"Province of Negros Oriental"
"Belfry Tower"
One of the most significant landmarks of Dumaguete, also known as the “University Town”, is the Dumaguete Belfy. It is the city’s most popular marker. It was built in 1760s and developed in the 1870s to warn townsfolk of attacks by marauding pirates.
The Dumaguete Belfry is also known as the Campanario de Dumaguete (a direct Spanish translation). It was built upon one of the four original massive watchtowers that Parish Priest Don Jose Manuel Fernandez de Septien built in the 1760s to discourage Moros from ransacking the town. The two layers which are now known as the Bell Tower or the Campanario were added during the administration of Fray Juan Felix DE la Encarnacion in 1867.
Located next to the magnificent St Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral, the Dumaguete Belfry, unlike before, is no longer visible in most parts of the city. It used to be the most imposing among the architectural structures until tall buildings were erected due to modernization.
The Dumaguete Belfry is a head turner to many of the new visitors of Dumaguete. Even though it has new additions including the grotto of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in its base and the garden, the Campanario still gives a glimpse of the rich history of the city.
A souvenir shop is located on one side of the Dumaguete Belfry. Here, one can see mostly religious arts and crafts made by the Dumagueteños. Candles, pocket prayerbooks, novena guides among many others are sold nearby.
The Dumaguete Belfy is located along Perdices Street fronting Quezon Park. A wide variety of establishments such as restaurants, banks and hotels are nearby. A couple of hundred meters to the east is the City Hall and the Quadrangle and about 150 meters to the west is the Public Market.
How to get there
From the Dumaguete Airport, take 10-minute taxi or tricycle-ride going to the Dumaguete Belfy or Cathedral. Almost anybody who live in the city knows this landmark so asking for directions is easy.
It is about 700 meters from the Sea Port of Dumaguete. If you want, you can walk along Rizal Boulevard going to the Campanario for about 10-15 minutes. From the port, turn right at Bishop Epifanio Surban St., right after Shakey’s Pizza. You will first reach Quezon Park and from there you will see the Belfry.
Campanario de Dumaguete Marker
Jesus and Mama Mary
"My Antie at the nearby store"
"My Antie Touching Mama Mary"
"Buying Candle"
"Taking Wish of the Birthday Celebrant"
Apo Island
Apo Island is a volcanic island covering 12 hectares in land area, 7 kilometers off the southeastern tip of Negros Island and 30 kilometers south of the Negros Oriental capital of Dumaguete in the Philippines. The name "Apo" was derived from a Filipino word for "grandchild".
The marine habitat around the island is a marine reserve, protected by the National Integrated Protected Area Act (NIPA) and under the jurisdiction of the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB). It has become a popular dive site and snorkeling destination with tourists. There are two resorts on Apo Island, each with a dive center: Apo Island Beach Resort and Liberty's Lodge. There is also a ranger station and a lighthouse.
The island is under the jurisdiction of the municipality of Dauin, Negros Oriental, and is one of the municipality's 23 barangays. As of the 2010 census, the island has a population of 918.
Mt. Talinis
Mount Talinis, also known as the Cuernos de Negros (Horns of Negros), is a complex volcano in the Philippine province of Negros Oriental. At about 1,903 metres (6,243 ft)] above sea level, it is the second highest mountain on Negros Island after Mount Kanlaon. The volcano is located 9 km (5.6 mi) southwest of the municipality of Valencia; and 20 km (12 mi) from Dumaguete City, the capital of the province.
Red Rock Waterfalls near Dumaguete City
Steam hissed out from the side of the hill as the scooter made its way up a small winding road. To the left of the road was a serene river. To the right was a cliff wall emitting sulfuric fumes. I was on my way to a waterfall with red rocks located in the town of Valencia, near Dumaguete City, and I was finding the scenery very surprising.
Dumaguete, the capital city of Negros Oriental is known mainly for being a quaint University Town with all the modern conveniences. But it’s also a good jump-off point to different beaches, dive spots and eco-adventures.
After a side trip to Siquijor, I had barely half a day to go around the city before I needed to head to Bacolod for a work-related assignment, so I feared that I wouldn’t really be able to go around beyond the usual city sights. Richard, the tricycle driver I rode with to go to the Boulevard the previous night suggested that I squeeze in a visit to Pulangbato Falls & Red Rock Hot Springs before I checked out of my hotel. He had just returned with two guests who were checked in at Islands Leisure Boutique Hotel where I was staying. He mentioned that he also had a motorcycle, so not being familiar with the place, I jumped at the chance to scoot around a bit and I arranged for a hotel pickup and tour the next day.
Pulangbato (literally red rocks) Falls is located in the Ocoy Valley in the town of Valencia, Negros Oriental, about 20-30 minutes away from Dumaguete. The place gets its name because of the waterfall’s seemingly reddish hue, which is caused by the presence of natural reddish rocks in the area.
The rocks are said to get their color from Mt. Talinis, the second highest peak in Visayas. The town of Valencia itself is known for its geothermal properties. The road going there is mostly paved but there were a few spots that were steep and gravel-ridden, which made the ride more interesting. Before reaching the falls, there’s an interesting spot called the Red River Valley.
The falls looks impressive from afar especially with the huge red rocks at the foot of the falls. The first tier is narrow, but the water spreads out to a wider cascade that pours down into a swimming hole. The pool here looks quite shallow, but is deep enough for high dives. Like in many other waterfalls around the country, locals climb up to a nearby rock that serves as a diving point and jump into the middle of the pool’s basin.
The water is quite cool and refreshing. While the water does appear reddish in the shallow parts, this is only because of the reflection of the red rocks. However, the rust-colored rocks do have a tendency to stain your hands and feet when you touch them or step on them with bare feet. In the vicinity of the falls are several man-made pools where locals like to have picnics and swim.
Another point of interest near the falls is Red Rock Hot Springs at Pulangtubig, Valencia, which claims to offer medicinal benefits from the water’s high mineral content.
The pool gets its source of warm water (ranging from 37.5 to 39.5 degrees Celsius) from a naturally occurring spring which spouts through an opening by the pool. A posted sign says: These waters have energetic factors such as the powerful ionization, mineralization, radioactivity gases and PH variations.” It also claims to have therapeutic effects to relieve and restore people’s health, including a variety of health problems from asthma to arthritis to insomnia.
On the way back to Dumaguete, we made a quick stop at Tierra Alta, a mountainside resort located in Palinpinon, Valencia.
Aside from having a hotel, a giant infinity pool, and a cafe, this is where The Rush Zipline (said to be the first and only zipline in Negros Oriental) is located. The 600-meter long zipline offers four riding styles to guests: Superman, Tandem, Sitting & Inverted (Spiderman-style).
All in all, it was a short but interesting tour of natural attractions near Dumaguete. While Pulangbato Falls may not be as popular or as grand as Dumaguete’s other waterfall (Casaroro Falls), it’s one of the most unique-looking waterscapes I’ve been to. If you just have a short time to go sightseeing in Dumaguete, it’s well worth a visit.
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