Murcia and Bacolod
A Day of Rest: Mambukal Hot Spring, Spa Natura Massage and Bacolod Inasal
Part of Day Trips. The cities nearby are in Explore Negros.
Facts checked 27 October 2026.
At a glance
- From
- Bukaw, Silay City
- To
- Mambukal Resort, Murcia
- Distance
- About 35 kilometres
- Drive there
- About 1 hour, approximate
- Entrance
- ₱140 for adults, ₱80 for children. Includes the pools and the hot dipping pool.
- Gates
- 7am to 5pm. Closed Mondays.
- Day visits
- Walk-in.
- Tickets
- Online day tickets
- Spa Natura
- Sunday to Thursday, 10am to 10pm. Friday and Saturday, 10am to 11pm. Walk-in or phone.
The day, in order
This is the day by car. Travel times are approximate.
| Leg | Where | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Drive to Mambukal | East from Bukaw, into the trees | About 1 hour |
| Register and pay | Entrance at the Mambukal gate | At the gate |
| Hot spring | The dipping pool, included with entrance | 15 minutes |
| Shower and change | After the soak | Quick |
| Spa Natura | Signature massage, Mambukal branch | 90 minutes |
| Ginger tea | The Tea Garden | After the massage |
| Chicken inasal | Chicken House, Homesite, Bacolod | On the way home |
| Drive back | Bacolod to Bukaw | About 25 to 40 minutes, after dark |
Getting there by commute
There is no direct ride from Silay to Mambukal. The public way goes through Bacolod. Fares and times are approximate, and the morning departure is a habit of the route, not a printed timetable.
- Tricycle to Gaisano Silay, or to the Silay plaza.
- Ceres bus from Gaisano Silay, or the Silay–Bacolod jeep from the plaza or the Watsons area, to Bacolod North Terminal.
- Bata–Libertad city jeep to Savemore Libertad. Ask for the Mambukal terminal.
- Mambukal jeepney from the terminal in front of Savemore Libertad, to the resort gate. Locals call it Cebro, the double-tire jeep. It leaves when it is full. The signboard usually says Mambukal or Bacolod, and the wording can vary. Another way is the Murcia–Libertad jeep to Murcia town, then a Mambukal jeep.
| Ride | Fare | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Tricycle, Silay to Gaisano or the plaza | About ₱10–20 | About 5–10 minutes |
| Ceres bus or Silay–Bacolod jeep to Bacolod North Terminal | About ₱15–25 | About 30–45 minutes |
| Bata–Libertad jeep to Savemore Libertad | About ₱11–15 | About 30–45 minutes in traffic |
| Mambukal jeep to the resort gate | About ₱50–60 | About 1.5–2 hours |
| One way from Silay, all of the above | About ₱90–120 | About 2.5–3.5 hours |
From the airport
From Bacolod–Silay Airport, a shuttle van is about ₱150–200 a person into Bacolod, then the Mambukal jeep from Savemore Libertad. Or we meet you at the airport with a van. That pickup is an extra charge. Write to us.
On the ride
- Carry small bills and coins. There is no ATM at Mambukal.
- The resort is closed on Mondays, so a Monday jeep is not a plan.
- Ride inside the jeep, not on the roof.
- From about June to November the rain slows the jeeps.
- Boarding around 7 or 8 in the morning is usually the easier time to get moving. That is a habit, not a schedule.
What it costs
| Item | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Mambukal entrance, adult | ₱140 | Includes the pools and the hot dipping pool. |
| Mambukal entrance, child | ₱80 | Same inclusion. |
| Spa Natura signature massage, 90 minutes | ₱750 | Paid at the Mambukal branch on this day. |
| Chicken inasal | About ₱120–180 | An estimate per person at Chicken House. Not a figure from this day's receipt. |
The drive in
We left Bukaw with nothing to prove. An hour's drive east, the road narrows and the trees close in overhead, tall and dripping with vines, red ti plants lining the shoulders. Somewhere along that green tunnel you notice your shoulders have already started to drop.
The gate
At the gate, the old stone sign of Mambukal Resort & Wildlife Sanctuary stands with water running down its face. We registered, paid our entrance fee, and walked in under the canopy.
Mambukal Resort is in Murcia, about 35 kilometres from Bukaw and about an hour on the road. The gates open at 7am and close at 5pm. It is closed on Mondays. Day visits are walk-in, and there are online tickets if you would rather not queue for the window.
Entrance is ₱140 for an adult and ₱80 for a child. That fee includes the pools and the hot dipping pool. The Japanese ofuro is a separate soak and is not included. It was not part of this day.
Cooked food is allowed. Cooking is not. Leave the speaker and the videoke at home. Smoking is only in the designated areas. Take your trash with you when you go. There is a food court and a coffee shop on the grounds if you would rather not carry a meal.
The Sulfur Source is for feet only. It is not a pool to sit in.
The river
Below the path, a river tumbles over boulders, loud and cold and unhurried. We stopped on the bridge longer than we needed to.
The hot spring
Then the hot spring. Fifteen minutes is enough. The warm water does the work: it loosens what the week tightened, and you don't have to try. We got out before it got heavy, took a quick shower, and changed into something dry.
The hot dipping pool is included in the entrance. On this day the soak was 15 minutes, then out.
A general guide, and not a rule of the resort: 10 to 15 minutes for a first soak, and about 20 minutes at the most. Drink water. Skip it if you are pregnant, or if your heart or blood pressure would rather you did.
Spa Natura
Spa Natura sits right there in the resort. We chose the signature massage. The room was simple and dim, white linen, a curtain, the sound of the forest just outside. For a long while nobody said anything, and that was the point.
The massage on this day was the signature combination, 90 minutes, a mix of styles that includes Swedish and Thai. It was ₱750 at the Mambukal branch. Hours there are 10am to 10pm from Sunday to Thursday, and 10am to 11pm on Friday and Saturday. Walk in, or phone ahead. The phone number is not listed on this page.
Ginger tea in the Tea Garden
Afterward they brought us ginger tea in the Tea Garden, under woven lanterns and dark leaves. Warm cup, warm hands, slow talk. We stayed until the tea was gone and then a little longer.
Chicken inasal in Bacolod
On the way home we stopped in Bacolod for chicken inasal at Chicken House in Homesite: smoky, charred at the edges, eaten with our hands with plenty of rice. It was exactly the right ending.
Chicken House is in Homesite, Bacolod. The stop comes after the tea, before the road back to Bukaw. Mambukal to Bacolod is about 40 minutes to an hour. Bacolod back to Bukaw is about 25 to 40 minutes. A plate is about ₱120–180 a person. That figure is an estimate, not the bill from this day.
The drive back
We drove back to Bukaw in the dark, quiet and loose, the kind of tired that is actually rest. You are allowed to stop. Sometimes it takes a hot spring, a pair of good hands and a cup of ginger tea to remember that.
Before you go
- Go on a weekday. Mondays the resort is closed, so that day is not a plan.
- Arrive between 9 and 10 in the morning if you want the soak, the massage, and the meal without rushing the gate.
- The drier months are roughly November to May. The road is the same either way. The afternoon rain is not.
- The hot-spring times above are a general guide. They are not printed on the resort gate.
What to bring
- Swimwear
- A towel
- A change of clothes
- Slippers
- A dry bag
- Water
- Cash, and GCash
- An ID if you are asking for a discount
Questions
How much is the entrance fee at Mambukal?
₱140 for adults and ₱80 for children. That includes the pools and the hot dipping pool.
Is Mambukal open on Mondays?
No. The resort is closed on Mondays. On other days the gates are open from 7am to 5pm.
How long should you stay in the hot spring?
On this day the dip was 15 minutes. As a general guide, not a resort rule: 10 to 15 minutes for a first soak, and about 20 at most. Drink water. Skip the soak if you are pregnant or have heart or blood-pressure trouble.
How much is a Spa Natura massage at Mambukal?
₱750 for the 90-minute signature massage at the Mambukal branch. That is what was paid on this day.
How far is Mambukal from Silay and from Bacolod?
From Bukaw, in Silay, it is about 35 kilometres and about an hour to Mambukal Resort in Murcia. Mambukal to Bacolod is about 40 minutes to an hour, and Bacolod back to Bukaw is about 25 to 40 minutes. These times are approximate. On this day the inasal stop was on that drive home.
Where was the inasal on this trip?
Chicken House in Homesite, Bacolod, on the drive home after the tea and before the road back to Bukaw.
Can you bring food to Mambukal?
Cooked food is allowed. Cooking is not. There is a food court and a coffee shop on the grounds. Take your trash home.
How do I commute to Mambukal from Silay or Bacolod?
There is no direct ride from Silay. From Silay, a tricycle to Gaisano or the plaza, then a Ceres bus or a Silay–Bacolod jeep to Bacolod North Terminal, then a Bata–Libertad jeep to Savemore Libertad, then the Mambukal jeep to the gate. From Bacolod, start with the jeep to Savemore Libertad and then the Mambukal jeep. One way from Silay is about ₱90–120 and about 2.5 to 3.5 hours. Fares and times are approximate.
What time is the last jeep from Mambukal?
Around 5pm from the gate. Be there by 4:30pm if you are riding it down. For an evening at the spa or the Tea Garden, book Bukaw's van. Pickup is an extra charge. Grab back from the resort is unreliable, and a habal-habal down to Murcia is not a plan at dusk.
Home before dark
Stay at Bukaw
The day ends at the river. Rooms, breakfast, and a long table are at Bukaw.
Flying in? We can meet you at Bacolod–Silay Airport with a van. Pickup is an extra charge. Write to us and we will arrange it.