Country > Philippines > Negros Oriental > Dumaguete
Date > 2012 > August
Activity > Traveling

August 2-11, 2012

Dumaguete Deja Vu

Location : Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines

Getting my Bearing
After the Apo Island dive and the Balanan Lake zip lining, I finally had a few days to settle down in Dumaguete and get my bearing. Having stayed here for 2 years and left, this is the first time I'm here as a transient. I can't wait until I revisit my 'usuals' - budbud cabog at the public market's Painitan, Neva's pizza, Sans Rival, etc. Food and seeing my old manangs were both high on my motivation.

a must-visit at Neva's Pizza

Manangs
While a resident of Dumaguete and Valencia, I would frequently hang out with the grandmothers (or my Manangs as I would affectionately regard them) as they go about their daily toil - preparing food in their carinderia, or maybe by a market stall where they gather and talk about life's grind. In their conversation, and this is interesting specially to an outsider - they talk about entities from the other dimension in the same way we talk about other people. It would seem like their lives and the lives of the 'others' are intertwined in this same social landscape. Think: the movie "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" where cartoon characters actually live side by side with humans. They talk about the Prince surrounded by his Black Bodyguards who live in his castle within the school grounds who wish to take one of the Manang's grand daughter for a bride - of course, you don't see the castle or the Prince. And they're not crazy either. The way they narrate their story, each one would corroborate what the other is saying - so it's not just one crazy person weaving tales of wonder. Moreover, they have becomed accustomed to my presence so they candidly talk about these things. Sometimes, I would help them wrap the suman that just came off the pot as I would listen....mostly, one would interpret for me what's being said, as I don't speak the local Cebuano language. I just find it fascinating.

Off for Oslob
Before I could catch up with other friends, it was time for me to leave Dumaguete for Oslob, Cebu.

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

I tried using an eye drop that obviously wasn't sterile

the cheapest lodging I could find in Dumaguete

back to my usual at the Painitan - a cup of native coffee mixed with a cup of native baterol tsokolate and budbud

the Rolls Royce of budbuds - the budbud kabog, made with millet and selling for P12/piece

saying Hi to my Manang. I have many Manangs in Dumaguete - vendors, carinderia owners, labanderas, etc.

walking around the public park and seeing this LG truck - brilliant way to advertise

meddling around at my fav pizza joint, Neva's Pizza

pizza baked in a wood-burning brick oven

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. xxxx 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.