Saturday, July 12, 2008

Dumaguete in a Glimpse



................................................ ................... Scenic Bay at Rizal Avenue in Dumaguete City


We arrived at Dumaguete, around 2 in the afternoon. We took the city tour before going to our accommodations. The city is very clean and there are a lot of foreigners particularly Koreans. Motorcycle seems very popular in the city. First stop, Silliman University. This university, one of the oldest in the country, has been erected on August 28, 1901 after the treaty in Paris of 1898. The treaty that ended the 333 years of Spanish regime in the Philippines. The school boasts for producing literary talents. I remember my English Lit professor attended a conference in this school regarding arts and literature. This is one of the main reasons why Dumaguete is filled with Korean tourist, they study English in Silliman.
............................................. The Library at Silliman University in Dumaguete
Then we proceeded to Rizal Ave. (this is their own version of baywalk) I saw a lot of couples frolicking beside the bay. One of the things that caught my attention was the little kids swimming. They're so carefree even the heat of the afternoon sun doesn't seem to bother them. I couldn't help compare it with the baywalk in Roxas Boulevard in Manila. Dumaguete's bay is more sparklingly clean. We also dropped by at the Sans Rival Bakeshop and Cafe. I bougt a loaf of Sans Rival for the entire barkada. (Salap!) The pier is also visible from where we were. If you're going to Siquijor or Bohol, this is the place to go. The waiting area in the pier amused me since it resembled a big boat. You'll never miss it :D
We ate at Lab-as (means fresh). Many restaurants were recommended like the Jo's Chicken Inato(grilled chicken) but we want to give ourselves a treat before continuing the tour of the city. This restaurant is surrounded with "Su-to-kil" kiosk. We feasted on the indeed fresh seafoods that they offered. We only spent around P1200 for the seven of us.

Next, we went to Forest Camp. It's like a big park with streams and brooks. The trip from the city to Forest Camp is around 15-20 minutes. Forest Camp is near Casaroro Falls. But were not able to trek to Casaroro since were so pressed for time. Try the buko halo-halo to refresh you after a day of traveling. Yummy!


............................................Infinity Pool at Antulang Resort

It's already dark when we arrived at the resort. Antulang is about an hour's ride from Dumaguete CIty. Yes, its quite far but its worth the trip. If you want a place where you can really relax, Antulang is the place for you. It's recommended for honey mooners for its exclusivity and personalized service. Antulang got its name from Antulanga, Gumamela (a flower) in Filipino. Antulang is situated on top of a cliff. The view is spectacular! I also love their infinity saltwater pool. I took a lot of pictures for my personal collection of travels.

Visit their website to view rates and more pictures of the resort. I am an amateur photographer and may not be able to do justice to the beauty of the place.

http://www.antulang.com/new/main.html

Tip: to get the best rates try travelling during the offpeak season and avail of their special promos

The second day in Dumaguete was spent in the world renowned Apo Island. Apo island is famous with divers because of its diverse marine life. Honestly, this was the highlight of my trip. I don't know how to describe the feeling I get when I am underwater. They say its the best way to relieve you of stress. Some really experienced divers get high during a Nitrox dive. (Let's leave diving for a while. It may take several days for me write about it. ) Btw, if you want to dive or snorkel in Apo Island you have to register and pay a minimal fee. Dive rates ranges from 25-35 USD.


We had lunch at the Apo Island Beach Resort. Yes, there are resorts in Apo Island but the water and electricity is limited so do not expect a suitable overnight accomodations here. The menu offers a variety of seafood dishes. Surprisingly, they also have Schnitzel hehhehe.. I dont know about resorts... but its the nth time I found this Austrian dish served in the beach resorts here in our shores. Loved the pork adobo and my companions enjoyed the grilled fish. We actually ordered the fastest dish they can serve since were famished from the water activities. The price hmmm .. a little bit pricey for me but it's in a secluded island, so what do you expect!

The afternoon was filled with snorkeling and island exploration. I am actually surprised that there's a community in Apo Island. Around 4, we headed back to Antulang to rest for the night.

............................................ .Jo's Chicken Inato Dumaguete City Branch

Our last day in Dumaguete comprised mostly of shopping for souvenirs. This was also our last chance to sample the famous chicken inato, where else, at Joe's Chicken Inato. We arrived during the lunch hour and the place was packed. It was hard to get a table especially for a big party like ours. We ordered ahead and when we got our tables ready so was our food. Everybody ate their chicken and garlic rice the traditional and the best way, with bear hands. The meals are cheap and really delicious. The chicken was grilled perfectly, not burnt and not raw ,just right. Boo ordered a round of buco halo-halo again, this became his favorite dessert during our stay in Dumaguete.

It was time to proceed to the airport and our 3 day trip was over.. everybody felt bitin. There are a couple of place I really wanted to visit like Siquijor and Bais. I will definitely comeback to Dumaguete and I'll make sure that I'll include these two in my itinerary.

No comments: