Here is my 4 days 3 nights trip to Dumaguete.
My itinerary covers Dumaguete- Sumilon Island- Oslob- Dumaguete travel.
Tips:
1. When riding a habal-habal. Ask the driver if he will bring you up until Lake Balinsasayaw. The habal-habal we hired just brought us until the entrance point. He was not allowed to enter because his habal-habal was noisy as advised by the receptionist. It will be a 20 minute walk uphill if your habal-habal won't bring you up until Lake Balinsasayaw.
2. Haggle with the habal-habal driver. We were first advised that payment is 400 per head. We haggled and was allowed to pay 700 for 3 pax.
Tips:
1. Come early in Sumilon island to be able to maximize your daytour. There are a lot of activities to be done in the resort.
2. It would be best to come on a weekday. Day tour rate during weekends is 2000 and weekdays cost 1500.
3. Bring aqua shoes and lots of sunblock to enjoy the snorkeling area.
Tips:
1. Visit the whalesharks early in the morning. We visited them at 6am. Tourists flock the area 8am onwards.
2. You should have your underwater camera or you would regret it. You can also opt to rent for P500 if you do not have one.
3. The city proper is 20 minutes away from the whaleshark watching area. If you just plan to visit the whalesharks in Oslob without visiting the heritage area etc, book accommodations nearby.
4. Going back to Dumaguete, it would be best to ride a bus from Oslob back to Sibulan port then ride a pump boat back to Dumaguete instead of riding a bus all the way back to Dumaguete. This will save you money and travel time is less.
Overall, the trip was fun. I will definitely go back to Dumaguete. There are a lot of places to visit via Dumaguete. Apo Island and Siquijor is a must once I come back.
Total Expenses per head: P 4827
My itinerary covers Dumaguete- Sumilon Island- Oslob- Dumaguete travel.
| Day 1 | Dumaguete | Rate per head | Group Rate | |
| 4:00 AM | Boni to NAIA 3 taxi | 85 | 170 | |
| 6:30 AM | Arrival Dumaguete | |||
| Tricycle to Katada | 15 | 30 | ||
| 9:00 AM | Bus to San Jose | 20 mins | 20 | |
| Habal Habal to Twin Lake (roundtrip) | 45 mins | 350 | 700 | |
| 10:30 AM | ETA Arrival Twin Lakes | |||
| Entrance Fee | 10 | |||
| Habal-habal entrance fee | 10 | |||
| Habal-habal parking fee | 10 | |||
| Boat | 125 | 250 | ||
| Water | 25 | |||
| 3:00 PM | Back to city proper | |||
| Bus to Boulevard | 20 mins | 20 | ||
| Late lunch at carinderia near boulevard | 99 | 198 | ||
| 5:00 PM | Rizal Boulevard | |||
| Silliman University | ||||
| 7:00 PM | Ate street foods at Boulevard | 45 | 90 | |
| Shake at Kamalig | 27.5 | 55 |
Tips:
1. When riding a habal-habal. Ask the driver if he will bring you up until Lake Balinsasayaw. The habal-habal we hired just brought us until the entrance point. He was not allowed to enter because his habal-habal was noisy as advised by the receptionist. It will be a 20 minute walk uphill if your habal-habal won't bring you up until Lake Balinsasayaw.
2. Haggle with the habal-habal driver. We were first advised that payment is 400 per head. We haggled and was allowed to pay 700 for 3 pax.
| Day 2 | Sumilon Island | Rate per head | Group Rate | |
| 6:30 AM | Bus to Sibulan Market | 15 mins | 20 | |
| Ride ferry Sibulan port to Liloan/Santander port | 30 mins | 35 | ||
| Terminal Fee in Sibulan Port | 10 | |||
| Terminal fee to be paid upon arriving at Liloan Port | 2 | |||
| Ride tricycle to highway | 10 | |||
| Breakfast at a carinderia near the bus stop | 30 | 60 | ||
| Ride bus (Air-Con) bound to Cebu that passes by the town of Oslob - get off at the Bluewater Sumilon Island Resort port | 15 mins | 30 | ||
| 8:00 AM | Mainland Bancogon to Sumilon Island | 1500 | ||
| INCLUSIONS: Lunch at the Pavilion Restaurant served with one (1) round of iced tea Roundtrip Boat Transfers (Mainland Bancogon-Sumilon Island-Mainland Bancogon) – refer to timetable of boat schedule Island activities (Kayaking, Island Trekking, Fish Feeding, Snorkeling with complimentary use of mask and snorkel) Orientation about the island Free use of beach, swimming pool, picnic grove, beach huts, shower room Tax and service charge Entrance fees | ||||
| 5:00 PM | Sumilon Island to Mainland Bancogon | |||
| Jeep to Oslob Public Market | 10 | 20 | ||
| Check-in Oslob Malonzo Pension House | 689 | 1378 | ||
| 7:00 PM | Dinner at Oslob Public Market | 56 | 112 | |
| Drinks | 32.5 | 65 |
Tips:
1. Come early in Sumilon island to be able to maximize your daytour. There are a lot of activities to be done in the resort.
2. It would be best to come on a weekday. Day tour rate during weekends is 2000 and weekdays cost 1500.
3. Bring aqua shoes and lots of sunblock to enjoy the snorkeling area.
| Day 3 | Oslob | Rate per head | Group Rate | |
| 6:00 AM | Multicab to Whaleshark area | 170 | ||
| Whaleshark attraction payment | 500 | |||
| 10:00 AM | Tumalog Falls | |||
| Habal-habal (Junction to Tumalog Falls and vice versa) | 50 | |||
| 10 minutes before reaching the jump-off point. Entrance fee of P20. Option to hire another habal-habal for P50 only. But you can also opt to trek it for 10 minutes. | 20 | |||
| Multicab to Accommodation | ||||
| 12:00 PM | Check-out | |||
| Lunch at Public Market | 52 | 104 | ||
| Calle Aragones, Oslob church, cuartel and Baluarte (all near the municipal hall/town proper) | ||||
| 2:00 PM | Bus to Dumaguete (via roro) | 1.5 hours | 62 | |
| Roro | 70 | |||
| Siliman University | ||||
| 6:00 PM | Dinner at Sans Rival | 168 | 336 | |
| Pasalubong | 280 | 560 |
Tips:
1. Visit the whalesharks early in the morning. We visited them at 6am. Tourists flock the area 8am onwards.
2. You should have your underwater camera or you would regret it. You can also opt to rent for P500 if you do not have one.
3. The city proper is 20 minutes away from the whaleshark watching area. If you just plan to visit the whalesharks in Oslob without visiting the heritage area etc, book accommodations nearby.
4. Going back to Dumaguete, it would be best to ride a bus from Oslob back to Sibulan port then ride a pump boat back to Dumaguete instead of riding a bus all the way back to Dumaguete. This will save you money and travel time is less.
| Day 4 | Rate per head | Group Rate | ||
| 7:40 AM | Bus to Airport | 20 | ||
| 8:00 AM | Airport check-in Paid Terminal Fee | 150 |
Overall, the trip was fun. I will definitely go back to Dumaguete. There are a lot of places to visit via Dumaguete. Apo Island and Siquijor is a must once I come back.
Total Expenses per head: P 4827
