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Dumaguete is the capital city and main port of Negros Oriental, the province that occupies the south-eastern part of Negros Island, in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines. It is sometimes called the "City of Gentle People".

A laid-back university town with a charming sea-front boulevard and a good selection of tourist-oriented services, Dumaguete is a good place to relax for anything from a few days to a few decades. There are many tourists and a large contingent of resident foreigners including quite a few retirees.

Dumaguete is a major transport hub for reaching destinations anywhere on the large island of Negros which is split into two provinces, Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental. In particular, it often serves as an entry point for trips to the diving on Apo Island or dolphin chasing and whale watching near Bais City. The small island province of Siquijor, with its many beaches, is also often reached via Dumaguete; it is visible from the downtown seafront.

The economy is quite diverse and is doing well; a 2009 survey showed Dumaguete with the lowest incidence of poverty of all cities in the Visayas and Mindanao. The city has been a center of education for over a century, and the transport, market and administrative hub of its region for even longer. More recently tourism and hi-tech have become important; Dumaguete is among the top ten tourist destinations in the country and has quite a few call centers, business process outsourcing companies and other IT-related enterprises.

Understand

Saint Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral

This article covers four towns that are administratively separate but effectively one city:

  • Dumaguete City proper (121,000 in 2010 census)
  • Bacong, south along the coast (32,300)
  • Valencia, on higher ground inland to the southwest (31,500)
Dumaguete, Valencia and Bacong are connected by three roads, approximately an equilateral triangle 8km (5 miles) on a side.
  • Sibulan, north of Dumaguete along the coast; the two town centers are about 12 km apart (51,500)

Dumaguete is not a large city in population but is spread out over quite a wide area. The 2010 census gave a population figure of 121,000, including about 30,000 students, for Dumaguete City, but another government report suggests the daytime population is about 400,000. Most of the additional people live in the suburbs mentioned above; all three have seen considerable residential development in recent years and probably now have populations considerably larger than the 2010 figures shown above.

Valencia is located in a volcanic area, the volcanic soil is fertile, and there is plenty of rain. The area has long been known for agriculture, especially fruit and vegetable production. There is a large farmers' market on the Dumaguete-Valencia road.

The urban part of Valencia is over 200 m (660 ft) above sea level so the town is significantly cooler than Dumaguete on the coast. Partly because of this, it has several new upmarket real estate developments which attract both well-off Dumaguetinos and expatriates. Bacong and Dauin, the next coastal town south, also have a lot of upmarket housing development.

The climate is tropical with an average daily high of 30.6 C (87 F) and low of 24.8 (77); this does not vary much from month to month. Precipitation does vary considerably with a dry season January to May and wet season June to December. Average annual rainfall is 807mm (32 inches); for comparison, San Francisco and London each get about 600mm, while Manila gets about 2000mm and Hong Kong 2400.

As anywhere in the Philippines, there is some risk of both earthquakes and typhoons. However, compared to other areas in the country Dumaguete has relatively low risk of either.

Get in

The country's two largest cities, and its main hubs for international flights, are Metro Manila and Metro Cebu; from either, there are flights, ferries, and buses (which ride ferries for part of the route) to Dumaguete. Cebu is considerably closer.

Cebu used to be far and away the more pleasant airport to arrive at with an international connection (especially if travelling by Qatar or Silkair) but Manila has improved as the hitherto corrupt and unfriendly attitude of Manila airport officials has diminished over the past year. Most international arrivals and domestic departures operated by Cebu Pacific now use the modern and relatively efficient Terminal 3 in Manila.

If you change planes in Manila or Cebu, allow plenty of time since the security controls to enter each terminal — before you can even join the queue to check in — sometimes cause long delays. On a busy day at Manila Airport it can take almost two hours! You will also need a paper print out of your confirmed flight itinerary.

There are also international flights to Davao, Iloilo, Kalibo (nearest airport to Boracay), or Clark Airport near Angeles; none of those cities has direct or convenient connections to Dumaguete, but those routes might suit some travellers.

By plane

Dumaguete airport terminal is small with no air-bridges. Umbrellas are provided if there is a rain shower

Cebu Pacific has flights from both Manila and Cebu, and Philippine Airlines has flights from Manila.

  • 1 Sibulan Airport (IATA DGT), ☏ +63 35 225 0900. The airport is technically in Sibulan, the next town to the north, but is not far from Dumaguete city center. It has a runway that in many countries would be considered too short for medium sized civilian jet aircraft, but both Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines fly in and out with Airbus and Boeing jets daily. Most jets take off toward the sea, where the runway ends abruptly at the salt water of the Tañon Strait/Bohol Sea, so both takeoffs and landings are thrilling affairs. 

Two plans to improve the airport — expand the current airport or build a new and larger airport in Bacong, south of the city center — have been proposed, but as of mid-2015 no decision has been announced.

By sea

Frequent sailings from Manila, Cebu City, Tagbilaran, Siquijor and Dapitan are offered with Cebu having the most options and trips.

  • 2 Dumaguete Port. All the direct-to-Dumaguete ferries arrive and depart here, though other ferries run from southern parts of Cebu Island to Sibulan. Most of the traffic is ferries, though there are some small-to-midsize freighters and container ships. There are no cruise ships and few private small cruising vessels. 

A comfortable way to reach Dumaguete is on one of the better ferries. However, this is considerably more expensive than other ferry or mixed bus/ferry options. Also, they are for passengers only; you cannot bring a vehicle.

  • Ocean Jet. Fast hydrofoil ferries to and from Cebu via Tagbilaran on Bohol. From Dumaguete, departs 07:30 (arrives 11:10) and 14:20 (arrives 19:20) Tourist Class: ₱900, Business Class: ₱1,200. 
  • If you want to stop on Bohol, you have a choice of several fast ferries for the Cebu-Tagbilaran leg of the trip (see Tagbilaran#Fast_ferries) or you might in come from the south on a CDO-Jagna ferry. However, Ocean Jet is the only fast ferry for the Tagbilaran-Dumaguete journey.
  • 2Go. Relatively luxurious and larger than most other ferries, more along the lines of a cruise ship. They have one Manila-Dumaguete departure a week leaving on Saturday afternoon and arriving early Sunday evening, at rates from ₱1,600 up. They also have four Manila-Cebu runs a week and a Manila-Bacolod route. 

Ro-Ro's are also available; these are slower and cheaper ferries where cars can roll on and roll off.

By bus

Location
  • 3 Ceres. A major bus line serving Cebu and Negros islands. Their buses are a conspicuously bright yellow. Like the other bus lines, their drivers are recklessly fast and drive on the klaxon. 

The Ceres line has direct buses from the south bus station in Cebu City to Dumaguete; they go down to the south end of Cebu Island, across to Negros Island via a short ferry ride that lands in Sibulan, then on to Dumaguete. Cost for the bus as of February 2016 was ₱205, paid to the conductor. There is a separate ₱70 charge for the ferry; someone comes round to collect it. Total travel time is often around five to six hours but may be considerably longer if traffic is bad or there is a delay waiting for the ferry.

From Cebu, the Dumaguete buses are scheduled at 06:00, 7:30, 10:00, 11:30, 13:00, 14:30, 16:00, and 18:00. The first bus for Cebu from Dumaguete leaves at 03:15 and the last at 14:00; there are many trips in between, scheduled every hour or two. Scheduling is not at all strict; a bus will leave early if it is full, sometimes more than an hour early.

There are Ceres buses to and from Bacolod, capital of the western province of Negros Occidental (which shares the island of Negros with Negros Oriental whose capital is Dumaguete).

  • Bacolod to Dumaguete: first trip at 02:00 and last trip at 19:00
  • Dumaguete to Bacolod: first trip at 02:30 last trip at 19:30

There are several trips a day. Fare for a non-airconditioned bus is ₱232 each way. Travel time is 5-6h.

Ceres also now have a bus from the Cubao district of Quezon City (which is part of Metro Manila) to Dumaguete. It goes via Iloilo and Bacolod, and uses several ferries.

Alternate routes

If you want to see more of the southern parts of Cebu Island, you can travel south from Cebu City on your own, then reach Dumaguete with smaller hops from there. All these ferries are ro-ros so bringing a vehicle is possible,

  • Take a bus to the San Sebastian (Bato) area of Samboan, then take a 20-30 minute ferry ride to Sibulan, 20 minutes away from the centre of Dumaguete. Ferries leave from Sibulan 05:00-17:00. To get this bus you must play the game chasing against time; seats are limited and if you don't get a chance to be an early bird in booking a ticket, you'll probably end up sleeping in the bus terminal waiting for the next day's departures.
  • Ro-ro from 4 Samboan, on Cebu Island to 5 Looc, Sibulan operated by Lite Shipping Corporation at 16:00, 19:00, 20:30 & 22:00 with journeys to Cebu Island at 05:00, 08:30, 11:30 & 13:00 with an 80min journey time. Globe network ☎ +63 915 780 0252, Smart network ☎ +63 929 586 1702. Return vehicle fare (for a Multicab) of ₱1080 includes driver and one passenger with additional passengers at ₱70 each.

It is also possible to go west from Cebu City to Toledo and get a ferry to San Carlos (Negros Occidental) there, or get a direct bus from the North Bus Terminal in Cebu to San Carlos. From San Carlos, you can then travel south along the coast of Negros via Bais and Tanjay toward Dumaguete. This route is longer, slower and less travelled.

From Iloilo, the easiest route is by ferry to Bacolod then bus to Dumaguete. From Palawan one can take a plane or ferry to Iloilo, or fly to Cebu City. From Manila one could get a direct flight or boat, but it is also possible take a ferry or plane to any of Iloilo, Bacolod, Cebu City or Tagbilaran then continue to Dumaguete.

From Mindanao, the only direct connections to Dumaguete are by boat from Dapitan or Zamboanga. From Cagayan de Oro you can go via Cebu City or Dapitan, or take a fast ferry to Bohol and change to another for Dumaguete.

Get around

Dumaguete has few taxis and almost none of the jeepneys you'll see in other cities in the Philippines. There are some jeepneys going to nearby towns but, unlike other cities, there are no jeepneys with general-purpose downtown routes.

A "pedicab" motorcycle/sidecar rig

The standard transport option is a three-wheeled contraption called a pedicab. In parts of the Philippines a "pedicab" is human-powered but in Dumaguete it is a motorcycle, typically 200 cc and Japanese, with a sidecar. These do have a windshield and a roof so there is some protection from the elements, but they are neither quiet nor very comfortable. The sidecar has seating for four, two facing forward and two back, but it is designed for Filipinos and four Westerners will not usually fit unless one rides pillion behind the operator.

Pedicabs are generally ₱8 per person for trips within the downtown area. These are shared vehicles; expect to ride along with whoever happens to be going the same way, and to take the odd detour as the driver diverts to deliver other passengers to their destinations. When travelling to further-out destinations (airport, etc.), or if you want the machine to yourself, expect to pay more and negotiate, probably before you get in. Prices can go up to about ₱100 for a journey to a suburb late at night when the driver cannot expect to find a return fare.

Map
9°18′25″N 123°18′24″E
Map of Dumaguete

Locals around the Philippines name a landmark or commercial establishment near their destinations, street names are rarely used or known. Many travellers will be able to get around knowing only the names of three landmarks: Rizal Boulevard, Lee Plaza and Robinson's Place; most other places of interest are within easy walking distance of one of those.

If you must have air conditioning and are willing to pay for it, then the few taxis are often found near the Bethel Guest House or at Robinson's Place Mall.

Motorcycles are also popular; the roads have considerably more of them than cars. They can be rented in several shops along Perdices St, near the corners of Pinili and Santa Rosa Streets, typically for ₱300 a day. Few locals use helmets; if you plan to ride it is a good idea to bring a good-quality helmet with you.

Jeepneys

There are various terminals for jeepneys to nearby towns or suburbs; these are cheap and interesting, but often quite crowded. Sit up front with the driver if you can; this is more comfortable and has a better view. Most jeepneys give a discount for students or seniors.

The terminal near the pier has jeepneys for many places, and seems to be the main terminus for ones to Zamboanguita. The rest are in the area around the cathedral or the market west of it.

  • 6 Jeepneys to Dauin. 
  • 7 Jeepneys to Sibulan. 
  • 8 Jeepneys to San Jose (Negros Oriental). 
  • 9 Jeepneys to Valencia. 
  • 10 Jeepneys Valencia-to-Dumaguete. 

Jeepneys northbound to Sibulan, San Jose or Tanjay can sometimes be flagged down on Rizal Boulevard.

See

Dumaguete Belfry
Brahminy kites (Haliastur indus intermedius) are commonly seen hovering in the mountains behind Dumaguete, and occasionally over the sea downtown
  • 1 Bell Tower (Campanario de Dumaguete). This is the oldest surviving structure in the city, a relic of the long Spanish occupation of Negros Island. It used to be a watchtower to warn the locals against marauding pirates from Mindanao. The first two storeys date from the mid-1700s with the structure above that added later. Its largest bell is engraved with a date of 1818. 
  • 2 Cathedral of Santa Catalina (Dumaguete Cathedral) (next to the bell tower). A fine old Roman Catholic church, built under Spanish rule in the 1700s and consequently the oldest stone church in the whole of the province of Negros Oriental. It's dedicated to Saint Catherine of Alexandria who is the patron saint of the city. Her festival is vigorously celebrated around the end of November each year since a Mass celebrating liberation from the Spanish took place in its grounds on the 24 November 1898. The entrance gates are supported by sculptures of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John on tall pedestals. 

Dumaguete is a university town; there are four universities plus various colleges, and about a quarter of the population are students.

Foremost of the city's educational institutions is Silliman University, the oldest American university in Asia and the first Protestant college to be founded in this predominantly Roman Catholic country.

The main street running north-south through the campus is Hibbard Avenue, named for the missionary couple who founded it in 1901, originally as a high school. The street that borders the campus on the south is Silliman Avenue, named after the New England industrialist who financed the project.

Silliman Hall
  • 3 Silliman University Hall. Built in 1902-1903, this is the oldest U.S. structure in the Philippines still standing. Its architecture is reminiscent of the Stick Style or Victorian type of architecture that characterized U.S. buildings in the 19th century. 
  • Silliman University Anthropology Museum (in Silliman Hall). The Anthropology museum houses some Philippine artifacts that were excavated from many parts of the country dating back hundreds or thousands of years. A good example of how to make interesting stuff intensely boring. A smart move was to forbid any photographic record of the mediocre displays. Base rate ₱40 for locals, ₱60 for others, with discounts for children and seniors. Rates double on weekends or holidays.. 
  • Luce Auditorium (in Silliman Hall). Considered the cultural center of the South. The tin ceiling was salvaged from an old theater in New York. 
  • Marine Laboratory Museum (in Silliman Hall). Houses the second-largest whale bone collection in the world. 
Silliman University Church
  • 4 Silliman University Church. A Protestant church on the university grounds, with some fine stained glass windows. Like the university itself, it was originally set up by American Presbyterian missionaries, but its outlook today is very ecumenical; it describes itself as "a church ministering to all Sillimanians, regardless of their denomination and religious affiliations". 
  • 5 Silliman Zoo, near Silliman Medical Center (signs opposite Silliman medical centre). 09:00-16:00. It conserves endangered Philippine native animals which are rarely seen; eg, spotted deer, warty pigs and crocodiles. Well worth the ₱10 entry fee. They also need financial support. It's a 15min walk from the city center or a ₱8 pedicab ride. ₱10. 

Inland (west) of Dumaguete are a range of volcanic mountains running from well south of the city to well north of it. None of the volcanoes are currently active but several of them are not extinct either; experts say they have the potential to erupt again. Travel services in Dumaguete or local guides closer to the sites can arrange trips. Some of the main sites are:

  • 6 Mt. Talinis (Southwest of the city in Valencia Municipality). The second-highest mountain in Negros Oriental at 1903 m, one of a group called the Cuernos de Negros (Horns of Negros). It has lakes, waterfalls and a mossy forest as well as a stream with sulfur vents. Local mountaineering groups frequent the mountain. 
The Philippines is second only to the US in producing electricity from geothermal sources
  • 7 Palinpinon Geothermal Plant (Palinpinon is a Barangay of Valencia). This geothermal plant provides electric power for all of Negros Island and Panay, and parts of Cebu Province. Although the power station plaza is officially closed to visitors at the guard house, along the way there you can get up close and personal with some sulphur vents along the roadside: 8 Volcanic Road 
The Casaroro Falls in Valencia make a nice daytrip from Dumaguete
  • 9 Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park (Northwest of the city in Sibulan Municipality). A large protected forest area centered on two volcanic crater lakes. Both the flora and fauna have been considerably degraded in recent years but it's still an interesting daytrip. 

Each of the suburbs we include in this article — Valencia, Sibulan and Bacong — is administered as a separate town and all have been towns since the era of Spanish rule. They all have some buildings going back to that era, clustered around a central plaza; the ones in Bacong include the oldest church in the province.

Do

There are several popular seaside resort areas nearby and it is common for travellers to use Dumaguete as a base for visiting one or more of them, since the beaches in town are often highly polluted. Many hotels and all travel agencies in Dumaguete can arrange trips to any of them.

  • Apo Island - a small island somewhat south of Dumaguete with excellent diving
  • Bais City - a city on the coast to the north, known for dolphin and whale watching
  • Siquijor - an island province with good beaches and many tales of witches and sorcerers, visible from the Dumaguete boulevard and accessible via frequent ferries

South of the city is a coastline well provided with dive resorts, which we cover in the articles on the coastal towns. Listed north-to-south, those are:

(either Dauin or Zamboanguita has boats to Apo Island)
  • Siaton - near the southern tip of the island, with the scenic Lake Balanan in the mountains inland of it

Beyond Siaton, around the corner onto the southwest coast of the island, are several more towns, also often reached via Dumaguete. These are a bit off-the-beaten-path, not well-developed as resort destinations. Listed east-to-west:

Beyond those is Negros Occidental; the nearest resort area there is Sipalay, not highly developed but with good beaches and diving.

There are many dive shops in Dumaguete. Some of them are:

See also Diving in the Philippines.

There are also some golf courses:

  • 1 Bravo Golf Course (Dumaguete Golf Course), San Antonio Barangay Rd, Pancil, Looc, Sibulan, ☏ +63 35 400-3504. Beautifully kept 18-hole course with plenty of shade trees and Zebu cattle has a view of the sea and an air-conditioned club room. Quarterly green fees are ₱15,000 while 'walk-ins' pay ₱750 for 9 holes, ₱1,250 for 18 holes M-Th rising to ₱1,000 & ₱1,500 at weekends. Caddy fees are ₱175 or ₱275, golf cart rental ₱400 or ₱650, an umbrella girl ₱120 or ₱180 and golf set rental ₱650 or ₱650 for 9 or 18 holes respectively.
    There is a hotel on-site with rooms from ₱2250. The restaurant has a large, brick pizza oven and some other Italian dishes on the menu.     

West of downtown in Valencia there are several highland resorts. These are located in a forested area and mainly oriented to outdoor activities.

  • 3 Valencia Forest Camp (in Valencia). A bit outside town, on a river. Accommodation includes a backpacker dormitory, treehouses and nipa huts. 
  • Tejero Highland Resort and Adventure Park (in Valencia), ☏ +63 35 400 3977. A new development with ziplines, ATVs, Segways, slide, and natural pools. 

There are decorated horse-drawn carts offering scenic rides around town.

Learn

The Silliman University Library is not only one of the best in the Visayas with more than 100,000 volumes, it also provides a relatively quiet and air conditioned sanctuary from the perpetual hum and throb of the streets. It's not usually open to the public, but for a purely nominal fee and a courteous word with the librarian you might be admitted as an overseas visitor.

There is a public library on Colon Street, next to the fire station & near the post office.

Dumaguete has several international schools; as anywhere, these mainly teach the children of expatriate residents and they tend to be of good quality but quite expensive.

The city also has dozens of other schools, both primary and secondary; Wikipedia has a list. There are also four universities — Silliman, Saint Paul, Foundation University and Negros Oriental State U (NORSU) — plus several colleges and vocational schools. NORSU also has six satellite campuses in other towns.

Buy

The main shopping area downtown is Perdices Street from around the Bell Tower to the edge of Silliman University. The street continues north into the university, but the name changes to Hibbard Avenue.

Downtown

  • 1 Cang's Department Store, East Rovira Dr. M-Sa 09:00-19:30, Su 10:00-19:30. Moderate prices with UnionPay, Visa, JCB and MasterCards accepted, this is a good option for a weekly grocery shop on the ground floor since the basement car park is both free and underutilised. There is a newly opened food court on the second floor and the Filomena Cafe 2 (of Bethel Guest House fame) accepts cards too. Purified and cooled water is available free of charge from a self-service drinking fountain with glasses. On the first floor above the ground, small Philippines flags at 6 pesos each make good value and lightweight souvenirs if you are flying from nearby Dumaguete airport. 
  • 2 Cang's downtown, San Jose, corner of Maria Christina. Newer and smaller second location, with no cafe. 
  • 3 Lee Plaza, Perdices St (near the middle of the town's main commercial street). Main department store in the city centre with a large supermarket in the basement; accepts Visa, JCB and MasterCard. 
  • 4 Robinson's (in the same block of Perdices Street as Lee Plaza but on the opposite side of the road). 8am-9pm. Department store with a supermarket. 
  • 5 AAC Tech, RHD Building, Ma. Cristina St, ☏ +63 35 226-2830. Computers, Apple products from laptops to i-Pods, other gadgets. 

Outside downtowɲ

  • 6 Lee Plaza Hypermart, Valencia Rd. A large suburban mall with a range of stores and a food court. 
  • 7 Robinson's Place Mall, Dumaguete Business Park. This is a large, new air-conditioned suburban mall. Expensive, but there is no surcharge for Visa or MasterCards in its supermarket, although none of the chain eateries take plastic. 
  • 8 Sidiakan Negros Village, E.J. Blanco Rd (northern side of town, toward the airport). Promotes the province's handicrafts; there is some nice stuff at reasonable prices but nothing very exciting. 

There are farmers' markets near the center of every town; the one in Dumaguete is just west of the cathedral and the one in Valencia is where the jeepneys deliver you if you arrive that way. All are very good for fruit and vegetables and have other things as well. Around the one in Dumaguete is the best place in town to look for small services: key cutting, shoe or bicycle repair, manicure, ...

Robinson's Place has two bookstores (one on each floor) both with a reasonable selection of books in English; the one upstairs sells used books. There is also a book store downtown on Perdices a little north of Lee Plaza; it has a lot of children's books and textbooks, but almost nothing for general adult readers. On the hallway leading to the immigration office (listed under #Cope) is a book rental place which seems to be the only establishment in town with a good selection of sci-fi and fantasy; they also have a large collection of romances. The second floor of that building also has a bookstore.

  • City Mall. 8am-8pm. soon to open a new mall in Dumaguete. low price. (updated Mar 2016)
  • 7-Eleven Convenience Stores.. soon to open many Stores all over Dumaguete. the number one Convenience store group in the Philippines with over 1700 stores. opening new stores every week. (updated Mar 2016)
  • Puregold Supermarket. soon to open in Dumaguete. the 3rd biggest supermarket group in the Philippines with over 300 stores. (updated Mar 2016)

Eat

There are restaurants all over Dumaguete and some of the plainer ones with Filipino customers away from the central strip may be the best places to search for low prices or local color. In particular, places catering to the student market near any of the universities (especially along Hibbard Avenue near Silliman University or the North Highway near Negros Oriental U) are often cheap and lively.

All the places listed under #Drink below also serve food, though not all have a large menu.

Budget

This page uses the following price ranges for a typical meal for one, including soft drink:
Budget under ₱200
Mid-range ₱200-400
Splurge over ₱400

Most of these places — at least Filomena, Food Net and Scooby's — offer free filtered and chilled water from a self-service fountain with a supply of glasses. All also have soft drinks and most have juices. Except for the buffet, none serve alcohol.

  • 1 Chow King (one location is on Perdices, diagonally opposite Lee Plaza). A chain offering moderately-priced Chinese (mainly Cantonese) food. Pork or beef fried rice, with four shui mai (small noodle-wrapped pork items) and a soft drink, ₱99. 
  • Filomena Cafe (two locations: see Bethel Guest House listing under #Sleep, and Cang's under #Buy). A very hygienic, air-conditioned cafeteria-style place with a good selection of reasonably priced dishes. Their vegetable fried rice is particularly tasty. All-you-can-eat buffet on weekend evenings for ₱200. Both Visa and MasterCard are accepted.

    They give a 20% discount on most things for seniors, but will not take a passport as proof of age; they will accept a Philippine government ACR card which many longer-term visitors have. 

  • 2 Food Net, corner of Noblefranca & Santa Catalina (a block inland from the boulevard). Food Net are a chain with several locations around town; they have Filipino food, moderate prices and a largely student crowd. A basic meal — meat dish, veggie dish, rice, soft drink — is about ₱90. 
  • 3 Food Net, Hibbard Ave (across the street from the Coco Grande hotel). 
  • 4 Food Net, South end of Perdices (close to bus station). 
  • 5 Gyro Monsters. 10:00 to 21:00, closed on Sunday. Cheap and tasty "shawarma", though if you expect shawarma as you would find it in the Middle East, you will be disappointed. (For that, at higher prices, go to Tarbush listed below.) The most expensive thing on the menu is shawarma rice for ₱50, and the best seller is beef or chicken shawarma wrapped in pita at 30, or 35 with cheese. 
  • 6 Lindai's Buffet, Noblefranca St (just off Perdices). All-you-can-eat buffet of Filipino food. ₱199. 
  • 7 Scooby's, San Jose St (a bit east of Lee Plaza). Scooby's is a chain with various locations around town. Their brewed coffee at ₱30 is better than most coffee offered on Rizal Boulevard at ₱40-120. They also have all the usual variations on espresso, several types of herbal tea, a range of mostly western-style baked goods, and moderately-priced mostly Filipino hot foods. The meatballs (₱21 each) are tasty.

    Their spaghetti is appalling; order the lasagna here (₱55) or go to Filomena for a much better cheap (₱45) spaghetti. For excellent pasta at prices around ₱195, try Bogart's or Pasta King.

    There is a seniors' discount but only if you have a Philippine senior ID, available only to residents. Neither a passport nor an ACR card will do. (updated Feb 2016)

  • 8 Scooby's, Silliman Ave (In the university's Portal West building). Another location. 

There are also two small cheap burger places on the Boulevard, next to Bogart's. See #Along the boulevard.

Mid-range

A major area for restaurants and bars is the scenic seafront strip along Rizal Boulevard and the streets just behind it, up to or a bit beyond Perdices. The cheapest food in this area is from street vendors who appear along the sea front, mainly near the north end, in the evenings selling tempura and corn-on-the-cob.

The restaurants are generally mid-range in pricing, with main courses in the ₱150-350 range, though an imported steak can be close to a thousand. Quality of the food is generally quite good. Quality of the coffee varies rather widely but they more-or-less all have cold beer (₱50-60, a bit less in happy hour) and many serve good milkshakes (₱60-110). Tea, juices, wine and mixed drinks are also on offer in many places.

Nearly all these places have patios with a view of the sea; this is a mixed blessing. The view is lovely and there is often a welcome sea breeze, but there is no air conditioning, the traffic noise can be distinctly unpleasant, and people on the patios will be bothered by beggars and vendors of various things. Also, smoking is allowed on most patios so sensitive folk may be more comfortable inside where it is forbidden.

Along the boulevard

Sisters of Saint Paul of Chartres statue on the boulevard

We list the boulevard restaurants here in north-to-south order:

  • 9 Blue Monkey Grill (corner of Rizal and Silliman). A large place with outdoor tables (not all with shelter if it rains) serving beverages and barbecue to a mostly Filipino crowd. Live music sometimes. 
  • 10 Coco Amigos (Rizal Boulevard). Mexican restaurant with very nice décor; the place is enormous and can easily accommodate large groups. Most of the Mexican food is mediocre, though the chili is good; European items like the schnitzel or German-style potato salad are better. Milkshakes are very good, smaller and cheaper than elsewhere on the boulevard. There are two patio areas, smoking and non-smoking, with live music out on the patios on Friday and Saturday evenings. There is a disco on the second floor, catering to a young Filipino crowd; this can be annoyingly loud for restaurant customers from about 9PM on. 
  • 11 Bo's Coffee (inside an office building, on the ground floor). A chain with several locations in Dumaguete. Coffee & baked goods. 
  • La Residencia Almar. (listed under #Sleep) has two restaurants, one Spanish and one Japanese, both upmarket. Each has a small covered patio. 
  • Hamburg joints. Two small cheap places. The burgers are not nearly as good as in the tourist restaurants on the Boulevard, and they are smaller as well, but then they are less than half the price. The waitress who brings you the expensive burger elsewhere quite likely eats here on her breaks. ₱25-40. 
  • 12 Bogart's Bar, 48 Rizal Blvd, ☏ +63 917 622 0700. 8AM-1AM, except Sunday closed until 3PM. Small and plain compared to other places, with no a/c but many fans. Owners are an Austrian/Filipina couple, and the menu is mostly European. There are many expatriate customers, including a lot of German speakers and Scandinavians. Food is excellent and they have some good European beers as well as the usual Filipino fare. Their milkshakes are not very good. (updated Feb 2016)
  • 13 Sans Rival. One of the oldest cake shops in the city. They occupy a pair of buildings on a corner with the cake shop in the smaller one on the side street and "Sans Rival Bistro" on Rizal. 
    • Sans Rival cake shop. Offers baked goods (surprise!), drinks and some pasta and salad dishes. 
    • Sans Rival Bistro. The bistro offers a broader range including a half dozen breakfast options at ₱200-odd. 
  • 14 Chin Loong (Rizal Boulevard), ☏ +63 35 422-6933. Very good Chinese food, service, and prices 
  • 15 Casablanca (Rizal Boulevard), ☏ +63 35 422-4080. open for breakfast at 6:30. European food, elegant décor, and a good wine list. There are several breakfast options; the American breakfast at ₱265 includes unlimited coffee, papaya juice, two eggs, a generous serving of bacon, toast, and some fried tomatoes and onions. The only flaw is that the "home fried potatoes" are a patty that looks as though it came from McDonald's. (updated Mar 2016)
  • 7-Eleven. Chain convenience store; this location has a few tables and sells a lot of ice cream cones. Despite the 7-Eleven name, this location is open 24 hours. 
  • 16 Paseo Perdices. A new (2015) building with two floors, built on the location of the Perdices family home; one family member was the provincial governor and has one of the town's main streets named for him. There are two levels, and the lower level has a large shaded central courtyard. 
    • Yellow Cab Pizza (Lower level, Paseo Perdices), ☏ 035 421 1111. Part of a chain. Delivery available; they use yellow scooters. 
    • Max's Restaurant (Lower level, Paseo Perdices), ☏ 035 421 0615. Part of a chain. Their specialty is fried chicken. Breakfast from 7:30 AM. 
    • Infini Tea (Upper level, Paseo Perdices), ☏ 035 522 2991. Their specialty is milk tea. 
    • Gabby's Bistro (Upper level, Paseo Perdices). Second location; the first one is an in-house restaurant at Hotel Florentina. 
    • Thai Massage (Upper level, Paseo Perdices). 
  • 17 Why Not? (70 Rizal Boulevard). One-stop shopping? Restaurant, deli, disco, karaoke, cyber cafe, billiard room, and travel agent under one roof. 
    • Le Chalet (Part of Why Not?). Salads, pasta, other types of European and American food, with decent quality and prices. Inside with a/c or patio. The current chef is from Milan but the menu emphasizes German and Swiss specialities. All-you-can eat breakfast buffet on Sundays, ₱331. 
    • Chiccos Deli (Part of Why Not?). open until 01:00 weekends. Selling meats, wines, cheese & chocolate, with many imported European items. The patio in front offers the same mostly-European menu as Le Chalet plus another menu for Thai food. 
  • Honeycomb Tourist Inn. (listed under #Sleep) has a restaurant with a large patio area, bar & disco. 
  • 18 Allegre. A small place offering tapas. 
  • 19 La Bella. Another place for Italian food, more expensive than others in town with pasta dishes around ₱250. They do offer a student discount with ID. 
  • Blue Monkey (behind La Bella). Filipino food and live music. Acoustic evenings Tuesday & Friday. 

Bethel Guest House (listed under #Sleep) has Filomena Cafe (listed under #Budget).

Other downtown places

There are also a number of restaurants that are not on the boulevard but are within easy walking distance. Many are either on Santa Catalina (parallel to the boulevard, a short block inland) or on Silliman Avenue (running inland from the north end of the boulevard).

Along Silliman:

  • 20 Mooon Cafe (The 3rd 'o' in the name is deliberate), Silliman Ave (just off the boulevard). Part of a chain that advertises "Mexican-inspired" food. They offer that, various pizza and pasta dishes, and other western dishes; most of it is done very competently. There is a small patio, but no sea view; instead you can look at Silliman Hall. Senior's discount available. 
  • El Amigo (next door to Mooon). Live jazz on weekends 
  • 21 Jo's Chicken Inato, Silliman Ave (Just tell the driver that you want to eat at Jo's.). Part of a large chain specializing in barbeque chicken. Favorite among locals and tourists. 
  • There is another Jo's in Sibulan, a km or two beyond the market, with a large patio and a fine sea view.
  • 22 Poppy Coffee and Cupcakes (corner of Silliman and Hibbard, facing Hibbard). In a Silliman University building called Portal West which also has a bank and several other shops. They also have sandwiches and a breakfast menu. 

Along Santa Catalina:

  • 23 Cafe Antonio, Santa Catalina. At the Spanish Heritage Building. Fantastic wide-ranging menu, very reasonable prices, lovely chilled out studenty vibe and a great building to host it. Quite honestly a breath of fresh air in the Philippines. Wonderful coffee too! 
  • 24 Mafioso, Santa Catalina. Another Italian place, cheaper than Pasta King or La Bella; pasta dishes are around ₱140. 
  • 25 Mifune, Santa Catalina, ☏ +63 35 422-8307, . Japanese restaurant. All-you-can eat buffet ₱333, Tue & Sat evenings. 
  • 26 MELs Cafe, 2nd Floor UTH Bldg, Sta Catalina St., near Cnr Locsin St, ☏ +63 917 835-8337. This place serves and advocates healthy food, has a certified nutritionist supervising the food. It is small and a bit difficult to find, but worth the trouble. Serves great four season themed salads, a variety of scrumptious sandwiches and unique rice meals like CoFFeeCHoP (pork chop marinated in coffee) or their cheesy delightful fish dish called 'cheesy dory' a favorite among the locals. You can also try their Butter beer in variety of flavors, including vanilla and banana. It is the only place in town that serves beer (non-alcoholic) to minors. ₱30-100. 
  • 27 Pasta King, Santa Catalina, corner of Locsin, ☏ +63 35 421-0865. M-Sa 11:00-21:00, Su 16:00-21:00. Pizza and pasta, done quite well. 

Elsewhere downtown:

  • 28 Jazzy's Emporium, 38 Locsin St. (a few doors west of the immigration office, same side of street), ☏ +639493189635, . 8am-8pm. A small coffee shop and a store selling various imported items, clothing and knick-knacks. The best bargain on the menu is a bacon & egg baguette, with coffee, for ₱99. Excellent fish & chips ₱120. (updated Feb 2016)
  • 29 Korean restaurant (on street running inland from ferry terminal). Also has a Korean grocery store. Neighborhood has a few other restaurants and some guesthouses. 
  • 30 Panda Ice Cream House, Ma. Cristina St, ☏ +63 35 225-9644. Locally-produced fresh fruit ice cream. Try the fried ice cream! This is a chain with several locations in Dumaguete and a few in nearby towns. 

Perdices Street has several chain restaurants; Jollibee's and McDonald's have two each, and Dunkin Donuts and Chow King one. Fruit is available in the supermarkets, from fruit shops, or from street vendors, and there are many bakeries — Lee Plaza and Robinson's each have one and there are several more along the street.

Further out

There are also some restaurants a bit south and west of downtown, on the road to Valencia:

  • Fu Garden, Jose Romero Road, Bagacay (West of Robinson's Mall). 11:00-14:00, 05:30-22:00. If you like Chinese, the food is good as are the prices. reasonable. 

Others are north of the center:

  • 31 Tarbush. Two Lebanese brothers running a small place for middle eastern food. Good shawarma & juices. 

Robinson's mall has many chain restaurants including Shakey's Pizza, Mister Donut, Krispy Kreme and KFC inside the mall. A courtyard at the east of the mall has several more, including Bo's Coffee and Mooon Cafe. A food court at the north end of the second floor has many places, mostly with Filipino food.

Valencia

Valencia has a large market near the center of town with bakeries, fruit vendors, several restaurants with Filipino food, and two pizza places. On the west side are a couple of places popular with the town's large expatriate community:

  • 32 Ayla's Breakfast Restaurant. A good variety of breakfast dishes, including some less common ones like eggs benedict or biscuits & gravy, plus a few other things like chile con carne. 
  • Tacos (right next to Ayla's). A tiny stand with a few tables and reasonable Mexican food, run by Americans. 

Splurge

Competition is stiff for restaurants in Dumaguete, and the restaurants listed above all have many moderately-priced items on their menus so we have listed them all as "Mid-range". If you want elegant decor and a menu that includes upmarket offerings, then your best bets are Cafe Antonio, Casablanca, La Residencia Almar or Why Not?

Drink

Tourists and resident expatriates do much of their imbibing in the strip of restaurants and bars along Rizal Boulevard; those are listed under #Along the boulevard above. There are also a number of other restaurants, plus some discos and karaoke places, just inland from there.

Some bars outside that central region, but within a few minutes pedicab ride, are:

  • 1 Flip-Flops Restobar, Jose Romero Road (near Lee Hypermart). A popular hangout for local expats. Large shaded patio, big TV with sports, sometimes live music. 
  • 2 Gmik Bar, Dr V Locsin St (in Daro). 
  • 3 Happy Jack's Restobar, Banilad Barangay (1.5km South of Robinsons Mall), ☏ 0920 458 1625, . 11am - 10pm. Restobar serving cold drinks and both Asian and Western food, popular with local expats. Full meals plus a mix and match bar snack menu. Billiard and poker tables plus live music on a couple of nights. (updated Feb 2016)
  • 4 Hayahay Bar, Flores Ave (Escao Beach), ☏ +63 35 225 3536. Often has live music, reggae every Wednesday. Hayahay is best-known but the area has a whole strip with several other bars. 
  • 5 Kamalig. A large semi-outdoor (covered patio) place with live music, mostly Filipino food, and beverages. 

For those who enjoy karaoke, there is a KTV place above Moon Cafe on Silliman Avenue, and another a few doors further west.

When ordering a rum & coke in Dumaguete, a double usually costs less than a single; Philippine rum is cheaper than the mixer. Some places offer a triple for even less.

Unlike some places in the Philippines, Dumaguete does not have a flourishing sex trade. As anywhere on Earth, there is some prostitution, but it is not nearly as blatant as in places like Angeles or Puerto Galera. There are some go-go bars out beyond city limits (technically in Sibulan) along the North Highway between E. Rovira and the airport, but nothing so obvious in town.

Sleep

Dumaguete is a tourist town with a large number of hotels, not all listed here. Walk down almost any street near the center of town and you are bound to find several.

Budget

This guide uses the following price ranges for a standard double room:
Budget under ₱600
Mid-range ₱600-1200
Splurge over ₱1200
  • 1 Aldea Lodge, Aldea Building, Perdices Street., ☏ +63 35 422-8403. All rooms share WC and shower. sgl ₱180 (fan), ₱385 (air-con, cable TV); dbl ₱280 (fan), ₱450 (air-con, cable TV). 
  • 2 Avenue Park Hotel, Perdices St (beside Crown Pharmacy.), ☏ +63 35 421-0710. Fan single with common bath/ fan double with common bath/ air-con single with common bath, cable TV/ air-con double with common bath, cable TV. ₱275/395/450/550. 
  • 3 Harolds Mansion, Hibbard Ave, ☏ +63 35 228-000. Popular "backpacker" hotel. Rooms are spacious and clean with a/c or fans. Free coffee all day & rate includes a small breakfast in the upstairs cafe. Free Internet/Wi-Fi as well. This is where many of the foreign tourists stay, especially divers. If you are travelling out to Apo island you can leave your large bags there safely. Harold himself is extremely friendly and helpful. Harold is happy to have Peace Corps volunteers visit. There is also an attached massage place that is clean and cheap. Dive shop in the same building, tours arranged. ₱350 and up; bed in dormitory: ₱250. 
  • 4 Home Quest lodge, Siliman Ave, ☏ +63 35 225-3327. A/c single rooms with shared bathrooms. Air-con double rooms with shared bathrooms. a/c double rooms with own bathroom and cable TV. ₱300/430/550. 
  • 5 Negros Lodging House. (Opposite the Robinsons Mall), ☏ +63 35 225-9622. Has to be the cheapest single rooms with fan in Dumaguete and near to the bus station. sgl ₱130 (shared WC, fan), dbl ₱300 (own WC, fan), Twin ₱350 (own WC, fan). 
  • 6 Piapi Beach (Flores Ave) (along the coast, north of downtown). A beach area with several budget places 
    • Coastal Inn, Flores Ave (Piapi beach), ☏ +63 35 225-9501. Dbl en suite ₱380, ₱550 with air-con. 
    • Crisfils Lodge, Flores Ave (Piapi beach), ☏ +63 35 225-7147. All rooms have TV. dbl ₱200 (shared WC, fan), ₱350 (shared WC, air-con), 425 (private WC, air-con). 
  • 7 RM Guesthouse, 2F RM Building, North National Highway corner East Rovira Road, Bantayan, ☏ +63 35 422-4000, . Wi-Fi available. ₱550-1000; dorm bed ₱175-400. 
  • 8 Vintage Inn (right by the main market), ☏ +63 35 225-1076. A decent budget option in the center of town. fan single/double ₱350/475. a/c single/double ₱575/775. 
  • 9 Worldview Pension Plaza, Perdices St. 

Mid-range

  • 10 Bethel Guest House, ☏ +63 35 225-2000. Check-in: 12:00, check-out: 12:00. Don't let the name fool you, this is a five storey, squeaky clean, modern building with a whip-cracking management style that can shame the Swiss. Flunky to open the door to the large and comfortable lobby and its own large generators to power the air-conditioning during frequent brown-outs. Well equipped, en-suite shower rooms and free, cooled, filtered water. 1270m from the port terminal. Note: This is a non-smoking, no-liquor hotel and pets and whores are not allowed. ₱850-4000. 
  • 11 Check Inn, Locsin St, ☏ +63 35 422-9000. 50 air con spacious and clean rooms in this recently decorated hotel. Cable TV, free Internet in rooms, laundry, restaurant. ₱850-1,800. 
  • 12 GoHotels Dumaguete, Calindagan corner South Road, Central Business District (just east of Robinson Mall), ☏ +63 922 464 6835. Check-in: 11:00, check-out: 14:00. Local location of a national chain. Brand new budget hotel with 102 rooms (60 Queen, 42 Twin, some without windows) 16-22m², free Wi-Fi, Asian Gourmet & Cafe ₱888 & up. 
  • 13 Honeycomb Tourist Inn, Rizal Boulevard, corner Dr. V. Locsin St., ☏ +63 35 225-1181. 16 air-conditioned rooms, with hot & cold shower, cable TV, PABX telephone, Wi-Fi in the Coffee Shop, ample parking area and 24/7 standby power generator. With Restobar and Coffee Shop offering food, music and nightly fun! Complementary Filipino breakfast. ₱800-1,500. 
  • 14 Hotel Nicanor, San Jose St, ☏ +63 35 226-3330, . A/C, free Internet, hot & cold showers from ₱1050. 
  • 15 Hotel Palwa, Dr. V. Locsin St, ☏ +63 35 226-2775. Near international ATM 
  • 16 Plaza Maria Luisa Suites Inn, Bishop Epifanio Surban St (on park square near Rizal Blvd), ☏ +63 35 225-3267. Check-out: 12:00. 22 air-con rooms. Clean and modern interior, local breakfast, internet, money change sgl ₱800, dbl ₱950-1500. 

Splurge

At late 2015 exchange rates $50 US is ₱2350, so even these upmarket places are cheap by Western standards.

  • 17 Coco Grande, Hibbard Ave, ☏ +63 35 422-1328. Rooms are nice, all with fridge, Wi-Fi and shower. Price includes Western or Filipino breakfast. The same company have a beach/diving resort called Coco Grove on the nearby island of Siquijor, the Apo Island Beach Resort on Apo Island, and the Coco Amigos Mexican restaurant on Rizal Boulevard. They have several vans for moving customers around, mainly between those. from ₱1400. 
  • 18 La Residencia Almar, Rizal Blvd. Spanish-influenced style, very central. The building includes two upmarket restaurants, one Spanish and one Japanese. from ₱1350. 
  • Bravo Golf Course (Sibulan). (listed under #Do) has a hotel with rooms from ₱2200. 

Long-term stays

It is fairly common for travellers to stay in Dumaguete for long periods, in particular for most or all of what would be the winter season back home. Some even settle permanently; this is a prime destination for retiring abroad. Many hotels and some small guest houses offer by-the-week or by-the-month deals.

There are also places catering mainly for long-term guests. Prices range from roughly 6 to 30 thousand pesos a month. Toward the upper end of the price range you can get a very nice furnished one-bedroom apartment including kitchen.

  • 19 DND Building, Perdices St (Above the Frozen Throne Internet cafe), ☏ +63 35 225 8982. Good place for longer-term stay. Large rooms with a/c, cable TV, free Wi-Fi, fridge (but no cooking facilities), cold water shower. Rooms are on 2nd and 3rd floor and there is no elevator. from ₱800/day, 3000/week, 10,000/month For weekly or monthly stays, electricity bill is extra. 

There are real estate agents (web search will find a dozen, or you may notice signs around town) who can connect you to anything from by-the-month accommodation to buying property of various types. A foreigner cannot legally own land in the Philippines, but they can buy a condo in their own name or start a company which can own land.

Both Coco Amigos and Why Not? on the boulevard have notice boards with ads to rent or sell property, cars and motorcycles.

Stay safe

Dumaguete is generally a safe city. There are enough beggars and touts to be annoying, but by Asian standards these problems are relatively mild. Police are quite visible, especially along Rizal Boulevard.

You do see plenty of evidence that locals are concerned about security. Many of the larger old houses and more-or-less all the new luxury housing are in walled compounds, and barbed wire, spikes or broken glass to discourage people from climbing the walls are common, as are bars to keep burglars from entering windows. Most businesses have roll-down metal doors for protection when they are closed. Many businesses and some residential compounds have armed guards. Guards at the entrances to many department stores or malls use metal-detecting wands to scan customers before entry. All of this, however, is true in most areas of the Philippines, and much of it is common to most low-income countries.

As anywhere in the Philippines, pedestrians should be quite cautious in Dumaguete. Some roads lack sidewalks, and even if there is a sidewalk, it may be blocked by parked motorcycles. Both roads and sidewalks are often seriously uneven — some have holes that could easily break a leg, and many more could turn an ankle — so it is essential to watch your step.

Traffic can be distinctly hectic; there are no traffic lights or stop signs anywhere in the town, and you rarely see policemen directing traffic. Most of the oddities of Asian driving are seen in Dumaguete: motorcycles fairly often go down the wrong side of the road, running without lights at night is common, one-way traffic signs are sometimes ignored, and so on. On the positive side, the traffic is not remarkably fast, there are few traffic jams and, compared to some other Asian cities, Dumaguete has fewer drivers who seem obviously insane to western observers.

As in any tropical area, there is risk of sunburn; it is quite important for newly arrived visitors to exercise caution.

Stay healthy

Health risks in Dumaguete are not large but, as for most travel, it is worth checking with your doctor and possibly getting some vaccines before setting out. The area is tropical, so see also tropical diseases.

A few vaccines may be of particular concern:

  • The city has many stray dogs and cats, and some rats, so rabies vaccine may be a good idea.
  • As of early 2016, a vaccine for the mosquito-borne disease dengue fever is just coming on the market. Dengue is widespread in the Philippines and Dumaguete has some mosquitoes (though not many), so this may be a wise precaution.

Dumaguete is not one of the parts of the Philippines where malaria is a risk. In fact the entire Visayas region is malaria-free.

The city has many health services — doctors, dentists, pharmacies, optometrists — and, as elsewhere in the Philippines and indeed most of Asia, these services are often much cheaper than in higher-income countries. There are exceptions when imported products, such as dental implants or certain drugs, are required for the treatment.

  • 11 Dr. Myrine Garupa (dentist), ☏ +63 920 918 7821, . Mo-Sa 8-6. A dentist many of the local expatriates use. Implants are expensive at ₱65,000 but most services are cheap by western standards. She does not offer procedures under general anesthesia. 

There are three hospitals:

  • 12 Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital, ☏ +63 35 225-0950. A public hospital (the others are privately run). It has the lowest costs, but sometimes the longest waiting times. 
  • 13 Silliman University Medical Center, ☏ +63 35 225 0839. Where many of the local expatriates go. 
  • 14 Holy Child Hospital, ☏ +63352250510, . Next to the cathedral, very central. 

The city's health department has its office in City Hall on Colon Street; it includes a Social Hygiene clinic for sexually transmitted diseases. Region 7 (Central Visayas) ranks third in the country for the most cases of HIV.

Connect

Internet service is generally very good; Dumaguete is one of the hubs of the fiber optic network that connects the country. Most hotels and many restaurants offer free Wi-Fi; connection speed is fine for text and most graphics but music or video streaming is often jerky due to high latencies.

Cell phone connections are fast and reliable anywhere in the city.

Cope

Negros Oriental Capitol
  • 15 Caltex Filling Station. 24/7. Accepts AmEx, JCB, UnionPay, VISA & MasterCards for both fuel and knicknacks in the air-conditioned mini-bar attached. 
  • 16 Immigration Office, Dr V. Locsin St (A bit hard to find, down a long alley/hallway off to the right. Small sign near a large Huillier pawnshop sign.), ☏ +63 35 225-4401. 08:00-17:00, but extension applications only accepted before 14:00. To extend a visa, you will need to provide a 2x2 cm photo and photocopies of some passport pages, usually the picture page and your current visa. These can be obtained at the travel agent next door (₱60 for four photos, 2.50 each for photocopies) but it may be more convenient or cheaper to get them in advance.

    The Dumaguete office is tiny and overloaded because there are so many foreigners in town so service can be slow, at least in winter when demand is highest. As of January 2016, they accept extension applications only up to 2PM Monday-Friday and you can usually pick up the passport after 2 PM on the next working day. This is a large improvement; last year they had fewer staff and took weeks.

    The larger offices in Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu, Bacolod or Cagayan de Oro have much shorter queues and can process an extension in an hour or two. The closest other office is in Tagbilaran on Bohol; we do not know how fast it is. 

  • 17 Tourist kiosk (opposite and east of the Spanish bell tower and south of McDonalds), ☏ +63 35 225-0549. Adjacent to a childrens' playground in the municipal Quezon park. 
  • 19 Post Office. 

Smoking

Smoking is not encouraged in Dumaguete; a municipal bylaw prohibits smoking in public places, including on the streets, and most or all hotels prohibit smoking in the rooms. However, many restaurants have patios where smoking is allowed and some hotels provide a patio or balcony area where nicotine addicts can indulge.

For those who prefer a vaporizer:

  • Vape Avenue, Santa Catalina (above Mafioso restaurant). Vaporizers, spare parts, and a good range of liquids for them 

Go next

When moving on from Dumaguete, easily reached places include Cebu City or Bohol by boat and Bacolod by bus. The valley town of Mabinay is on the Dumaguete-Bacolod bus route and is a center for spelunking; the area around it has many caves but accommodation choices are not brilliant. Various more distant places are also accessible; see the Get in section for details.

Bais City, 44km to the north, is famous for its dolphin watching, public ballroom dancing in the plaza, mangrove swamps, and a 7km long white sand bar that is washed clean twice a day by each high tide. Oslob on Cebu Island is known for whale sharks.


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