Dumaguete + Valencia + Manjuyod

Hi there! 👋 I’m @benjtupas and welcome to another Travel PH82 Guide 🇵🇭 where I write DIY and budget-friendly guides for group and solo travelers on how to visit all 82 provinces of the Philippines!

For today’s guide, let’s virtually explore Dumaguete (The City of Gentle People and one of the top places to retire according to Forbes), Valencia, and Manjuyod in the province of Negros Oriental.

I consider Siquijor as the best side trip for Dumaguete. Please save the Siquijor Travel Guide here for later.

Travel Series

Before we go to the itinerary, please watch these 10 to 30-second episodes on Instagram.

Allow me to share a 4-day itinerary. 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.

Day 1: Get Settled and Food Trip

✈️ Fly from Manila to Dumaguete via Cebu Pacific

☕ Brunch at B’Coffee Hive

This is located just outside of the arrival area at the airport.
They are 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)
The rice was delicious 😍

🛵 Book a GrabTrike going to your accommodation

- Yes! Tricycles are partnered with Grab in Dumaguete. - The fare was around 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 - ⏱️ Duration: 15 minutes

🛖 Check-in to your accommodation

Gabby's Bed and Breakfast (Book with Booking.com) was our 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 with Booking.com). This BNB is just 2 streets away from Gabby's Bed and Breakfast.

📍 Bay Shores Mall

🛵 Use GrabTrike to go here.

🏬 A multi-European-themed strip mall and events place near Lantaw Native Restaurant.

☕ You can drink coffee and eat cake at Coffee Bean.

📍 Dinner at Lantaw Native Restaurant

🌅 A Filipino restaurant with a sea and sunset view

🚶 You can just walk here from Bay Shores Mall as it's just 5 establishments away.

🥄 Sample Order: Lechon Kawali Sinigang (P244), Squid Sisig (P231), and Lantaw Fried Rice (P170). Serving is good for 2 to 3 persons.

📍 Silvanas at Sans Rival Bistro

😍 Dumaguete's specialty.

🥄 Sample Order: 10 Mixed Silvanas (P195)

🥄 The original is my favorite but buy the mixed package so you can try all flavors. All of them are really good.

🛵 Use GrabTrike to go here.

📍 Walk around Baywalk

🚶 This is just in front of Sans Rival Bistro

🌬️ Enjoy the cool breeze of the sea while walking

🌃 There's a night market there where locals sell toys (lato-lato 😆), clothes, and street food.

💡 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. 😆)

📷 Take photos on the Dumaguete sign

Travel Smarter ✈️ and Pursue Your Passion ❤️

Day 2: Valencia Tour

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.

🥄 Mcdo via GrabFood

Wake up at 4:30 AM and get your breakfast delivered while getting ready so you can start the tour at 6 AM
If you want to avoid the crowd, you need to start very early, especially Casaroro Falls.

📍 Casaroro Falls

💦 One of the most beautiful waterfalls I've visited standing at 100 feet.

💵 Fees: - P250 - Guide - P20 - Property Pass - Tour Guide: Dennis (+639206094320)

⛺ Forest Camp

💪 Activities: 10 pools with slides, hanging bridges, kawa, wall climb, swim on the river, coy ponds, beautiful gardens

🌴 The palm trees surrounding the resort will give you that Siargao vibe.

💵 Entrance fee for a day tour: P180

📍 Cata-al World War II Museum

⏳ Mr. Cata-al, the owner of the museum, accumulated these items for over 36 years as of this writing.

👀 Memorable items: 1. Camera in the 50s 2. Used grenades and missile bullets 3. Army uniforms 4. Old Philippine money Many more...

💵 Entrance fee: donation based upon exiting the museum

📍 Belle’s Food House and BBQ

🥄 We stopped at a "karinderya" that offers home-cooked meals to try their local food: "balbacua" and "eskabetse"

🛵 You can find this on the way to Pulangbato Falls

💵 Budget-friendly meals at around P100 each

📍 Pulang Bato Falls

🛖 It's a resort with cottages

💦 There are 2 falls here: the main one and a small one where kids can swim

🏊 There's also a swimming pool here

📍 Sulfur Vents

🛵 You can find this on the way to Pulangbato Falls

💨 You'll know you're close when it starts to smell like rotten eggs 😆

🥵 Don't get too close coz it's very hot

📍 Tierra Alta

🇬🇷 A Greek-inspired clubhouse with a beautiful lighthouse

☕ They also have a cafe if you want to order food and coffee

🏊 You can also swim in their swimming pool for only P500 (consumable at their restaurant)

Travel Smarter ✈️ and Pursue Your Passion ❤️

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. 🗺 Manjuyod DIY Map

🚌 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

🛵 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 he’s down.

⛵ Start of Tour

Tour Price: P2,500 (Boat rental + guide)
You can contact
- Jomarie (09928607952 or 09975962627) and Gloresel: 09319132864
- Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/Jomarieocat361
This tour is available on Klook. Book Here 😍

🐬 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. 😆

🏖️ Sandbar

🛵 Ride a Tricycle to the Bus Terminal

🚐 Go back to Dumaguete

We took the van on the way back. It’s only P80 per head.

I don’t recommend them though.

The driver was reckless. Overtaking in bad situations. We had several near hits with incoming vehicles.
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.

📍 Martinez Painitan at Dumaguete Public Market

😍 Julia Barreto ate here on one of her shows

🥄 You buy different kinds of sticky rice and eat it with the chocolate drink

🥄 Sample order: Tsokolate (P20), Tres Marias (P30), Malagkit (P20)

📍 Jo’s Chicken Inato

🥄 They serve chicken inasal and Pinoy food

🥄 Sample order: P127 for the chicken paa (it comes with 2 rice)

Travel Smarter ✈️ and Pursue Your Passion ❤️