Siaton Banana Belt
Description
Banana farms supplying Siaton and nearby markets. In Siaton, the southernmost town of Negros Oriental, coastal and upland at once. Bananas here are several distinct varieties — saba for cooking into banana cue, turon and ginanggang; lakatan and latundan for eating fresh. Coconut groves feed three chains at once: copra, sap for tuba and vinegar, and fresh buko. Roadside stalls beside the groves are the cheapest place to buy either.
Tips
Coastal and upland production sit far apart in the same municipality; pick one or the other for a half day rather than trying to cover both. Cassava drying slabs are roadside and visible without needing to stop.
Stops
Southern Uplands & Coastal Food Chain
How to get there
On the main highway route through this part of the island; Ceres buses and jeepneys serving the corridor pass through.
Best Times
Early morning — markets, landings and roadside stalls all run hardest before 8am.