When in Bacolod: Mambukal Hot Springs

A trip to Bacolod is never complete without a stick or two of inasal from Chicken House and Kansi from Sharyn's. Throw in some Napoleones, Piaya and Half Moon and I'll be one happy kid. But one thing I was not aware of that would make one's trip to Bacolod more memorable is Mambukal Hot Spring.

Hello, Mambukal Hot Spring. 

Located 45 minutes away from Bacolod's city center, Mambukal Hot Spring has been a destination for locals and tourists alike. 

It houses three sulfur pools with one built in 1927 making it almost a century old! 

Each hot spring has a separate entrance fee. The one closest to the main entrance costs PHP50 for adults and PHP20 for kids (good for the whole day). Ofuro's entrance fee costs PHP100 (person/day) and Ishiwata Bath House at PHP150 (per 30 minutes). 

Mambukal's hot springs are naturally heated from the volcanic activity of Mount Kanla-on. If it's your first time to visit a sulfur hot spring, it might take a while for you to get used to its not-so-pleasant smell. Think rotten eggs. 

But sulfur hot spring is actually a good cure to skin irritations and infections, including eczema which is notorious especially during the rainy season. Taking a dip in a sulfur hot spring can also alleviate pain caused by arthritis and digestive problems. 

Expect the water to be upwards 35 degrees Celsius. It may be a bit too hot at first but the body could easily adjust and feel comfortable. (I was a bit under the weather so I just watched R and his colleagues enjoy the hot springs.)

If you're not into hot springs, there are other activities to enjoy here as it is also a resort. There are zip line and wall climbing activities as well as a butterfly sanctuary. You can also camp here but be careful of mosquitoes as the place seems to have a lot!

Or simply enjoy the view of bats flying around.

Mambukal also has villas and cottages but reading reviews about it being outdated and poorly maintained makes me want to just take the ride back to the city.

This resort is currently run by the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental hence its pocket friendly rates. I do hope though that they spend a bit to give this place a face lift. 

Mambukal Hot Spring is located at Minoyan, Bacolod, Negros Occidental.