Country > Philippines > Negros Oriental > Dumaguete
Date > 2012 > April
Activity > Traveling | Lucid Thoughts

April 25, 2012

Goodbye Dumaguete

Location : Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines

Drifting With The Flow
Moving out of Dumaguete is a deja vu. When I embarked on leaving Sagada 3 years ago with no destination in mind, I was trembling. There was a crack in my voice when I told my yoga classmates then, what I planned on doing. When I left Manila 2 years ago for Dumaguete, I was calmer. Now, I leave Dumaguete with no destination in mind, feeling excited at how life unravels on the open road. With no home or a homebase, I am unshackled from a crutch - home is where I lay my weary back at the end of the day. I'd let myself flow with the tide, drifting from one destination to the next. I would stay in a place only while it works out - a day? a week? a few months? It doesn't matter how long or short. At some point, the need to move on will resurface and the pattern repeats itself.

at Adeladiva with friends and strangers

A Vestige of Home
Unlike before where I still kept my belongings at different places for 'safekeeping', I've now nearly disposed of everything I own - garage sale, charity, gifting, etc. I've paid my last rent, water, utilities and had my phone line disconnected. No more rent to worry about. Ideally, I'd like to keep only the things that will fit into my backpack...and nothing else. I'd been saying that for the longest time, but I still feel attached to some things that mean so much to me. When I can finally dispose of them, and not own anything on the planet but what's in my backpack, then I know I am detached from any material encumbrance.

Bridal Material
Dumaguete was a cradle for the last 2 years. It was home where I've met warm, decent and festive people, feasted on its delicacies and regional specialties, climbed its Mt. Talinis, scuba-dived its animated coral reefs and walked its quaint Boulevard during my quiet moments. Not unlike real life, if Dumaguete was a woman, she'd be bridal material - the one you want to grow old with and spend the rest of your life with. But sometimes, even as perfect as the woman might be, the restlessness within overrules - yes, not unlike real life.

Coconut Insider
Dumaguete is also a process for me. Dumaguete is where the money dried up, for the first time in my life, causing me to rethink a different way to make a living. In hindsight, I needed to go through that, if only to better appreciate what I have and what I can further do. Through the humiliation of debt, I took on designing and developing a social enterprise that took me out of debt and created a mandate that I still continue to pursue - CoconutInsider.com. Now, I have to take it to the next step which also means leaving Dumaguete. Or at least, that is what logic dictates. I somehow use that as a pretext for leaving.

A Relationship
Some people have lived in the same place for decades - nothing wrong with that. Where I find clarity is to regard a place as a relationship, no different from friendship, and no different from a relationship with a partner - that it has to work both ways along the lines of give and take, that it has to feel right, that it has to nurture a fertile environment for growth, and also, that it's only good while the moment lasts - nothing is forever, no matter how disheartening that may sound. Sometimes, you'll just have to love something (or someone) from a distance.

A Natural Order of Things
Here comes the spacy part. I believe that everything around us complies with the natural order of things - it's not random chaos. Perhaps this is what Einstein meant when he said, "God does not play dice". The planets keep their orbit around their sun, solar systems spiral within their galaxy, we see a cyclical procession of the seasons, electrons orbit neutrons and protons, etc. From the biggest out there (galaxies in our universe) to the infinitesimally small (particles at the quantum level), there is a governing natural law to which we all comply with. Stay with me...I have a point here. I maintain that that same law acts upon all of us to flow a certain way, to make things happen a certain way.

Keeping Control
We don't see this subtle Flow in our daily lives because we are creatures of control. We over-ride this law (free will?). We want to control ourselves and we want to control our environment. That's reasonable. I've done many variations of this control-thing, doing whatever it takes to meet an end. It usually entails a lot of work, time, money and resources. At some point, I get there, only to find out it really wasn't what I was looking for. In sharp contrast, when you let go and allow things to happen, (ie, being with the Flow) you find yourself at the right place at the right time, meeting the right people who are instrumental in getting you where you want to go, having opportunities knock on your door one after another, etc. It's better than printing money!

The Flow of the Collective Whole
So now, keeping faith that this benevolent universe has its best intention for me, what if I abandon control (by not choosing a destination) and just let things happen, ever-so-mindful of what path is being blazed for me by this collective law. Where will it ultimately take me? What is there to realize? Yes, I'm just the observer, being anchored only by my ethical tenets of right and wrong. Spacy, eh?

Ending Thoughts
Increasingly, leaving a nurturing place is becoming a repeating pattern that I've resigned myself to as an inevitable fate if I am to continue for my search. I used to think I was in search of the proverbial waterfall, or the next magnificent life lurking around the bend. But thinking long and hard about it, I'm in search of something I don't really know. And honestly? I hope I never find it.

--- Gigit (TheLoneRider)
YOGA by Gigit | Learn English | Travel like a Nomad | Donation Bank

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Dumaguete, Philippines

tourist attractions

Filipino Japanese Amity Memorial Shrine - 2175 feet above sea level and perched on a hilltop overlooking the sea and the neighboring islands
Casaroro Falls - pencil-narrow waterfall dropping nearly 100 feet to a wide and deep lagoon
Balinsasayao Twin Lakes - twin crater lakes 894 meters above sea level
Dumaguete Boulevard - 1km long boardwalk along the main hub of Dumaguete

- hotel

Hotel Essencia - 9-storie hotel in the heart of Dumaguete
39 Real St., Corner San Juan St., Dumaguete City - 09°18'32.1"N 123°18'20.3"E

scuba diving

Mario Scuba Diving and Homestay - homestay in Apo Island, scuba diving, restaurant
Apo Island - 09°04'40.08"N 123°16'09.19"E
Dumaguete Divers - scuba diving in Apo Island, resto / cafe, accommodation
Dauin - 9°11'18.6"N 123°15'54.3"E

cafe

Arteasan Handcrafted Beverages - coffee, tea, milk tea, frappes, waffles, sandwiches
79 San Juan St., Dumaguete City - 9°18'33.0"N 123°18'21.0"E

Dumaguete >> Cebu City by bus/boat

Dumaguete to Cebu City route is done by bus and boat. Ceres bus leaves almost every hour from the Ceres Terminal bound for Cebu City. It goes to Tampi and boards a roro until it reaches Bato, Cebu. From there, it resumes its land travel until Cebu City. 7 hours, PHP xxx.

Dumaguete >> Siquijor (Siquijor Proper & Larena Port) Boat Trips

(as of Jan 2023)

Montenegro Lines - at Dumaguete Port, P234.00/pax, P169/bicycle

Aleson Shipping - at Dumaguete Port, 8 am and 6 pm daily, 10 am M-Sat, Regular P200.00/pax, Aircon P250.00/pax

Ocean Jet - 40 mins, docks at Siquijor Port, 0919.066.5964, www.oceanjet.net, marketing@ocenajet.net

Please check first if Atlantis Yohan Express is back in operations

Atlantis Yohan Express - Siquijor Port or Larena Port?

Dumaguete >> Lazi, Siquijor by boat

Dumaguete to Lazi, Siquijor route by Kho Shipping was just opened up in early September 2023. Before, going to Lazi meant going to Siquijor Proper first, then catching the 2pm jeep to Lazi (last trip), adding 1 hour on the trip. Now, Siquijor Proper can be completely bypassed.

Dumaguete Port - take Kho Shipping to Lazi, Tu-F-Sun, 3 hours, Dumaguete departure 1 am, arrival in Lazi Port 4 am, economy P300, tourist P500.

Dumaguete Itinerary

Things to Eat in Dumaguete:

Eat at Neva's Pizza. They have a wood-burning stove and make the best pizza in Dumaguete
Eat the local version of Tempura, fish ball, balut at Tempurahan, an adhoc outdoor section by the City Port entrance.
Eat Paklay, a local delicacy made of pork inards. Popular in Dumaguete's roadside eating places
Try any of the lechon manok (chicken roasted on a spit) that's scattered all over the city
Try the torta bread (bread made with fermented coconut nectar) - you find that along the highway in Dauin...or the Dumaguete Public Market
Eat the breakfast combo - Budbud Cabog (Dumaguete's specialty suman) or puto + tsokolate (sticky rice wrapped in banana leaf + native chocolate drink)

Things to Do in Dumaguete:

Stroll along The Boulevard
Taka a tour of Silliman University

Sightseeing / Activities Near Dumaguete:

Valencia
1. Forest Camp in Valencia - a mountain resort fed by the Banica River. Great for getting wet and picnics (blog by Lakwatsero)
2. Go to the Japanese Shrine and Casaroro Falls - 100 meter falls and site of a fierce WWII battle between Japanese, Americans and Filipinos
3. Head out to Camp Lookout in Valencia for great views. Famous writers stay there for the Silliman University National Writers Workshop.
4. Stop by The World War II Museum in Valencia and talk to curator/owner/collector, Constantino "Tantin" Cata-al.
5. Splash on Pulangbato Falls and Hot Spring - via Palinpinon road towards PNOC. Great to dip-in after a day's hike or for hot lazy days
6. Climb Mt. Talinis. At 1864 meters, it lords over Negros Oriental, and home to endemic and rare species of flora and fauna.
Dauin
1. Dive on Apo Island - best for scuba and turtle watching
2. Dive on Dauin's District 1 Marine Reserve - best spot for snorkelling - 10K grouper, turtles, cuttlefish, Titan Triggerfish, etc. This is only one of many marine reserves dotting the Dauin coastline.
3. Soak in Baslay Hot Spring
Sibulan
Go to Balinsasayao Twin Lakes - two lakes almost 1000 meters above sea level
Siquijor
Take the ferry to Siquijor - stay in Siquijor overnight
Zamboanguita
Visit Malatapay Market on a Wednesday and try their lechon, tuba, and grilled fish
Bais
Go dolphin watching and swim on the sandbar
Mabinay
Rappel down Mabinay Caves
Siaton
Experience Lake Balanan

Onward Destinations After Dumaguete

These are the nearest popular destinations from Dumaguete by boat

Bohol - Bohol is an island northeast Dumaguete. Tourist attractions are Chocolate Hills, Tarsier Monkey, Loboc River Cruise, Beaches of Panglao, whale sharks (recent offering), freediving (recent offering)
Cebu - Cebu City is the usual gateway into the Visayas. But in Cebu Island itself, there are many offerings - Whale Sharks of Oslob, sardine run at Moalboal,Thresher Shark of Malapascua
Dapitan (Zamboanga del Norte) - I haven't been there but a lot of island ferries ply this port. There must be something here.
Plaridel (Misamis Occidental, Mindanao) - I haven't been there but a lot of island ferries ply this port. There must be something here.