A Guide On Things To Do In Dumaguete Philippines

Dumaguete is a city in the Philippines and is located in the province of Negros Oriental. The city of often referred to as a university city because of its four universities and as a result, it has a high student population. Dumaguete has a population of over 130,000 people with around 45,000 being students. What are the best things to do in Dumaguete Philippines?

In Dumaguete, you can start by hiking up to Mount Kanlaon which is the highest point in Negros or you take an evening stroll along Boulevard Stroll. There is also Quezon Park, visit one of the universities, Dumaguete Cathedral, shop at the local market, go dolphin watching, and more.

In this post, we will go through things to do in Dumaguete Philippines. Let’s get started!

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Is Dumaguete Worth Visiting?

Dumaguete is worth visiting especially if you enjoy hiking, you can hike up Mount Kanlaon. The biggest draw to Dumaguete is the 4 universities where to can visit the universities or go dolphin watching.

What Is Dumaguete Known For?

Dumaguete is known for being a student city. This is it has 4 universities in the city and roughly around 35% population of the are students. The best-known university is Silliman University.

Things To Do In Dumaguete Philippines

Dumaguete is located in the province of Negros Oriental and is known for being a university city. There are fun things to do in Dumaguete that will keep you busy for a couple of days.

Here is our list of fun things to do in Dumaguete City.

Take a Relaxing Boulevard Stroll

Also referred to as Rizal Boulevard. It is a well-known tourist spot in the city which is also a popular area with tourists and locals of the city. Directly facing the sea, it is also a popular spot for joggers, particularly during the late afternoon and early morning.

You will also enjoy watching the sunrise, cooling off in the sea breeze, or going on a food trip with food stalls coming out at night time or at several local restaurants dotting across the street.

See Mount Kanlaon

Mount Kanlaon is an active stratovolcano on the island of Negros, Philippines. It is the highest point in Negros, as well as the whole Visayas, with an elevation of 2,465 m (8,087 ft) above sea level.

Climbers visit Mount Kanlaon for a 3-day hike for its wildlife, views, and hot springs. It should be noted that it has erupted 28 times with 9 eruptions since 2001. With 2016 being the most recent.

Say Your Prayers At Dumaguete Cathedral

Labeled as Negros Island’s oldest stone church, the St. Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral is definitely a must-visit for all travelers of Catholic belief.

Originally, the church was built from 1754 up to 1776, before it underwent reconstruction in 1885 then later on extended in 1936 with today’s façade.

Enjoy The Three Cave Bulwang Tour

You guessed it, there are 3 caves to see on this tour and they are called Panligawan, Pandalihan, and Crystal Caves.

The three caves are close to each other and are easy to climb for inexperienced explorers and the guides are knowledgeable and patient.

You will need to wear proper shoes for climbing and exploring the caves.

Take A Quick Visit To Siliman University

Built by the Protestant missionaries of the Presbyterian Church in the US in 1901, Silliman University is well-known for being Asia’s oldest American University.

Being a major landmark in the center of the city, this campus is remarkably big and is dotted with large acacia trees, with some of its buildings boasting colonial American architecture.

Light Candles At Belfry Tower

Found adjacent to the cathedral, this old belfry tower is where locals visit to light candles and offer prayers. Yet another famous tourist attraction in the city, this is said to be its oldest surviving structure which was established in 1780.

Explore Aquino Freedom Park

The Negros Capitol Building is the Negros Oriental province’s seat of government, its neoclassical architecture serves as a structure in the city that you shouldn’t miss seeing is located at freedom park.

Also, there are Filipino food stalls that serve a wide range of food from tapa cured beef, Philippine sausage, chicken, or Lumpia, which is deep-fried Filipino spring rolls.

Visit Quezon Park

This is a public park found right in front of the Old Belfry Tower and Dumaguete Cathedral and is popular with the locals. Visiting Quezon Park is definitely one of the top things to do in Dumaguete City.

Go Dolphin Watching

It will take around 1 hour from Dumaguete to Tanon Strait. You will be put on a boat and out then you go out to see the dolphins.

It starts with seeing one dolphin and then in the next 30 mins should have seen at least 50-60 different dolphins. It was spectacular to see them surface and then move on.

They do get scared away due to the boat engine but it was still fun chasing the packs and trying to get a glimpse.

Purchase A Pasalubong

Do not leave Dumaguete City without bringing a few pasalubong (souvenirs) to bring home including the Sans Rival and Silvanas.

For the ref magnets, native bags, key chains, and some local products. You can check out the souvenir shops situated in the city center.

Other Things To See

Malatapay Market – You’ll surely pass this market while you are on your way to Apo Island. It’s where lots of agricultural produce and some products are on sale.

The best day to visit Apo Island is Wednesday so you might also check out this market.

Twin Lakes Danao and Balinsasayao – Situated in the range of Mount Talinis, it’s an 8000-hectare protected area that lies within the municipalities of Sibulan, San Jose, and Valencia in Negros Oriental.

Apo Island – It’s a little island renowned for its several underwater activities, which include diving and snorkeling due to its rich marine life.

The protected sea and landscape of Apo Island feature a Marine Sanctuary that’s considered to be one of the oldest marine reserves that are protected in the country of the Philippines.

USEFUL TRAVEL RESOURCES

Book Accommodation

Booking.com has a large range of properties from hotels, hostels, guesthouses, and resorts where you will find the best deals. Airbnb and Hostelworld also have a good range of places to stay at good prices.

Booking Flight

Skyscanner is a flight search comparison website that searches millions of flights all at once. Ultimately it is the best flight comparison website online at the moment.

Booking Transportation & Things To Do

Rome2rio and 12Go are useful to plan how to get anywhere by searching train, bus, car, and ferry routes. Especially useful in countries like Vietnam or Thailand. While Klook is great for exploring things to do in each place.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is cheap and more than likely you will never need to use it but you will have peace of mind if something does happen, you are covered in case of an emergency. World Nomads have great customer service and competitive prices.

Check out our resource page for the best companies to use when you travel.

Wrapping Up

Finally, Dumaguete is a good place to visit especially if you are interested in hiking up to Mount Kanlaon which is the highest point in Negros or you take an evening stroll along Boulevard Stroll. There is also Quezon Park, visit one of the universities, Dumaguete Cathedral, shop at the local market, go dolphin watching, and more.

And that’s it for now! I’d love to know if this guide on things to do in Dumaguete City Philippines has helped you. Let me know if you have any questions and let me know if there is more to add.

Is Dumaguete Worth Visiting?

What Is Dumaguete Known For?