After a leisurely breakfast at our inn, the Bacolod Pension Plaza (it was a Sunday after all), we made our way to Silay which is just an hour or so away by jeep from the Bacolod town plaza. finding Baldevia Pension was a cinch. We've heard much about the beautiful waterfalls and hiking trail of Patag but found out that we need multiple days to venture there as the transport is hard to come by (only once a day, leaving early in the morning and coming back at 3 in the afternoon) and the hike is around 3-4 hours. That being the case, we instead repaired to lunch at Balaring, a seaside place dotted with restaurants. we chose the Higad Baybay Floating Restaurant, farthest from the mass of other restaurants for the quiet and the unobstructed view of the sea. 
We feasted on seafood, including oysters like the ones pictured here. What was supposed to be a lunch break turned out to be one chillout experience. We decided to wait for the sunset right there and Leny Castillo, the kind owner, obliged to set up two more hammocks so we three can while away the hours in super-relaxed mode. Talk about real, genuine, homespun hospitality.And while the sunset disappointed as the weather turned inclement towards the evening, we were bowled over by the hospitality.U nder the pitter-patter of rain, we dined at nearby Kalubihan where we ate these marvelous-tasting chicken inasal, obviously marinated before being grilled to perfection. We couldn't pass up the chance not to have ice cream for dessert and due to persistence (or katakawan), we found a store selling selecta ice cream near the San Diego Cathedral.
Curious note: We wandered to the town plaza at nearly 10pm and played around with the seesaws and swings when a siren sounded. as we found out the next day, a curfew for minors is enforced in this town at 10pm. certainly a good measure to further bring down the already low crime rate.
Contact info: Higad Baybay Floating Restaurant, Balaring - (034) 4968466 or 0909-6772784 • Bacolod Pensione Plaza, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental (034) 4334547; room rates: superior twin P888; twin executive php 800; deluxe twin P730; budget P550, a/c, cable TV, wi-fi inclusive rates
