Visayas on My Mind

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By AMIR ABAD

I keep coming back to one of my favorite haunts in the Philippines, the Visayan group of islands, where people welcome you with open arms, where the sun sets majestically and where the beaches entice you with their pristine white sand and sparkling crystal clear water.

The province of Bohol for one, is becoming the must-see destination not only in the region but in the entire Philippines as well. For someone afflicted with wanderlust like myself, Bohol’s wonderfully immaculate beaches, rivers and streams, its indigenous tarsier, its famous breathtaking chocolate hills, numerous century old magnificent churches, and other varied hidden treasures definitely should top the list of favorite places to visit.

Another favorite destination is Aklan in the island of Panay .The very cosmopolitan city of Kalibo is quite famous for its upbeat Ati-Atihan festival held every third Sunday of January to honor the Señor Santo Niño. Kalibo boasts of numerous trendy clubs, bars, and restaurants specializing in seafood and other Visayan dishes.

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Of course, one’s trip to Aklan is not complete without visiting the world-famous Boracay Island – considered to be the best beach in Asia with its powdery white sand and amazingly clear blue-green water.

Although Boracay is truly a paradise with, my opinion, the best beach I have ever been to in the Philippines, it does have its downside.
Now over-developed with bars and hotels and a rambunctious nightlife, it has turned into a “little Malate with a beach.”

So here’s a tip. If you are looking for a relaxing vacation with a bit of privacy, avoid Boracay altogether and instead hie off to equally beautiful places like Bohol, Capiz or Antique. These provinces are in the same region anyway.

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Capiz, infamous for its aswang (monster) and other folkloric creatures, offers wonderful beaches, virgin forests and of course, great seafood.
Its capital city of Roxas has been dubbed as the Seafood Capital of the Philippines and many travelers like myself can attest to that. Inexpensive ihaw-ihaw stalls specializing in seafood can be found along the shores of Roxas city. Humongous king crabs, succulent shimp, shiny fresh fish and other sea food delicacies can be had for less than half or third of the price in Manila.

At those rates, you can really eat seafood to your heart’s content in Capiz without worrying too much about aswangs.

Antique on the other had, is one of the hidden treasures of the region, and definitely, a must-see for the more intrepid traveler or explorer.

Antique is rich in natural wonders. Untouched, unexplored beaches and cool springs abound, nestled in virgin-like forests and fiercely guarded by ever smiling friendly Antiqueños. If you are tired of over crowded beaches and seek relaxation with privacy, Antique offers numerous resorts and calm beaches to soothe your nerves.

I love strolling along its long stretch of shores and discover ing countless interesting places, coves, flat and rocky shores teeming with fish, starfish and other colorful sea creatures. The most spectacular sunset I have ever seen was in Pandan, Antique, indeed a wondrous sight to behold, with deep hues of reds, oranges, violets and blues ever changing until the sun disappears in the horizon.

Visayas has a certain magnetism that keeps calling you to her again and again. Once you have visited any of these places, I guarantee you will keep coming back, if only to discover more interesting places, to make new friends along the way, and to learn more about the history of that magical place and its wonderful people.



Amir Abad is a freelance photographer and graphic artist who travels frequently to Asia and Europe.