Negros Adventure: Part 2: Dumaguete (Day 5)

Day 5:

We took the 3 am Ceres Deluxe Bus to Dumaguete (PhP 285), where we slept for a while. (Just in case you're wondering, the time schedule of the bus changes a lot so you better call on the day you're leaving to ask for the final schedule.) Nope, I must say that I didn’t get a very good sleep. There were parts where the bus was so hot, then it would be so cool (because of the early morning wind coming in), then it would be bumpy… a lot. That apparently, I don’t care that much, but I hit Shee one time, so she forced my head to rest on her shoulder haha Leo was also holding the window across from Victor, so Victor can stop head banging and sleep too haha Eventually, we woke up around 7 am, a few towns away from Dumaguete, because it was so hot. There were traffic in some towns because of the Buglasan Festival and there were parades.

Inside the Ceres Deluxe Bus (the rows were divided into two and three-seaters) - Photo Credits: Victor

When we arrived in Dumaguete, we hired a tricycle to get us to Harold’s Inn (PhP 10/head), where we left our things while we go to Dauin for a swim. We had brunch in some Bicol carinderia near Harold’s Inn, but the seemingly-in charge person was very rude, so we didn’t came back after that one brunch. Then we hired a tricycle to get us to Ceres Bus Terminal (PhP 10/head), then board a bus going to Bayawan and dropped off at Dauin (PhP 20/head).

A tricycle here can fit 6 people (including our big packs)

Brunch in a nearby Carinderia from Harold's Inn

Unfortunately, Ceres dropped us in Dauin Public Market, so we hired another tricycle to get us to the Dauin Marine Sanctuary District 1 (PhP 10/head). Then we discovered that if only the bus dropped us later than sooner (after the public market), the sanctuary is already walking distance from that part.

Anyway, Dauin Marine Sanctuary charges PhP 10/head or if we’re going to rent a table, there would be no entrance fee. Since there were 6 of us, we need a place for our swim things so we rented a table near the shore for PhP 150. There were also life vests (PhP 50) and snorkeling gear (PhP 100) for rent if needed.  I asked, and actually, we could also do beach camping there. Dauin Municipality also charges a PhP 50 snorkling fee.

Rented a hut fronting the beach with a hammock on the side for only PhP 150 inclusive of our entrance fee

I slept for less than an hour in a hammock, while the rest swam and snorkel. (Grabe, tanghali iyon eh! I eventually swam around 3 pm, but I know that the sun is still high though not as much as before.) The corals were beautiful and there were many fish. Siyempre, photo-ops especially with my new Canon D20, which I really bought for this trip! Hehe

Photo-ops on the beach on a very hot sunny day with Apo Island on the scene

Sarap matulog!

Dami fish!

JM poses with the fish and corals

Fish Fish Fish!

We also found the rare mermaid in the world!

At around 4-5 pm, we fixed and tried to dry ourselves. We walked towards the highway to catch another Ceres Bus to Dumaguete (PhP 20), and hired another tricycle to Harold’s Inn (PhP 10). We rinsed ourselves in our suite (PhP 1350 good for 4 people, 2 double beds, with private hot and cold shower, balcony, TV, and ref), and head on out for dinner.

Actually, by this time, we were very hungry, but we weren’t sure what time the Haus of Sansrival will close, so we ended up eating dessert first. Oh my, I don’t know if we’re just hungry or the cake was good, but the cake was really good. Apparently, I am not the only dessert person in our group J We LOVED the lemon pie. We also tasted the sansrival and the sylvannas, which was deemed specialties, and the Sansrival Spaghetti. We also tasted the Date and Walnut, and well, we basically tasted a lot of desserts. (We actually tasted nearly all of them at the end of this trip.)

Then, we took a walk around the Boulevard. We tasted the Tempurahan there, which tasted like kikiam shaped like a tempura actually. We had dinner in some unknown place, then we went to Whatever for some KTV until 2 am. Whatever was really cheap and fun and new. It only costs PhP 99/hr with a very good sound system and some lights. They also served subzero beer for only PhP 45. Unfortunately, they close at 1 am. So sad!

Afterwards, we took a tricycle back to Harold’s where JM and Sharlene can get their things and take a bus bound back to Bacolod. (Yes, nag day trip lang sila in Dumaguete! Saya!)

The funny thing was we were able to persuade Cesar to extend his stay (originally to go home tomorrow, but well, YOLO nga ang turo sa kanya ni AJ and ni Nino so nag extend? Hehe), and things just fell into place with him. He was able to rebook his flight for free to Monday morning after the Maskarra Festival.

Expenses: (I rounded them off… Especially for the food)

Ceres Deluxe Bus to Dumaguete – PhP 285

Tricycle to Harold’s Inn – PhP 10

Deposit for Harold’s Inn – PhP 1350/4 people

Carinderia Lunch – PhP 60

Tricycle to Ceres – PhP 10

Ceres Bus to Dauin – PhP 20

Tricycle to Dauin Marine Sanctuary – PhP 10

Dauin Marine Sanctuary – PhP 150/table/6 people

Life vest rental – PhP 50

Dauin Snorkling Fee – PhP 50

Ceres Bus to Dumaguete – PhP 20

Tricycle to Harold’s Inn – PhP 10

Tricycle to the Boulevard – PhP 10

Hous of Sansrival – PhP 100

Tempurahan – PhP 40 (PhP 4/tempura + sprite)

Dinner – PhP 60 (tapsilog hehe)

Whatever – birthday treat from JM

Tricycle back to Harold’s Inn – PhP 10