The Visayas - The Rough Guide to the Philippines - page 309

Hawaiian Philippines Sugar Company
About 15min by tricycle from town • Mon-Fri 8am-5pm • T 034 495 2085
Just a short drive from Silay, this historic Hawaiian Philippines Sugar Company mill
offers the chance to take a ride on one of the famed “iron dinosaurs” and see the
workings of a genuine sugar mill. North along the rugged coast, the Victorias Milling
Company is the largest integrated mill and sugar refinery in Asia, although it wasn't
open for visits at the time of writing; enquire at the tourist of ce in Silay or Bacolod
for up-to-date information.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION

6

SILAY

By bus and jeepney Buses and jeepneys from Bacolod
arrive at the southern end of Rizal St, from where it's a
short walk or tricycle ride to most of the accommodation.
Tricycles to the airport cost P15/person, or P60 for the
whole vehicle.
Tourist information The Silay tourist o ce (Mon-Fri
8am-5pm; T 034 495 5553) is in the central plaza. The

helpful staff can arrange informal guided tours of some
ancestral houses that aren't usually open to the public, and
there's also a small museum tracing Silay's history opposite
the o ce (same hours).
Services The police station is opposite the tourist o ce.
For long-distance calls there's a PLDT o ce in Rizal St; the
Silay Internet Café is next door.

ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Baldevia Pension House Rizal St, near the busy
junction with Burgos St T 034 495 0272. Fan rooms
at this atmospheric former ancestral home are low on
modern amenities, but high on faded old-world charm.
A/c room s (P60 0) and suites (P1000-1400) are bigger and
brighter. P450
Café 1925 4 J. Ledesma St T 034 714 7414. This pretty

little place dishes up Italian classics, sandwiches (P55-90),
rosti (P130) and excellent coffee. Daily 9.30am-9.30pm.
El Ideal Bakery & Refreshment 118 Rizal St T 034
495 4430. Established in 1920, this bright and airy café-
deli does a range of specialities that include coconut pie
(P300), cassava cake (P160), meringue (P45) and halo-halo
(P70). Daily 6.30am-6pm.

Mount Kanlaon National Park
Thirty kilometres southeast of Bacolod, Mount Kanlaon (2435m) is the tallest peak in
the central Philippines and one of the thirteen most active volcanoes in the country.
Climbing it offers a potentially dangerous challenge, with the real possibility of violent
eruptions - climbers have died scaling it - and the crater's rim a forbidding knife-edge
overhanging an apparently bottomless chasm. The dense surrounding forest contains
all manner of wonderful fauna, including pythons and tube-nosed bats, and locals
believe the mountain is home to many spirits. It also features in Philippine history,
being where President Manuel Quezon hid from invading Japanese forces during
World War II.
There are three main routes up the volcano itself. The Guintubdan trail is the easiest and
most common ascent, but even this should not be underestimated. From here, although
it's only 8km to the top, the trail is best broken with an overnight stop (see p.314). The
14km-long Mananawin trail works best over three days and offers the chance to really get
to know the region, while the short, steep Wesey trail is very exposed and only for
experienced tropical mountaineers. It goes without saying that for whichever route you
choose, you'll need a guide.

ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION MOUNT KANLAON

By jeepney Guintubdan is 2hr by jeepney from Bacolod,
with a change at La Carlota.
Guides Whichever way you choose to ascend, a permit
(P500) and guide (P700/day) are mandatory, and a porter
(P500) might come in handy. The easiest way to make all
of these arrangements is through the DENR ( T 034 434
7411, W denr.gov.ph), or directly with Angelo Bibar

( T 0917 301 1410; E [e-mail]). Contact
Angelo as far in advance as possible (ideally a month) and
he can arrange everything from permits, guides and
porters to tents and meals. Coming from further afield you
can also arrange to climb Kanlaon through Dumaguete
Outdoors in Dumaguete (see p.317).