Don Salvador Benedicto, Neg. Occ.

We went to visit our relatives in Don Salvador Benedicto. Unlike last year when we just passed by on our way to San Carlos City, we spent the day in town to explore its many landmarks.

Fast Facts (from Wikipedia)

Region : Western Visayas

Province : Negros Occidental

District : 1st District of Negros Occidental

Income Class : 5th class; partially urban

Barangays : Bago-Lalong, Bagong Silang-Marcelo, Bunga, Igmaya-an, Kumaliskis, Pandanon,Pinowayan-Prosperidad

How to get there: The fastest route would be following the Bacolod-Murcia-Pandanon-Don Salvador road network which takes 1 hour and 30 minutes on a private car. Commuters have the option to either take the bus or the v-hire. You can catch one at the Ceres South Terminal near Libertad, Bacolod City.

Things to look forward to in DSB:

1. The high altitude and cool weather similar to Tagaytay.

2. Long and winding roads which follows the contour of one mountain to another. The trip's no hassle though with the local government's efforts of providing its constituents with a well-constructed and well maintained road system. And you'd wonder why your local government, with a higher income class, couldn't do the same for your own town.

3. The Magnetic Hill experience.

4. Kape Musang is to DSB as Kopi Luwak is to Indonesia.

5. Villa Ica Garden, the perfect garden setting for weddings, anniversaries, family gatherings. They are currently undertaking maintenance construction in preparation for the wedding the son's owner come April 2009 (and we are invited, wohooo!)
   

6. Monkeys hanging freely on trees by the roadside. We've actually seen one near the municipal hall.
   

7. The Signature Plant at the DSB Municipal Hall. All the town hall's visitors are enjoined to write their names on the leaves of the signature plant. It's grown tall now so I guess they will have to provide a ladder for visitors to do that.
   

8. A peak into the Stone House, home of the town's founder, Nehemias G. dela Cruz.
   

9. A view of Malatan-og Falls (cigarette falls) from the Lantawan or The Viewing Deck. From there, you can also see the seas of both Oriental and Occidental Negros. There's a trail which adventure- lover could follow leading to the falls. The walk, they say, is long, about 30 minutes, but all worth it after taking a plunge in the waters.
   

10. The rice terraces similar to that of Banaue.
    

11. Buy/Enjoy mickey mouse plants, pink torches, million flowers, anthuriums. They are grown in commercial quantities at the Dela Cruz Garden. But I'm not sure if they are selling it. From what I've heard, they are propagating it in time for the son's wedding.
    

12. Eat/Bring Home pineapples, atis, durian, marang. If you are riding the bus, you can ask the conductor to stop for you to check out the roadside vendors who sell fruits in season.

Check out the pictures here >>>