Bacolod City Travel Forum

i will take pictures of the masskara 2007. i hope that people in this thread will help me. any photographers in this thread? i hope someone nice enough will help me get around bacolod city since this will be my first time to visit bacolod. i need more details like date and schedule of the festivity, location, and other things a photographer like me should know. thank to those who will help me.

Hi, I'm from the city of smile, bacolod. festivities normally falls every 3rd week of october. October 19 is bacolod's charter day, masskara parade competition would be on the 20th and 21st. 2 days for different categories. the venue is always bacolod public plaza. you'll find no problem roaming around the city since every street is accessible. only, you have to take a walk to the venue since its closed to traffic. but i bet you, won't get a sored feet like walking in sagada! hahaha... i suggest you buy ticket and book a hotel or any pension houses as early as september. btw, while in there, mind as well do check out mambukal mountain resort. saw your webpage and it seems that you love rainforest. my 2 cents on it. have fun!!!!

as bacolodnon often say, "kari sa bacolod, maglantaw masskara"!

you've visited my blog site? hehehe. thank you for visiting. i've been planning on visiting bacolod city for 2 years now. i think my work my permit me this time and i am so excite to see the masskara festival. this will be my "event of the year." im planning on buying a round-trip ticket to bacolod before sept 15. i might research more on the hotels. it's not that i like rainforests but i find it very interesting. that's what i like about sagada. hope more info about the masskara festival will be posted in this thread.

i just bought a round trip ticket to bacolod city for the masskara festival. i will be in bacolod city from oct. 17-21, and will head to negros to visit a friend.

i hope that someone from bacolod will help me find more info on the best place to stay in bacolod. where is the cheapest but cleanest and near to the event location. i would appreciate any kind of help, whether big or small.

Offhand I can suggest Check Inn Pension which is besides our City Hall and a block away from the Plaza. Definitely you will be near the "action". I think the cheapest rate is 400. Its clean. Bacolod Pension Plaza is more expensive by 100 or so at 550. Its 50 meters from the Public plaza where the main event of the street dancing is held. But I think rates shoot up during Masskara week.

thank you for the info on the accomodation. i would definitely check that one out. i just hope that the accomodation rates in october will not shoot that high because i am planning on staying there for a week. problem is i am currenty in manila. i don't know how to make the reservation. should i pay them half the rent or will they make the reservation without giving them cash? please help...

I'll send another reply tomorrow with the two pension houses' phone numbers. I usually just call and they make the reservation without any down payment.

thank you so much eversure for helping me out.

Check Inn (34) 432-3755
Bacolod Pension Plaza (34) 433-4547

Hi, I will be in Bacolod on Octber 16-22. If there's still any information you'd like to know, feel free to ask. Also, I am going to give you my contact number so I could guide you which way and how you can get from one place to another. I do hope you were able to avail of the promo fares. Enjoy and have fun!

wow, thank you blueangelgrace for your willingness in offering me all these help. but i already found myself a guide to show me places within the city. but i am really thankful for your kindness. i already met my guide yesterday. he went to manila yesterday to finish some task, and he agreed to meet me. but in case things change and he can't be there to guide me during the festivity, i might ask for your help then. :) we can meet for coffee during breakfast though.

my guide suggested that he should visit the tourism department so he ask for a special ID so i can take pictures even in restricted areas and wont have problem with the different angles. i am so excited to visit bacolod. can't wait to be there.

Sure! By all means! I'm so glad a photographer like you discover and appreciate the beauty and culture of my hometown. It may not be a big festivity but I bet you, you'll enjoy esp now that they're introducing electric masskara "night version of masskara festival". Its new and I find it interesting too. Btw, are you a pro photographer? Its my passion by the way! haha.... I hope you'll get an access to the venue. Since its restricted area. If your friend's company sponsoring the festivity, you'll get instant access. Oh well, going through DOT is not a problem. I'll check with my friends there too. Let's have coffee at Bob's or at MCDO or even at the Gazebo of public plaza (the venue), its fun! I'll e-mail you my mobile number.

Grace

hi blueangelgrace,

finally, you've given me your real name, grace. your vt nick is kind of long, so thank you for giving me that. i've been dreaming of taking pictures of the masskara festival for 3 years now, and i'm so happy that it is finally coming to an end. and who would not appreciate that festivity. masskara is my photo event of the year. yes, i've heared about the first ever eletric masskara from the official bacolod city website, and i am so thrilled about it.

let's just say, that i took my first picture using my dad's old film camera when i was only 5 years old and i took my first dslr photo 5 years ago. i was just doing it before for fun, but now i'm making money out of it, which makes it more fun. hehehe. i could see from the masskara documentaries on television that the officials are very strict during the festivity. i even saw one scene from "living asia" that people taking their own pictures which the masskara on their background are being told to stay away from the middle of the street during the street parade. of course, i don't want that to happen to me, so i hope that just in case my friend will not be able to help me get my SPECIAL ALL-ACCESS ID, that someone nice enough would help me get one. sayang naman ang pamasahe at pera ko kung sisigawan lang ako para umalis sa gitna ng daan while taking pictures. :)

gusto kong subukan na coffee, something cheap and very bacolod. something that i would never have in manila. i've heard that bob and gazebo are like the fancy coffee shops in bacolod. i would love to meet you and the rest of your friends from DOT so we can discuss about our shoot. hehehe.

i think i'm all set. i bought the plane ticket (both ways), i already made a hotel room reservation, i already got myself an experienced guide who will also take care of our itinerary. my only problem left is the special all-access ID, so i can have authorization to take pictures ANYWAY in the festival, even in the restricted areas. i hope that my guide can take care of that once he comes back to bacolod on oct. 4th. i can't wait to see you all guys. i hope we can have a chat over coffee during my visit. :)

Great! So, I'll see you around bacolod then.

Grace

hey, do you know anyone from the tourism center, so they can help me get an all-access ID for my photoshoot?