Philippines Sicogon Getaway 6D

Since I am from Iloilo City, my starting base is from here. For travelers coming from outside Iloilo, you can fly into Iloilo International Airport. There are a number of hotels in Iloilo City. Make sure you book within the City proper. For this trip, it is advisable to rent a car for better mobility and a local driver. You can look for the list of rent-a-car agencies in the listings found on social media or google.

On the way to our resort. we had breakfast at this coffee shop which is situated on a hill and offering one of the best views in the area. They offer Filipino cuisine and the taste is just average. This area is IG worthy as there were beautiful floras everywhere.

This eco-park is just an hour away from San Rafael by car. But since we were on a road trip, we left San Rafael at 10 am as we had to take pictures and just simply do things in a relaxed pace. The bamboo bridge is the people’s initiative and it is 214 meters long. The town of Ajuy is an ecotourism excursion destination that visitors should include in their itineraries when making plans to explore Iloilo. We ordered lunch here and ate by the seaside. We had grilled pork, bijon (native noodle dish), chicken adobo which is chicken slowly cooked in vinegar and soy sauce with herbs and grilled fish. We also had fresh fruit and had coffee after as our check in time at the resort was at 3:00 pm.

We reached the resort almost at half past 3pm. The resort has its own private beach, 3 swimming pools, gym and the essential amenities. It was time for us to relax and laze around the pool area. We ordered dinner at the resort’s restaurant and there were various choices from Italian cuisine, American and Filipino. The beach was also a solitude and there were fishing boats that you can see nearby. That night, we ordered wine and beer in our rooms and we did have a relaxing time.

This is the beach line of the resort. Breakfast was free and it was a buffet of Filipino and American cuisine. We had a last dip at the pool and we had lunch at the resort’s restaurant before we left for another island stay.

We left for the pier in Estancia which was 30 minutes away. We parked the car at the municipal hall area before we boarded the motor boat provided by the resort.

Huni Sicogon is 45 minutes to one hour ride by motorized boat from the mainland of Estancia, Iloilo. This island has an exclusive appeal. It has a private beach line and is a good area to start with for island hopping. Since we had nowhere to go, we spent the whole afternoon at the pool. There are only 2 resorts here on this island and it is owned by the same company. That night we had dinner under the stars and it was beautiful.

The resort was beautiful and waking up to the pool and beach views is really quite a treat. Today we planned to go on island hopping and this was arranged by the resort. We took off after breakfast.

It was a short trip to the various islets and islands from the resort. The first stop was at Cabugao Gamay and we took IG worthy pictures Tip: Come early as the beach becomes crowded in the latter part of the day.

This disappearing sandbar and islet comes and goes with the tide. If you want a tan, this is where to get fried. The beach was lovely for swimming, clear and super calm. There are restaurants in this island and at very cheap prices you can have all your fill of seafoods especially scallops.

The sleeping giant rock formation is the first thing you see in this island. It is beautiful and we snorkeled in this area. So many IG worthy posts and you can definitely stay here for as long as you want. We had lunch here and the food is awesome. Seafoods all you want.

This hidden lagoon otherwise known as Tangke (Tank) in Cabugao Sur Island was our last stop. The water is amazing and we swam for an hour here. Tip: Ask the boatman/tour guide to bring you here during high tide as the lagoon dries up in low tide. There will be lots of people so choose your time well.

We went back to the resort and just chilled and relaxed the rest of the day.

I am an early bird and I love beach sunrises and sunsets. Not much to do today except read a book, laze around and just be happy. There are no other restaurants nearby as Sicogon island is almost exclusive to Huni and Balay Kogon resort on the other side.

In the afternoon we made an hour’s trek up the highest mountain on the island, Mt. Opao. You can ask the resort staff to accompany you as the trek is quite tasking. We were not wearing the proper footwear so we had bruises on our feet after the climb. The view was worthwhile. From up here, we can see the airport strip which was not yet operational due to covid restrictions. But once it operates, you can now book to Palawan and other Philippine island destinations.

We went back to the resort at around 6pm. We trek down Mt. Opao at 5pm as we had to pass a rainforest looking trail so it was advisable to be down early before the sun fully sets. We just lay on the bean bags on the beach after dinner and had conversation of here and that.

This was our last day at the resort and we just relaxed all day. You can ask the staff if you want to snorkel as they have boats for rental too. We just decided to just enjoy doing nothing all day. Night came and everything went as usual.

It was time for us to go home. The drive home was 3 hours and half. We had a time well spent with this vacation.

Our itinerary ends in our city. But for travelers, you can stay here for a day or two. Iloilo City is known as the City of Love. It is also a food hub. Do not miss La Paz Batchoy an Ilonggo cuisine. You can have this broth at SM City mall or at the Atria Park District for easier access.

As a local, I suggest you visit Molo Plaza where you can find the Molo Church which is a famous Spanish-colonial church and heritage site in Molo District. It is known for the prominent red spires that crown its tall bell towers and as “the feminist church” because of the all-women ensemble of saints represented in 16 statues perched on the aisle pillars. Built in neogothic style, the church is one of the Iloilo City’s most familiar landmarks and top tourist attractions. Across the church is another iconic structure known as the Molo Mansion. This mansion is a classic historical abode of the most influential people during the Spanish regime. The Philippines has been under colonial rule of Spain for 300 years and these structures are traces of history. Tip: Cabs or taxis are everywhere and Iloilo City os still very safe to travel around.

Iloilo City has a lot of food choices from local to international recipes. One of the nearest restaurant you can go to is Giuseppe. An Italian restaurant serving oven-baked pizza and other Italian dishes. On this night, we ended the trip with a nice dinner of Pollo Al Forno which is marinated chicken with roasted vegetables. We paired it with Focaccia (oven-baked bread with herbs and tomato dip) and a pair of mock-tails. For the rest of your journey, you can fly from Iloilo International airport to your selected destination. This itinerary ends here but hopefully, there will be more travels to come.