"A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are built for." – John Shedd
day tours & activities
Dumaguete
Pilandok (Philippine Mouse-Deer)
DUMAGUETE CITY & COUNTRYSIDE TOUR
Founded by New York businessman-philanthropist Dr. Horace Silliman, Silliman University molds socially conscious citizens, instilling values like justice and compassion among its students. This tour includes a visit to the University's Anthropology Museum, the oldest wooden structure of Stick Style American architecture in the Philippines.
Named after the reddish stones and boulders that dominate the area, Pulangbato Falls is easily accessible and offers multiple falls and swimming holes. / @comix04
PRIVATE TOUR
Tour code: OPTDGTCTY
Duration: 8 hours
Pick up: 8 AM
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Highlights: Sidlakang Negros Village, Chinese Bell Church, Tierra Alta Resort, Dumaguete Cathedral & Belfry, Red Rock Hot Spring, Pulangbato Falls, Rolling tour of Silliman University, Lunch
A university town and provincial capital, Dumaguete is the ideal base for exploring Negros Oriental. Dubbed “The City of Gentle People” because of its amiable locals and genteel way of life, Dumaguete City is a retirement haven for many expats. It made headlines in 2014 when Forbes Magazine named it fifth among seven of the best places to retire in the world. We begin the tour by hunting for the finest crafts and delicacies in Sidlakang Negros Village, a cluster of huts featuring the products of each of Negros Oriental’s towns. Afterwards we do a rolling tour of Silliman University. Watch out for the University’s Anthropology Museum. Built in 1909, the Museum is the oldest wooden structure of Stick Style American architecture in the Philippines. We also visit historical places such as Chinese Bell Church and Dumaguete Cathedral & Belfry. Commune with nature as we visit Tierra Alta Resort, one of the most picturesque spots in Dumaguete offering a resort atmosphere with the peace and serenity of the mountainside. Take a dip into the therapeutic waters of Red Rock Hot Spring, famous for its warm water pools with high iron content. Finally, we visit Pulangbato Falls – a striking waterfall named after the stones and boulders in reddish color that dominate the area. After the tour, transfer back to your hotel.
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Make sure to bring swimming clothes, extra dry clothes, hiking sandals or aqua shoes, beach towel, hat or cap, sunglasses, sunscreen lotion, toiletries, underwater camera or GoPro, and waterproof bag.
INCLUSIONS
✓ Private air-conditioned transportation with fully vaccinated driver
✓ Pick up and drop off to your hotel, airport, sea port, or bus terminal
✓ Lunch
✓ Light snack, bottled drinking water
✓ Admission fees
✓ Service of fully vaccinated, Filipino or English-speaking tour coordinator
✗ Tipping
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RATE PER PERSON
2-3 persons PHP 8,178 or USD 151
4-5 persons PHP 5,438 or USD 101
6-9 persons PHP 4,068 or USD 75
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Children 1-3 years old free of charge. Full rate for 4 years old and above.
APO ISLAND TOUR FROM DUMAGUETE
Green turtles and Hawksbill turtles come to Apo Island everyday to feed. Years of sanctuary protection ensure that no turtle is harmed on this island. / Dale de Vera
White sand beaches, sparkling blue water, friendly locals, and tropical vegetation. Apo Island has all of that, but its main attraction lies out of sight, hidden underwater. The island is home to a spectacular scuba diving site... a coral reef with over 650 documented species of marine animals and over 400 species of corals. / Cris Tagupa
PRIVATE TOUR
Tour code: OPTDGTAPO
Duration: 8 hours
Pick up: 7 AM
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Highlights: Swimming with Sea turtles, Snorkeling in the Coral Garden, Lunch
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Apo Island is a paradise waiting to be discovered with its divine beaches, lush coral gardens, and friendly Pawikan (Sea turtles) swimming abound. This trip begins with a 30-minute drive to Malapatay where we will board a boat which will take us to our island adventures. After a 45-minute boat ride we will reach Apo Island. Apo Island is not a nesting ground, rather a feeding ground for Sea turtles. The absence of poachers, 30 years of sanctuary protection, and plenty of food ensures that turtles keep coming to Apo Island to feed. There are two species that can be found here – Green turtles and Hawksbill turtles. Although male turtles come to visit from time to time, it’s mostly female turtles that are present on Apo Island. How to tell the difference? Male turtles have long tails like a lizard while female turtles have a very small tail. Enjoy a delightful time swimming with the turtles of Apo Island. After lunch, we proceed to swim and snorkel in the Coral Garden where vibrant marine life is thriving. After a fun day out at sea, we head back to your hotel.
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IMPORTANT: Please maintain a minimum distance when swimming with Sea turtles. Do not touch, kick, ride, or chase them. Don’t block its path. Do not use sunblock lotion and flash photography. Let’s respect animals and their natural habitat whenever we do wildlife interactions. Make sure to bring swimming clothes, extra dry clothes, hiking sandals or aqua shoes, beach towel, hat or cap, sunglasses, sunscreen lotion, toiletries, underwater camera or GoPro, and waterproof bag. This is a private tour and comes with a private boat to ensure your utmost enjoyment.
INCLUSIONS
✓ Private air-conditioned transportation with fully vaccinated driver
✓ Pick up and drop off to your hotel, airport, sea port, or bus terminal
✓ Lunch
✓ Light snack, bottled drinking water
✓ Admission fees
✓ Pumpboat, lifevest
✓ Service of fully vaccinated, Filipino or English-speaking tour guide
✗ Snorkeling gear (For health reasons, please bring your own.)
✗ Tipping
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RATE PER PERSON
2-3 persons PHP 9,718 or USD 180
4-5 persons PHP 6,088 or USD 113
6-9 persons PHP 4,878 or USD 90
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Children 1-3 years old free of charge. Full rate for 4 years old and above.
BAIS DOLPHIN WATCHING & MANJUYOD SANDBAR TOUR FROM DUMAGUETE
Covering an area of 600 hectares, Manjuyod Sandbar is a unique venue that hosts activities like swimming, snorkeling, sunbathing, relaxing, watersports, and even barbecue picnic lunch. The stilt houses on Manjuyod Sandbar look like they are floating on the sea during high tide. / Team Javalava
Curious by nature, dolphins follow tourist boats, leap out of the water, sometimes for up to an hour. The waters of Bais Bay is a playground for pods of Pantropical spotted dolphins, Bottlenose dolphins, and Long-snouted spinner dolphins. / Team Javalava
PRIVATE TOUR
Tour code: OPTDGTMNJ
Duration: 8 hours
Pick up: 7 AM
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Highlights: Dolphin watching, Swimming at Manjuyod Sandbar, Lunch
The thrill of seeing animals in their natural habitat is what drives people to take nature walks or watch Animal Planet. Dolphin watching, one of the most popular attractions of Bais, allows people to observe dolphins as they live out their life in the sea, instead of seeing them trapped in a tank as they would in an aquarium. Bais is about 45 kilometers or approximately one hour north of Dumaguete. The best time to see these amazing creatures is in the morning, hours just after sunrise. A highly skilled spotter will be joining this tour to increase the chance of spotting the animals. Since Dolphins are naturally curious, they enjoy chasing the boats. Pods of Pantropical spotted dolphins, Bottlenose dolphins, or Long-snouted spinner dolphins may play around the boat, leap out of the water, sometimes for up to an hour. Enjoy a giddying natural high with this one of a kind wildlife encounter. Afterwards we navigate to Manjuyod Sandbar, where we can swim, sunbathe, or just chill out. This glorious white sandbar covers an estimated 600 hectare area. An interesting feature are the wooden houses on stilts, which look like they are floating on the water during high tide. Barbecue lunch will be served on the boat. After a fun day out at sea, we head back to your hotel.
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Make sure to bring swimming clothes, extra dry clothes, hiking sandals or aqua shoes, beach towel, hat or cap, sunglasses, sunscreen lotion, toiletries, underwater camera or GoPro, and waterproof bag. This is a private tour and comes with a private boat to ensure your utmost enjoyment.
INCLUSIONS
✓ Private air-conditioned transportation with fully vaccinated driver
✓ Pick up and drop off to your hotel, airport, sea port, or bus terminal
✓ Lunch
✓ Light snack, bottled drinking water
✓ Admission fees
✓ Pumpboat, lifevest
✓ Service of fully vaccinated, Filipino or English-speaking boat steward
✗ Snorkeling gear (For health reasons, please bring your own.)
✗ Tipping
​
RATE PER PERSON
2-3 persons PHP 9,288 or USD 172
4-5 persons PHP 5,928 or USD 110
6-9 persons PHP 4,588 or USD 85
​
Children 1-3 years old free of charge. Full rate for 4 years old and above.