45 places to discover
Agho Island is a small coastal island in Barangay Polopiña, Concepcion, Iloilo, part of the Concepcion Islands in northern Iloilo. It is known for its white sand beach, clear turquoise waters, and sandbar that appears at low tide. The island is uninhabited and primarily visited as a stop on island-hopping tours from the Concepcion mainland, offering a quiet natural setting for swimming and beach activities.
Arevalo Church, also known as Santo Niño de Arevalo Parish Church, is a Roman Catholic heritage church in Villa Arevalo, Iloilo City, Iloilo Province, Philippines. Founded by Augustinians in 1581 as one of the earliest parishes in the region, it enshrines the Santo Niño de Arevalo, regarded as the third oldest Santo Niño image in the Philippines. The present structure reflects post-earthquake reconstruction and remains a significant religious and historical landmark in western Visayas.
Arroyo Fountain is a historic fountain monument located at a busy intersection in Iloilo City Proper, Iloilo City, Iloilo. Built in 1927, it honors Senator Jose Maria Arroyo who authored the law establishing the Iloilo Metropolitan Waterworks. Situated in front of the former Casa Real and the Iloilo Provincial Capitol, it serves as Kilometer Zero of Panay Island and is a well-known city landmark and photo stop.
Bucari Pine Forest is a highland pine forest area in Barangay Bucari, Leon, Iloilo, Philippines, often called the Summer Capital of Iloilo and Little Baguio of Iloilo. Situated at around 600-800 meters above sea level, it features cool climate, pine tree stands, grasslands and mountain views. Developed as an eco-tourism site by the local government, it offers camping, picnicking and nature walks amid pine-lined landscapes.
Bulabog Putian National Park is a protected area spanning the municipalities of Dingle and San Enrique in Iloilo Province, Philippines. Established in 1961, it covers 854.33 hectares of limestone hills, secondary forest and cave systems. The park is notable for its 33 caves, karst formations, diverse flora and fauna, and as a natural attraction for caving, trekking and nature sightseeing in central Panay.
Bulubadiangan Island is a small coastal island in Barangay Polopiña, Concepcion, Iloilo, Philippines, part of the Concepcion Islands in the Visayan Sea. It is known for its elongated sandbar, clear turquoise waters and white sandy beach. The undeveloped island is visited as part of island-hopping tours from the Concepcion mainland, offering swimming, photography and sightseeing in a quiet, natural setting away from developed resorts.
Cabatuan Church, formally San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish Church, is a Roman Catholic church in Cabatuan, Iloilo, Philippines. Built in 1834 in Tuscan style of baked brick, it is known as the only existing church in the Philippines with three facades and twin belfries. Declared a National Cultural Treasure in 2000, it is notable for its massive structure, Byzantine-influenced interiors and historical role as the center of the town founded in 1732.
Calle Real, officially J.M. Basa Street, is a historic commercial street in Iloilo City Proper, Iloilo City, Iloilo Province. It was the main shopping and business district during the late Spanish and American colonial periods, known for its concentration of heritage buildings in Beaux-Arts, Art Deco and Neoclassical styles. Declared a Heritage Zone, it is notable for its restored early 20th-century commercial structures and preserved urban character.
Camina Balay nga Bato is a heritage house museum in Arevalo, Iloilo City, Iloilo Province, Philippines. Built in 1865 as the residence of Fernando Avancena and Eulalia Abaja, it is regarded as one of the oldest preserved bahay na bato structures in Iloilo. Now managed by descendants, it functions as a museum showcasing original furnishings, religious icons, and household artifacts, and is known for serving traditional tsokolate.
Camposanto de San Joaquin is a Spanish colonial-era cemetery located along the coastal highway in San Joaquin, southern Iloilo, Philippines. Completed in 1892 under Augustinian priest Fr. Mariano Vamba, it is renowned for its Baroque mortuary chapel, limestone perimeter walls, and sculpted entrance gateway. Declared a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines in 2015, it is considered one of the best-preserved historic cemeteries in the country.
Casa Mariquit is a heritage house museum in Jaro, Iloilo City, Iloilo, considered the oldest existing heritage house in Iloilo. Built in 1803 by Ramon Javellana as a bahay na bato, it was the home of Maria Mariquit Javellana Lopez, wife of former Philippine Vice President Fernando Lopez Sr. The house preserves original furnishings, antiques, and memorabilia, offering insight into Ilonggo elite life during the Spanish and American periods.
Fort San Pedro is a historic Spanish-era coastal fort located at the mouth of the Iloilo River in Iloilo City Proper, Iloilo City, Iloilo Province. Originally constructed in 1616 as a stone defense structure to protect the settlement from Dutch and Moro raids, it served as a key military outpost during the Spanish colonial period. Today the site is preserved as a heritage landmark with remaining stone remnants and an open park area along Fort San Pedro Drive.
Garin Farm is a 14-hectare integrated farm, leisure and pilgrimage resort in Brgy. San Andres, San Joaquin, Iloilo, about 50 km southwest of Iloilo City. Developed by the Garin family, it combines agriculture, recreation and a Christian pilgrimage hill. It is notable for its 456-step Pilgrimage Hill featuring life-size biblical dioramas from Creation to Ascension and the white cross-capped Heaven on Earth hilltop.
The Gigantes Islands are an archipelago in the Visayan Sea off northeastern Iloilo, administered by the municipality of Carles. Comprising Gigantes Norte, Gigantes Sur and smaller islets, the group is known for white-sand beaches, limestone formations, lagoons and caves. Notable for scallop harvesting and traditional fishing villages, the islands are accessed by boat from Bancal Port and are a popular island-hopping destination in Western Visayas.
Gorochan Falls is a forested waterfall in Barangay Igcabugao, municipality of Igbaras, southern Iloilo Province, Philippines. Surrounded by trees, river boulders and hilly terrain, it cascades into a natural pool used for swimming and wading. Reached by a trek from the barangay proper, the falls remains relatively undeveloped and quiet. It is notable as one of several natural attractions in Igbaras, offering a nature-based visit away from urban areas.
The Guimbal Bantayan Watchtowers are Spanish-era coastal watchtowers located along the shoreline of Guimbal, Iloilo, Philippines. Built as part of the bantayan defense system against Moro pirate raids during the Spanish colonial period, the coral-stone towers are notable for their historic military architecture. They stand near Guimbal Beach and the Guimbal Church complex and remain preserved as heritage landmarks of the municipality.
Guimbal Church, formally Saint Nicholas of Tolentino Parish Church, is a historic Roman Catholic church in Guimbal, Iloilo, Philippines. Built between 1774 and the early 19th century under Augustinian supervision using yellow limestone and coral stone, it exemplifies Baroque colonial architecture. Notable for its massive facade, yellow sandstone blocks, and adjacent Moro watchtowers, it serves as the town's parish church and a recognized heritage landmark along Iloilo's southern coast.
Iloilo Golf and Country Club in Santa Barbara, Iloilo, is the oldest golf course in the Philippines, established in 1907 by Scottish engineers of the Panay Railways. Located about 15 kilometers north of Iloilo City, the 18-hole course occupies flat terrain within the historic town center. Notable for its heritage status, century-old layout, and association with early American colonial period development, it remains an active private club hosting local tournaments and visitors with advance arrangements.
The Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art (ILOMOCA) is the first museum in the Visayas dedicated exclusively to modern and contemporary art, located inside the Casa de Emperador Building at Festive Walk Parade in Iloilo Business Park, Mandurriao, Iloilo City. Opened in March 2018, it houses the collection of Ilonggo art patron Edwin Valencia and presents rotating exhibitions of Filipino and international contemporary artists.
The Iloilo River Esplanade is a 9.29-kilometer linear park and promenade along the Iloilo River in Iloilo City, Iloilo Province, Philippines. Opened in 2012 as the centerpiece of the Iloilo River rehabilitation project, it stretches from Carpenter Bridge in Mandurriao to Muelle Loney in City Proper. Notable for its landscaped walkways, mangroves, viewing decks and public art, it serves as a major urban recreation and eco-tourism corridor for walking, jogging and cycling.
Imoy Falls is a natural waterfall located in Barangay Camandag in the municipality of Leon, Iloilo Province, Western Visayas, Philippines. Situated in a forested inland area surrounded by hills and vegetation, the falls features cascading water over rock formations into a shallow basin. It is known as a local eco-tourism destination requiring a trek to access, offering a natural setting for swimming and nature appreciation away from urban areas.
Jaro Belfry is a historic detached bell tower located in Jaro Plaza, Jaro district, Iloilo City, Iloilo. Built in 1744 during the Spanish colonial period, it stands separately from the Jaro Cathedral across the plaza. Constructed of bricks and limestone, the three-storey tower was destroyed in the 1948 Lady Caycay earthquake and restored in 2022. It is a National Historical Landmark and an iconic symbol of Iloilo City.
Jaro Cathedral, formally the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Jaro District, Iloilo City, Iloilo Province, Philippines. Built in 1864 in Gothic-Romanesque style, it is the seat of the Archdiocese of Jaro and the National Shrine of Our Lady of Candles. Notable for its all-male saints on the pillars, its separate Jaro Belfry across the street, and its Marian image canonically crowned by Pope John Paul II.
Kabugsokan Falls is a forest waterfall located in Barangay Dalije, Miagao, in southern Iloilo Province, Philippines. Set within a forested area inland from the town center, it features a cascade flowing into a natural pool surrounded by rocks and vegetation. The falls is known as a quiet nature attraction requiring a short trek to reach. It is visited for swimming, photography and nature appreciation away from more developed tourist sites.
La Paz Church, formally Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buen Viaje Parish Church, is a Roman Catholic parish church located in La Paz district, Iloilo City, Iloilo Province, Philippines. Situated beside La Paz Plaza, it serves as the spiritual center of the district. The church is notable for its simple neo-classical facade, historic parish heritage dating to the 19th century, and its dedication to Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage, attracting local devotees and visitors.
Lizares Mansion is a Beaux-Arts heritage mansion in Tabuc Suba, Jaro, Iloilo City, Iloilo, built in 1937 for sugar baron Don Emiliano Lizares. Located along McArthur Drive, it is noted for its symmetrical facade, ornate columns, arched windows and landscaped grounds. Now owned by the Dominican Order and housing Angelicum School Iloilo, it is one of Iloilo's most photographed American colonial-era mansions and a landmark of the province's sugar industry heritage.
Miagao Church, officially Santo Tomas de Villanueva Parish Church, is a UNESCO World Heritage Baroque church in Miagao, Iloilo, Philippines. Completed in 1797 as a fortress church, it is renowned for its ochre limestone facade with intricate carvings of St. Christopher, coconut and papaya trees, and native flora. Located about 40 km southwest of Iloilo City, it is one of the four Baroque Churches of the Philippines and a National Cultural Treasure.
Molo Church, formally Saint Anne Parish Church, is a historic Gothic-Renaissance church in Molo district, Iloilo City, Iloilo Province. Built in 1831 from coral stone under Fray Pablo Montano, it is known for its twin spires, Gothic exterior and interior lined with 16 statues of female saints. Declared a National Historical Landmark, it remains an active parish and a major heritage attraction in Iloilo City.
Molo Mansion, also known as the Yusay-Consing Mansion, is a heritage house in Molo District, Iloilo City, Iloilo Province, Philippines. Built in the 1920s for the Yusay family, it stands across from Molo Plaza and St. Anne Parish Church. The two-storey American colonial mansion features neoclassical details and is notable for its preservation. Now restored, it houses a cultural retail shop and café, serving as a heritage attraction and landmark in Iloilo City.
Mount Napulak is a distinctive mountain in Igbaras, Iloilo on Panay Island, Philippines, known for its nipple-shaped summit that gives the peak its Hiligaynon name. Rising to about 1,239 meters above sea level in the Central Panay Mountain Range, it is a popular hiking destination in southern Iloilo. The mountain features grassy slopes, Agoho pine-like forests and panoramic views of Iloilo and Antique provinces.
Museo Iloilo is a provincial museum located along Bonifacio Drive in Iloilo City Proper, Iloilo City, Iloilo Province, Western Visayas. Established in 1971 as the first government-sponsored museum outside Metro Manila, it houses archaeological artifacts, pottery, fossils, religious art, and ethnographic collections that document the history and cultural heritage of Panay Island and the Ilonggo people.
Nadsadjan Falls is a forested waterfall located in Barangay Passi, municipality of Igbaras, Iloilo Province, Western Visayas, Philippines. Situated inland from Iloilo City, it features multiple cascade tiers flowing into clear natural pools surrounded by dense vegetation and rock formations. Known for its relatively untouched setting, the falls is reached via a trek through rural trails and requires a local guide, offering a nature-focused experience away from developed tourist infrastructure.
The National Museum of the Philippines – Iloilo is a regional museum in Iloilo City Proper, Iloilo City, housed in the restored 1911 former Iloilo Provincial Jail along Bonifacio Drive. Opened in 2018 as the National Museum Western Visayas, it showcases the natural and cultural heritage of Western Visayas through archaeological artifacts, ethnographic collections, Panay textiles, and geological exhibits, serving as a center for education and heritage preservation in the region.
Nelly's Garden, also known as the Lopez Heritage House, is a historic Beaux-Arts mansion located in Jaro, Iloilo City, Iloilo Province, Philippines. Built in 1928 by Don Vicente Lopez and Doña Elena Hofileña and named after their daughter Nelly, it is set within a spacious landscaped garden. Declared a National Historical Landmark, it exemplifies the prosperity of Iloilo's sugar industry era and preserves original furnishings, architecture, and family memorabilia.
Pan de Azucar Island is a prominent island in the Concepcion Islands of northern Iloilo, Philippines, dominated by Mount Manaphag (about 573 meters). Named by the Spanish for its sugarloaf shape, the island is known for its conical peak, white sand beaches, fishing villages, and panoramic views of the Visayan Sea. It is a popular day-trip destination for hiking, beach activities, and island-hopping from Concepcion town proper.
Pavia Church, formally Saint Monica Parish Church, is a historic Roman Catholic church in Pavia, Iloilo, Philippines, about 10 kilometers north of Iloilo City. Built in 1862 under Fr. Fernando Cuenca, it is notable as the only Byzantine-style church in Panay and one of few in the Philippines. Its distinctive red-brick exterior, Greek-cross plan, and twin belfries make it an important heritage and religious landmark in the province.
Plaza Libertad is a historic public square in Iloilo City Proper, Iloilo City, Iloilo Province, Philippines. Originally called Plaza Alfonso XII during the Spanish period, it is notable as the site where the Philippine flag was raised on December 25, 1898, following the surrender of Spanish forces in Iloilo. The plaza features the Monument to Jose Rizal, mature trees, and open lawns, and serves as a civic and commemorative space in downtown Iloilo.
Plazoleta Gay is a small triangular heritage plaza in the City Proper district of Iloilo City, Iloilo Province, Philippines. Located at the busy intersection of J.M. Basa, Ledesma and Iznart Streets, it serves as the city's Kilometer Zero. The plaza features a monument to Jose Rizal erected in 1911 and is named after Francisco Gay. It is a historic landmark and orientation point for visitors exploring Calle Real and downtown Iloilo.
San Joaquin Church is a Roman Catholic parish church located in Poblacion, San Joaquin, Iloilo, Philippines. Completed in 1869 under Augustinian friar Tomas Santaren, it is renowned for its unique military-themed facade depicting the Spanish victory at the Battle of Tetuan in Morocco. Built of coral limestone in Baroque style, it is declared a National Cultural Treasure and National Historical Landmark.
Santa Barbara Church and Convent is a 19th-century Roman Catholic parish church in Poblacion, Santa Barbara, Iloilo, Philippines. Built from 1845 to 1849 under Augustinian friar Francisco Aguerria, it features Baroque-Renaissance and Neoclassical architecture with a yellow limestone facade. Declared a National Historical Landmark and National Cultural Treasure, it is noted for its preserved convent, museum collection, and role in late 19th-century Philippine history.
Sicogon Island is a coastal island in the municipality of Carles in northern Iloilo Province, Philippines, part of the Western Visayas region. Known for its white-sand beaches, clear waters and forested hills, it lies off the northeastern tip of Panay Island. The island hosts the Sicogon Island Resort and several public beaches, and is notable for its relatively undeveloped coastline, hiking trails such as Mt. Opao, and as a gateway for island-hopping in northern Iloilo.
Tarugan Falls is a natural waterfall located in Barangay Passi, Igbaras, in southern Iloilo Province, Western Visayas, Philippines. Set within a forested area surrounded by hills and vegetation, it features a cascade flowing into a natural basin. The falls is known as one of several waterfalls in Igbaras municipality and is accessed via a trek through rural trails. It offers a natural setting for swimming, photography and nature appreciation away from developed tourist facilities.
Tigbauan Church, formally Saint John of Sahagun Parish Church, is a Roman Catholic parish church in Tigbauan, Iloilo, Philippines. Founded by Augustinians in 1575, it is one of the oldest parishes in the country. The present church was built in 1975 after the 1948 earthquake destroyed the earlier 1867 stone church. It is notable for its Baroque facade with intricate stone carvings and religious reliefs.
Tinagong Dagat is a small natural freshwater lake located in Barangay Cabatangan, Lambunao, Iloilo, in central Panay Island. Known locally as the Hidden Sea, it is set among low hills and agricultural land inland from the coast. The lake is notable for its calm waters, scenic rural surroundings, and local folklore, and serves as a quiet nature spot and community attraction within the municipality of Lambunao.
Villa Beach is a public urban beach in the Arevalo district of Iloilo City, Iloilo Province, Philippines, facing the Iloilo Strait and Guimaras Island. Known locally as Villa Arevalo Beach, it stretches along the southwestern coast of the city. The beach is noted for its grayish sand, sunset views, seafood restaurants and resorts lining the shore, and its role as a long-standing local leisure area for residents and visitors.