Lenten Special : Visita Iglesia at Simala Church

In commemoration of Lenten Season, I’ll be featuring this miraculous Simala Parish Church. This Church is situated in Barangay Simala, Natalio B. Bacalso S National Hwy, Sibonga, Cebu.

I had a chance to visit this amazing church two years ago – it was summer. When I first saw Simala, I was fascinated because of the design. It looks like a castle or I might say “a theme park”. Indeed, some are visiting just to see the architectural design and most of them are tourist and foreigners. 

Inside, the detailed design is very mesmerizing.

The people purposely visit this church to ask for miracles. In fact, you will see inside those evidences of granted prayers – wigs from cancer survivors, pens from board passers, wheel chairs from those who were able to walk and etc.

How to Get There? (ChoosePhillipines)

From Manila, you can fly to Cebu (estimated cost of Php3, 000++, round trip, 45 minutes).

From the Mactan International Airport, hire a cab and ask to be dropped at the South Bus Terminal where you can ride a bus going to Sibonga; you can also hire a van from City Link terminal where it will take you all the way to the shrine. The bus ride from Cebu City to Sibonga takes around 2 hours and 30 minutes. By the time you reach the stop point, take a motorcycle ride to bring you to the Simala Shrine.

This Lenten Season, plan your vacation and don’t forget to include this church – a place where you can connect our Mighty God. Make your travel and vacation fun and holy.

Review: Guapple Pie in El Ideal

El Ideal has been serving good food since 1920's and is included in one of the thirty heritage houses declared by the national historical institute. Famished after walking around to see the heritage houses of Silay and the famous Balay Negrense, we decided to try this local eatery. The interior is basic nothing fancy but the food is delicious and reasonably priced. One must try their tasty batchoy- a type of noodle soup, bicho-bicho, a local delicacy made of sticky rice flour, smothered with melted brown sugar and sesame seed (oh so yummy!) and their piping hot piayaya- a flat pastry filled with muscovado jam and sprinkled with sesame seed. They also have racks of varied pastries and cookies for last minute souvenirs.



Their best seller is the famous guapple pie, but I wasn't able to try it.  Guapple Pie is truly new to my knowledge, I was curious about.


Taste: 8/10 – It is sweet and the aroma of the Guava is still there. (Medyo nakakaumay nga lang pag nasobrahan)

Appearance: 7/10  It looks appetizing because of the breading. However, when you eat it using fork, it crushes easily into pieces.


Location: The place is just 20 minutes away going to Bacolod-Silay International Airport, so if you want a quick snack before catching your flight, this is the place to eat.




Address: Brgy. III, Rizal St, Silay City, Negros Occidental
Phone:(034) 495 4430