About Dumaguete City

Dumaguete City is where you will want to be if you decide to explore and experience the Province of Negros Oriental.

Dubbed as “The Land of Gentle People”, Dumaguete is a laid back city at the foot of Cuernos del Negros or Mount Talinis, a potentially active volcano. It is popular place for expat and also famous as university town being home to Silliman University, one of the biggest and oldest educational institutions in the Philippines.

Dumaguete’s proximity to Cebu makes the city speak Cebuano which is a totally different language from Hiligaynon spoken in Bacolod City and most of Negros Island. As the capital of Negros Oriental, it serves as gateway to famed dive sites of Apo Island, Mount Talinis, Manjuyod Sandbar, Balanan, Balinsasayaw and Danao Lakes, Niludhan Falls, Casaroro Falls, Red Rock Hot Spring, Pulangbato Falls and other attractions of the province as well as the mystical province of Siquijor.

Cross Negros Oriental off your bucket list, start it in Dumaguete City!

How to Get to Dumaguete

Manila to Dumaguete

Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific have daily flights from Manila to Dumaguete Airport in the neighboring town of Sibulan. From the main highway outside the airport, there are multicabs that can take you to downtown, fare is P10 for 15 minutes

Cebu to Dumaguete

Cebu City to Dumaguete Direct Bus

There are ferry and direct buses from Cebu City to Dumaguete City. The ferry leaves 8PM daily for six (6) hours of voyage. Meanwhile, the buses are stationed at Cebu City South Bus Terminal with daily departures starting at 5AM to 6PM daily. The buses cross Cebu Strait via Bato in Santander going to Tampi Port in Amlan in Negros for a total travel time of six (6) hours. Fare is P250 for the bus plus P70 for the ferry. You can book your bus or ferry from Cebu City to Dumaguete or vice versa below:

BOOK YOUR BUS FROM CEBU CITY TO DUMAGUETE

Cebu City to Liloan / Bato to Dumaguete

Alternatively, you can also catch a bus to south Cebu and transfer to a fast craft at Liloan going to Sibulan or at Bato going to Amlan. Buses make final stop at Bato, fare is P250 and travel time is at least four (4) hours. From the bus stop in Bato, you may walk to Bato Port or transfer to a multicab, motorbike or tricycle to Liloan Port.

Liloan to Sibulan: Commuters usually take the Liloan Port in Santander where there are numerous departures of fast crafts and outrigger boats to Sibulan Port of Negros Oriental starting from 5AM to as late as 6PM. Fast craft fare is P62 including terminal fee and travel time is not more than 30 minutes. At Sibulan Port, there are multicabs that can take you to downtown Dumaguete, fare is P10 for 15 minutes.

Bato to Amlan: There are numerous departures daily of large ferries that transport passengers and vehicles from Bato Port to Tampi Port in Amlan which is just around two hours away from Dumaguete City. Ferry fare is P70 and travel time is approximately one (1) hour.

Bacolod to Dumaguete

There are buses and vans from Ceres South Bus Terminal in Bacolod going to Dumaguete City. Travel time is around six (6) hours, fare is not more than P300.

Dapitan to Dumaguete

Ferries and fastcrafts link Dumaguete to Dapitan City in Zamboanga del Norte. Ferries transport passengers and vehicles with regular departure every four hours, travel time is about four (4) hours, fare is at P350. You can book your ferry from Dapitan to Dumaguete or vice versa below:

BOOK YOUR BUS FROM DAPITAN TO DUMAGUETE

Siquijor to Dumaguete

There are numerous departures of fast craft and ferry from Siquijor to Dumaguete daily from as early as AM and as late as 7PM. Fast craft rate is P160 one-way, travel time is one hour. RoRo ferry rate is P115 one-way with almost two hours of voyage. You can book your ferry from Siquijor to Dumaguete or vice versa below:

BOOK YOUR BUS FROM SIQUIJOR TO DUMAGUETE

Bohol to Dumaguete

There are fast crafts and ferries from Tagbilaran, Bohol to Dumaguete City. Oceanjet has at least two fast crafts departing at 9AM and 12NN daily for two (2) hours of journey, fare starts at P700. You can book your ferry from Bohol to Dumaguete or vice versa below:

BOOK YOUR BUS FROM BOHOL TO DUMAGUETE

Where to Stay in Dumaguete

There are numerous lodges, hostels, hotels and resorts in Dumaguete. Popular for backpackers is Flying Fish Hostel and Zen Rooms Basic White Knight which offer cheap accommodation in the downtown. For leisure and high-end travelers, Atmosphere Resort and Spa offers one of the best hotel experience.

Top-Rated / Highly Recommended Accommodations in Dumaguete

Top-Rated Budget Accommodations in Dumaguete

Things to Do in Dumaguete

• Visit the campus of Siliman University and its Anthropology Museum
• Stroll in the boulevard, experience the barbecue night market, catch the sunrise
• See Dumaguete Cathedral and Bell Tower
• Food trip in Sans Rival, Casa Blanca, Hayahay Tree House, Panda Ice Cream and Siliman Cafeteria for the Langka Bread, Cheese Bread and Bossing’s Tempura (go for Level 5 sauce)
• Indulge in different variants of budbod, puto maya and sikwate at the market
• Check out the attractions of Valencia: Tierra Alta Resort, Red Rock Hot Spring, Pulangbato or Malabo Falls, Casaroro Falls, Sulfur Steams, etc.
• Dive in Apo Island in Dauin
• See Balanan, Balinsasayao and Danao Twin Lakes in Sibulan
• Go dolphin watching and see Manjuyod Sandbar in Bais
• Visit Niludhan Falls of Bayawan
• Discover the mystical island of Siquijor
• Go waterfall-hopping in Southern Cebu
• Explore beyond Dumaguete and see the attractions of Sipalay, Bacolod, Kabankalan, Don Salvador Benedicto and more

Sample Dumaguete-Siquijor Itinerary

Day 1: Chasing Waterfalls in Valencia

1000H: Arrival in Dumaguete Airport / Sea Port / Proceed to Hotel
1100H: Check-in / Rest
1200H: Lunch at Casa Blanca / Proceed to Valencia Jeep Terminal
1330H: Depart for Valencia
1415H: Arrive in Valencia / Motorbike to Twin Falls (Red Rock Falls)
1445H: Red Rock Falls
1600H: Depart Red Rock Falls / Drop by Smokey Mountain
1700H: Arrive Valencia / Jeep to Dumaguete
1800H: Back in Dumaguete / Proceed to Hotel
1830H: Wash-up / Rest
2000H: Dinner at Sans Rival

Day 2: Apo Island

0700H: Call Time / Breakfast
0800H: Apo Island Day Tour: Scuba Diving or Snorkeling
1700H: Back in Dumaguete / Proceed to Hotel
1730H: Wash-up / Rest
1800H: Dinner at Hayahay Tree House

Day 3: Siquijor

0400H: Call Time / Snacks / Proceed to Port
0500H: Dumaguete to Siquijor
0630H: Arrival in Siquijor / Proceed to Hotel / Breakfast
0800H: Siquijor Island Tour: St. Francis of Assisi, Lazi Church and Convent, Cambugahay Falls, Paliton Beach, Salagdoong Beach, Capilay Spring, Balete Tree
1700H: Back in Hotel / Wash-up / Rest
1900H: Dinner

Day 4: Dumaguete City

0700H: Call Time / Breakfast / Proceed to Port
0900H: Siquijor to Dumaguete
1100H: Back in Dumaguete

Tips

• Mobile signal is available for all networks
• Best months to go are from March to June
• Cebuano and English are widely spoken
• There are numerous banks and ATM and there are establishments that accept credit / debit cards

*First published: 22-Jan-2013 | Updates: 03-Jun-2018; 23-Jul-2019