This trip is included in my to do list for 2011 so I’m happy i was able to make it. I plan it to be a solo trip but since there’s a piso fare I drag mom and lil bro with me. I scored a round trip ticket with Total: PHP 1,137.12 for the three of us. Cool right! 
Touch down Dumaguete city
I’m not really familiar on what places to visit in Dumaguete so I made some research on what to visit there and where to stay. We landed at Dumaguete airport around 8:20 am from the airport we ride a tricycle P100 going to Hotel Nicanor which is one of the most recommended hotel there. Since it’s too early to check in and because there’s no available room yet, we just left our bags in the lobby and went ahead to Apo Island.
Apo island is in the town of Dauin in Negros Oriental. The island is considered as one of the top ten dive sites in the country and around the world that’s why we are thrilled to get there. From Hotel Nicanor we ride a tricycle P9 going to Siaton terminal where you can see jeepneys bound to Malatapay P20. From Malatapay market we walk going to the port. It’s just a 5 minute walk don’t worry
Malatapay Market
You can see the port easily where the small bancas are parked (parang kotse lang LOL). We paid P2000 for small banca to get us to Apo Island.
Rent a boat to Apo Island
It takes 30 minutes to get there great thing the sea is so calm that day. There’s an environment registration fee P100 to the island and we also paid for the entrance fee P50 to the marine sanctuary. We also rented a few things for snorkeling: goggles P100, snorkeling shoes P100, life vest P100 and ofcourse the guide fee but there’s no fix price so you just pay him whatever the price you feel like to give them after the tour.
Apo Island
It’s lunch time already so we looked for a restaurant in the island. Here’s what we ordered
Apo Style Fish (P230)
Tuna fish smothered in fresh garlic and onions with steamed rice.
Beef Adobo (P245)
Fried in traditional Filipino soy sauce and onion with steamed rice.
The food in the restaurant is expensive so you may opt to ask a local fisherman to get a fish or any seafood and just have it cooked in the restaurant. Our guide said its way cheaper that way.
After lunch we went ahead to where the turtles are…too bad the water is too low so there’s no pawikan swimming around 
looking for pawikans @ apo island
So we just went to the marine sanctuary.
Apo Island Marine Sanctuary
The corals here are huge. It shows that they really take care of them.
Apo Island corals
Apo Island corals
It’s really hot that day so we decided to take a bath around 3pm to find out there’s no shower room but there’s a well where you can get water and get refreshed. Amazing haha I have never really seen a well that has water on it because most of the time I only see wishing well. There’s a room where you can change your clothes though.
get refreshed in a wishing well
The Apo Island is great for snorkeling but not for leisure swimming because the sand is not fine and the shore is very rocky.
Goodbye Apo Island
We went back to the Dumaguete city and check in to Hotel Nicanor.
Hotel Nicanor
The hotel standard twin room with 2 single beds PHP 1,050.00 is just good for 2 guest so if you added an extra bed actually a mattress there would be no space.
- extra person: PHP 150.00
- extra bed: PHP 250.00
Tiring day but it was all worth it!
gusto ko nitong series na to! been watching out the promo fares for dumaguete..
I’ll be in Dumaguete and Siquijor as well this weekend… thanks for this post, nalaman ko medyu mahal pala pumunta ng Apo island… hehehe!!! next time na namin yan puntahan…
Did your mom enjoyed Apo Island? My mom wants to go there but I wasn’t able to book during the last CP seat sale. I got CDO bound tickets instead.
Hi Roni,
my mom enjoyed it naman but not as much as we enjoyed it because the sand there is not fine and the shore line is very rocky so its not for leisure swimming. The island is for snorkeling and diving talaga.