The Sandurot Festival
Sandurot comes form a Bisaya word that means “fellowship and reaching out.” As explained by Ms Pearl, my lovely guide, the Sandurot festival is about assimilating everything about Dumaguete. It is the celebration of the fusion of everything that consists of the identity of this beautiful city.
The week long fiesta involves numerous programs, fairs, contests and parades. The festivities commenced the weekend I arrived. And although I was not able to take photos of the opening parade, I did you one better: I was able to catch it on Facebook Live!
Here are just some of the performances by the parade contingents:
This year’s Sandurot presents Dumaguete City’s identity via artistic performances. The City’s art scene is very much alive and has taken initiative in this year’s festivities. Different performances, presentations, and street dances were in store for this year’s festival.
I only visited for 3 days in time for the opening ceremony of the fiesta. That meant I missed out on other activities that was prepared which included the Miss Dumaguete Pageant and the highly anticipated Duma Comida or food festival.
But fret not! As I mentioned earlier, the festival happens yearly so that means that we can always visit next year! Yayyyy!
At the Painitan & more eats from Dumaguete!
Dumaguete is not only a feast for your eyes, it is also a feast for your senses. In the few days I stayed there, there was nothing I was fed that was not good.
A highlight of my trip was my visit to Painitan where I got to try Dumaguete’s famous Bud bud! This area of the market where people usually have breakfast and catch the city’s latest chika, is called that because when you eat, there is warmth in your tummy – hence, ‘painitan’. On a Sunday morning, the place is packed as the church goers proceed there to eat after mass.
Follow When In Manila Isa on Facebook for more FB Live videos!
This is just a peak of all food from all the great restaurants I tried there:
Beef wrap at La Bella restaurant, a quaint italian spot overlooking Rizal Boulevard.
Baked salmon at Kri Restaurant which also doubles as a painting gallery and a cafe.
Shrimp and tanigue at the infamous Gabby’s Bistro! Annnnd, I also met Gabby!
Although Dumaguete has always been famous as a relaxed sea side City, it is usually not the main destination for travellers. Easy access to Bohol, Cebu, and Siquijor make it the perfect jump off point for those more famous vacation spots. The Dumaguete City Tourism Office hopes to change this by showing that the City of gentle people is a destination in itself. Hopefully, people realize – as I have –  the value of this wonderful place.
Visit my personal blog, www.isa.ph, for more behind the scenes posts of this trip.
This was my third visit to Dumaguete but this was, by far, the funnest one. I felt that, unlike my previous visits, I really got to know what the City had to offer. The culture, the people, the sights, and the food leave me wanting to stay here longer. Hands down, this is one of  my favorite PH destinations.
See you at next year’s Sandurot Festival! 🙂
#DumaGotmE
