The quaint university town of Negros Oriental

Map of Neros Oriental

This particular province of Central Visayas (Region VII) is long known for its diving and underwater paradise in Apo Island, pristine white sandbar in Manjuyod and dolphin watching in Bais City.  Aside from these water activities, Negros Oriental tempts its growing number of foreign and local tourists with equally fascinating land-based attractions like spelunking, trekking and most of all discovering the rich history of its quaint university town, Dumaguete City. 

Apo Island (photo from the dumagueteinfo.com)

Manjuyod sandbar (photo from negrostourism.com)

Silliman University (photo from the web)

The city’s commercialization itself is nestled within the multipart of this prominent university (Silliman University – the oldest American institution established in 1901), which covers a considerable fraction of the city’s land area. This distinctive arrangement put in emphasis on the fascinating story and architectural composition of the city.

Rizal Boulevard (photo from a friend)

One of the city’s well loved places is Rizal Boulevard, named after our national hero (Dr. Jose Rizal) and said to be where he took a stroll during a brief visit on his way to the neighboring island of Dapitan. This sea front esplanade is one of the landmarks of the city where most locals and tourists alike love to convene and take leisurely walk along its strip.

motorbikes in Dumaguete City (photo from the web)

What underscores the city’s characteristic is its mode of transportation. This city of the gentle people is obviously a huge aficionado of motorbikes.  And I cannot help comparing the place to Saigon (Hoh Chi Minh City, Vietnam), where I have seen similar motorcycle madness yet still an attraction in its own right. Perhaps motorbikes offer the best convenience to maneuver the narrow road network of the city or perhaps for just a university town itself.

This travel hub of Negros Oriental can be reached via air and sea transportation from Manila or Cebu.