MANJUYOD SANDBAR TRAVEL ITINERARY

Known as the Little Maldives of the Philippines, Manjuyod Sandbar is located at Negros Oriental, Visayas. It was called so due to its pearly white sand and old native cottages. The sandbar is found in the middle of the sea which is a unique feature and definitely adds more excitement to the trip.

In my knowledge, there are 3 ways in getting to Dumaguete, Negros Oriental from Cebu.

First, by plane which is very costly. CebuPac offers flights from Cebu to Dumaguete.

Second, by land and boat, from Cebu South Bus Terminal, ride a bus going to Liloan port which costs around Php250-300. It is a 4-5 hours bus ride. After that, take a fast craft boat going to Sibulan port, Dumaguete. It is 20 minutes away and the fare is only Php70.

Lastly, the more comfortable and easier way than taking a bus is to ride a ferry boat. The travel time is longer, it is approximately 7 hours. Fare is Php370 if you buy the tickets directly at the Pier. I bought ours at the mall so the price is Php420. From Pier 1 you will be dropped off at Dumaguete port.

In going to Manjuyod Sandbar, ride a Bus going to Bais, there’s no need to go to the Bus terminal as buses will pass by every now and then. Once you arrive at Bais, ride a tricycle going to the Wharf, where you depart to Manjuyod Sandbar.

We only had a day trip in Manjuyod Sandbar since we still have to go to Siquijor. The sandbar was like our sidetrip. However, we were able to do Dolphin-watching and enjoy the sand bar despite the high tide.

Here’s our budget and travel itinerary,

(Saturday)
10:00 PM	By ferry boat: ETD to Dumaguete Port	Ferry fare: P420

(Sunday)
5:00 AM	ETA Dumaguete
	- Breakfast	P100
8:00 AM	ETA Bais, Negros Oriental
	- Ceres bus to Bais	P61
	- Tricycle to Wharf	P25
	- Island hopping boat (P3,500 / 4 = P875)	P875
1:00 PM	End of Tour
	- Tricycle to Bais	P25
	- Ceres bus to Dumaguete Port	P61
	- Lunch	P150
Since we were still heading to Siquijor, we had to go to Dumaguete Port, but going home to Cebu here’s an example:
2:00 PM	ETA Sibulan Port	Fastcraft Fare P70
8:00 PM	ETA Cebu City	Bus Fare: P300
	Dinner	P100
TOTAL Expenses:		P2,187

Boats racing to see dolphins

TIPS and REMINDERS:

1. Make a boat reservation in advance, according to our boatman, more tourists are coming over after Boracay closed. We were lucky that there’s one available small boat for us since we did not make any reservations.

2. It is best if you go with a group of 7 or more so you can share with the island hopping boat fare. The fixed price is P3,500, we tried to haggle but since it’s the only boat left unreserved, we had no choice but accepted it.

3. Make your research. Know the bus or ferry boat schedule. If you have friends living in Dumaguete ask them if they know someone who can rent you a cheaper boat for Island hopping.

4. Check your calendars for high-tide and low-tide hours. Manjuyod sandbar will be best experienced when the tide is low so you can walk around the area. When the tide is high the water can go up to 6 or 7 feet.

5. Bring snacks and a drinking water wherever you go.

6. Be responsible and leave no trace.

Here's a link to our Siquijor trip. Click here... Hope this helps.