Welcome to Bacolod!
Bacolod is the capital of the province of Negros Occidental in the Philippines, and the most populous city on Negros Island at about 600,000 in the 2020 census. It is known for its MassKara Festival, a Mardi Gras-like parade and spectacular mix of dancing, color, and music held every October, as well as for its culinary heritage that includes inasal (a kind of roast chicken on skewers) and sweet dessert treats.
Bacolod, officially the City of Bacolod (Hiligaynon: Dakbanwa/Syudad sang Bacolod, Tagalog: Lungsod ng Bacolod), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the region of Western Visayas, Philippines. It is the capital of the province of Negros Occidental, where it is geographically situated but governed administratively independent.
With a total of 600,783 inhabitants as of the 2020 census, it is the most populous city in Western Visayas and the second most populous city in the entire Visayas after Cebu City. It is the center of the Bacolod metropolitan area, which also includes the cities of Silay and Talisay with a total population of 791,019 inhabitants, along with a total area of 578.65 km2 (223.42 sq mi).
It is notable for its MassKara Festival held during the third week of October and is known for being a relatively friendly city, as it bears the nickname "The City of Smiles". The city is also famous for its local delicacies piaya and chicken inasal.