Dumaguete 2018

Up to now, me and Joel are still reminiscing about our Dumaguete trip last 2018. We really loved the city vibe there. We planned to stay for only 2 nights but extended to 1 more night.

Dumaguete, nicknamed as the city of gentle people, is the capital of the province of Negros Oriental. It is also referred to as the university city because of the presence of 4 universities and small colleges where students from around the country converge to enroll in tertiary education.

Dumaguete is where I lived for 4 years of my college life. When I look back to those years, its a bit of a blur but I can remember the feeling of having a second home in Dumaguete. I can say I never fully enjoyed the place as I was focused on getting through college and passing the board exam. However, Dumaguete will always be close to my heart.

Some things we did during our short stay.

1. Walk along the Boulevard

 It has always been my dream to stay at Bethel Guest House which is situated near the boulevard and fortunately for us, there was vacancy when we walked in. This gave us a good view of the boulevard in the morning and during the night when the light posts are turned on.

On our first day, I insisted we go out early to walk along the boulevard. Fresh breeze made the walk enjoyable as the rays of the sun started to shine. There was a coconut vendor selling coconuts for 20 PHP (0.38 USD). It was refreshing while seeing all the sights of the early morning.

During the night, the boulevard is the host of programs. We were able to witness the opening night of #Dumagetme - I believe it was a tourism program of the city. Tempura stalls would line up as well adding to the already wide range of food options from the restaurants.

2. Visit Silliman University

My Alma Mater. I don't get tired of visiting and making sure I step foot inside the university that helped shaped what I am today. I am always excited to see what the progress have been made on the grounds/ buildings and to visit my old dormitory. Walking through the halls of Silliman made me remember how I walk to the library almost every night, our gym class on the sprawling grounds, how the guards would always check for identification before letting someone in, and especially the cheese bread from the cafeteria.

3. Eat! Eat! Eat!

The city has stood up to the demand of the growing crowd and it does not disappoint when dealing about food. A lot of restaurants have appeared along with the old favorites like Silvanas, Chin Loong and the likes. We particularly liked Food Net not only because it was affordable but also because it is tasty with good serving size. I gobbled up the food right away, therefore I do not have photos LOL.

4. Lake Balinsasayao

The lake that is on top of a mountain. Hard to get to but pleasing when you get there. You can read all about it here.

5. Tierra Alta

A new resort located on the slopes of Palinpinon, Valencia. It has been a venue for weddings of my friends and I didn't expect that my old friend, Rainer, would take us here for sight seeing. We saw an amazing 360 degree view of the mountains and it also has a restaurant serving delicious food.

There are lots and lots of things to do in Dumaguete which we did not have time to do. Maybe if we visit again soon. For now, I am happy to see people and friends post about being in Dumaguete. It makes me smile knowing that they are having fun at the place where I had an awesome time, too.

Thank you for reading and 'til next blog!