Dapitan, also known as the Shrine City of the Philippines, is a city in the province of Zamboanga del Norte, located on the island of Mindanao, which is the second largest island in the Philippines.

Get in

For the foreign tourist, travel to Dapitan means either taking a flight from Manila or Cebu to the neighboring city of Dipolog, where the airport is located, or sailing to the Port of Pulauan (sometimes Pulawan), which is located within the city of Dapitan albeit ferry schedules often list the destination as Manila-Dipolog.

For local travelers, any place in the Philippines can be a point of origin for a trip to Dapitan. However, one must consider that not all points of origin have direct transfers to Dapitan and it may be necessary to go through transportation hubs like Cebu.

• By Air: The two major airlines that fly to Dipolog Airport (DPL ^IATA) are Philippine Airlines(PR) and Cebu Pacific Air(5J). From Manila, Philippine Airlines has daily flights from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL ^IATA) Centennial Terminal 2, while Cebu Pacific has daily flights from Terminal 3. Both airlines also operate thrice weekly flights (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays) from the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (CEB ^IATA) to Dipolog.

• By Sea: There used to be direct Super Ferry service between Manila and the Port of Pulauan (Manila-Dipolog), but this has been discontinued indefinitely because of interminable infrastructure development at the port. All travelers who wish to sail from Manila rather than go by air will have to travel instead on the Manila-Ozamiz service. From there, land transfers can be easily arranged to take you from Ozamiz to Dapitan (around 3 hours).

There are daily ferries from/to Dumaguete on Negros with companies such as Montenegro, Cokaliong, Aleson, GP and Shuttle ferries. one way fares from p308.

Sleep

There are various options available for spending a night or two in Dapitan. You can either check in at the Dakak Park and Beach Resort, which is about a 20 minute drive from the city limits cost p1000 just for a day ticket, or book a room at the Dapitan City Resort Hotel, which is at one end of the aptly named Sunset Boulevard that sweeps along scenic Dapitan Bay.

Several enterprising residents also operate bed and breakfast inns and pension houses.

• Home Sweet Home, Sunset Boulevard. Check-in: noon-8PM, check-out: noon. A family home that now operates as bed and breakfast by the bay. From 1,000 PHP. 
• Chip N by the sea Resort, Sunseat Boulevard, ☏ +63-65-2127596. a/c fan rooms with own bathrooms. Cable TV. Free breakfast. has 9 rooms. a good place for backpackers to stay. from p300. 

Go next

Dipolog Ozamis