Bacolod-Silay International Airport: A Survival Guide

Bacolod City has a new airport. It's in the middle of a sugarcane field and surrounded by majestic-looking mountains in the East. Sitting in the departure area becomes an otherworldly experience as the clear glass window frames mountains, sugarcane fields and coconut trees. But when I arrived there, I had no idea what to expect or what it looked like. As I was feeling a little shy, I told everyone not to bother picking me up. Besides, I wanted to see how the transport system was like. This new airport is a little tricky as it's in Silay City, around 30 minutes from downtown Bacolod City. Fortunately, there are several options available.

So here's a little guide for all of you who have not yet passed through the new Bacolod-Silay International Airport.

How to Get Out of the Airport

• Get someone to pick you up.
• Take a taxi. When you leave the baggage area, there will be guys right before the other door going outside holding placards with "Taxi" written on them. Approach them and tell them you need a taxi. They will give you a sort of receipt which you will give to the driver waiting outside. Standard rate going to Bacolod City is around PHP420.
• Take the Shuttle. Right next to the taxi guys will be little counters marked "Shuttle" and there will be ladies there who will take your payment and give you a receipt. The shuttle is only PHP100 (and don't pay anything more if someone insists otherwise). Shuttles are basically vans and don't be surprised to find 4-6 other passengers there with you. These shuttles have official stops like SM, Robinson's Place, and such, but don't be shy to ask the driver to drop you somewhere specific, like your hotel. It's perfectly okay and they're actually willing to do so. But the farthest that they can go is the downtown area.

Shuttle Me to the Airport

Options for going to the airport are basically the same:

• Get someone to bring you to the airport.
• Taxi.
• Take the Shuttle. There are shuttles/vans parked at SM City Bacolod and Robinsons Cybergate (in front of the old airport). They leave the terminals 2 hours prior to the departure time of flights but some say that there are also vans that leave every hour. Again, don't be shy to tell the driver if you're in a hurry. Fare is also PHP100.
• Colorum SUVs/Vans. There are colorum SUVs parked at the Silay City Plaza. Fare is PHP50, but you can have the van for yourself and not wait for other passengers for PHP200.
• Take the tricycle. Weird, huh. But yes, you can get a tricycle at the Silay City Public Market for PHP10. Another option is a multicab going to Guimbalaon, but it's not a recommended option. Jeepney fare from Bacolod (i.e., Mandalagan) to Silay is PHP10-12.

Additional photos of the new Bacolod-Silay International Airport are posted in Flickr.