Dumaguete, Valencia, and Manjuyod Travel Guide
Hi there! π Iβm Benj Tupas and welcome to another Philippines Travel Guide where I write DIY and budget-friendly guides on how to travel to all 82 provinces of the Philippines!
For todayβs guide, letβs explore Dumaguete, Valencia, and Manjuyod in the province of Negros Oriental!
If you have any questions, you may message me on Facebook. π
My 25 Best Travel Essentials
Summary
Here's a little background of the 3 cities you'll be visiting:
π§ Dumaguete known as "The City of Gentle People" and one of the top places to retire according to Forbes
π¦ Valencia for their beautiful falls
π¬ Manjuyod for their dolphin watching and sandbar
Day 1:
π Grab to NAIA Terminal 3
βοΈ Fly from Manila to Dumaguete
β BβCoffee Hive
π Check-in to Accommodation
π° Bay Shores Mall
π₯ Dinner at Lantaw Native Restaurant
π° Silvanas at Sans Rival Bistro
ποΈ Walk around Baywalk
Earn rebates and affiliate rewards on your travels with Happy.com.ph π
Day 2: Valencia Tour
β Breakfast at Mcdo
π¦ Casaroro Falls (Reel)
βΊ Forest Camp Resort (Reel)
πͺ Cata-al World War II Museum (Reel)
π₯ Belleβs Food House and BBQ
π¦ Pulang Bato Falls (Reel)
β¨οΈ Sulfur Vents (Reel)
πΌ Tierra Alta (Reel)
Day 3: Manjuyod Dolphin Watching and Sandbar
β Breakfast at Mcdo
π Go to Ceres Bus Terminal
π΅ Ride a Tricycle to Canibol Wharf
β΅ Start of Manjuyod Tour
π¬ Dolphin Watching (Reel)
ποΈ Sandbar (Reel)
π΅ Ride a Tricycle to the Bus Terminal
π Go back to Dumaguete
π₯ Martinez Painitan at Dumaguete Public Market
π₯ Joβs Chicken Inato
Day 4: Food Trip
β Gabbyβs Bed and Breakfast
π₯ Lunch at Bricks Hotel
β Tom n Toms Coffee
βοΈ Fly Back Home
Manjuyod Tour Guides:
- Jomarie (09928607952 or 09975962627)
- Gloresel: 09319132864
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jomarieocat361
If you have a lot of time to explore, you should consider Siquijor as the best sidetrip for Negros Oriental. Please save the Siquijor Travel Guide for later.
Turtle Watching at Apo Island should be part of this trip but it was already available and way cheaper in Tubod Marine Sanctuary in Siquijor.
Expenses Breakdown: P9,395
βοΈ P2,808 - Flight with Cebu Pacific (With SuperPass)
π P1,150 - Sam's BNB (P2,300 / 2)
Day 1: P908
P50 - Grab Trike
P285 - BβCoffee Hive
P50 - Grab Trike
P323 - Lantaw Native Restaurant
P50 - Grab Trike
P100 - Sans Rival Bistro
P50 - Grab Trike
Day 2: P1,705
P180 - Breakfast
P750 - Tour
P145 - Casaroro Falls
P180 - Forest Camp
P50 - Cataal Museum
P120 - Lunch
P50 - Pulang Bato Falls
P50 - Tierra Alta
P180 - Dinner
Day 3: P1,989
P50 - Grab to Ceres Terminal
P180 - Breakfast
P106 - Bus to Bais
P50 - Tricycle
P1,250 - Tour
P50 - Tricycle
P106 - Bus to Dumaguete
P70 - Martinez Pamitinan
P127 - Jo's Chicken Inato
Day 4: P835
P270 - Gabby's Bed and Breakfast
P50 - Tricycle
P290 - Bricks Hotel
P175 - Tom n Toms Coffee
P50 - Tricycle
My 25 Best Travel Essentials
Day 1: Get Settled and Food Trip
βοΈ Fly from Manila to Dumaguete
β Brunch at BβCoffee Hive
- This is located just outside of the arrival area at the airport.
- The place is also a pasalubong center you can revisit when you go home.
- They sell Silvanas, piaya, and many other local delicacies.
- Sample order: Baconsilog (P150) and ice coffee (P135)
π΅ Book a GrabTrike going to your accommodation
- Yes! Tricycles are partnered with Grab in Dumaguete.
- The fare was only P79.
- Non-Grab tricycles might charge P200 from what I heard.
- GrabTrike is okay in the morning but it can get busy starting afternoon towards nighttime.
- You can also contact Kuya Dennis (+639206094320) and Kuya Renie (+639970676299) if no one is picking up
- β±οΈ Duration: 15 minutes
π Check-in to Accommodation
Gabby's Bed and Breakfast (Book Here) was my first pick because of its aesthetic design and there's a restaurant on the ground floor. See more on Day 4 of this guide.
Unfortunately, only the quad room was available when we checked this so we went with Sam's Bed and Breakfast (Book Here). This BNB is just 2 streets away from Gabby's Bed and Breakfast.
π° Bay Shores Mall
π΅ Use GrabTrike to go here
π¬ A multi-European-themed strip mall and events place near Lantaw Native Restaurant.
β You can drink coffee and eat cake at Coffee Bean.
π₯ Dinner at Lantaw Native Restaurant
π A Filipino restaurant with a sea and sunset view
πΆ You can just walk here from Bay Shores Mall as it's just 5 establishments away.
π₯ Sample Order: Lechon Kawali Sinigang (P244), Squid Sisig (P231), and Lantaw Fried Rice (P170). Serving is good for 2 to 3 persons.
π° Silvanas at Sans Rival Bistro
π Dumaguete's specialty.
π₯ Sample Order: 10 Mixed Silvanas (P195)
π₯ The original is my favorite but buy the mixed package so you can try all flavors. All of them are really good.
π΅ Use GrabTrike to go here.
ποΈ Walk around Baywalk
πΆ This is just in front of Sans Rival Bistro
π¬οΈ Enjoy the cool breeze of the sea while walking
π There's a night market there where locals sell toys (lato-lato π), clothes, and street food.
π‘ Sea creature lights eg. sea turtles, whale sharks, etc. (That's the bright light in the park. I thought I can fix the exposure later. I was wrong. π)
π· Take photos on the Dumaguete sign
π΅ Use GrabTrike to go home.
π΄ Sleep early and ready your tour essentials for tomorrow
My 25 Best Travel Essentials
Day 2: Valencia Tour
π΅ Hire a Guide
I hired Kuya Tony (09064526217) as the guide so we can tour Valencia for the whole day for only P1,500 or try contacting Lorenzo on Facebook if Kuya Tony is unavailable. Kuya Tony and Lorenzo were two of our Grab Trike drivers and they both do tours.
π₯ Mcdo via GrabFood
- Wake up at 04:30 AM and get your breakfast delivered while getting ready so you can start the tour at 06:00 AM
- If you want to avoid the crowd, you need to start very early, especially Casaroro Falls.
π¦ Casaroro Falls
π¦ One of the most beautiful waterfalls I've visited standing at 100 feet.
π΅ Fees:
P250 - Hiking Guide
P20 - Property Pass
Tour Guide: Dennis (+639206094320)
βΊ Forest Camp Resort
πͺ Activities: 10 pools with slides, hanging bridges, kawa, wall climb, swim on the river, coy ponds, beautiful gardens
π΄ The palm trees surrounding the resort will give you that Siargao vibe.
π΅ Entrance fee for a day tour: P180
πͺ Cata-al World War II Museum
β³ Mr. Cata-al, the owner of the museum, accumulated these items for over 36 years as of this writing.
π Memorable items:
1. Camera in the 50s
2. Used grenades and missile bullets
3. Army uniforms
4. Old Philippine money
Many more...
π΅ Entrance fee: donation based upon exiting the museum
π₯ Belleβs Food House and BBQ
π² We stopped at a "karinderya" that offers home-cooked meals to try their local food: "balbacua" and "eskabetse"
π΅ You can find this on the way to Pulangbato Falls
π΅ Budget-friendly meals at around P100 each
π¦ Pulang Bato Falls
π It's a resort with cottages
π¦ There are 2 falls here: the main one and a small one where kids can swim
π There's also a swimming pool here
π΅ Entrance fee: P50
β¨οΈ Sulfur Vents
π΅ You can find this on the way to Pulangbato Falls
π¨ You'll know when you're close when it starts to smell like rotten eggs π
π₯΅ Don't get too close coz it's very hot
πΌ Tierra Alta
π¬π· A Greek-inspired clubhouse with a beautiful lighthouse
β They also have a cafe if you want to order food and coffee
π You can also swim on their swimming pool for only P500 (consumable at their restaurant)
π΅ Entrance fee: P50
You might be tired from the tour. You can just order Grab for dinner.
Prepare your travel essentials and sleep early for the tour tomorrow.
My 25 Best Travel Essentials
Day 3: Manjuyod Dolphin Watching and Sandbar
Manjuyod is sometimes referred to as the "Maldives of the Negros Oriental".
In order to see the dolphins, you need to start at 3 AM if you're coming from Dumaguete.
π Go to Ceres Bus Terminal
- You can eat breakfast at Mcdo just beside the terminal.
- Take the bus going to Bais City
- Fare: P106
- Duration: 1 hour and 20 minutes
π΅ Ride a Tricycle to Canibol Wharf
- P50 per head per way
- You can ask for the same tricycle driver to fetch you after you're done with the tour. Just ask for his number if heβs down.
β΅ Start of Tour
Tour Price: P2,500 (Boat rental + guide)
You can contact:
- Jomarie (09928607952 or 09975962627) and Gloresel: 09319132864
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jomarieocat361
This tour is available on Klook. Book Here π
π¬ Dolphin Watching
- I saw 10+ dolphins
- You can't swim with the dolphins but how did I take these photos?
- Ask the boatman to slow down and put your GoPro underwater. Just hold it very tight. π
ποΈ Sandbar
The sandbar only shows early in the morning and gets hidden by the beautiful sea water around 10AM during the visit.
Go Back to Dumaguete
π΅ Ride a tricycle to the bus terminal (P50)
π Ride the bus to Dumaguete (P106)
Important Reminders:
- We took the van on the way back because the tricycle recommended it and that was the first one to go. Itβs only P80 per head.
- I donβt recommend them though:
1. The driver was reckless. Overtaking in bad situations. We had several near hits with incoming vehicles.
2. They said that they will drop us off at the BNB but the driver did not.
- Please ask your tricycle driver to go with Ceres for your safety.
π₯ Martinez Painitan at Dumaguete Public Market
π Julia Barreto ate here on one of her shows
π₯ You buy different kinds of sticky rice and eat it with a chocolate drink
π₯ Sample order: Tsokolate (P20), Tres Marias (P30), Malagkit (P20)
π₯ Joβs Chicken Inato
π₯ They serve chicken inasal and Pinoy food
π₯ Sample order: P127 for the chicken paa (it comes with 2 rice)
My 25 Best Travel Essentials
Day 4: Food Trip
You can book a late flight and squeeze Apo Island's turtle watching on the itinerary.
As mentioned earlier, we decided to skip it since it was already available and way cheaper in Tubod Marine Sanctuary in Siquijor.
β Gabbyβs Bed and Breakfast
πΆ You can just walk here from Sam's Bed and Breakfast. It's just 8 minutes away.
π₯ Sample order: Bangus Breakfast with Coffee (P245) + Iced Latte (+P35 as an upgrade to their regular brewed coffee)
Price ranges:
- Food: P150 to P300
- Coffee: P60 to P85
π₯ Lunch at Bricks Hotel
π Very artistic hotel, restaurant, and bar in 1.
π₯ Sample order: Karahay Lechon (P290)
π You can stay here also. This is located on the Baywalk and the same street as Sans Rival Bistro.
β Tom n Toms Coffee
β Sample order: Cafe Latte (P175 for Venti)
π» This coffee shop is work and tambay friendly. Some tables have plugs so you can juice up your devices while waiting for your flight back home.
π΅ Book a GrabTrike to the Airport
π Buy Pasalubong at BβCoffee Hive (as seen on day 1)
βοΈ Fly Back Home
My 25 Best Travel Essentials
Thanks for reaching this far!
π
Say hi on Facebook if you have any questions about the guide
ποΈ
Travel dates: April 22 to 25, 2023