Iloilo: Where To Eat & What Pasalubong To Buy

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lloilo sits on the southern shores of Panay Island; and the city itself is just across the Guimaras Island,  so naturally, fresh seafood is in abundance.  I've been to Iloilo before, a very long time ago; but I still remember those seaside restaurants serving fresh seafoods with fondness. Coming to Iloilo this time around, I was expectedly looking forward to reliving those memories.  And this trip had a lot of those deja vu moments of food glory.

Just a few hours after our plane landed, a swimming co-parent who hails from Iloilo whisked us off for an early lunch at Tatoy's Manokan.  It is an unassuming and rustic-looking restaurant, but is one of Iloilo's best seafood restaurant.

 

Ordering is easy, just point to whatever is on the display stand.

We had our lunch in one of the nipa huts across the street, which offered us a wonderful view of the sea and Guimaras Island further across.

At Tatoy's, I simply can't get enough of the fresh oysters dipped in spiced vinegar, the baked scallops, lechon baboy, lechon manok (house specialty... it's Tatoy's Manokan, after all), and the best grilled Managat.  The Grilled Managat is one of the best tasting dish I have ever come across during my visit to Iloilo.  The fish is very meaty and sweet.  Their Baked Scallops is among the best I've ever tasted.  A lot of restaurants have these on the menu, but the seasoning of Tatoy's is different; the mixture of calamansi, butter, garlic and cheese is just so yummy my plate was full of scallop shells when the meal was over.

The kids were amazed that fresh buko juice is served with the husk, and so a flurry to take instagram photos ensued.

Still, another seaside restaurant that is one every visitor's must-visit list is Breakthrough.  This restuarant is similar to Tatoy's, but the seashore is more conducive to walking around and the view  more scenic.

 I had another taste of my favorite, Grilled Managat.

 
Another dinner was hosted for us at Bauhinia, located within the complex of Smallville.  The family of one of our swim co-parents own the strip of restaurants located at The Avenue, within the lively Smallville complex.  We were able to sample an array of specialty dishes in the buffet dinner prepared for us that night.  We got to taste the ribs that Mojave Grill & Steak House is known for.   Dessert that night was from Tinapayan Bakeshop.  The Banana Cream Pie and Mango Pavlova was a worthy excuse to pile on extra calories. 

The Smallville complex also has a hotel within the vicinity, the Smallville 21 Hotel.  Some of the swimmers who stayed in this hotel liked the accomodation.  While I haven't seen the interiors, the hotel is relatively new so I am sure the rooms are very comfortable.  It is located in an area that is known for being the premier entertainment and dining center in the city.   I can safely assume that because of its proximity to the dance clubs and KTV family bars, hotel guest can expect some noise especially on weekends. 

 

Of course, no visit to Iloilo will be complete without having the Lapaz Batchoy.  We ate at Deco's Lapaz Batchoy because it was also conveniently beside the pasalubong store.  Just to be honest, I did not find anything spectacular to rave about, but maybe it's just me.

I did all of my pasalubong shopping at Deco's Pasalubong Shop.  After the group had lunch at Deco's Lapaz Batchoy, we went next door to buy our pasalubongs.  It made shopping for pasalubongs so convenient since all of Iloilo's most famous delicacies are now housed in one store.  

The products include the famous butterscotch, barquillos, biscocho, crispy squid rings, preserved foods and pinasugbo from Biscocho Haus, Panaderia de Molo, and Trappist Monastery Food Products, Wewins, JD Bakeshop, Rosy's Delicacies, PJ Delicacies, Deocampo Barquillos Mama's Kitchen and Mrs. Fudge. 

They can even put it all in a box for you to make sure that all the yummy treats stay in its original condition and can withstand the airplane transport.

Tatoy's Manokan and Seafood Restaurant

Villa Beach, Sto. Niño Sur, Arevalo, Iloilo City
BREAKTHROUGH Iloilo
Villa Beach, Barangay Sto. Niño Sur, Arevalo, Iloilo, Philippines

Bauhinia Filipino Cuisine and Mojave Grill and Steak House
Smallville Complex, Diversion Road, Mandurriao District, Iloilo City

DECO'S Lapaz Batchoy
La Sallette Bldg. Valeria St. Iloilo City

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Iloilo: Where To Stay

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I initially planned to do a travelogue on the province, thinking that our 5 day stay there for the Batang Pinoy National Championship would provide sufficient time to squeeze in a city tour; but quickly realized after having spent half-day cheering my daughter on by the poolside, under the humid Iloilo sun, I was too pooped to actually go around the city.  Nevertheless, I was lucky to be in the company of some great people who managed to make our stay there fun and super-comfortable.  So even if I can't share city sights with you, you will still be getting the dish on Iloilo's must-visit restaurants in my next post.  

We took PAL's first flight out, and got to the province at the first crack of day.  Typhoon Sendong was making its arrival the same day, and expected to make landfall early evening.  While, it did spare Iloilo from its wrath, the other provinces were not as lucky.  News reports days later tagged Typhoon Sendong as among the deadliest cyclones to hit the Philippines.  So lucky for us that the typhoon's path spared Iloilo!  Look at the flooded streets of the nearby province of Cagayan de Oro.

Anyway, to move along...  For now, I will post about where we stayed.

We stayed at the Days Hotel, and booked the classic deluxe room, which we found roomy for its class.  Our room had two double beds, which could easily have accommodated a family of four. 

This is how the classic deluxe room looks like

image source

This is how the modern deluxe room looks like.

image source

The classic deluxe room wasn't as pretty as the refurbished room, which they called modern deluxe room, but I figured if I took out the tacky green duvet, the room won't look as bad.  And I am right!  Save for the headboard, lamps, duvet cover and the outdated upholstery, the rooms are seemingly identical.

look at the difference it made to the room with the tacky duvet half-drawn down

While the rooms are clean and well-maintained, the lighting could be improved on.  If you've read my blog post about Swissotel @ The Stamford when we celebrated the holidays last 2011 in Singapore right here, you'd know my preference for a bright room. Nothing that a request to housekeeping can't fix.  The true gem of Days Hotel is clearly the wonderful and accommodating hotel staff, all armed with that distinct Ilonggo hospitality.  The housekeeping staff quickly provided my room with bulbs of higher wattage and even added a floor lamp.  It also has a sitting corner and an office desk, which we found very useful as J needed to review/ do advance study after the day's competition to make up for the long absence from school.

Our room came without window views; I opened up the curtain to a blank wall.  But the lack of view did not really matter to me.  The bathroom is adequately sized, with the toiletries being refilled everyday.  We brought our own body gels and shampoos, and just used up the hotel's hand soap, but the staff kept refilling the hand soap each day with a new one. The open closet was provisioned with several hangers. And there was even a safe where to put one's valuables in the comfort of the room, though I did no bother to use this amenity.  They claim to offer free wi-fi, but the signal was choppy, at best.  

Our hotel stay came with daily complimentary breakfast.  There are a lot of food choices, but I am a creature of habit;  if available, I usually start my breakfast buffet with congee.   One of my best Iloilo memories is having authentic Filipino/Ilonggo breakfast while watching the early morning traffic from the window across my table.

Days Hotel is right at the heart of a very busy commercial area.  This three-star hotel's layout can be confusing initially as it sits on top of the Atrium Mall, with the hotel lobby at the fourth level of the mall, and the guest rooms on the fifth level.  The first to third level house a mini mall which includes a grocery, and food court.  

The hotel lobby.  image source

If I would go back to Iloilo next time, I would definitely stay here again.  The room rates are very affordable, and the hotel's location makes for convenient travel for everyone:  the grocery store on the first floor, the steady stream of cabs on the street fronting the hotel, the free breakfast buffet, the food court on the lower level.  And not to mention that SM Delgado is just a few walks away. 

Days Hotel Iloilo
Address: :  4F The Atrium Mall, Gen Luna St., Iloilo City
Phone:  63-33-3373297




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Iloilo: Batang Pinoy National Champs 2012

Just came back a week ago from accompanying a daughter to Iloilo for the Batang Pinoy National Championship.  It's J's first time to travel for a swim meet, and she was naturally excited for it.  The 5-day sojourn practically seemed like a mini-vacation for her.  Imagine, not having to go to school, and being in the company of her good friends.  What more can a girl ask for? 

In a way, it was also a vacation for me... 4 days of not having to drive/tutor/cook.  Could pass for a bakasyon grande... hahaha!

grabbed from my daughter's instagram photos

On the scheduled day of the opening of the Batang Pinoy games, Typhoon Sendong was also expected to make landfall in the Visayas, causing not a few athletes to be stranded in their hometown.  Hence, the games had to be moved a day later, leaving us all with a free day!

Inspite of the typhoon warning and the storm signal that was raised all over the Visayas, the sun dominated the sky in our part of the province.

Instagram photos from the daughter's phone.

 Photo-op with Akiko Thompson after the awarding.

And before you now it, we are on our way home.  Just as well, since I was starting to miss the husband and two younger ones already.:)

 

 Next post:  Where to stay and eat in Iloilo
  
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Travel Light with Kipling Luggage

Yay!  It is officially summer vacation this side of the world!  Where are you off to?

For travelers who want style and convenience while traveling, you will be delighted to know that the fun in traveling starts right when you pack your Kipling Luggage. Kipling offers a colorful selection of stylish and highly-functional pieces of lightweight luggage.  

 

              Whether you’re a light or heavy packer, Kipling’s Yubin line offers a versatile and  colorful selection of stylish and highly-functional pieces of lightweight luggage, made with Kipling’s trademarked crinkled and water-repellent nylon.

            

The Yubin 76 is perfect for the heavy packer type as it can pack practically half of your wardrobe, with plenty of room to spare.  Of course, nobody wants to wear shabby clothing when going on a vacation, that’s why the Yubin 76 has adjustable packing straps for crease-free clothes. 

For short-duration trips, there’s Yubin 55 which is the lightest trolley in the market right now that is acceptable in almost all airlines worldwide!  Its 33-liter capacity is ideal for those three-day or overnight sojourns, wherever your journey takes you.

             

The Yubin 76 and Yubin 55 also have other features that make traveling convenient.  These include an all-round zip for enhanced volume and  open and zipped mesh compartments to cleverly organize your stuff!  These luggages even makes you feel safe and secure with an integrated TSA-lock and soft-grip handles complemented with easy-rolling and lightweight EVA  wheels. And of course, what could be more fun than travelling with a furry Kipling monkey ring.

 

Get a chic Kipling Yubin 55 cabin-size luggage at 75% off when you buy a Kipling Yubin 76 extra large expandable trolley bag from now until March 31, 2012.

Kipling bags and luggage are available at SM Mall of Asia, SM North EDSA The Block, SM Megamall, SM Bacolod, SM Iloilo, SM Davao, SM Cebu, Robinsons Place Ermita, Rustan’s Alabang Town Center, Rustan’s Shangri-La, Rustan’s Gateway, Landmark Makati and TriNoma.  

Visit Kipling Philippines on Facebook to find out more exciting news from the lovable monkey. 


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Singapore 2011: Chinatown

Singapore's Chinatown is like all the other Chinatown throughout the rest of the world... narrow, busy streets lined with little shops selling everything from trinkets to Chinese herbal medicine.

 

However with Singapore being a multi-racial and multi-cultural society, Singapore's Chinatown has its own unique features.  For instance, the country's oldest Hindu temple, Sri Mariamman,  can ironically be found right in the heart of Chinatown's confines.

But what makes Chinatown a must-visit in my book is the chance to observe the quaint street architecture the place offers.  Colorful shophouses along Pagoda street are a visual treat and make for some beautiful photographs.

 

The windows on the second and thrid floor of the shophouses are painted in vibrant colors that enhance their architectural details.  There is no singular style to describe the structures, they are a combination of different elelments, but what pull and unite them all together are the vibrancy of their colors.

 

Tourists generally flock to Chinatown to imbibe a sense of culture, but for Filipino-Chinese families like mine who grew up visiting Manila's Chinatown, it was for a more practical reason like to stock up on pantry items and to buy pasalubongs for friends and relatives.  One of those obligatory pasalubongs is the bakk-wa or mapa, a Chinese traditional dried meat in the form of thin sheets; usually made of pork or beef, but nowadays has expanded to include shrimp and chicken.  There are a lot of stalls around Singapore selling bakkwa/mapa, but for the purpose of taking the kids on a walking tour to Singapore's Chinatown, we decided to take them to where the action is... a stall where they can see the bakkwa/mapa fresh off the grill.

The most famous bakkwa brand in all of Southeast Asia is Bee Chen Hiang, it has outlets all over the continent, and has 28 in Singapore alone.  But when our cab driver heard we wanted to buy this Chinese delicacy, he quickly pointed out to what for him is a superior local brand, Lim Chee Guan.  According to him, Lim Chee Guan is a local favorite, with 3-4 hour queues, especially around the Chinese New Year period.  Our cab driver claims that is more tender and flavorful than the competition.  And he quickly adds, "but that is just my opinion, you taste it first before you buy."

We bought several kilos of beef, pork, chicken and shrimp jerkies as pasalubong, and I also bought jars of crispy pork floss, which is the perfect addition to a light breakfast of plain congee.

  

I remembered to replenish my stock of Chinese pantry items to my depleting stock at home.  Although most everything can be found in Manila, the premium quality of the items in Singapore is worth having to carry the extra load around.  Most of you cannot relate, but I have to gush about the superior quality of the bean curd sheets and the Japanese mushrooms that can be found here.   

I also did some shopping at the Chinese drugstore beside Lim Chee Guan called the Thye Shan Medical Hall.  I guess this is one sure sign that I am certainly growing old!  Imagine finding something of interest - at a Chinese drugstore, of all places! hahaha!

Here are the rest of our photos:

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Singapore 2011: Sentosa & Jurong Attractions

To read all posts about our 2011 Singapore Trip click here


Sentosa Island:

We were not able to do all the things we set out to do on the day that we took the kids to Sentosa as the weather did not cooperate with us.  The gray sky was heavy with clouds as we left our hotel that morning, an ominous warning of things to come.

There's a complimentary bus service which stops at our hotel every morning to bring tourists to Sentosa, but since our hotel was the second to the last stop and our visit was also timed at the peak travel season, the Filipina at the reception lobby advised us not to queue up anymore as the bus gets to our hotel already filled to the brim with passengers/tourists picked up from other hotels. 

The first time I visited Sentosa a few years ago, I remember feeling let-down after I realized that's all there is to it.  We visited the aquarium, walked on its sandy beach, took the nature walks...  Through the years, Singapore continuously developed it as the foremost leisure island spending billions of dollars to market it as" Asia's Favorite Playground."  

I remember feeling sorry for the Singaporeans because the synthetic island atmosphere of Sentosa pales in comparison to our own lovely paradise such as Batangas and Mactan, among the many others.  The imported sands that lined the Siloso Beach have nothing on the shoreline of our own Boracay.  Nothing beats the natural island vibe our own islands have to offer.  I feel that what Sentosa has achieved is a perfect and effective  marketing plan; something which our own Department of Tourism is still establishing to do.  Despite the best efforts of a long line of people at the helm of the agency, our country's crack at tourism fame has yet to ignite.  Sigh!

But to go back to talking about Sentosa...
Underwater World is still an attraction that continues to draw in a lot of tourists.  The touch pool is the first thing that welcomes us and we took quite a while convincing the kids to touch the slimy, slippery sea creatures.

My kids enjoyed the massive oceanarium, even going through seemingly endless rounds on the travelator that goes around the aquarium.  

After all, it's not everyday that they see underwater scenes like this diver feeding the fishes in a Santa costume. :)

 

...or watching a manta ray have its meal

... or a shark asking for second servings!

The ticket for the Underwater World also comes with a Dolphin Show, but the slight drizzle worsened into a downpour shortly after we came out from the giant aquarium so we just decided to wait it out by riding on the tramline that goes around the island.

We decided to get off at the Palawan Beach, where a suspension bridge links beach-goers to the Southernmost Point of Asia, the tip where Asia is closest to the equator.

 

We climbed the viewing tower where we can see the panoramic view of the entire island on one side and the sweeping vista of the open sea on the other.

By now the rain has stopped, and we decide to take our chances with the unpredictable weather and lined up for the Luge.  The Skyline Luge offers a unique outdoor experience suitable for all ages. The Luge is basically a ride that relies on gravitational pull to move.  The riders control the speed of the cart by moving the handlebars back and forth.  It goes faster as you let go and it brakes as you pull on the handlebar closer to the rider’s body.  This allows the rider to control how fast or slow the ride is. 

image source

 

C and R were the first one to take on the forked tracks.  They sped downhill the 650-meter forest trail.  C and I agreed that I should be last so we could split looking out for the kids, and I trailed the girls as they took on the 688-meter dragon trial.

The kids found the adrenaline rush so addicting that they were begging for a second ride as soon as we finished.  But sadly, the weather did not cooperate with us, especially me – at all!  Since I was the last to go, I was still in the middle of the tracks when rain poured down.  I was truly torn between letting go of the control to take out a jacket, but of course that would mean total disaster since letting go of the handle bar would mean letting go of the brake… making for a truly fast ride.  In the end, there wasn’t really anything else to do but to just enjoy the moment – getting soaked in the rain and all. 
 

After the luge ride, we took the Skyride to bring us back to the starting point.  The Skyride is similar to a ski lift.   It offers a fantastic scenery of the beautiful coastline, which I failed to pay attention to... because I was too busy being scared. :)You see, it was still raining that time and so I had my umbrella open, and I was too pre-occupied preventing it from being snatched up by a sudden burst of wind.  Yeah, I know... scaredy-cat!:)

 

Getting held up by the rain is no reason to complain, so we looked for other options as we waited for the downpour to stop once again. We tried our hands at origami...

We also tried interviewing the trees...

... But sadly, the rain did not show any signs of easing up, so we had to cancel all the other Sentosa attractions on our list, ate an early dinner at Vivo City Mall, and finished our day with more shopping along Orchard street. 

Do be aware, though, that while entry to Sentosa is free, you have to pay for all the rides and attractions separately.  For the complete list of things to do and attractions to see, visit the Sentosa webpage.   

Jurong Island:

Singapore Discovery Center

Since Jurong is located far away from the city, we planned to tackle three of its attractions in one day.  We initally intended to start our day in Jurong by visiting the Singapore Discovery Center, then walk through Jurong Bird Park mid-day and end with the Science Center. 

The Singapore Discovery Center, as Wikipedia describes it, is an attraction that offers engaging exhibits for everybody, providing insights into what makes Singapore ticks.  

Someone (namely me!) obviously did not research enough... halfway through the attraction, the kids were starting to get bored because it was after all not an attraction, per se, but more of an information center about everything Singapore.  Still having paid for the entrance already, we did explore the place as much as we can.  However, if I were to advise you, I would tell you to skip this with the kids.

Unfortunately, due to the rain unexpectedly appearing as we exited the Discovery Center, we had to veer away from our itinerary.  We decided to go to the Science Center first and just go to the bird park when the weather clears up a bit.

Singapore Discovery Centre
admission:  kids $6, adults $10

Singapore Science Centre

At the  Singapore Science Centre, the kids had such a great time satisfying their curios minds and busy hands.  The Science Center is actually a playground of knowledge for adults and kids alike.  With close to 20 permanent exhibit areas and frequent travelling exhibitions, the Singapore Science Centre is home to a huge collection of interactive exhibits featuring the science of outer space, the earth, sound, inventions, ecosystems, human bodies, technology, and visual illusions.

 

 

At the Sound Exhibit, the kids were charmed by the playful and theatrical demonstration of sound waves in action as shaved iron fillings controlled by an electromagnetic plate dance to a variety of tunes.

image source

The exhibits, although appealing and interesting, are not the star at the Singapore Science Center; the shows and demonstrations are the must-sees!  We were mesmerized at how they simulated one of the most virtually impressive BUT terrifying phenomenon in nature, a fire tornado, inside a specially built enclosure in the museum.  Fire tornadoes are not usually something that is captured on cameras, so seeing one simulated up close is something that captivated everyone.

This demonstration only comes up once a day at 3pm, so be sure to be there when they light this up

Another must-see demonstration is the Tesla Coil Show, an explosive and electrifying live demonstration of high voltage electricity.  Electrical arcs travel wirelessly and pop out hydrogen-filled balloons, making an explosive demonstration.  Audience who are brave enough can also volunteer to sit inside a giant bird cage while electric currents travels around it. 

There is a Science show, as well, that is truly entertaining and engaging, with a lot a strong element of fun and play thrown in.  There are a lot of activities which involve audience interaction and participation.

Here we are crossing a tunnel where psychedelic lights illuminate when motion is detected.

Dinosaurs Live! is one of the traveling exhibits on display, and C and R took the opportunity to visit since they missed this when we were in Hong Kong.  There are almost 50 life-sized dinosaurs in their created habitats.  There is a separate admission to this exhibit. 

There are a lot of things to do and see that an afternoon is almost not enough for my kids. We ended up staying the whole afternoon, foregoing a visit to the Jurong Bird Park, in the process.  You can visit this site if you need any help planning your itinerary at the Science Centre

This is pretty much like the Science Museum in Hong Kong where there are a lot of interactive exhibits to entertain the kids.  Only, the HK Science museum already had a mini-dinosaur exhibit. For the Singapore Science Center, we had to pay another admission fee to get in the Dinosaur exhibit.  While I personally think that the hands-on display and exhibits of the Hong Kong Science Center were superior in terms of variety and the ability to engage the kids.  Nonetheless, the Singapore Science Center makes the trip more than worth the while with its unique and must-see shows and demonstrations!

Singapore Science Centre 
admission:  kids $3; adults $9; senior citizens $6; children below 3 free
Dinosaurs Alive!

admission:  kids $15; adults $23; inclusive of Science Center admission 

OmniTheatre, also called the Science Centre Observatory 

We purposely, intentionally, deliberately planned for our visit to the Science Centre to fall on a Friday since that is the only day when the Observatory is open to the public for a night of FREE stargazing from 7-10pm.  

My kids have this National Geographic telescope at home which they use to look at major constellations on nights when the sky is clear.  So I know the kids, most especially B, would love to have a chance to observe the heavenly bodies using the Observatory's state-of-the-art telescope, which can be made to swivel in any direction and its shutter can be made to slide open for the telescope to focus on any interesting objects in the sky.

It is just our luck that the rain did not let up; while the observatory was still open to visitors, stargazing through the observatory's telescope has been rendered impossible due to the weather. Sigh! 

Phenomenal TIPS:

1.  It is best to arrive at SENTOSA early to avoid the crowds that start coming in in the afternoon.

2.  Like the Philippines, Singapore's weather is unpredictable.  It can be sunny in the mornings and turn rainy in the afternoon, or the other way around.  It is advisable to bring foldable umbrellas and lighweight but water-proof jackets/parkas.

3.  If you are traveling with kids, bring along water bottles and some light snacks.

4.  The Singapore Zoo, Night Safari and Jurong Bird Park have a 3-in-1 joint ticket called the Park Hopper Ticket. This is great value if you plan on visiting all 3 parks. You get to save a chunk off the total ticket price. You may also get a variety 2-in-1 Park Hopper tickets for entry into any 2 of Zoo, Night Safari or Bird Park. Prices vary according to your selection of parks and rides.
5.  If you/your kids are into astronomy, make sure to experience the FREE stargazing session every Friday night at the Science Centre Obervatory.

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