Destination

Roca Encantada: a Heritage House in Guimaras (San Miguel)

One of Guimaras’ famous landmarks is the summer house of the Lopez Clan built a top hill, also known as Roca Encantada or “Enchanted Rock”. The house was built in 1910 in honor of Dona Presentacion Hofilena Lopez. Surprisingly despite the modern exterior, the idyllic mansion is a “heritage house” as declared by the National Heritage Investiture. The grand balcony of Roca Encantada offers a picturesque view of the beach front and Iloilo Strait with “La Islas de Siete Picados” not far from its coast.

Many celebrities and other well-known people came here and experience the scenic beauty of the Enchanted Rock. It is one of the assets of Buenavista.

Navalas Church

Navalas Church in Guimaras is considered to be the oldest structure in this island. Built in 1880 Navalas Church also known as San Isidro Labrador Church in Barangay Navalas themunicipality of Buenavista has been the oldest seat of the Catholicism in this island and the product of community labor and unity.

Navalas Church is made of coral rocks abundant in the area during the construction of this edifice. Don Miguel Jayme who has contributed much to the construction with Doña Carmen Javellana donated the piece of land where the Church lies.

It is fenced with old stone structures and has a watchtower that serves as the entrance gate. The watchtower was used to guard the Church from the Moro intruders. This structure also is the belfry of the church that once held a big bell made of an alloy of silver and gold. The history tells that Muslims once raided Navalas and took away the bell but threw it at the middle of the sea near the Siete Pecados Islands because it was too heavy. That bell played a major role and served as the warning device for the impending intruders’ attack as it can be heard even up to the town of Dumangas across the Iloilo Strait.

                                                                                      Front view of Church

to the altar