6 Awesome Things to Do in Dumaguete

written on November 25th, 2016 by Kristiana Rule

We love everything about Dumaguete— its laidback vibes, its little haunts, the hole-in-the-walls and famed dolphins. Here are a couple of things you can do while visiting the city of gentle people.

Take a stroll at Rizal Boulevard

Dumaguete’s Rizal Boulevard is the definition of chill. Take an early morning or twilight stroll along this strip by the beach and feel the ocean breeze on your face. Good food is always nearby, too, so if you get hungry, you can always grab a bite.

A Foodie’s Heaven

How do we love food in Dumaguete? Let me count the ways. We love gorging on different flavors of silvanas at the famed Sans Rival Café. We love tinkering with the décor at Gabby’s Bistro whilst waiting on their just-as-yummy food. We love lining up for Blue Cheese burgers at KRI. Heck, we even love hanging out at the barbecue stalls at the Boulevard! Everything Duma’s food scene is heavenly.

Explore the Grand Old Silliman University

We don’t know if you can consider Silliman as a “tourist spot” but this university has a special place in the island. Come around in August for its annual week-long, open-house foundation celebration and enjoy strolling around its sprawling grounds. Sillimanian friends would be eager to suggest the many food stalls around the school, including the famed Bossing’s Tempura and their five levels of special sauce. Be wary of sauce #5— we heard it was quite the spice bomb.

Go Chase Waterfalls in Valencia

It seems like every town has their own waterfalls. In Duma they have two— Casaroro Falls and Pulangbato, the latter known for its special red rocks. Their respective treks are infamous for being quite tiring and long, but once you hear the rushing water, it’s the worth the trip.

Take a Side-trip to Bais Dolphins and Manjuyod Sandbar…

Nearby is the Manjuyod sandbar, dubbed as the Maldives of the Philippines. This long stretch of white-sand is best enjoyed in the low-tide. Rent out a boat and catch the awesome sight of dolphins leaping out of the water on your way to the sandbar.

…Or See the Sea Turtles at Apo Island

Dumaguete is a good place to start your Apo Island adventure. Located some 30 km off the city proper, Apo Island is the place to be if you want to get your fill of Visayas’ awesome marine life. The best part of the island? Sea turtles! Scores of these friendly sea creatures frequent this volcanic island.