Dumaguete Info Search


Best Posts in Forum: Tourist Information

  1. charlyB

    charlyB DI Senior Member

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    When tourism finally comes back (if ever) i would suggest that the company's that rent them motorbikes should really stress to the hirer how vigilant they need to be of the dangers caused by dogs, chickens, goats, drunks wandering into the road.
    I know the subject of stray / unleashed dogs has been well covered before in the forum but i felt the need to bring it up as over the last 3 days 2 filipino men i know who were both experienced riders and knew the dangers have both been in accidents caused by dogs.
    Fortunately their injuries were not fatal but 1 is in hospital awaiting an operation for his injury, what is probably more important to them is that they now cannot work until they heal up so no money coming to feed the family and of course the medical bills.
    Will the dog owners compensate them for this...
    My suggestion is that all the people that are sitting around at the covid checkpoints but not even stopping anybody should be put to work rounding up these dogs and fining the owners.
    YES i know i am flogging a dead horse but one more lash won't make it any more dead :deadhorse:
     
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  2. RR_biker

    RR_biker DI Senior Member Veteran Marines

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    As a frequent weekly visitor of this place I love to go there on my bike to enjoy the pleasant ride via San Antonio and then enjoy the relaxed staying in the hot spring for about 45 min. which seems more than enough in thermal water.

    Before leaving home yesterday, I made a stop @a gasoline station to fill up full to make sure I could make it up and down. On my way back home the engine all the sudden did not react on the throttle and finally stopped. I had a look on my fuel meter and guess what.....empty. WTF some @ss hole drained my whole tank about 4 litres. Is not the money that is involved but running out of gasoline in the middle of nowhere is no fun. I was lucky I choose the San Antonio road which is almost downhill all the way to the highway. Just the last few hundred meters I had to walk. But still no gasonline as the nearest station is Caltex next to the municipality hall of Sibulan. Have to make some arrangements with someone to get gasoline in a jerrycan and going back to my motorbike where I left it (was still there). put the gasoline in the tank and, engine did not start. It turns out that the gasoline hose was disconnected so that no fuel could get into the carburettor. I was unable to fix it so finally we tow the motorbike home and called for a mechanic.
    Next week I will go to Red Rock hot spring again and inform the owners or the people running that place to take remedial action.
     
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    Last edited: Apr 11, 2018
  3. Cletus

    Cletus DI Forum Adept Showcase Reviewer

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    I took the Ocean Jet to Siquijor Sunday and saw first hand what the OP was talking about. EVERY passenger that had any kind of bag was charged 70 pesos per bag. After entering the terminal and going thru the non functioning X-ray machine I was directed to the Ocean Jet check in desk (Ocean Jet is the only ferry that has such a desk inside the terminal). At the desk a man was seated as though he was the one working there, next to him was a long counter where bags were to be checked in for loading by the porters. All the porters seemed to be in a hurry and were scurrying about, not what I've seen anywhere at any time. NONE of the passengers was given a receipt for the portage fee.
    The guy behind the counter, that everyone assumed was the clerk there moved out and another guy came in to issue the actual seat assignments.
    I'm pretty sure the original guy was not even an employee of Ocean Jet
    I emailed the customer service about this issue......as yet no response.

    After paying more for ferry service to Siquijor which is supposedly faster the ferry was 25 minutes late leaving port.

    I suggest everyone take another ferry, there are several to choose from.....especially if you have luggage.
     
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    Last edited: Jun 8, 2016
  4. Crystalhead

    Crystalhead ADMIN Admin ★ Forum Moderator ★ ★ Global Mod ★ ★ Moderator ★ ★★ Forum Sponsor ★★ ★ No Ads ★ Highly Rated Poster Showcase Reviewer Veteran Army

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    I feel that most expats that are regular posters on this forum would not directly connect you to their Asawa's friends as we don't know you from Adam and it's a potential "shooting off the foot scenario" , "so to say". To be serious, IMHO, you should be here and Rye83 nailed it. Go to a Cristian church here and find that Gal you seek. Approach her after a serman and apologize for being FRANK and tell her you noticed her beauty. Ask her on out for a dinner date........cheers!!
     
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  5. Jens K

    Jens K DI Senior Member

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    Been there today with the family and we liked it.

    The road is a bit narrow in parts but otherwise in a very good condition. Might be a different story after heavy rains though.

    We chose to walk around the first lake to the second one (there's also boats that take you across). There's a nice view point on the ridge between the lakes with really stunning views. Not much to see or do at the shore of the smaller lake but it was nice and quiet there. Good place for a picnic. The path around the lake is rocky and requires careful stepping from time to time. But still doable with flip flops, even carrying a toddler and a backpack :wink:

    According to my phone's gps we walked 3 km from the parking lot to the second lake and back. The sign says the way around the lake is 900m one way so that leaves about 600m for the distance from car to first lake where the boats leave. The lakes are 65m lower than the parking lot, so yes, it is steep.

    Swimming in the lake was a bit disappointing - water completely green and much warmer than I'd have expected. Not very refreshing, might be better at another time of the year.

    Besides the notorious cup noodles and 3-in-1 coffee they also have cold beer and some small 'real' dishes at the restaurant, it's not too bad.

    All in all a nice trip, the very different vegetation (i.e. large tree ferns) and the clean and cool air make for a nice change after all the time at the sea level.

    [​IMG]
     
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    Last edited: May 14, 2016
  6. Notmyrealname

    Notmyrealname DI Forum Luminary Highly Rated Poster Showcase Reviewer

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    Yes, it is definitely still open. And what a great place for those who seek solitude - I wish I could live there.

    Amazingly, the entrance fee of P100 per adult is the same as it was in 2007.

    There are views to the mountains and to Cebu. The gardens are well planted - not spectacular but serene. Small buildings and animal sculptures dot the gardens and the loo even has a seat!

    There is a covered dining area but not sure how to obtain permission to use it - I expect, if it is available for use, that users have to bring their own food. Anyone interested should enquire at Jo's Chicken Inato, across the National Highway, as that is where payment is made for entry fee to the gardens.

    There is also building work going on and it seems as if greater use for events may be intended (I am just guessing here).

    For anyone still looking for a 'bird' (not sure everyone may understand that meaning) there is one very lonely one there, as shown in the photos below.

    IMG_0115.JPG 20180617_160619.jpg 20180617_160657.jpg 20180617_160819.jpg
    Wife and I had to take a short rest.jpg 20180617_160927.jpg Lonely bird.jpg
     

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  7. Dave & Imp

    Dave & Imp DI Forum Patron Highly Rated Poster Showcase Reviewer

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    The best thing you can do is publicize this information. Let people realize that many people here see tourist a wallets to be emptied, legally or illegally. Maybe even the Dumageute tourist bureau will realize the negative impact it has on the City of Dumaguete's tourist image. Why the Philippines spends so much money to promote the tourist business and then lets so many individual and groups scam people and create a poor image for the Philippines is beyond my thinking. Maybe they do not understand the power of the internet which they use to promote Dumaguete is also used by people to point out the problems to potential tourist.. Fixing the problems would be the best promotional effort the Philippines could make, but that is just my tourist type thinking here.
     
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  8. ShawnM

    ShawnM DI Forum Patron ★ No Ads ★ Highly Rated Poster Showcase Reviewer Blood Donor Veteran Air Force

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    I don't remember the TV show now, but is was about expats doing time in foreign prisons. Most of these "upstanding" citizens were transporting large amounts of drugs...WTF, if you are dumb enough to know or somehow clueless that you now have 10 kilo of extra baggage it is really on you.

    I've rarely had a bag checked going into any country and have never had anything that would lead to me being detained.

    I still live in a world where I get drug tested and maintain a clearance so the thought of being that stupid actually baffles me.

    If I was "set-up" for drugs or the bullet thing that we all heard about I am not sure how I would react...I guess it would depend on how much it would cost vs. going after them legally.

    It is pretty easy to be a decent person either travelling or staying overseas.

    Shawn
     
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  9. Rye83

    Rye83 with pastrami Admin Secured Account Highly Rated Poster SC Connoisseur Veteran Army

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    I usually avoid Muslim controlled areas unless I am being paid to be there (and have military protection). Anywhere in the ARMM (and it's surrounding provinces) is my personal "off limits" area here. I do not care if people have traveled or lived there for decades without incident, nothing will convince me that Muslims are peaceful and tolerant of other's beliefs/culture. I've been to far too many Muslim countries to know that is simply NOT true.

    Even the "peaceful" Muslim countries/areas outside of the Philippines have sticks shoved so far up their @ss that anything a normal human would consider fun has likely been outlawed. I simply do not like anyone/group that forces their religion on other people, especially through laws/government. Not saying they don't have a "right" to control their own laws and area.....I'm just not going to go there and give them my tourist money. I'm sure they will figure it out when their oil runs out and the rest of the world doesn't need them anymore. (And if they want a glimpse of what their future will look like after their oil is gone all they have to do is look to the ARMM in the Philippines. The religion is simply not compatible with peace, stability and modern life and certainly not compatible with economic stability.)
     
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  10. Rye83

    Rye83 with pastrami Admin Secured Account Highly Rated Poster SC Connoisseur Veteran Army

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    P20 is the norm for me. P50 of they did a really good job with the service. P100 if they did a decent job and I thought she was cute. A P70 meal and a P2000+ meal get treated exactly the same with my tipping scheme. They can call me a cheap b@st@rd of they like...you don't get to prepare my food and serve it with Filipino culture and then demand an American culture when it's time to tip. :wink:

    Edit:
    Parking boys get P5 if I was parked more than 5-10 minutes.

    I don't tip guards, ever.

    General labor gets tipped if I hired them (not the landlord) and they did an above average job. Have yet to give over P100 to any of them. I might also tip them with food to take home to the family.

    Trike drivers, on the off chance a have to take one, get no tips of they tell me the price up front. If they tell me the legal fare after I get off (which I already know) I usually pay them double whatever the fair was.

    Jeepney drivers never get a tip.
     
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    Last edited: Nov 19, 2016