Bacolod City is one of the best destinations in the Philippines. Great food, peaceful and serene community, easy access to basic needs, hospitable people — Bacolod is all these and more. Known for being a relatively friendly city, it bears the nickname “City of Smiles.” Bacolod City is the capital and the largest highly urbanized mid-size Philippine city of the province of Negros Occidental. Having a total of 499,497 inhabitants as of August 1, 2007, it is the most populous city in the Western Visayas Region. Bacolod City serves as the entrance of the sugar-rich cities and towns of the Province.

Bacolod City is 45 minutes by air from Ninoy Aquino International Airport and 30 minutes by air from Mactan-Cebu International Airport plus approximately 20 minutes of travel by land since the new airport is now located in Silay City. The Port of Bacolod is a major seaport and has daily ferry trips to Iloilo City. By boat, Bacolod City is 18 hours from the Port of Manila and 45 minutes from the Port of Iloilo. By land, Bacolod City is approximately 3 hours from Iloilo City via Dumangas route.

Bacolod has an upbeat local economy and unlimited opportunities for trade and investments because the city is home to a high percentage of the country’s top 20 corporations. Bacolod City is the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) hub of the Western Visayas Region of the Philippines. Among the notable BPO companies operating in the city are Convergys, Teleperformance and TeleTech.

Bacolod City is known for its MassKara Festival held every third weekend of Octover. The festival is highlighted with the famous MassKara streetdance competition, where people from all walks of life triip to the streets to see colorful masked dancers gyrate to the infectious rhytm of Latin-inspired dance music, accompanied with a dazzling display of mastery, coordination, and stamina.

Food is the main attraction of Bacolod City. There is a plethora of restaurants in Bacolod that serve delicious local dishes such as Bacolod Chicken Inasal (Grilled Chicken) or a wide range of international cuisines.

Bacolod will charm you with the genuine warmth and hospitality of her people in harmony with their lilting melodious accent. The Bacoleños will delight you with food and cuisine that is as vigorous yet as subtle as the legendary Ilonggo gentility and taste for the good life.

Sources: Wikipedia, Bacolod City Tourism Office