sam heart travel

Dumaguete Day 3: City Tour and Farewell 😭   Day 3 in Dumaguete began with a fantastic American breakfast at Leanas Restaurant – two sunny-side-up eggs were the perfect start to the day! 🍳 Then it was time to check out of Charo's Dormitel. Super convenient, they let us leave our luggage at the reception while we explored the city. 🙌   Our city tour kicked off around 1 pm. Our first stop was the impressive Dumaguete Church – a beautiful piece of architecture! ⛪ Then, we headed to the main branch of Silvanas Dumaguete for those famous pastries! They were amazing. 🤤 Lunch was a bit of an adventure. We tried Pizza Hut and Max's, but neither quite hit the spot. Finally, we landed at Mang Inasal in Robinson's Dumaguete – always a safe bet! We spent a little time strolling around the mall afterward.   By 3 pm, it was back to the hotel to collect our bags and head to Dumaguete Airport. There was a bit of a wait before our flight, but...

From Cool Falls to Warm Embrace: Relaxing at Dumaguete's Red Rock Hot Spring   Okay, so after our refreshing dip in Pulangbato Falls, we were starting to feel those hunger pangs. Lunch was definitely on the agenda, but our tour guide had a brilliant suggestion: a quick detour to the Red Rock Hot Spring.   Now, at first, our group was a little hesitant. We'd just come from another water-related activity, and the thought of more water wasn't exactly thrilling. But the Red Rock Hot Spring is only a five-minute drive from Pulangbato, and it's right along the highway, so it was super convenient. We decided to check it out, at least for a quick look.   We asked the staff if we could take a peek at the area before committing, and as soon as I dipped my hand into the pool, I knew we had to stay. The water felt amazing! I immediately told my travel buddies, "We're doing this!" The entrance fee was just 50 pesos, and after snapping som...

Fairy Tale Forest: A Relaxing End to Our Dumaguete Adventure   Okay, so after that incredible lunch at Ati Gigi's (you have to read about that!), we were feeling refreshed and ready for our next adventure: Forest Camp. Let me tell you, this place is HUGE. I'm talking seven pools, lush greenery everywhere, and an atmosphere that felt straight out of a fairy tale.   Seriously, the whole place is incredibly aesthetically pleasing. Think cascading pools, thick, vibrant greenery, and this magical, almost enchanted feeling. It's like stepping into a different world. The pools themselves are wonderfully cool – a perfect way to cool down after all our previous adventures.   We could have easily spent the entire day there, but we were starting to feel a little tired from all the activities we'd packed into our Dumaguete trip. Forest Camp has so many pools and swimming areas that choosing where to go was a bit of a challenge! But we eventually found...

A Warm Welcome and a Delicious Feast: Lunch at Ati Gigi's   Okay, so after all our adventures – the sulfur vents, the waterfalls, the hot springs – we were seriously starving! Lunch was definitely in order, and luckily, Jit Jit (a friend traveling with us) had a family connection in Dumaguete who was more than happy to host us.   We met Ati Gigi in Valencia, a relative of Jit Jit's, and she welcomed us into her absolutely stunning home. I was blown away by how beautiful the community was – her house is located within a very exclusive resort, and the house itself is huge and modern – seriously impressive!   Ati Gigi had prepared the most incredible lunch spread. I mean, seriously, there was so much food! The photos don't even do it justice – we had fish, chicken, a fresh salad, and even wine! But the real star of the show was the lato, a seaweed salad. Now, I've always been a bit hesitant about seaweed – I find it can sometimes be a bit too…...

A Whiff of Sulfur and a Blast of Cool Air: Dumaguete's Sulfur Vents   Okay, so after our relaxing time at The Barn at Mango Farm (which, by the way, you absolutely have to check out!), our Dumaguete adventure took a slightly more… pungent turn. Our next stop? The famous Dumaguete sulfur vents!   It was about a 30-minute drive from the farm, and let me tell you, the journey itself was pretty cool. The road was winding, offering some seriously scenic views, and the breeze was a welcome relief from the still-lingering afternoon heat. As we got closer, though, a new scent started to fill the air – the unmistakable aroma of sulfur. It smelled exactly like rotten eggs, just as everyone had described. I mean, you can't really mistake that smell!   The sulfur vents themselves were quite different from the pictures I’d seen online. It’s clear that they’ve done a lot of development work in the area. There's a newly constructed bridge that keeps visitors at a safe distance fr...

From Luxury to Rustic Charm: A Day in Dumaguete, Part Two   Okay, so after our seriously luxurious experience at Tierra Alta (you have to read about that!), our Dumaguete adventure continued. Our next stop? The Barn at Mango Farm. By this point, it was well into the afternoon, and the sun was blazing down – seriously hot! But we weren't letting a little heat stop us. We were on a mission!   And just like Tierra Alta, this place was a total surprise. While Tierra Alta exuded affluent elegance, The Barn at Mango Farm offered a different kind of charm – a rustic, almost whimsical beauty. The first thing that caught my eye was this vibrant purple windmill – it’s the absolute centerpiece of the whole area, a seriously striking focal point against the lush greenery.   To the left of the windmill sits the barn itself – a massive structure that's clearly designed for big events. Weddings, seminars, parties – you name it. It's currently under constr...

An Unexpected Gem: A Day Trip to Tierra Alta, Dumaguete   Okay, so picture this: it's 2025, I'm in Dumaguete, and Day One of my trip is officially underway. Our tour guide's waiting patiently outside our hotel – super punctual, which is always a plus! – and our first stop? Tierra Alta. Now, I'll admit, the initial approach was a little… unexpected. We pulled into what looked like a private residential area, and I'm thinking, "Seriously? What am I going to find here?" My expectations were, let's just say, not exactly high.   Boy, was I wrong.   Tierra Alta itself blew me away. The name, "Alta," meaning "high" or "lofty," is totally fitting. This place screams luxury. Seriously, it's elegant, pretty, and just generally stunning. I chatted with one of the staff, who explained that it's the clubhouse for this exclusive residential community – clearly, a very affluent neighborhood in Dumaguete. The cl...

Dumaguete Day 1: Charos Dormitory - A Surprisingly Awesome Stay!   Okay, so we finally landed in Dumaguete! First things first: we hopped in a tricycle to head to our hotel, Charos Dormitory. It's about a 20-minute tricycle ride from the port and around 10 minutes from the airport. The tricycle cost us 200 pesos, but if you're on a tighter budget, you can take a regular tricycle (not a special ride) for just 15 pesos!   Charos Dormitory is right across from MDC College, conveniently located along the highway. The hotel itself is HUGE! It's a three-story building, and the reception area is beautifully decorated with Asian-inspired furniture and antiques. Seriously, the whole place has such a calming vibe.   What I loved most about Charos Dormitory was the staff – so incredibly polite and friendly! And the hotel itself was spotless and smelled amazing. Our room was on the second floor (no elevator, FYI!), but it was totally worth the climb.   Th...

Siquijor to Dumaguete: Faith Healer & Farewell Island Vibes!   Okay, so after our ridiculously amazing stay at Kawayan Holiday Resort (seriously, go!), we ticked off another Siquijor must-do: a visit to a Faith Healer! For those who don't know, this involves traditional healing practices in Siquijor, where healers cleanse negative energy.   We arrived around 2 PM and met one of these incredible healers. She performed a traditional Pausok – a cleansing ritual involving smoke and a 30-minute massage, followed by a palm reading. The whole thing cost 300 pesos, and it was such a unique and interesting experience. I'm not sure if it actually cleansed my negative energy, but it was incredibly relaxing!   After the Faith Healer session, we headed back to our hotel to check out. Then, it was time for the next step in our adventure: securing our ferry tickets back to Dumaguete. We got our tickets around 4:30 PM, and since we had a little time for lunch,...