For those who long for a tropical vacation away from the hustle and bustle of city life, the CHICKS Area or the Southern Negros Occidental is one of the best tourist destinations in the Philippines. The scenic coastline with mountains as backdrop provide a relaxing atmosphere for the weary traveler. Southern Negros Occidental is better known as CHICKS Area among Negrenses. CHICKS stands for Candoni, Hinoba-an, Ilog, Cauayan, Kabankalan City and Sipalay City. These are the towns and cities comprising the 6th Congressional District of Negros Occidental. CHICKS area used to be known for rebel insurgencies thus many people especially tourists are wary of going here. Times have changed and CHICKS Area today is becoming a tourist destination in Negros Occidental. CHICKS Area boasts of unspoiled natural beauty in its caves, beaches and diving destinations.
Candoni: An Adventure Waiting to be Experienced
Sit-an Cave is extends about one hundred fifty meters from its entrance to its end which is a church-like cavern with cool natural pool with overflowing water ranging from knee-high to waistline depth that forms an underground stream running along the columns of stalactites that hung like a pendant from its roof.
Expect more adventure tourists to visit Candoni because of the completion of the Dancalan-Candoni national highway cutting down travel time from 1.5 hours to 40 minutes.
Hinoba-an: Taste the Bounty of Sulu Sea
Located at the Southernmost of Negros Occidental at 199.4 km from Bacolod City, Hinoba-an is where you can find the biggest catch of tuna and blue marlin in the province making it the tuna capital of Negros Occidental. The Sulu Sea provides Hinoba-an with a rich marine life, it’s coral reefs teeming with fishes that serves as the main source of livelihood for the people and as a main tourist attraction. The occasional appearance of dolphins and whales are also proof of the rich marine resources of the Hinoba-an. The calm blue waters of Hinoba-an along a lengthy expanse of beaches amid coconut trees provide a perfect setting for relaxation and unwinding.
Hinoba-an is also known for its dry and wet Ubong caves. The dry Ubong cave is accessible by land while the wet Ubong cave can only be accessed by sea. The wet Ubong cave is a half submerged limestone cave with a cathedral-sized mouth facing the sea. A small banca can go inside the cave where one can take a swim in its natural pool.
Ilog: Savor the Best Oysters in Negros Island
Ilog used to be the capital of Negros and Siquijor Islands. The town was entirely surrounded by the longest river in Negros Island thus the Tagalog guide of the Spaniards who founded the town suggested the name Ilog for the place and the river.
Oysters naturally grow in estuarine bodies of brackish water and the estuary of the Ilog River has the right conditions for osyters to thrive. Oysters from Ilog are probably the best in Negros Island and they are always sought after during the Panaad sa Negros Festival. Ilog has a Talaba Festival where you can eat all the oysters you can for free. This happens every March as part of the town’s Kisi-Kisi Festival.
Cauayan: Breathtaking Scenery and Marine Sanctuary
Located 133 km from Bacolod City, the Municipality of Cauayan is home to Punta Bulata White Beach Resort which is a AA resort accredited by the Department of Tourism. The resort also serves as jump off point to Danjugan Island Marine Reserve and Wildlife Sactuary. Danjugan Island is one of the few small islands in the Philippines which still retains almost all of its original forest cover. Danjugan is an excellent site for scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking and bird watching.
The coastline of Cauayan is very scenic such as the Lina-on Bay which is overlooking Sulu Sea in the southwest portion and Panay Gulf in the north. Lina-on Bay in Brgy. Lina-on, Cauayan overlooking Sulu Sea in the southwest portion and Panay Gulf in the north. Travelers can stop over Punta Sojoton lighthouse at Brgy. Lina-on for a quick drink or use of the restroom. There’s Sari-Sari Store selling coffee and softdrinks and a viewing deck which provides a good spot to view the coastline of Cauayan.
Kabankalan City: Economic Hub of Southern Negros Occidental
Kabankalan is the economic hub of Southern Negros Occidental and has the amenities and facilities found in highly urbanized cities. There are malls, pension houses, restaurants, hospitals, colleges, and banks, among others. Kabankalan’s coastline may may not offer much but it has mountain resorts, local crafts and famous festivals.
Mag-aso Falls and Leisure Camp is located at Sitio Dug-anon, Brgy. Oringao, Kabankalan City. The water runs through the resort before cascading down to a natural pool with its turquoise green water. It was named Mag-aso because the falls release a mist that looks like smoke (aso) from afar. The resort has free-flowing swimming pool, two cottages, and shed-houses.
For pasalubong, visitors can pass by the Kabankalan City Showroom for locally made products such as pandan and abaca bags, different peanut products, as well as souvenir t-shirts. The Sinulog de Kabankalan is the city’s version of the Ati-atihan Festival which started in Kabankalan in 1976. Sinulog is a cultural and religious festival celebrated every 3rd Sunday of January.
Sipalay City: Jewel of the Sugar Island
Touted as the “Jewel of the Sugar Island”, Sipalay City is a tourist haven. Located 175 km South of Bacolod City, Sipalay offers various natural attractions and different adventures to experience which make it a favored getaway destination. The laid-back lifestyle and the charm of the people is favored by tourists that there are already several who made Sipalay their home. One can swim and snorkel in its pristine blue water, frolic in the white sand beaches, explore its numerous dive sites, and take an adventure hike up to its mountains or go spelunking.
World-class resorts and dive centers can be found along the stretch of Sipalay City’s beaches offering world class amenities. Famous beaches are Sugar Beach with its powdery brown sand akin to brown sugar and Punta Ballo Beach which has more than a kilometer stretch of fine white sand. Sipalay City is a diving paradise with its 42 identified diving sites including four wrecks waiting to be explored. These wrecks are mostly found in Campomanes Bay. There are also resorts which are equipped with diving gears for hire and also offer diving lessons. Sipalay is also attracting a lot of sports enthusiasts int he country with the annual Sipalay Triathlon held every March.
How to get to CHICKS Area
By Air
Southern Negros Occidental is accessible by land from Bacolod City and Dumaguete City. Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific have regular flights from Manila to Bacolod-Silay Airport.
By Land
The road condition in the CHICKS area is excellent and the scenery breathtaking. Ceres buses ply this route daily from Bacolod and Dumaguete. Traveling by private vehicle saves you time and allows you to stopover interesting locations for picture taking. The next time you look for a vacation hideaway, consider the CHICKS Area of Negros Occidental as your next destination.