Self-Drive Itineraries: 1, 3 and 5 Days
This page is for visitors who have a rental booked, or are about to book one, and want ready-made day plans rather than a list of places. Every itinerary below is built around real road distances and driving times from Dumaguete, with start times, fuel stops and the vehicle that suits it. Times are for a car; add 20-30% on a scooter, and add more again in rain or fog.
One-day itineraries
A. South coast day
Start 7:30 am. Dumaguete to Bacong (8 km, 15 min), Dauin (15-19 km, 30 min), Malatapay in Zamboanguita (about 25 km, 45 min), Siaton (50 km, 1 h 15 min) and back. Go on a Wednesday if you want the Malatapay market, busiest 7-11 am. Fuel in Dauin or Zamboanguita. About 100-120 km and 3 hours of driving. Details on the South Coast Drive page.
B. Apo Island day trip
Leave Dumaguete by 7 am for Malatapay wharf (25 km, 45 min), park, and take a boat: about PHP 3,000-3,500 round trip for up to 4 people or PHP 5,000 for 6-8, with a 30-45 minute crossing. Boats run 7 am to 4 pm, and island entrance and snorkel fees are extra. Full details on the Apo Island Day Trip page.
C. Valencia falls and Twin Lakes
Valencia (9 km, 20 min), then Pulangbato Falls and Red Rock hot spring (steep but paved, 30 min). Casaroro Falls has a paved road to the jump-off, then 350 steps. Back to the highway and north to the Twin Lakes junction near Sibulan (about 15 km), then 13 km and 30-45 minutes of steep paved mountain road to Lake Balinsasayao, open 8 am to 5 pm. Cars and scooters manage it in dry weather, but low-powered scooters struggle on the grade. About 80 km and 3 hours of driving; fuel in Valencia or Sibulan. See Valencia Waterfalls and Twin Lakes.
D. North day: dolphins and the sandbar
Leave at 5 am for Bais (47 km, 1 h) to catch a 6 am dolphin boat, land on the Manjuyod sandbar at low tide, lunch in Bais, then Tanjay church and plaza on the way back. About 100 km and 2.5 hours of driving. Fuel in Sibulan, Tanjay or Bais. Timings and boat costs are on the Bais Dolphins and the Manjuyod Sandbar page.
H. Scooter-friendly coastal ride
Dumaguete to Bacong, Dauin, Zamboanguita and Siaton and back: about 100 km, flat, coastal, with light traffic after Dauin. Avoid the Ceres bus rush between 5 and 7 pm and be home before dark.
| Day plan | Start | Distance | Driving | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. South coast | 7:30 am | 100-120 km | 3 h | Dauin / Zamboanguita |
| B. Apo Island | By 7 am | 50 km plus boat | 1.5 h plus 1-1.5 h at sea | Dauin / Zamboanguita |
| C. Valencia and Twin Lakes | Morning | About 80 km | 3 h | Valencia / Sibulan |
| D. Bais dolphins and sandbar | 5 am | About 100 km | 2.5 h | Sibulan / Tanjay / Bais |
| H. Coastal scooter ride | Morning | About 100 km | 3-4 h on a scooter | Dauin / Zamboanguita |
E. Three-day loop
South coast, mountain crossing and north coast in three days, sleeping in Dauin or Siaton and then in Bais.
- Day 1 - south coast and Apo. Combine plans A and B: Bacong, Dauin, the Apo boat from Malatapay, and sleep in Dauin or Siaton.
- Day 2 - across the island. Siaton to Bayawan (about 55 km, 1 h 15 min), Bayawan to the Mabinay caves (about 55 km, 1 h 15 min), then Mabinay to Bais (75 km, 1 h 30 min). Fuel in Bayawan and Mabinay; the Mabinay road has the only fuel on the mountain crossing. Sleep in Bais. See Mabinay Caves.
- Day 3 - dolphins and home. Dawn dolphin boat and the sandbar, then Tanjay, Amlan and, if there is time, the Twin Lakes on the way back to Dumaguete.
About 350 km in total.
F. Cross-island to Bacolod
Via Mabinay: 215-220 km and 4-5 hours of driving, with fuel only at Mabinay on the mountain section, so fill up in Bais. Return via the south coast for a loop: Bacolod to Kabankalan (about 95 km, 2 h), Kabankalan to Bayawan (95 km, 2 h), Bayawan to Dumaguete (102 km, 1.5-2 h). Both routes cross Negros Occidental, so RODG's per-vehicle "Drive Outside Negros Oriental" add-on applies and is chosen at booking. MassKara in Bacolod runs 1-18 October 2026.
G. Siquijor on a scooter
Take the Montenegro or Aleson RoRo from Dumaguete (2 hours; a scooter about PHP 680-800 plus the rider's fare). The 72 km circumferential road is paved and mostly gentle: ride clockwise via Lazi, with Cambugahay Falls early, then Lazi church and Salagdoong Beach. The inland roads to Mt Bandilaan are steep. A day trip works on the first sailing with a 6-7:30 pm return; two days is comfortable. Fuel in Siquijor town, Larena, Lazi and San Juan. Whether a RODG vehicle may cross is confirmed at booking, and the outside-province add-on applies. Full ferry details on Siquijor by Ferry.
A five-day version
| Day | Plan | Sleep |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Settle in, then plan C: Valencia falls in the morning and the Twin Lakes before the afternoon cloud. See the Dumaguete City Guide for the evening. | Dumaguete |
| 2 | Plan A and B: south coast to Malatapay and the Apo Island boat. | Dauin or Siaton |
| 3 | Siaton - Bayawan - Mabinay caves - Bais (day 2 of the three-day loop). | Bais |
| 4 | 5-6 am dolphin boat and the sandbar, then Tanjay and Amlan back to Dumaguete. | Dumaguete |
| 5 | Plan G on a scooter to Siquijor (if agreed at booking), or plan H along the coast if you would rather stay on Negros. | Dumaguete |
Which vehicle to book
| Itinerary | Recommended | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A, D, H | NMAX 155 or Honda Click 125; or a Vios for a family | Flat, paved coastal roads under 50 km each way |
| B | Wigo or Almera | Short drive, then the car sits at the wharf all day - keep it small and cheap |
| C | Xpander or Innova; NMAX only in dry weather | Steep paved mountain roads where low-powered scooters struggle |
| E, five-day | Innova or Montero | Luggage, long days and the Mabinay mountain road |
| F | Montero or Ford Ranger | 5-6 hours each way, trucks and rain; add the outside-province option |
| G | NMAX 155 or Honda XRM 110 | Cheapest to ferry and ideal for the 72 km loop; crossing confirmed at booking |
Plan your trip
Pick a plan, match it to a vehicle, and book the dates. Browse the full RODG fleet or contact us and tell us which itinerary you have in mind - we can suggest pick-up times for the early starts. Before you set off, read Driving in Negros Oriental and When to Visit, and find more ideas at the Explore Negros Oriental hub.
Facts last checked September 2026; fees, schedules and road conditions change, so confirm locally before you go.