guimaras
Guimaras is renown throughout the Philippines for its 'Sweet' Mangoes which are widely regarded as the best in the world due to a unique combination of soil and climate on the Island. Guimaras is also blessed with clean fine sandy beaches and an inspiring tropical landscape.
Guimaras Island is located between Panay and Negros, four nautical miles from Negros Island across the Guimaras Strait and two nautical miles from Iloilo City across the Iloilo Strait. It can be reached by air from Manila to Iloilo City International Airport and then by a short boat crossing (15 minutes) from Iloilo City at Parola or Ortiz Wharf. The island is also accessible from Negros Occidental and there is a Roll-On Roll-Off (RORO) ferry to transport vehicles to and from Guimaras to Iloilo.
Folklore says that Guimaras was named after two ill-fated lovers Princess Guima and a slave Aras. Princess Guima rejecting her father's betrothal to a noble son fled with her lover Aras to the island. They escaped on a small raft but were swallowed up in a raging sea. The father grieving for his daughter was often heard shouting the names Guima and Aras toward the island, hence the name Guimaras.
Guimaras Island was made a subprovince of Iloilo in 1966 and gained full province status in 1992. It is the youngest and smallest of the six provinces of the Western Visayas of the Philippines. The island with an elevation up to 300m above sea level, occupies about 60,457 hectares (605 sq km) and has a resident population of around 150,000 people. The island is divided into 5 regions, namely Buenavista to the north, Jordan to the West, San Lorenzo and Sibunag to the East and Nueva Valencia to the South.
The island is served by good roads and public transport and has both land-line telephones and mobile and Internet services provided by two major telecommunication network providers Globe Telecom and Smart.
Attractions on Guimaras include beach resorts, organic fruit and vegetable gardens, mango plantations, religious sanctuaries and retreats, places of historical interest, adventure pursuits, mountain biking, water sports and island hopping are among the many activities in over 80 tourist destinations. These are all within about 15-30 minutes drive from Zemkamps Chalet in the province of Jordan. The name Jordan (pronounced Hordan), is the Spanish name for the Jordan River, was chosen by the residents in honor of John the Baptist, their patron saint.
Guimaras Island is located between Panay and Negros, four nautical miles from Negros Island across the Guimaras Strait and two nautical miles from Iloilo City across the Iloilo Strait. It can be reached by air from Manila to Iloilo City International Airport and then by a short boat crossing (15 minutes) from Iloilo City at Parola or Ortiz Wharf. The island is also accessible from Negros Occidental and there is a Roll-On Roll-Off (RORO) ferry to transport vehicles to and from Guimaras to Iloilo.
Folklore says that Guimaras was named after two ill-fated lovers Princess Guima and a slave Aras. Princess Guima rejecting her father's betrothal to a noble son fled with her lover Aras to the island. They escaped on a small raft but were swallowed up in a raging sea. The father grieving for his daughter was often heard shouting the names Guima and Aras toward the island, hence the name Guimaras.
Guimaras Island was made a subprovince of Iloilo in 1966 and gained full province status in 1992. It is the youngest and smallest of the six provinces of the Western Visayas of the Philippines. The island with an elevation up to 300m above sea level, occupies about 60,457 hectares (605 sq km) and has a resident population of around 150,000 people. The island is divided into 5 regions, namely Buenavista to the north, Jordan to the West, San Lorenzo and Sibunag to the East and Nueva Valencia to the South.
The island is served by good roads and public transport and has both land-line telephones and mobile and Internet services provided by two major telecommunication network providers Globe Telecom and Smart.
Attractions on Guimaras include beach resorts, organic fruit and vegetable gardens, mango plantations, religious sanctuaries and retreats, places of historical interest, adventure pursuits, mountain biking, water sports and island hopping are among the many activities in over 80 tourist destinations. These are all within about 15-30 minutes drive from Zemkamps Chalet in the province of Jordan. The name Jordan (pronounced Hordan), is the Spanish name for the Jordan River, was chosen by the residents in honor of John the Baptist, their patron saint.