Best Things to Do in Negros Island: 2024 Travel Guide

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Negros island is a part of Philippines archipelago, it lies between Panay and Cebu islands. The unusual landscapes of Negros island bring fresh notes to holidays in the Philippines. The shape of the Negros island resembles a boot, its length is 217 km long and 35-39 km wide. The island is predominantly mountainous, with beautiful beaches and amazing coral reefs. Negros island in the Philippines is divided into two parts: Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental.

Keep reading this post on best things to do in Negros island, Philippines: this information will help first timers to create the list of must visit tourist attractions.

Landscapes of Negros Island in the Flippins

How to get to the island

There is an airport in Bacolod city, located in the north of Negros island. The flight to Negros Occidental from Manila lasts 1 hour 25 minutes, from Cebu island, flight duration is about half an hour. Negros Oriental has its own airport – Dumaguete-Sibulan. The flight from Dumaguete to Manila takes less than two hours.

Both Bacolod and Dumaguete are accessible by sea. If you are afraid of flying, then this option is perfect for you. Otherwise, it is better not to consider traveling by sea transport, as the travel time is about a day. If you are in the nearby province of Iloilo, you can get to Negros Island in a couple of hours. Weesam Express, Supercat 2Go and Oceanjet send their speedboats there regularly.

If you are heading to Bacolod from Cebu, the journey will take up to 7 hours and will cost about 600 pesos.

You can get around the island by bus. Cerus Bus Liner is the largest land transport company. The western and eastern parts of the island are connected by several highways. There are bus terminals in most cities on the island, as well as ports. They are used to provide communication between the villages and cities of the island.

If you need to cover a short distance, it is better to choose jeepneys or tricycles. Taxis are not as popular on Dumaguete as they are on Bacolod.

Best Time to Visit Negros Island

The best time to travel depends on how you plan to spend your vacation, what you want to do. For example, the driest months in Negros Occidental are from December to March, while the rainiest months are from June to November. Negros Oriental has a tropical climate. If you want to attend one of the Philippines festivals, then go to Bacolod in October, when the Masskara festival takes place there, or in April, when its time for the Panaad sa Negros festival.

Things to do in Negros Island: museums, shopping, diving

Seaside resorts are located in the area of Bacolod and Dumaguete cities, where the best hotels and amusement parks, golf clubs and diving centers are located.

Danjugan Island

Tourists often visit this Island. This is a great place to rejuvenate and learn more about the various ecosystems at the same time, such as mangrove forests, coral reefs, beaches, caves, limestone cliffs.

Apo Island Marine Reserve

Be sure to visit Apo Island Marine Reserve, as you can guess from its name, there you can meet the diversity of the underwater world inhabitants that will surprise you, including endangered sea turtle species.

Mambukal Mountain Resort

Mambukal Mountain Park is famous for its hot springs, sulfur pools, butterfly gardens, waterfalls, mud and other attractions.

You can also visit the year-round amusement park Campuestohan. There you will find wave pools, rope towns, trampolines and many other entertainments.

Capitol Park

Capitol park is the historical district of Bacolod city and a place where many architectural sights are concentrated. Take a look at the local historical Negros Museum with an interesting art gallery. The museum has a cafe, the menu offers dishes prepared according to old recipes. Go shopping at Ayala Malls Capitol.

Ruins mansion

The most famous historic site in Bacolod, that is depicted in many photos is Ruins mansion. The luxurious house was built in the 1900s. It has historical and cultural value and was built on 440 hectares in the city of Talisay.

Shopping in Negros Island, Philippines
Ayala Malls Capitol

On the western outskirts of Dumaguete you will find a private World War II museum. Here you will get acquainted with little-known battles in Russia in the Pacific region.

Balay Negrense Museum

Negros island in the Philippines is known for the original culture of the natives, inhabited this land for many thousands of years. In the Balay Negrense Museum, located in Silay city, there is very interesting ethnographic exposition dedicated to the life of the islanders. Scientists have established that these tribes are closely related to the indigenous population of Australia.

Entertainment on the island of Negros for tourists
Balay Negrense

From the harbor of Bais city, tourists go on sea voyages to watch whales and dolphins migrating through the Tañon Strait, which separates Negros from Cebu Island. This area has been declared a marine reserve.

Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park

14 kilometers west of Dumaguete city, in a mountain valley on the slope of Talinis Peak, two twin lakes lurk in the jungle, filling the ancient volcanic craters. This scenic area is guarded by the rangers of the Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park.

It is inhabited by three dozen species of animals, including rare Philippine sika deer, leopard cats, the largest flying foxes on the planet, crowned with a golden mane. Of the 114 species of local avifauna, the populations of the hornbill, red cockatoo, and imperial pigeon are on the verge of extinction. Several types of endemic trees growing on the shores of lakes are contemporaries of dinosaurs.

Sights of Negros Island in the Philippines

Northern Negros National Park

Tours to the Northern Negros National Park start from Silay city, which is 15 km north of Bacolod. Charming streets, built up with old haciendas in the Castilian style, have been preserved well here.

Permits to visit the reserve are issued free of charge at the local tourist office. Lovers of “green tourism” linger in this park for a couple of days to wander through the deserted pristine landscapes and watch the animals. There are no hotels here, you can spend the night in a local hostel (100 pesos / bed).

Casaroro Falls

In the southern part of Negros island there is a 30-meter waterfall – Casaroro. It is located in Valencia and is its pride. To get to the place, you will have to make a short path along mountain paths, but this does not deter those who want to see this beauty.

Tourism in Negros Island, Philippines

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