⌛ new here too

hello...

Im john karlo...I am from Bacolod negros occidental but based in Manila because of my work.

We and my college friends from La Salle Bacolod are planning to go to Dumaguete and this coming august. We also want to check Apo island and Manjuyod White Sand Bar and also Siquijor

Were on a tight budget and I would be very pleased if you can share some thoughts on this.

initial plan is first flight from manila to dumaguete.drop our things on one of the hostels..then go to Apo island on the first day. 2nd day, we'll proceed to Bais for some Dolphin watching and beach hopping.3rd day we want to go to Siquijor and spend the night there. Then the next day we will be back to Dumaguete after lunch and catch our last flight to manila...

this will be on August 28 to 31 2009...we about 6 of us...

 

The road from Dgte to Bais is all under construction. If you are going dolphin watching you should probably plann to spend a night in bais as the travel time is dear

 

hi...

thanks for the reply...now we should start considering the road conditions...how about from dumaguete to jump off for apo island? still same road conditions apply?

thanks!

also it would be great if you can share the schedule of ferries from duma to siquijor...

 

I do not know how far or how bad the road disturbances are to the south of Dumaguete - but the roads ARE torn up somewhat.

Try this link to a consolidated ferry schedule:

Schedule.ph - All companies

 

from Mangnao (2km south of market) the roads are just about clear to Malatapay (jump off point to Apo) should be a half hour from downtown

 

thanks a lot sirs for your replies...

Were planning to stay at Harold's Mansions..is this a fine, affordable place to stay? it this near to airport and ceres bus terminal?

how can we exactly go to Malatapay? are there ceres trips passing it? and how much...thanks!

also if going to Bais from duma...can we still take ceres bus? I guess Ceres bus doesnt care on the road conditions...hehe they still on usual trip scheds..isnt it? I was in Bacolod last month and the road from Victorias City going to Cadiz is also very bad..but Ceres trips are normal.... :D:D

 

Ceres go in both directions, I dont know when they start towards Bais as you wanna be there early for the Dolphin watching. costs are only a few peso. They dont care of the roadcondition but might get stucked in traffic

Harolds is not really walking distance to the Ceres terminal

 

Rhoody's correct -
you had better figure on taking tricycles from Harold's mansion ( which is a nice place...) to the Ceres terminal.
You HAVE to leave early...I think the boats all leave from the docks in Bais no later than 7am....maybe even earlier, like 6:30am. Suggest you check the times.
The highway between Dumaguete to Tanjay is all torn up with reconstruction for over 8 km. Many one lanes...lots of truck traffic. The Polo bridge is being redone, so there is usualy a back up of traffic there as well.
If you are not in Bais by when the last boat leaves....your screwed!
If I were you, I would think about just staying over in Bais...

 

thanks Don and Rhoody!! Its good that we have this site...so we can at have a better anticipation and planning of our getaway!

are there no more boats after 7am at Bais? Were thinking if we can just go to White Sand Bar and skipping the Dolphin watching if ever we arrived later than 7...

 

New here too

The more I think about it...seems I recall ALL the boats (only 2 or 3 of them) schedule a 6:30AM departure time...as usual, we were late as we drove up to Basis from Amlan. The Captain was a bit ticked off...thank goodness we were with our own group of friends. LOL!

There MIGHT be a private owner boat that will take you guys to the sand bar only...but as to the licensed, scheduled boats, the sand bar is like a "lunchon stop-over/rest time" sort of thing...done on the way back from dolphin/whale watching. (BTW-the whales are only seen at a certain time of year).
Either way...somebody in your group should speack the local dialect- Cubano - otherwise you will be branded as a "foreigner tourist" type and quoted "Kano" prices...Filipinos from Manila are considered as "tourists" here...

It also MIGHT be possible to find a boat willing to take you to the sand bar only at another "docking" area down the road from the main Tourist dock - which has a big sign and supported by the City of Basis. I am NOT sure about this, tho. Just a thought.