Lakawon Island (Cadiz City)

Lakawon Island
: the virgin islet that most people often compare with the eminent Boracay Island.

photo courtesy of: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/

This banana-shaped islet is located in Cadiz City, approximately 48 kilometers north of Bacolod City.  It has only about 13 hectares of land area, and has only 1 resort, owned and run by the family of Mr. Victor Puey.

It started operating in the 1990's and has been quite a popular destination, especially for those living in Negros Occidental and nearby islands.  In the recent years, more huts, cottages, and air conditioned rooms were added to accommodate more guests – mainly families and groups (of friends) seeking an escape to the beach from the busy city.

What to Do in Lakawon?

photo courtesy of: http://www.candymag.com

Lakawon Island's resort (Lakawon Island Beach Resort) has huts and cottages for day time visitors, and rooms (aircon and non-aircon) for those who wish to stay overnight.
                                                           While in Lakawon, the best (and most basic) things that you can do are swimming and sunbathing. Swimming in Lakawon is a refreshing experience as you dip into its clear blue-green waters. This is safe for children too, as there is a lifeguard on watch, as well as a net to prevent anyone from straying into deeper waters.                                                 
Sunbathing has been a popular way to spend one's day in Lakawon (if you're not in the water, that is). Spreading your sarong on the white, pristine sands of the islet while soaking up the sun makes you feel like you're in paradise.

Other activities include jet skiing and snorkelling. However, you have to bring your own jet ski, as the resort doesn't have one for lease. And for snorkelling, the clear waters makes this a delight; but there aren't much marine life like corals, anemones, or various fishes to feast your eyes on. Windsurfing and skim boarding are among the popular activities to do in the island too.

The resort has its own restaurant where the food served (fish, crabs, seashells, squids, etc...) is generally good, but their calamares have been earning a lot of compliments from visitors.

If you are staying overnight, you can go night swimming as the beach front is well-lighted, and the net will keep you from straying into deep waters. Groups can spread their beach blankets over the beach and huddle around a bonfire while drinking and having a good time.

Current Rates

Lakawon's picnic tables with shade
photo courtesy of: http://s2.hubimg.com

Entrance fee to the island – 50 pesos (per person)

Picnic table with shade – 1000 pesos (per day)
Rooms without aircon – 1500 pesos (per night) *good for 5-10 persons
Rooms with aircon – 2400 pesos (per night) *good for 5-10 persons
Pumpboat from Cadiz to the island – 100 pesos (per person)

Getting There

photo courtesy of: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3120/

Lakawon is easy to get to. If you have a car, then driving all the way to (Barangay) Cadiz Viejo is all you need to do (which is about 1 ½ hours from Bacolod City), then from Cadiz Viejo you can take a pumpboat (motorized banca) to Lakawon island (15 to 20-minute boat ride).

You can also take the bus (Ceres Liner) to Cadiz Viejo and take the pumpboat to the island. Others hire jeepneys or vehicles if they don't want to take the bus, and this works just as fine.

photo courtesy of: http://images.karen808.multiply.com

Going as a group makes the trip more budget-friendly and relatively cheap. However, going in small groups of three's or two's, or alone, may be quite expensive, as you get to pay for the picnic tables and/or overnight rooms per night/day and not per person.

photo courtesy of:
 http://spillingmyownthunder.files.wordpress.com

Basically, Lakawon is a nice escape – not too far from the city, but also not too near that its waters and atmosphere is still kept as it is. Truly a great destination – especially for those who want places with less people/tourists.!

This 13-hectare islet, which is more like a sandbar, actually, simply has one resort (Lakawon Island Beach Resort) and a small fishing village on the opposite side of the island that earns their living by fishing and harvesting the sea's bounty.

the resort's "Sand Bar"
photo courtesy of: http://www.cadizcity.gov.ph

Quoting Lonely Planet, "Nature has provided Lakawon with a gorgeous white beach consisting of coarse coral sand and the island is covered with palm trees and in place dense bushes".  

Can you picture that in your mind? It's so inviting, isn't it?

Laura Seafront Resort (Cadiz City)

Just a few miles from the city proper of Cadiz, you will find Laura Seafront Resort – one of the resorts that people can go to when visiting Cadiz City, Negros Occidental.

Entrance to the Junior Olympic-sized pool

The resort holds a view of the Visayan Sea, and apparently a faint view of Cebu Island in the distance. Specifically located in Daga, about 4 kilometers from the city proper, it doesn't boast of white sand shores or clear sapphire waters. It is simply an average shoreline of the usual-colored sand and the usual-colored waters.

it was high tide after lunch

However, it is one of the popular places to visit when in the area. You can relax in their restaurant that overlooks the sea – the sounds of the waves rushing in and the strong sea breeze blowing on your face – you can't beat that.

half of the restaurant area

The restaurant, however, is just a simple place made of concrete that's colorfully painted with simple chairs and tables. They have a "videoke machine" that is pay-per-song – a song is about 5 pesos, and you drop it in, and the song becomes available for you to sing along with.                  

                                                                                                                                                    It serves coffee, sodas, chips, and other simple foods that you may want to have.

                                                                                                                                                   They have aircon rooms at 500 pesos per night – a great deal actually, considering that it is already air conditioned. They have function halls too which can serve as venues for seminars or conferences.

the junior Olympic-sized pool

If you're just there to have a good time, they have two pools. A junior Olympic-sized pool and a kiddie's pool; they also have a tennis court if swimming isn't your thing. Fees for swimming are 40 pesos for adults and 25 pesos for children.                 

they had bird houses and doves
flying all over the place :)

Aside from these, they have huts where you can stay for the day that are adjacent to the restaurant, thus, the same view of the Visayan Sea and Cebu Island.

So, where's the ship? ;)

The place is interestingly designed and decorated too as it is filled with colorful flags, some stone structures, and some nautical objects that were painted colorfully. In fact, about 25% of the guest were foreigners (Caucasians mostly) when I went there.

Even he is happy... :)

Overall, it is a second class resort, as Cadiz City is not yet as developed and progressive as the other bigger cities.  The rates are a good deal, and the people (staff and personnel) are friendly and accommodating. Great deal, nice people, equates to a nice time.