8 Best places to visit in New Washington Aklan

By: Mariz Nicole C. Guanco

Explore the picturesque spots amidst the verdant topography of New Washington and discover what makes it “The Beautiful and Bountiful” town of Aklan. 

Find out the rich history of the place known as the hometown of the former Archbishop of Manila and the late Jaime Cardinal Sin, while being recognized for the Blood Compact Celebration done every third day of March. After much wandering around and sightseeing, fear not of an empty stomach, for New Washington is dubbed as the Sea Foods Capital of Aklan, and you'll understand why once you get a chance to taste the local cuisine. 

New Washington is a third-class municipality in the province of Aklan located at the northern part of Panay Island. It is a coastal municipality and an agricultural town having 16 barangays found either near the coastline or near the rice fields. It is the native town of Aklanon Katipuneros Romualdo Dalida, Isidro Jimenez, Cornelio Delfin, Valeriano Dalida, Benito Motus, Albino Rabaria, Teodorico Motus, and Juan Dalida who willingly performed blood compact as a symbol of eternal friendship and brotherhood in the fight for independence against the Spaniard regime.

The municipality of New Washington used to be called Fonda Lagatic because of the apparent Lagatik River which flows through the place at a length of 9.6 kilometres. It changed its name after being established on January 15, 1904. New Washington, as we now know it, was named after George Washington, the first president of the United States, as a tribute to the Thomasites, a group of American teachers who had fostered education in the Philippines in the early 1900s, then trained Filipino teachers with English as the medium of instruction.

Get ready to list down a bunch of places in New Washington to add on your travel bucket list. This article will cover the best places to visit while you’re here.

8. Fatima Lighthouse

Photo: flickr

This mysterious place at Barangay Fatima, New Washington, Aklan is a secret that only lives to shine at night to safely guide fishermen and small vessels. But now the word is out! Marvel at the beautiful scenery that awaits you. If you find beauty in simplicity, are searching for tranquillity, or just opt for less crowded places, this is the place to be.

7. Tambak Seawall

Photo: New Washington, Kalibo, Aklan

Watch the small waves lap at the seawall, the endless stretch of the sea, the boats, and small vessels, or gape in awe at the fleeting beauty of the sunrise and sunset. Relax as you listen to the sound of the waves and enjoy the cool sea breeze, while you delight in watching the scenery or eating the mouthwatering seafood cuisine served fresh in restaurants across the road. Or why not both? The nearby cottages serve as a great place to enjoy your meal.

6. New Washington Town Plaza

Photo: flickr

Stroll around the heart of the town and admire the different paintings on each bench, behold the enormous bronze statue of of the late Jaime Cardinal Sin, the pride of Aklan, the former Roman Catholic Archbishop of Manila and a key figure in the 1986 EDSA Revolution that put an end to the reign of then-president Ferdinand Marcos, or visit the Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of The Most Holy Rosary Parish Church in front of Cardinal Sin’s statue. For those who not only want to know the place but also the people, this is the spot for you. A place where the townsfolk frequent is an ideal place to mingle and get to know them.

5. Pink Sisters Convent

Photo: malubaytinyblanca / wordpress

Find time to visit the only contemporary nunnery in Aklan and in the whole Western Visayas. Located at Barangay Polo, New Washington, Aklan, the nuns here wear pink garments, thus the convent was named Pink Sisters. Seek divine intervention for your troubles or thank the Lord for your abundance, as you connect with God and pray at this haven for human souls. Buy religious materials like rosaries, bracelets, books and other religious souvenirs to help the Pink Sisters nuns earn a little profit for their everyday expenses and charity works and assistance.

4. Ortega’s Beach Resort

Photo: Ortega’s Beach Resort

Take a break from the urban lifestyle, rent a room and stay overnight at this resort in Barangay Ochando, New Washington, Aklan. It’s always open. Relax and find solace as you swim in the pool or at the nearby beach. Offering the cheapest cottage rentals in town while still maintaining privacy, peace and tranquillity for their customers, this is “Your seaside kind of experience.”

3. Ocean View Resort Bar & Restaurant

Photo: hikersbay

Slide down with excitement as you exit the mouth of a huge whale, only then to plunge into the pool. Feel refreshed with a relaxing swim and delicious food available at this resort located at Barangay Tambak, New Washington, Aklan. It opens daily from 9 AM to 10 PM and offers venue and catering services. Hit two birds with one stone as you stroll around the Tambak seawall just outside the resort.

2. Isla Kapispisan

Photo: palerlocus

Explore this hidden paradise in Barangay Pinamuk-an, New Washington, Aklan. Pispis, the Visayan root word of its name “Kapispisan,” means birds, and Kapispisan, meaning flock of birds. Isla Kapispisan is a bird sanctuary converted from an abandoned 32-hectare fishpond into a mangrove reforestation, aqua silviculture, and ecotourism site through the efforts of ASU-College of Fisheries and Marine Sciences (ASU-CFMS), New Washington LGU and other cooperating agencies in the year 1997. It has become a place for learning for the fishery sectors and is slowly but surely becoming a tourist destination here in Aklan.

1. Jodan Vill Resort

Photo: Jodan Vill Resort

A perfect family getaway is well spent at Jodan Vill Resort: “A place where you can find peace and happiness.” This inland resort located at Barangay Ochando, New Washington, Aklan opens daily from 8 AM to 7 PM and offers tons of amenities. It has just what you need to keep the kids busy and happy: a 3-feet kiddie pool, a children’s playground, a store, statues of animals and superheroes, and a Little People Village. There are also lots of cottages to choose from, and for the teens and adults, selfie areas to delight in are right about anywhere. It has a function hall, restaurant, a VIP room with videoke, and an adult pool which is soon to be available for public use. They also sell ornamental plants and allow pets of customers inside the resort.