Guimaras is an island province located mid-way the islands of Panay and Negros. Bordered by Iloilo City in the north, Bacolod in the east, Panay in the west and Panay Sea in the south. The province is composed of 96 barangays distributed to 5 municipalities: Jordan, Sibunag, Nueva Valencia, San Lorenzo and Buenavista.

The province was originally known as Himal-us to the pre-Spanish Ilonggos. Archaeologists and geologists believe that Guimaras was once connected to the Panay mainland. It became a sub-province of Iloilo on June 1966 and then later proclaimed as a full-fledged province on May 1992.

The province is largely agricultural with principal crops palay, coconut and mangoes. Guimaras’ golden carabao mango is renowned worldwide for its sweetness and quality, which makes it the most important commercial crop in the province. The Guimaras Strait, Iloilo Strait, Panay Gulf and Visayan Sea serves as major fishing grounds teeming with shrimps, mackerel, cavalas, moonfish, round scad, anchovies, slipmounths, groupers and sardines.

Guimaras is noted for its great number of pilgrimage sites. The town of Jordan is known for its Holy Week presentation called Ang Pagtaltal sa Guimaras, a re-enactment of the Passion of Christ. Its climax is a one-kilometer procession of flagellants and devotees in biblical attire that ends in the Bala-an Bukid Shrine, a huge white cross atop a hill. In Catiliran Cave in Nueva Valencia, the people perform a Good Friday ritual known as the Pang-alap, where devotees crawl throughout a long passage of the cave while uttering prayers in Latin.

It has a wealth of white sand beaches and small coral islands. There are good spots for spear fishing, scuba diving and snorkeling that will sure delight any water-sport enthusiast. The best beaches are at Alubihod, Tatlong Pulo, Baras and Inampulungan. The interior of the island is ideal for hiking and mountain biking.

Guimaras can be reached by ferryboats, pump boats, and other sea-going vessels via Iloilo Strait from Iloilo and via Guimaras Strait from Negros. There are five wharves in the province; the primary one for both freight and passenger service is Jordan. Travel time from Iloilo is 15 to 20 minutes.