Calatrava between Pandan Weaving and the Skywalk

Calatrava offers several very different starting points for planning a trip: at the Skywalk Eco-park, the view stretches across the Tañon Strait to the island of Cebu, while pandan weaving and church history offer insights into local traditions. There are also the Badyangon wood fossils, whose estimated age reaches far back into the past. If you are looking for a vacation rental in Calatrava, you can shape your stay around your preferred focus—views and activity, crafts and festivals, or history.

Views and Steps at the Skywalk

The Skywalk Eco-park is in Barangay Tigbon. Its staircase has 193 steps: 186 made of steel and seven of concrete; it leads to an observation platform. From the park, you can look across the Tañon Strait toward the island of Cebu. A distinctive structure and a far-reaching view come together here. The park opened to the public in October 2021. If you plan to visit the Skywalk during a trip now, check current visiting arrangements in advance. The number of steps is also a practical detail for planning your day, including when coordinating activities with children.

Pandan Weaving and the Lilas Pandan Festival

In Barangay Mahilum, women traditionally wove pandan mats, locally called “banig.” The mats provided an additional source of household income, representing both a craft and its economic importance in everyday life. Neneng Dela Cerna has been making bags from pandan mats since her elementary school days. The tradition can be seen in woven mats as well as in bags made from them and in the story of a particular craftswoman.

The Lilas Pandan Festival celebrates pandan weaving every year on June 29. If you would like to plan a trip around it, check the festival dates in advance. To open the month-long Lilas Pandan Centennial Festival and the 2024 anniversary fiesta, a river parade of more than 30 pump boats set off on Saturday morning from Barangay Lemery toward the port in Barangay Lo-ok. The boats carried images of Saints Peter and Paul, the patron saints of Calatrava. The parade is therefore specifically tied to the 2024 celebration.

Church History and Badyangon Fossils

The Roman Catholic church in the town center is considered the focal point of Catholic worship; it is said to have been founded as early as 1880. St. Peter the Apostle Parish in Calatrava, Negros Occidental, was included in the 2021 church list for the celebration of 500 years of Christianity. Together, these details offer insight into the town’s religious history—from the church in the center to the parish’s inclusion on an anniversary list.

Badyangon reveals a very different timescale: the fossilized wood was discovered in 2024 in Barangay Mina-utok. Its age is estimated at around 15 million years; the fossils are considered remains of ancient forests, whose wood was preserved over time through mineralization. The site remains protected. The estimated age places the fossils in a completely different time dimension from the more recent historical connections to the church and festival.

When to Visit and What to Focus On

For your trip planning, it makes a difference whether you want to schedule your visit around an annual festival or focus on the views and pandan traditions. The Lilas Pandan Festival takes place on June 29; at the Skywalk, the 193-step staircase is one of the practical details to consider when visiting. If you are looking for a vacation rental in Calatrava, these different options can help you plan your travel dates and daily activities around your interests.

Discover more destinations: Hinoba-An, Sibunag, Guimbal, Carles, Oton, Ivisan, Maasin, Buruanga.

Back to the main travel guide: Western Visayas.