2019 • 04 • 22

The City of Gentle People – this is what Dumaguete is popularly known for. People from Dumaguete exude that certain gentleness and sweetness. The small island city also has several tourist destinations to offer. There’s Siliman University, one of the oldest and most revered universities in the Visayas. It was established by the Americans in 1901. The university has vast grounds and a beautiful church in the middle of the grass fields that is a perfect backdrop for your group photos.

Another captivating thing about Dumaguete is the delicious food and pastries offered here. It’s a shame if you’ve been to Dumaguete and not be able to taste their mouth-watering silvanas and sans rival. You should check out the store aptly named “Sans Rival”, the home of the best silvanas and sans rival in town. It’s a restaurant/patisserie found along Rizal Boulevard where you can also find a host of restaurants. Dumaguete also has a lively nightlife. There is a lot of bars and pubs, where you can have a drink or two, lining the length of Rizal Boulevard.

Dumaguete truly has everything for everyone. It has a rich culture that is evident in the century-old houses you can see around town, desserts, and delicacies that you can only find and taste there, and, of course, Dumaguete’s greatest asset: the wonderful and amazing people that reside within its folds.

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How to get to Dumaguete City

From Sibulan Airport

Sibulan Airport is your gateway to Dumaguete City if you’re coming from Manila. You can either hail a taxi or take a tricycle from the airport going to the city center. Taxis and tricycles inside the airport usually charge higher fees. If you want more convenience and if you’re with family or a group of friends, there are car rental services around the airport that you can avail of.

Alternatively, if you’re traveling solo, you can take a little walk outside the airport compound and find a multicab that will take you to downtown Dumaguete.

From Cebu City

BY PLANE

The fastest and easiest way to reach Dumaguete City from Cebu is by air. There is one direct flight from Cebu City going to Dumaguete City via Cebu Pacific Air. Travel time takes 50 minutes. Flight times usually vary, so it is better to check Cebu Pacific Air’s website for the flight schedule.

BY BUS + FERRY

Another way to get to Dumaguete City from Cebu city is either by direct bus or taking a bus going to Santander, Cebu and taking a ferry at Bato Port going to Sibulan Port in Dumaguete.

From the Cebu City South Bus Terminal, there are direct buses that will take you from Cebu City to Santander and will ferry you to Sibulan Port.

You can also do it DIY style by riding a bus at the Cebu City South Bus Terminal and getting off at Liloan Port in Santander. From Liloan Port, you can then take a fast craft that will take you to Sibulan Port in Dumaguete City. At Sibulan Port, there are multicabs or tricycles that can take you to the city center.

From Bohol

If Dumaguete city is part of your Central Visayas expedition and you’re coming straight from the Chocolate Hills of Bohol, you can take a fast craft ferry from Tagbilaran Port in Bohol to Sibulan Port in Dumaguete. There is a number of ferry companies that cater to this route. We recommend taking the Oceanjet. The fare for this route is P700 for tourist class and P1,020 for business class.

For Oceanjet, two ferry schedules are available: 9:50 in the morning and 2:30 in the afternoon. At Sibulan Port, you can either ride a multicab or tricycle going to the city center of Dumaguete City.

From Bacolod

If you’re coming from Bacolod and you’d like to explore the sites and enjoy the delicacies of Dumaguete, you can either take a bus or a van.

From the Ceres Southbound Bus Terminal in Bacolod, find the bus that travels to Dumaguete City. The bus ride will pass by the towns of Mabinay and Bais City which offers great views of the sea and rice paddies. The entire travel time will take around 6 hours. Upon arrival at the bus terminal in Dumaguete, you can either take a taxi or tricycle to go to your accommodation.

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Where to Stay in Dumaguete

Finding nice and affordable accommodation in Dumaguete is easy. There is a variety of hotel options that you can choose from, but the most recommended is finding a hotel near the downtown area that is easily accessible to public transportation. Here are the top hotels in Dumaguete according to Agoda users, in no particular order.

• Acqua Dive Resort. ✅ CHECK RATES & AVAILABILITY
• Villa del Mare. ✅ CHECK RATES & AVAILABILITY
• Sea Dream Resorts. ✅ CHECK RATES & AVAILABILITY
• White Chocolate Hills Resort. ✅ CHECK RATES & AVAILABILITY

For more options, search here: Dumaguete Hotels