Dumaguete City will snatch your heart away.
The natural wonders, warm hospitality of the locals, and the rich history and culture of Dumaguete and its nearby attractions make the visit to this city memorable. In fact, it was listed as one of the 7 Best Places to Retire Around the World by Forbes Magazine.
Its name was derived from “dagit” which means “to snatch” because it was known to be a place where pirates came and visited during pre-Spanish colonization. Living up to its name, the city has mesmerized a lot of travelers over the years.
Here’s the list of attractions that will leave you smiling when you’re in the “City of Gentle People”.
1. Rizal Boulevard
Location: Rizal Blvd, Dumaguete City
Rizal Boulevard in Dumaguete City has something to offer for everyone. People come here for a picnic with their families. There are many restaurants, pastry shops, food tiangge, and themed cafes on one side of the boardwalk. There are even parades, barbecues and live music during festivals and holidays which you will surely enjoy. Because Rizal Boulevard faces east, sunrises here are more prominent.
Photo by Kevin 
Photo by Kevin
No wonder why it is also the most popular spot in town and the most frequented place especially at night. It is lined with a long stretch of benches and bright lamp posts with lights gleaming on the water. You will enjoy the cold breeze of the sea as you stroll along the place where there are plenty of restaurants serving international cuisines and traditional Filipino dishes. If you’re up for a party and some drinks, nightclubs and bars can also be found within the area.
- Entrance fee: None
- Opening hours: N/A
HOW TO GET THERE?
First, you need to get to Dumaguete City first either via plane (head to Airport of Dumaguete in Sibulan, few meters after the Dumaguete City north boundary) or ferry (if you’re coming from Cebu, Dapitan, and other nearby ports). If you’re just near or within Negros Oriental, you can take the buses bound to Dumaguete City.
Tricycles are the primary mode of transportation around Dumaguete. Once you get to Dumaguete City, you can just hail a tricycle and inform the driver of your destination. Fare is cheap, and if you’re going around Dumaguete, some even offer exclusive use for tours.
Alternatively, if you’re driving your own vehicle, you can navigate with Waze or Google Maps and set your destination to “Rizal Blvd” in Dumaguete City.
2. Ninoy Aquino Memorial Freedom Park
Location: Capitol Area in front of Capitol building, Dumaguete City
The wide green patch of the park makes Ninoy Aquino Memorial Freedom Park a perfect place to rest while taking a break from the busy streets of Dumaguete City. It is lined with huge acacia trees and the pathways are blooming with colorful flower beds. Benches are also strategically placed but you can still take a refreshing respite on its well-maintained lawn.
The park is also the home of the Provincial Capitol of Negros Oriental. With its wide area, it becomes the venue for various events, contests and activities. During Buglasan Festival, the park’s laidback ambience suddenly transforms into a very festive place with lights, lanterns and elegant decors everywhere.
- Entrance fee: None
- Opening hours: N/A
HOW TO GET THERE?
Once you’re in Dumaguete City, you can just hail a tricycle and inform the driver of your destination. Alternatively, if you’re driving your own vehicle, you can navigate with Waze or Google Maps and set your destination to “Freedom Park or Aquino Memorial Freedom Park” in Dumaguete City.
3. Quezon Park (City Plaza)
Exact location: Perdices St, Dumaguete, Negros Oriental
Manuel L. Quezon Park is a place where family, friends, colleagues and children can enjoy and relax at the same time. It has statues and monuments, an area for massage and reflexology and a lot more. It is just right across the Cathedral and Belfry making it a good spot for a family get-together after an afternoon mass. Its nature-themed area gives a fresh breath of air while the kids enjoy their time in the playground.
- Entrance fee: None
- Opening hours: N/A
HOW TO GET THERE?
Once you get to Dumaguete City, you can just hail a tricycle and inform the driver of your destination. Alternatively, if you’re driving your own vehicle, you can navigate with Waze or Google Maps and set your destination to “Quezon Park” in Dumaguete City.
4. Silliman University Anthropology Museum
Location: Hibbard Avenue Silliman Hall, Silliman University, Dumaguete City
Dumaguete City is also referred as a university town because of the presence of several universities and colleges. One of which is the Silliman University – one of the oldest American institutions in the country. It houses important archeological items that date back to as early as 500 – 200 BC.
Geeks and curious minds would surely love being here. The well-lit museum was established in 1970 by Dr. Hubert I. Reynolds, a former Anthropology professor in Silliman University, to house the collection of the Cultural Research Center that started in 1964. The artifacts were excavated all over Negros and parts of Mindanao. There are collected ethnological items too from various indigenous groups across the Philippines. Visits require prior arrangements, especially on holidays and weekends.
- Entrance fee:
- General Admission: P100 (Monday – Saturday); P200 (Holiday, per request)
- Student: P40 (Monday – Saturday); P100 (Holiday, per request)
- Opening hours: 8:30AM – 11:30AM and 2:00PM – 4:30PM (Monday to Friday)
- Contact numbers:
- Connie P. Cadeliña: 09166805714; 422-6002 local 207; 422-4170
- Christine S. Batiles: 0906527511; 422-6002 local 207, 368
- SOAD Office: 09065277323422-6002 local 335
- Information Booth: 422-6002 local 414
- Website: http://su.edu.ph/academics/museums/anthropology-museum/
HOW TO GET THERE?
Once you’re in Dumaguete City, you can just hail a tricycle and inform the driver of your destination. Alternatively, if you’re driving your own vehicle, you can navigate with Waze or Google Maps and set your destination to “Silliman University” in Dumaguete City. You can then ask around where to find the Anthropology Museum.
5. Sidlakang Negros Village
Location: E.J. Blanco Drive, Barangay Piapi, Dumaguete City – a 5-minute drive from the city’s downtown
Ready for souvenir items shopping? Sidlakang Negros Village is a one-stop shop for those looking for pasalubong and other souvenir items from the different parts of Negros without actually going into each of them. This village was built to preserve Negros Oriental’s cultural heritage and to rev up local tourism of the province’s 15 LGUs.
The village showcases a display of eye-catching stalls fully ornamented with cogon and bamboo decorations. It is filled with agricultural goods, finest arts and crafts and best delicacies. There are also cultural performances on its open-air auditorium to hype up your Negros experience. Most importantly, the prices are budget friendly.
- Entrance fee: None
- Opening hours: 9AM – 10PM
- Contact Number (Negros Oriental Tourism Office): (035) 422 9409
- Email Address (Negros Oriental Tourism Office): [email protected]
HOW TO GET THERE?
Once you’re in Dumaguete City, you can hire a tricycle for more or less P8 per passenger or you can get a cab for less than P100. You can also navigate with Waze or Google Maps and set your destination to “Sidlakang Negros Village” in Brgy. Piapi.
6. St. Catherine Alexandria Cathedral (Dumaguete Cathedral)
Location: Perdices St., Dumaguete City – across Quezon Park
The Dumaguete Cathedral is said to be the oldest in Negros and one of the most historic landmarks in the city. The foundation of the church was first laid in 1974. Despite its antiquity, people and patrons are still drawn to the wanders and the intricacy of the church’s designs.
From outside, you will see statues of Saints Matthew, Luke, Mark and James each standing atop the four stone pillars. Inside the church, you will even see more intricate and artistically designed altar pieces and chandeliers. More than the design, this place has been the seat of Catholicism in the city as shown by the massive crowd that frequent the church even when there is no mass.
- Mass Schedule
- Morning Masses: 4:30 AM, 5:45 AM, 7:00 AM, 8:15 AM, 9:30 AM, 11:00 AM
- Afternoon Masses: 1:15 PM, 2:45 PM, 4:00 PM, 5:30 PM, 7:00 PM
- Phone Number: 0906 057 8891
- Email Address: [email protected]
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DumagueteCathedralParish/
HOW TO GET THERE?
Once you’re in Dumaguete City, you can just hail a tricycle and inform the driver of your destination. Alternatively, if you’re driving your own vehicle, you can navigate with Waze or Google Maps and set your destination to “Dumaguete Cathedral” in Dumaguete City.
7. Belfry Tower
Location: Perdices St., Dumaguete City – across Quezon Park, right beside the Cathedral
Dumaguete City has also its fair share of history and the Belfry Tower beside the Cathedral is a testament to that. It is considered to be one of the oldest surviving structures in the city. Accordingly, the tower was built to warn residents of incoming pirate attacks so they could escape or prepare themselves. Now, it stands as reminder on how the city survived those difficult times.
Many devotees come to the grotto of Our Lady of Perpetual Help situated at the foot of the tower to light candles and pray. Others also come to witness its picture-perfect scenery of white and grey stones that create beautiful photographs. During sunset, you can watch the sun go down behind its top.
- Entrance fee: None
- Opening hours: N/A
HOW TO GET THERE?
Once you’re in Dumaguete City, you can just hail a tricycle and inform the driver of your destination. Alternatively, if you’re driving your own vehicle, you can navigate with Waze or Google Maps and set your destination to “Dumaguete Cathedral or Belfry Tower” in Dumaguete City.
8. Dr. Rico Absin’s Christmas House
Location: 143 Hibbard Ave, Dumaguete City
Christmas is in the air!
Dr. Rico Absin, an anesthesiologist and a member of the tourism office, proudly opens his house for the public every Christmas season. His house has been known as the Christmas House and is very popular among the locals in Dumaguete City.
The Absin House is a sight to behold along Hibbard Ave. It is fully adorned with bright Christmas lights and decors taking the shape of common Christmas figures like the reindeers. The feels inside the house are even more surreal as you get to witness rooms that are lovely decorated with memorabilia, some of them dating back over 100 years.
HOW TO GET THERE?
Once you’re in Dumaguete City, you can just hail a tricycle and inform the driver of your destination. Alternatively, if you’re driving your own vehicle, you can navigate with Waze or Google Maps and set your destination to “Hibbard Avenue” in Dumaguete City.
9. Sans Rival Cake and Pastries Main Store
Location: San Jose Street, Dumaguete City
And of course, who doesn’t want a sweet treat after an exhausting but fulfilling city trip? The main store for the famed Sans Rival Cake and Pastries is ready to satiate our sweet-tooth cravings.
Sans Rival Cakes and Pastries sells delicious, mouthwatering, and irresistible cakes, cookies, pastries, and other goodies. The Sans Rival and Silvanas are the house specialties and have been the crowd’s favorite not just in Dumaguete but even in Cebu and other nearby places. Surely, your visit to Dumaguete will not be complete without tasting and bringing home some of its products.
- Contact numbers: (035) 225-4440 / (035) 421-0729 / 0918-943-5989
- Email address: [email protected]
- Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/sansrivalcakesandpastries/?rf=402994899791146
HOW TO GET THERE?
Once you’re in Dumaguete City, you can just hail a tricycle and inform the driver of your destination. Alternatively, if you’re driving your own vehicle, you can navigate with Waze or Google Maps and set your destination to “Sans Rival Cake and Pastries” in Dumaguete City.
10. Dumaguete Painitan
Location: Public Market, Dumaguete City
Painitan literally means a place where you can warm yourself up.
One thing that you shouldn’t miss when visiting Dumaguete City is its Painitan. It is a long alley of stalls in their public market, all selling Budbud, Hot Chocolate, Coffee, Puto and other Filipino ‘kakanins’. It is for everyone who wants to start their day with a hearty and warm meal.
When you’re here, expect that the place will be packed with locals and vendors calling you out to try their products. Don’t worry though because tourists here are always treated with hospitality and a good conversation.
- Opening hours: 4AM – 8PM
HOW TO GET THERE?
Once you’re in Dumaguete City, you can just hail a tricycle and inform the driver of your destination. Alternatively, if you’re driving your own vehicle, you can navigate with Waze or Google Maps and set your destination to “Tiangge or Public Market” in Dumaguete City.
The good thing about Dumaguete City is that it doesn’t just offer you a rich cultural and warm Filipino hospitality experience, but it also is a gateway to other natural tourist destinations in Negros Oriental. So, if you want to check Dumaguete City, try out as well nearby towns for a complete Negros Oriental experience.
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