were a few cottages for overnight stays. There also was a dining area and a restaurant. I believe there is a fully operational resort now. Thank God because there was scant little shade on the island and it could get really hot by noon.

Miren, Inaki and Timmy

The troop

Timmy in the shade

Amaya in the shade

The best part is the clear blue water that everyone enjoyed.

Nina in water

Kids swimming

Miren on Lakawon beach

Swimming in clear water

Boracay

Joey Carlotta — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

One of my favorites, as it is to many, is Boracay. Miren and I have been there twice but we haven't had the opportunity to bring the kids along yet. There is a good chance this will happen this summer when we intend to drive the car home from Bacolod via Panay and Mindoro using Ro-Ro ferries. I understand the ferry from Panay to Mindoro is in Caticlan which is that jump off point to Boracay. Both trips coincided with a visit of my uncle from Canada, Charlie Oloriz. We were a group of relatives and friends.

Landing Party

The good-looking and dashing fellow in the foreground is Tito Charlie. The gentleman immediately behind Tito Charlie and the first two people getting down the boat ramp are the Guidotes from Manila, good and long time friend of Tito Charlie. The guy in the yellow and stripped shirt is my cousin, Edmund Afzelius. The 2 guys infront and behind him are the Tirol brothers. They are also my cousins but I just met them through Edmund on our first trip there. They are all based in Iloilo. Miren and I had gotten off the boat first and I took this picture.

White Sand

Blue Water

Boracay was truly beautiful. I can only imagine what it was like before all the over-development took place. Unfortunately, it has gone the way that Baguio did. A recent article in the newspaper mentioned flooding and sewage spilling onto the beach. Still, it is an amazing site and experience for the first-time visitor and nonetheless enjoyable the next times you come. But this national treasure must be saved and protected.

TNT Entrance

TNT Cottage

The first time we went, we stayed at the TNT Resort right smack in the middle of Boat Station 2. It was a very pleasant place with lots of garden and trees. The construction of the cottages and eating areas were all of bamboo and nipa. The rooms were very comfortable and had all the amenities you could need including airconditioning, cable TV and clean bathrooms with hot showers. The resort even had a tennis court. I don't recall the menu being too extensive but you could buy food in the market nearby and have this cooked. More importantly, the beer was cold. The owners are friends of Edmund and we were well attended to. I dream of going back there.

Edmund Relaxing

Joey and Miren at Fairways and Bluewaters

Drink, Eat and Be Merry

All Aboard

Suffice it to say, we had a fantastic time in paradise. In the day time, there was the clear blue water to enjoy. Those who cared for it played tennis. I went scuba diving once but the sea life was not too impressive. There was also the talipapa where we bought souvenirs and fresh seafood. The restaurants up and down the boardwalk present quiet an wide and varied choice of food. We explored the island and even rented some dirt bikes to get around. At night, the whole strip turned into a party place. There was bar-hopping and disco-dancing and sitting around listening to live performances right on the beach. I look forward to taking the kids here soon. I hope it isn't too spoiled yet.