I’ve been a jetseater for almost 20 years now. I was only a few weeks old when I first rode an airplane bound for Cebu from Manila. I’m used to jetlags and delays at the airport. Been to the worst weather and the best flights. Last month, I’ve experienced the shortest flight that I had so far. The route: Cebu to Bacolod. Duration: 25 minutes!

Since CebuPacific Air was having its P99 seat sale for Cebu-Bacolod (which by that time Cebu-Iloilo is already P1200 one way) after relaunching the seat to accommodate the entrepreneurs and Bacolodnon-Negrense market of a quicker way for Cebu and vice-versa or for rather than taking an 8 hour bus and ro-ro ride.

The flight to Bacolod was so short, that I spent most of my time in Mactan International Airport than at the plane itself (which by the way, the flights for Iloilo and Bacolod got delayed due to a delayed connecting flight from Davao). Taking off was comfortable. Crossing the low mountains of Cebu, then Tañon Strait then the vegetable patches and the soaring Mount Canlaon.

The usual ice tea drinks were not served since the flight was too short to serve food anyway. Better eat first before taking the flight or else (bleeeh).

Immediately, we can feel the plane slowing down drastically. We were maybe to fast or maybe to high that speedbrakes were applied 10 minutes before landing. There were a lot of low lying clouds that day, and it was a thrilling ride as we decend towards Bacolod airport. It was thrilling because the thought of overshooting the runway lingers in my mind (after what happened to Philippine Airlines’ A320 that overshot the runway a few years ago in Bacolod).

After 25 minutes, we safely landed in the City of Smiles and boy the flight was so short yet I was surprised that the language shifted so quickly.

True enough, Negros Island is not just about sugar plantations… Having lived in Negros for a short time, and since there was a request for a writeup about Negros in my Salcedo Market entry, I have whipped up this article to hopefully get the ball rolling about Negros.

Bacolod is perhaps one of those cities one could go around easily without getting lost. There is probably only two main roads and everything is along those roads, so getting lost in old Bacolod is pretty slim. Besides the place is riddled with jeepneys, which makes moving around the main roads easy– and yes, cheaper.

Though for me, there is nothing much to see in the city of Bacolod, the food in Bacolod is nothing but ordinary.

ABOYS- Greenfields. Aboy’s has always been my favorite fastfood restaurant in Bacolod. Not only do they serve the best sinugbang liempo, panga, tuna, blue marlin and gindara, they also serve the best clam soup around. For dessert, if you are lucky, you might even get a taste of durian from the farm of Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco. From the airport, Aboy’s is only 10 minutes walk away.

AKASYA GRILL- 17th Street Lacson. If you want lechon, you can get some from Akasya Grill. I swear by their recipe and boy you can order one entire pig one day before any party or gathering and it’ll be there. Akasya Grill serve both Filipino and Negrense dishes. It is also a fastfood restaurant so expect food to be served— fast!

JO’s CHICKEN INATO- Reclamation Area. Chicken inasal is the most wanted in this restaurant. With recipe tried and tested, the Bacolod Chicken Inasal is the best and tastiest way in preparing chicken. You might not want to miss the buko salad and the usual Chicken Liver and Gizzard cooked like our regular adobo. If on a tight budget, one can have one piece drumstick and thigh inasal with rice and softdrink for P90.

PENDY’s- Along Lacson. You can have the second best Caesar Salad in the city. Pendy’s also whips the best ribs in town! So scrumptious and huge, one can share it with another! By the way, they have very good homemade mashed potatoes.

PALA-PALA. One should not miss this place! This is like the Dampa here in Manila. One buys the fish, crabs, shrimps and the lot and bring it to a chosen eatery to have the food prepared. Fee is dirt cheap, and the fish are fresh and appropriately priced. Ofcourse, lobsters and tiger prawns are expensive, but if on a tight budget, one can feed a family of four for less than P800 in Pala-Pala.

CAFE MARINERO, L’FISHER HOTEL- along Lacson. The best Caesar Salad can be found here. They will even prepare it infront of you! One of the best places where you could find and savor Filipino dishes at a not so friendly cost. Compared to Aboy’s or Jo’s Chicken Inato and the famous Pala-pala, L’Fisher’s prices is not too friendly and not too affordable.

Bacolod, unlike some big cities in the Philippines, is safe and pollution free. It is easy for families to travel together in Bacolod because of the easy pace. If you are lucky and have several more days to kill, it would definitely be a blast if you could venture out of the city and visit the islands close to Bacolod and have fun.

I would recommend Costa Aguada Island Resort. In Bacolod, you could easily arrange for the trip. If you have more money to burn and want a more quaint, quiet and unforgettable island trip, one should definitely check out Isla Naburot. To book for Isla Naburot, call 033-3211654 or 321-0890. Another famous place to check out is Punta Bulata Resort which is 45 minutes away from Bacolod City.

To go to Bacolod, PAL and Cebu Pacific have regular flights to and fro. One could also enjoy an overnight travel by boat via Superferry twice a week.