Dauin Diving Paradise

Dauin is a low-profile tourist destination where scenic spots abound but has a sheltered laid back ambiance. This picturesque town near Dumaguete reveals a unique and mostly uncharted sea underworld as well as many virgin dive sites. Dauin is a diver's paradise.

A small and quiet place where big treasures are hidden underwater---this is what Dauin is to most tourists who have gone to Dumaguete, Negros Oriental. Dauin is some 12 kilometers of coastal scenery south of Dumaguete. It is a dive-capital in Dumaguete due to its numerous and pristine dive resorts. Dauin's main highway snakes along the Negros coast, while inner roads go past the groves of palms leading to the hidden resorts. Perfect beaches of fine sand stretch on for miles through Dauin seaside terrain.

Dauin is reached through a plane from any nearby provinces going to Sibulan Airport which is in Dumaguete City. From the airport, public transportation is available nearby to Dauin. Straight from Manila, a tourist can take a plane to Cebu and a ferry ride from Cebu, enjoying a 3 and half hour sea trek. Better yet, a straight flight from Manila will only be an hour's travel.

Dauin may seem like another typical rural town near Dumaguete at first glance, but its true tourism value is hidden deep beneath---one has to literally delve and uncover the potential of Dauin. In fact, Dauin's treasure lies buried, not in depths of earth, but in the obscure recesses of Dauin waters. Dauin's most fabled exotic dive spots are the marine protected areas and the "Car Wrecks".

When we talk of Dauin, we talk of the Car Wrecks---the specific spot in Dumaguete where a plethora of sea wreckages abound, among them automobiles. Dauin's "Car Wrecks" is a highlight among other dive sites in the area that attracts the curiosity of dive tourists. Another enchanting site is the "Banca Wrecks". The rich coral reefs that have grown among the wrecks are also eye-catching and loaded with deep sea life.

Nearby Dauin is the fascinating Masaplod marine sanctuary. This spot is reserved as a habitat for exotic fish species like scorpionfish, batfish, snappers, sweetlips, and others. Dauin's scenic coasts are dotted with reefs that shelter marine wonders. These are considered among Asia's best.

Dumaguete is definitely excellent, but wait till Dauin's secrets are revealed. A wide-eyed dive tourist will certainly return to Dauin and its rich underwater sea treasures, considered in Dumaguete as one of Asia's best. Dauin is one more dive destination near Dumaguete worth the trouble to discover.

Dauin Fiesta

If you visit the Philippines for any length of time, you are likely to witness a Fiesta celebration in a local community. Fiesta is a tradition wide spread throughout the Philippines. Dating back to the time when Spain ruled and dominated the local culture, Fiesta is a unique Philippine take on a European concept. It is regarded as a time to return home and visit family, a homecoming of sorts. Festival is also a time to share your wealth, even if you are poor, with your friends, family, and fellow villagers. This could mean roasting an entire pig and inviting the neighbors, or even sharing a small amount of rice and fish. Festivals happen all through the year, and each community has their own unique date. The larger municipalities usually have parades with elaborate costumes put together by each Barangay. These parades are a prelude to what is called here a “showdown” or competition between the ornately adorned dancers. These showdowns are elaborately choreographed production numbers often with as many as 100 participants. The music is the best part for me. The musicians play percussion instruments, drums of all sizes and make up. Many of the instruments are hammered from steel drums, others are modern band instruments. The rhythms are complex and high energy, influenced by native sounds dating back hundreds of years.

One of my favorite fiesta competitions is in Dauin, a small town just south of Dumaguete. For my tastes, it has the right mix of smallness and well organized competition. Each Barangay tries it’s best to outdo the others with the elaborate native inspired costumes and bone shaking percussive accompaniment. Dauin is a small but wealthy community with a history dating back many hundreds of years. There is an old Spanish mission on the town square which dates back to the time of the early European colonists. Everyone in the larger community participates in some way. All the schools have bands which march in the parade. Even elementary schools have bands with elaborate costumes. Music is a large part of Philippine culture and daily life.
In the Philippines no Fiesta week would be complete without one modern addition to the festivities. That is the nighttime disco. Most towns have an outdoor sports complex which often also serves as the home for a local church or Barangay hall. The basketball court (which sometimes is the Sports Complex) is transformed by traveling DJ’s with high powered amplifiers and speakers. Large sophisticated pulsating Disco lights are strung up overhead on a jury rigged web of poles and wires. Presto! You have a disco. Everyone in town goes to the disco. Ma, Pa, and the kids. If you are a stranger, you won’t be for long. People will try to get you dancing to ensure that you enjoy yourself.
fiesta, you will come away with not only a full stomach, but perhaps a greater appreciation for the true hospitality and friendly attitude of the Philippine people.