5 Tips in Visiting Iloilo, Philippines

With all its historic grandeur, splendid tourist spots, and friendly folks, Iloilo is one of Philippine’s most beautiful and safest places. It is located in Panay Island and can be considered as the heart of the country Philippines based on its location on the map. Iloilo prides itself with all of its kind-hearted people and is now dubbed as the Philippine’s “City of Love”. Kindness radiates from the heart of most Ilonggos so you don’t have to almost worry about getting all the help you need because the Ilonggos are always ready to lend a hand.

Now here are the tips you might find helpful upon your visit in Iloilo:

1. KNOW WHERE YOU’RE GOING and HOW TO GET THERE.  

      A well-researched trip is unlikely to go astray. Now though the Ilonggos are up and good for some question-and-answer session, it is always an advantage if you have some saved-up knowledge of where you’re going and how to get there. This way, it would be hard for some tricksy local to dupe you into a partial-benefit-kind-of-negotiation. It is always a plus to know the local commute scheme of the province- the name of bus to ride, the fare for travel from this place to that place, the name of the place you want to visit, the owner of the place/tourist spot you wanna visit, etc. If there’s something you’ll likely miss, you can always ask the locals.

Photo Credits: slideshare.net

2.  ALWAYS ESTABLISH COMMUNICATION WITH THE OWNER/IN-CHARGE OF THE PLACE YOU WANT TO VISIT.

      

      Business is business. Now if you are going to a beach resort for example or an inland resort, it is always a good idea to establish constant communication to the owner or incharge of the place because they will likely help you to safely get there. After all, visitors and tourist are walking profits. The more visitors they have, the more money they get. It’s a win-win. You are safe and relaxed while they earn.

Photo credits: shutterstock.com

3.      IF YOU’RE IN DOUBT, ASK.

     

     We, human beings, have this saying “Ask and you will be answered.”. This goes the same way with travels and visiting foreign places. Luckily,most Filipinos, especially Ilonggos, knows and understand a bit of English. That’s a plus for foreign travelers. For local travelers, Ilonggos are quite good with Tagalog too. So if you want to talk or ask the locals anything, you can choose from these two languages as a way to communicate.

Photo Credits: shutterstock.com

4.      ALWAYS SECURE YOUR THINGS.

There’s nothing wrong with being paranoid sometimes. In this case, paranoia can be great of help. You’re travelling into a foreign place after all- with all its foreign people. This one is a pro tip and a must do in your each and every travel. You came to enjoy. Do not let your sweet escape turn into a regretful one.

Photo Credits: pinterest.com

5.      GET YOUR CAMERAS AND PHONES READY AND WITHIN REACH.

Don’t miss the opportunity of a good camera click and capture the beauty you seldom see. Iloilo has many stunning places and exotic animals and plants so you’re up for a busy day upon your visit. Take some shots and let them be part your memory!

Photo Credits: adorama.com

You can enjoy the beauty of Iloilo anytime- but not without these above-mentioned tips. Plan your escapades well and you shall be rewarded. Happy travels!

Need something to read for travel inspiration? Check out Amazon's annual bestseller: Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2018. See cover below  and have fun!

V Castillo