For those considering going to Bais

Have been there twice recently, went for fresh crab and shrimp.
Not much else going on there, there is the Dolphin and Whale watching-another tourist trap at inflated prices(soon as someone sees something good, popular they try to rip you) They are ripping people on the order of 3000-4000 pesos to go out on a boat and watch them. Not interested at that price-already saw them at disneyworld. Small town, reasonably sized wet market but prices higher than in Dumaguete, except maybe for seafood. Nice cafe across street from wet market near the corner, sorry cannot recall name, very clean,even the CR-cheap prices-
12 for coffee, 12 for cake, side dish 12-20, soda 13.
People there very eager for pesos though. Several choices for transport. We took Ceres bus, much more comfortable than the cheaper run down bus or jeepneys, about 10 pesos higher one way 35 per head. Also Ceres drivers are good in my experience-nearly as fast as USA and they will stop if you flag them often.

 

Still too expensive...try go to Panglao Island,Bohol only 1,200 to 1,500php for Dolphin/Whale watching plus snorkeling to two different islands...isnt it affordable and enjoyable! price as of last onth Aug 2012

 

Who is ripping you off?

Can you kindly direct me to the Dolphin watching boats you are talking about in Bohol for P1,200 to P1,500? Where exactly is that? That is surprisingly and unbelievably very cheap. Is it a big boat or just a regular fishing banca? How many passengers can they accommodate at those rates? I have been to Bohol many times and unless those are illegal unregistered operators no way can they charge such low rates.

The Bais Dolphin Watching Boats are a very regulated industry that is, only Maritime Industry Authority of the Philippines or MARINA registered and licensed boats are allowed by the Philippine Coast Guard to carry passengers on them. They all have insurance for all their passengers. The registration and licenses including insurance can cost as much as P60,000.00 for the initial registration and up to P40,000.00 for succeeding annual registrations and renewals. This is of course depending on the size of the boat that being a larger boat will pay more. Do note that the crew have to be also licensed.

A 10 seater MARINA registered boat in Bais will cost at the lowest P3,500 for dolphin watching whilst a 40 seater MARINA registered boat can cost up to P7,500. So it depends on the size of the boat. Do note that the small 10 seater is not a very comfortable situation and I would not recommend it specially if you have minors with you and unless you don't mind getting splashed at and wet most of the time. It is a small boat. While the larger ones are huge party boats which even have jetskis for hire. If you do the math ten passengers on a small boat will pay around P350 each while on the larger boat with a capacity of 40 will pay only P187.50 per person. That is for the entire day already and trust me when I tell you that the crew will "bust their balls" to make sure they get to see dolphins and that their guests are happy.

Do also consider that the operator has to pay for the crew and each boat is required to have a minimum of four crew members with the larger boats having to have additional crew members depending on the passenger capacity, they get paid higher then most Filipino workers in other occupations but then again they are paid only per trip. No trip no pay. :(

On the average a 14 seater boat would have to spend up to P1,500 worth of diesel fuel per trip depending on the luck and timing of spotting the dolphins. If they sight the dolphins right away the operator is happy if not he can actually lose some money on that trip. This does not take into consideration the wear and tear and other maintenance expenses of the engine and boat. You will also have to consider the local taxes they have to pay and they have to pay that. So really I do not think that that is a rip off!

So I would like to figure out how you can post here that the people in Bais are "ripping" you off?

Next time you are in Bais give me a heads up and I will gladly take you and your family out dolphin watching for absolutely nothing, zero, zipp, nada.... just pack a lunch! And see the difficult conditions these dolphin watching boat operators and crew have to endure just to make a decent living.

 

re bohol/panglao boat trips for dolphin watching.

1200 is not the cheapest. Just ask a friendly fisherman, not those already "regulated" by some agency. Of course, this option comes with the unspoken price: do it at your own risk.

It's a kick for like-minded travelers. Tourists with dollar signs posted on their foreheads, please come this way ...

 

That would be at Alona Beach, Panglao Island , Bohol...whats the catch? You can take a free beach swimming at the Alona Beach which considered the alternative beautiful white sand beach like Boracay. The Alona beach got lots of affordable rooms for rent to hotels ranging 600php to 3,500/night at your choice. A lot of bars right across the white sand beach and at the back...you can eat different inspired resto, or have a spa or bank transactions and atm withdrawals, or a salon or visit any pasalubong gift shop.You can ride directly there the pump boat for Dolphin watching plus visit to two distant island for snorkeling or diving with its rich marine views of the different islands. 1,200 to 2,000 for a pumpboat rent and i guess bigger boats have different price range. 1,200 php we rent last time can accomodate 8 to 10 persons.

 

Seriously?

Incidentally, when was your visit to Bais? Cause it sounds like you have not been here in a while as you describe the market here as "reasonably sized".... strange as we have the largest and most modern market in the entire Negros Island! It is a brand new multi-million peso building that was inaugurated just a few months back by the President.

Did you say that prices here in Bais are higher than Dumaguete? Woah! What are you referring to exactly? Most Dumaguete, Tanjay, Manjuyod, Pamplona and even a few Dauin residents and restaurants do their shopping for many produce here... not only for seafoods as you say but for meat, fruits and vegetables as well as other products. Would you believe even canned produce from Manila and elsewhere are actually a bit cheaper here? Do check the prices too of laundry soap and detergent and compare. Oh! How much do you buy your beef tenderloin and sirloin for? Do you like goat meat?

The products you will find that cost higher comparatively here are automotive parts and accessories among others.

Are you sure it was Bais you visited? Contrary to what you stated, there is very much going on here so I really must take you around so I can show you one of the largest fishpond operations on Negros. They grow shrimps, prawns and high valued fin fish mostly for export. Oh, their monthly electric bill goes up to almost a million pesos a month as they use so much power to run all them pumps, aerators and machinery for their operations.

I can also show you the most modern slaughterhouse on Negros Island which is rated triple A by the National Meat Inspection Bureau. Not even Bacolod or Dumaguete's slaughterhouse has even a single A rating. This is not very far from the most sanitary landfill operations in the entire Philippines which is even the model for other landfills in other parts of the country.

I can bring you around to visit centuries old sugar plantations and see some of the most luxurious homes on Negros Island. I can also take you to the grand old mansion where the late President Manuel L. Quezon tried to hide out for a few weeks during World War II and were Gen. Douglas MacArthur had him "kidnapped" by then Lt. Buckley and taken on his PT boat for eventual transfer to Washington via Australia. Not very from from here we have a few static antique steam locomotives and tractors you can tinker about with.

Here you will find the oldest houses on Negros Oriental as well as to the most modern mansions whose owners own their own firetrucks and ambulances just in case. Oh! And no they are not married to any dollar rich foreigner. Do you drive a Hummer?

Get your hard hat ready and I will take you on a plant tour of the oldest sugar mill on Negros Oriental which is almost a hundred years old and after I can take you to visit one of the most modern sugar mills on the entire island both of them in Bais City.

Did I mention that we can take a trek through the far flung forests, hills and fields of Bais to visit ancient aboriginal tribes as well as other old archeological sites? So have your hiking boots ready as we will also be passing by fantastic waterfalls which only very few people know about. Do you have any body ailments? Many 'Holy' Shamans up in the hills will gladly give you a healing massage to cure your aching bones and muscles better than most chiropractors and at no cost too.

I can take you to visit several Universities and Colleges right in Bais and meet some of our distinguished professors and other members of the academe as well as the young students attending.

If you are lucky I might be able to introduce you to our young lady mayor who is a multi bachelor degree holder, a Master's degree holder and who I heard is completing her second masters degree. Would you like that? So maybe you could tell her personally to her face how you are being ripped off as well as how you find Bais City.

Come! Be sure to visit us soon!

 

I know those boats on Alona beach that you are referring to... those are just fishing bancas and not registered passenger boats. Please visit us here and I will show you the boats I am referring to, plus you can inspect the licenses, registration and insurance.

No catch. Be my guest and enjoy my hospitality. I am sure you will see things better.....

 

hahaha, you are funny Lonestar...

that must be one of the worst sales-letter I have ever read. Trying to sell a Banka as a Luxury Liner and Bais as Paris...

Thanks for a good laugh on a bloody Monday...

 

Well if I encounter one of those illegally doing business with their unregistered bancas in blatant and direct competition with those who are legally registered I will make sure they are apprehended and their boats are impounded. It is a crime no matter what the justification is. It is an unfair business practice to the detriment of the industry. Sorry.