Touring Dapitan-Dipolog-Siquijor-Dumaguete in Under PHP9K

Multi-layered Cambugahay Falls
Last Feb 19-25, 2009, 3 friends and I toured Dapitan, Dipolog, Siquijor and Dumaguete. When we reviewed our total expenses, the total, including the air fare from/to Manila just costs under P10K. To find out how we did these, read on.
Preparation:
After our trip in CDO last October, we immediately planned our next destination. Japanesecake saw Dumaguete in LivingAsia channel and thought that it might be a good place to tour. Since Dipolog is just under Dumaguete, and since Dakak is in Dipolog (we saw the DAKAK commercial played nth times in Eat Bulaga, so that paved way for curiosity about the place), we decided that we can tour Dumaguete and Dipolog using an ARUNK flight. (ARUNK is a travel-industry term short for arrival unknown. Our flight is MNL-DPL and DGT-MNL, but going to DIPOLOG-DUMAGUETE is “unknown”, that’s where the term ARUNK comes in).
When Cebu Pacific 0 fare promo is offered to the public, we immediately decided our travel dates and booked a MNL-DPL and DGT-MNL flight. Our first step of preparation is complete.
Though we only booked hotels during trips, one week before departure, we opted to book for Dakak’s barkada package which is good for 4pax. The cost is only P2800, fair enough I guess. A few days before our tour, we finalized our itinerary. Our initial itinerary was:
Day 1: Dakak
Day 2: Tour Dapitan
Day 3: Tour Dipolog
Day 4: Tour Apo island, Dumaguete
Day 5: Tour Siquijor
Day 6: Tour Dumaguete
Day 7: Tour Dumaguete and head back to MNL
Due to some unexpected little mishaps, we changed our itinerary during the tour. It’s good that our itinerary is flexible enough to be changed abruptly and that we didn’t make any hotel reservations prior to our trip (except for Dakak). Here is our final list of itinerary.
Day 1: Tour Dakak, Dapitan (Dakak andDapitan Itinerary)
Day 2: Tour Dapitan and Dipolog (Dipolog Itinerary)
Day 3: Tour Liboton Cave, Dipolog (Dipolog Itinerary)
Day 4: Tour Siquijor island
Day 5: Tour Dumaguete
Day 6: Tour Apo island, Dumaguete
Day 7: Tour Dumaguete, head back to Manila
Here is the list of expenses per day of our travel. Breakdown of expenses will be shown per day in other posts.
| Description | Total as a Group | Breakdown per person |
| Airfare (MNL-DPL) | 2912 | 728 |
| Airfare (DGT-MNL) | 2912 | 728 |
| Underwater camera /groceries | 1085 | 271.25 |
| Dakak barkada package | 2800 | 700 |
| Day 1 expenses | 1690 | 422.50 |
| Day 2 expenses | 3104 | 776 |
| Day 3 expenses | 5508.50 | 1377.125 |
| Day 4 expenses | 4585.50 | 1146.375 |
| Day 5 expenses | 4585.50 | 1146.375 |
| Day 6 expenses | 3429 | 857.25 |
| Day 7 expenses | 2662.20 | 665.55 |
| Total | PHP 35273.70 | PHP 8818.425 |
Being able to experience a 7-day trip across 4 destinations for just under P9000 is a feat. Not only did we enjoy the tourist spots of the provinces, but we were able to prove a lot of things. One of them is Siquijor as a paradise, and not as the “aswang-infested” island we were used to hear.
- Multi-layered Cambugahay Falls
- Rock formations of Apo island
- Stalactites at Liboton Cave
- Lazi Church
- Top view of Dakak beach resort
- Rizal house replica
- Lazi convent
- Dipolog sunset
- hundred-year old balete tree
- St. james church
- yummy fried ice cream!
Budget Tours, Dakak, Dapitan, Dipolog, Dumaguete, Sample Itinerary, Siquijor

















“…we decided that we can tour Dumaguete and Dipolog using an ARUNK flight. (ARUNK is a travel-industry term short for arrival unknown. Our flight is MNL-DPL and DGT-MNL, but going to DIPOLOG-DUMAGUETE is “unknown”, that’s where the term ARUNK comes in).”
You mean, OPEN JAW? I think ARUNK isn’t the appropriate term for this type of flight
hahaha.
actually, OPEN JAW is also appropriate, medyo nakalimutan ko lang din yung term nung pinost ko to.hehe But considering the logic, how would you get to Dumaguete from Dipolog, so it can also be called ARUNK.. hehehe
naks.. travel industry jargons… hahaha
@catnap03
ang lupet namang viewer netong si batangisip. Parang nde ka batangisip magisip ah. haha
hahaha. oo nga ang lupet! hehehe
@batangisp,
thanks!
suggest ka naman ng gusto mong makita dito sa site
Hi,
possible ba ang 4 days ang Dapitan-Dipolog-Siquijor-Dumaguete? and paano po kayo nakapunta from dipolog to dumaguete?
hello po. mahirap po yung 4 days na Dapitan-Dipolog-Siquijor kc mauubos yung time mo kaka-travel from one point to another. 7 days po yung inallot namin for that, natour namin yung mga known n tourist spots sa area.
For Dipolog-Dumaguete, from dipolog, punta ka muna sa Dapitan port, andun kc yung mga ferries. yung nasakyan namin 5am yung boat, pero may bandang 4pm n ferry din dun.
may suggestion po ba ikaw kung ano ang worth it puntahan at hindi worth it puntahan para makasave kami ng time…di kasi naman kaya 7 days =( itataon lang namin sa long weekend
@juliane021681
hello po..san po ba kayo manggagaling? kasi kung 4 days lang.. i sugguest mag dumaguete-siquijor na lang po kayo.. mas maraming makikita sa dumaguete at siquijor compared to dapitan and dipolog
Hi, thanks for sharing this. 7 days, 4 destinations under 10k is really amazing. I hope I can do one next summer. Have friends in Dapitan and Dumaguete so hopefully di ko kelangan magstay sa hotel or resort.
@Isis
Ayus..much better talaga pag may kakilala ka sa pupuntahan mo e no? Sana makapunta ka na dun
O nga e…sana magtugma mga sked namin. Thanks for dropping by on my blog.
@batangisip
PLS. ADD ME ladymoondane_23@yahoo.com
im from new horizon travel ilgan city