Our van dropped us off at Cebu South Terminal around 1300H. We ate lunch first in a nearby carinderia. Afterwards, we took the 1400H Ceres bus (direct route) to Dumaguete via Oslob (P300++).
The trip took at least 5 hours (including the ferry ride). Ceres is using Maayo Shipping Lines Bato-Tampo to cross the Tanon Strait. We paid another P70.00 per pax for the ferry.
We arrived around 1900H at Dumaguete City and proceeded to Hotel Palwa (I booked our first night the day we arrived at Cebu). Its a good thing that they still have vacancies since most accommodations are booked by professors, students and attendees. Siliman University had an ongoing event during that time.
We booked 2 family rooms + 1 extra bed for 1 room. Hotel Palwa is strategically located at the heart of Dumaguete City. All rooms are air-conditioned, cable TV, and hot/cold shower. The hotel also has Wi-Fi.
You can walk to the Cathedral Church and Rizal Park with less than 10 minutes. Other establishment near are Mcdonald’s, Shakeys, Jollibee, Greenwich, Mang Inasal, Chowking, Joe’s Chicken, Sansrival, RCBC, China Bank, Allied Bank et al. If you have a smaller group (and with a tight budget), there are other accommodations around the city. Click here for more information.
After arriving at Hotel Palwa, we left our things and look for a place to have dinner. The front office recommended us to have it at Hayahay. We hailed 2 tricycles to take us there.
Fact: The fare for a trike ride costs P8 per person. It varies depending on the distance of your destination.
Hayahay is a very famous open air restaurant located at the Dumaguete Boulevard. The menu includes fresh seafood to different local dishes. It was reggae night.
Feedback – Long service for the food to arrive and it was quite expensive. However, the food was worth the wait.
After dinner, we head back to Hotel Palwa for a goodnight rest.
~ End of Day 1 ~
Next – Apo Island: a marine haven
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