Guimaras tourism goes beyond mangoes
GUIMARAS — While it is known for the distinct taste and sweetness of its famed mangoes, the local government here is promoting other features certain to attract tourist visitors to the island province.
“Guimaras is more than just sweet mangoes,” said Provincial Tourism Officer Angie Gabinete, during the Guimaras’ Manggahan Festival over the weekend.
She pointed to the pristine beaches which makes the island province a certified alternative beach destination in Western Visayas. Guimaras is just across Iloilo City and certainly nearer to that regional center than Boracay Island in Aklan which is a good five-hour travel by land from Metro Iloilo.
Guimaras has also long been a place a destination for religious pilgrimages. The island province is where Bala-an Bukid (the Sacred Mountain) and the Trappist Monastery are both located, specifically in the capital town of Jordan.
It is also a heritage destination featuring the over a century old light- house in the town of Nueva Valencia and Roca Encantada (Enchanted Rock), on which is built the mansion of the old Lopez clan, in the town of Buenavista.
Aside from its agri-tourism sites, the Guimaras provincial government also practices community-based rural tourism (CBRT). Visitors can participate in the crafting of miniature boats in Buenavista town, weave mats in San Lorenzo town, or try salt-making in Jordan town.
Its winding roads and uphill trails are a favorite draw for both enthusiasts and professional bikers from around the country.
The island province’s newest attractions are the windmills in San Lorenzo town which are functional as renewable energy facilities. The windmills are currently used as a favorite background for visitors posing for “selfie” photo souvenirs.
Meanwhile, those who want to learn more about what is considered to be the world’s sweetest variety of mangoes can visit Guimaras National Crop Research Development and Product Support Center.
Last May 21-22, Guimaras, which was once a sub-province of Iloilo, celebrated its 24th founding anniversary as a full-pledged province.
Gabinete expressed surprise about the number of people who came to Guimaras from nearby Iloilo City and Negros Occidental provinces for this year’s Manggahan Festival. She noted how the tourism office even served as sleeping quarters for several visitors from Negros Occidental.
Among those who were in Guimaras for the Manggahan Festival was a group of bloggers from Singapore invited by the Department of Tourism in Region VI (DOT-6) to take a look at and sample what the island province has to offer.