Iloilo Things to Do

It’s hard to get bored in Iloilo, with all of the sights there are to see in the city, but if you do, there are also many different activities to check out in and around the city that will keep you and your traveling partners busy and entertained.

Iloilo beaches and islands

While some of the beaches in the city are infamous for being rather dirty, there are a number of beaches outside of the city limits that will satisfy any beach bum. Some of these beaches include Buaya Beach, which is a beautiful beach on an island named after the word for crocodile in Tagalog because of the shape of the island. Now, tour companies offer day trips from the mainland and it’s a great place to take in some rays.

Another good spot for an island day trip is on Agho Island which features white sand and clear blue waters. It is connected to the mainland by a ferry system, and it is only about a two-hour drive from Iloilo City. The beaches are completely deserted, you will probably have the beach all to yourself, and the island has some historical importance as well, because the Japanese spent time on the island during World War II.

Diving and snorkelling

But if just tanning and splashing around doesn’t do it for you, and you want to see some of the sea life that the Philippines are so known for, consider taking a snorkel or scuba trip with Scuba Nation Diving & Tours. The company describes themselves as a scuba diving and eco tour operator, and they will take customers out to coral reefs in the vicinity. They are open from 8am to 5pm three days a week, can be reached via their website or their phone number, and their address is 91 Nisa Road in Veterans Village in Iloilo City.

Baras Cave

If you are tired of beaches, you can check out the Baras Cave which is on Guimaras Island, just 15 minutes way from Iloilo City by boat. Every May, there is a mango festival that brings thousands of tourists to the island, but otherwise it’s a pretty quiet and sleepy place. The cave itself is a small cave that have two openings and you can swim from one end to the other. The water is deep and the cave features beautiful rock formations. You can take a boat inside the cave or you can choose to swim.

Sailboat tours

The Harriet Cruise is a tour on a sailboat that takes you around the Guimaras Islands. The cruise can either be booked for a couple of days or for just a couple of hours. The boat tour features food, drink, and fun. You can jump off of the boat and go snorkelling or relax on the deck.

Golfing in Iloilo

If you are itching to hit the links, you can head to the Santa Barbara Golf Course. Even those who are golf aficionados agree that the course is a challenging and fun one to play. It gets somewhat busy on the weekends because people come to play from Manila, so if you are looking for an empty course try to go on a weekday. It is the oldest golf course in the Philippines and it is the only one on Iloilo. Prices are extremely reasonable compared to golf courses in the United States or Europe, and with the money you save on course fees, you can stay a few nights longer in the Philippines! And if you haven’t brought your golf clubs with you, don’t worry. You can rent a set at the course. The course is located just 16 kilometres north of Iloilo City.