Whale and Dolphin Watching Trip to Bais

[The Dane]

There are 3 nipa huts on stilts out on the Sand Bar, the boat crew told us that they can be rented for P1000 a day, that has to be the most romantic honey moon spot, all alone in the middle of the ocean. I can only imagine what sunset and sunrise will look like if you stay in one of these nipa huts.

[The Dane]

With the Koreans now gone we were left alone to enjoy this place and watch the tide slowly eat the small islands of sand. A truly amazing sight.

I don't think you should expect bath tubs and cable TV in the huts out here, but I wouldnt mind staying overnight out here next time.

[The Dane]

Here is a closer look at the nipa huts, it looks like a sun cell on the roof and it looks like there are lights installed so you wont have to sit here in total darkness overnight

[The Dane]

The tide has not almost taken over all the patches of sand left, we gather our gear and head back to the boat for our return back to Bais City.

[The Dane]

We had all brought snorkeling gear in the hope that we would be able to snorkle and see some awesome reefs around here, but the sand bar was... yes just sand, and it got very deep very fast when swimming so there was nothing at all to see snorkeling.

But the whole trip was absolutely fantastic, one of our friends is coming down to visit us here in Dumaguete soon and we have already planned to bring him out here as well as this trip should be a must see on every Dumaguete visitor's list.

Total cost of the trip:

Van rental from Dumaguete City to Bais:
(we found the van hanging out outside Bethel Hotel)
P1000

Pension house:
P1000 for 2 double rooms

Food from the market for dinner first night and picnic basket next day:
P1000

Beer:
P500

Boat Rental:
P3500

Van back to Dumaguete City next day:
P1000

Total cost was P8000 for all 4 of us including transportation, accomodation and food, we could have done this a lot cheaper, we could have taken the bus back and forth from Dumaguete City, we could have bought cheaper food and we could probably have haggled the boat price down a bit, but I still think this was good value for money for a trip like this.

[The Dane]

We are planninga trip up to Bais again this Thursday, weather forecast looks ok, but I am not sure it is the right season to see any dolphins.

[caymimi]

I really must say that this Bais trip thread is extremely informative and at the same time fun to read. I really appreciate all the effort you have put into this marvelous website, Dane. All the good adjectives in the world couldn't begin to describe how much I miss Negros, and how it feels to look at all the awesome pictures on this site. The Filipino side of me feels so proud to have this as my heritage, and the tourist side of me longs to try out all these amazing things that you've mentioned. I am hoping to entice my sisters in coming to Dumaguete the next time I drop in - they haven't been home to the Philippines in over 20 years, and they barely remember any of it. But being the youngest, I spent my high school and college years here, and even though I rebelled against it back then (teenagers!), I realize that it has made me a better person for remembering my roots and being proud of my culture.

I am so happy and thankful to you for putting together this site, which welcomes me home every day, with every thread I read. I'm sure I'm not the only Balikbayan Filipino who feels like this when they go through your website. God bless you and all the other members who are contributing to make this site the perfect tribute to Dumaguete City.

Caymimi

[wak-wak]

This reminded me that I was unable to go to this during my Dec./Jan. trip.

Apparently there is a monsoon change that ruined it. Changed to northern monsoon if I remember correctly. The boatman said it created unsafe conditions and there were no dolphins. Disappointing because I showed my gf the pictures in this thread before the trip and she was excited to see it. Oh well, it gives me an excuse to return. The good thing about Dumaguete is how close it is to many tourist destinations.

[pickled_newt]

I noticed this whale and dolphin watching tourism industry in this section of Bais only being monopolized by either the Bais tourism office or the Hotel who owns the big boats.This should be an industry where locals living in the area can also offer their services .Give them workshop siminars including health and safety regulations and what they needed to do to start of with catering for boat services to tourist ,and all will be helping up economically the local community,not just one bloody enterprenuer who's gaining the goodness of this whale and dolphins presence in the area.

One or two persons who wants to do whale and dolphin watching don't need that 20 to 30 seeter boat .They just need a 3 sitter or 6 sitter at the most ,with life jackets and everything will be fine.Tourists don't need to spend few thousands of for it when perhaps a local can give them a bargain experience of just P500 pesos for couple of hours looking for packs of Dolphins.It's nice to have other options available.It's happening somewhere in Bali,and why not in Bais?

I think the locals in the area should push their rights to be able to invest in this growing tourism industry in the area,not continuously allowing this upportunity being monopolized by one or two.

[gotz]

Hi to all. I would like to thank,The Dane,for sharing to us his adventures with Dolphin watching and Sandbar escapades. I will surely look forward to visiting and playing with our friendly dolphin oneday. I would also like to share to all my experience also at the Sandbar via the municipality of Manjuyod.I've visited the place about 8 times already this one was our first overnight stay. Our group numbered about forty people. We went thier last year, Sept 10,2006,the eve of Bais City's charter day anniversary.We just contacted the Manjuyod Office to reserve the Sandbar cottage for an overnight stay there.(rent the 1st or the 3rd cottage ,not the middle one,coz there is not much sea life on the 2nd one.) We paid P2,700.00 for overnightstay.If you want to go whale watching you will have to pay an additonal 2,500.00. They have solar powered lights there but no outlets for audio and video devices.We arrived there from Dumaguete at around 8 in the evening.And they ferried us to the cottage in just 30 minutes. Our group brought foods,Beers and liqours, some cooking utensils and firewood. It was a fullmoon and a low tide that time and it was our plan to do " Panulo" or night hunting during a low tide using a torch.At exactly 12am, We experience a magical moment. In the middle of the ocean,with a full moon above us shining brightly,cloudless and sea hunting at a lowtide and as an added surprise a magnifiscent display of fireworks from Bais city,it was really a moment to behold.Too bad I didn't have pictures to share to you,But it was quite an adventure.The low tide lasted until 3 am. We caught lots of octupus,shrimps,crabs and flounders. We cooked them "shoot to kill" style or Sugba, tola and kilaw.By dawn the setting down of the moon was also a memorable moment.By the day the sea was calm and crystal clear and ,yes we have it all on our own too.We also bought freshly caught fish from fishermen who went to our cottage to sell their catch. We left the place at around 3 in the afternoon.We used 3 vehicles to go there. the weather that time was perfect too,with just a slow breeze of air at night.Sleeping bags and comforters would be perfect,though they have a double size bamboo bed inside the hut.
Well it was quite an experience that I would encourage everyone to follow coz there so much fun and happiness,specially when your with a big group. But be sure to bring kerosine and match or else you'll go hungry.