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Dumaguete

Dumaguete is the capital city and main port of Negros Oriental, the province that occupies the south-eastern part of Negros Island, in the Philippines. It is sometimes called the "City of Gentle People".

A laid-back university town with a charming sea-front boulevard and a good selection of tourist-oriented services, Dumaguete is a good place to relax for anything from a few days to a few decades. There are many tourists and a large contingent of resident foreigners. According to the Philippine government Dumaguete is the most popular destination in the country for retiring abroad, and Forbes magazine included it in a list of the seven best places to retire worldwide.

Dumaguete is a major transport hub for reaching destinations anywhere on the large island of Negros which is split into two provinces, Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental. In particular, it often serves as an entry point for trips to the diving on Apo Island or dolphin chasing and whale watching near Bais. The small island province of Siquijor, with its many beaches and legends of sorcery, is also often reached via Dumaguete; it is visible from the downtown seafront.

The economy is quite diverse and is doing well; a 2009 survey showed Dumaguete with the lowest incidence of poverty of all cities in the Visayas and Mindanao. The city has been a center of education for over a century, and the transport, market and administrative hub of its region for even longer. Tourism and hi-tech have become important; Dumaguete is among the top ten tourist destinations in the country and has quite a few call centers, business process outsourcing companies and other IT-related enterprises.

Understand
This article covers four towns that are administratively separate but effectively one city:
 * Dumaguete City proper (134,100 in 2020 census)
 * Bacong, south along the coast (41,200)
 * Valencia, on higher ground inland to the southwest (38,700)
 * Dumaguete, Valencia and Bacong are connected by three roads, approximately an equilateral triangle 8 km (5 miles) on a side.

 * Sibulan, north along the coast; the two town centers are about 12 km apart (64,300)

Dumaguete is not a large city in population but is spread out over quite a wide area. All three suburbs mentioned above have experienced considerable residential development in this century; many people live in them but come into Dumaguete to work or shop, or for restaurants and nightlife.

Valencia is in a volcanic area, though the volcanoes are dormant. The volcanic soil is fertile, and there is plenty of rain. The area has long been known for agriculture, especially fruit and vegetable production. There is a large farmers' market in the center of Valencia, right where the jeepney from Dumaguete arrives.

The urban part of Valencia is over 200 m (660 ft) above sea level so the town is significantly cooler than Dumaguete on the coast. Partly because of this, it has several new upmarket real estate developments which attract both well-off Dumaguetinos and expatriates. Bacong and Dauin, the next coastal town south, also have a lot of upmarket housing development.

The climate is tropical with an average daily high of 30.6°C (87°F) and low of 24.8°C (77°F); this does not vary much from month to month. Precipitation does vary considerably with a dry season January to May and wet season June to December. Average annual rainfall is 807 mm (32 inches); for comparison, San Francisco and London each get about 600 mm while Metro Cebu gets about 1700 and Hong Kong 2400.

As anywhere in the Philippines, there is some risk of earthquakes and typhoons. However, compared to other areas in the country Dumaguete has relatively low risk of either. Sometimes it gets side effects of typhoons elsewhere; for example in October 2017, heavy rain associated with Typhoon Paolo caused some flooding in Dumaguete.

Get in
The country's two largest cities, and its main hubs for international flights, are Metro Manila and Metro Cebu; from either, there are flights, ferries, and buses (which ride ferries for part of the route) to Dumaguete. Cebu is considerably closer and Mactan-Cebu International Airport is a more pleasant airport to arrive at with an international connection.

If you change planes in Manila or Cebu, allow plenty of time since the security controls to enter each terminal — before you can even join the queue to check in — sometimes cause long delays. On a busy day at Manila Airport it can take almost two hours! You will also need a paper print out of your confirmed flight itinerary.

There are also international flights to Davao, Iloilo, or Clark Airport near Angeles. Cebu Pacific have Davao-Dumaguete and Clark-Dumaguete flights, and from Iloilo one can take a ferry to Bacolod, then bus. Since the new Panglao Airport opened there are now international flights to Bohol and there are good ferry connections from there to Dumaguete.

Kalibo (nearest airport to Boracay) also has international flights, but no good connection to Dumaguete. You could take a bus to Iloilo, ferry to Bacolod, then another bus to Dumaguete, but each bus ride would be about six hours.

By plane
Cebu Pacific has flights from Manila, Cebu, Davao, and Cagayan de Oro, and Philippine Airlines has flights from Manila. There is a plan to build a new and larger airport in Bacong, south of the city center; there are no international flights to Dumaguete now, but the new airport will handle larger planes and is expected to have many. President Marcos has said it will be completed during his term in office, i.e. by early 2028. The transportation department says 2030. However, as of late 2023 construction has not started and neither any politician's promise nor any Philippine schedule should be considered entirely reliable.

By boat
Frequent sailings from Manila, Cebu City, Tagbilaran, Siquijor and Dapitan are offered with Cebu having the most options and trips.

A comfortable way to reach Dumaguete is on one of the better ferries. However, this is considerably more expensive than other ferry or mixed bus/ferry options. Also, they are for passengers only; you cannot bring a vehicle.
 * If you want to stop on Bohol, you have a choice of several fast ferries for the Cebu-Tagbilaran leg of the trip (see Tagbilaran) or you might reach Bohol from the south on a CDO-Jagna ferry. However, Ocean Jet is the only fast ferry for the Tagbilaran-Dumaguete journey.
 * If you want to stop on Bohol, you have a choice of several fast ferries for the Cebu-Tagbilaran leg of the trip (see Tagbilaran) or you might reach Bohol from the south on a CDO-Jagna ferry. However, Ocean Jet is the only fast ferry for the Tagbilaran-Dumaguete journey.

Ro-Ro's are also available; these are slower and cheaper ferries where cars can roll on and roll off.

 * Medallion Transport 5am daily Dumaguete to Dapitan.
 * Medallion Transport 5am daily Dumaguete to Dapitan.
 * Medallion Transport 5am daily Dumaguete to Dapitan.
 * Medallion Transport 5am daily Dumaguete to Dapitan.
 * Medallion Transport 5am daily Dumaguete to Dapitan.
 * Medallion Transport 5am daily Dumaguete to Dapitan.
 * Medallion Transport 5am daily Dumaguete to Dapitan.

For trips from Dumaguete to Cebu, the best option is often the overnight boat with Cokaliong or George and Peter lines. These cost -odd, depart at 11PM or midnight, and reach Cebu around 7AM. Neither company has departures every night, but usually at least one does.

Ticketing offices for most boats are either along the road leading into the port (George & Peter, Cokaliong) or nearby on the main road just north of the port (Ocean Jet, Aleson). 2GO are further along the main road, past the first intersection north of the port. Most travel agents and some hotels can also get tickets. The boats, especially Ocean Jet, often get quite full so booking a day or two in advance is advisable.

From Cebu
The Ceres line has direct buses from the south bus station in Cebu City to Dumaguete; they go down to the south end of Cebu Island, across to Negros Island via a short ferry ride that lands in San Jose just north of Sibulan, then on to Dumaguete. Total travel time is typically about six hours but may be an hour or so less or considerably longer depending on traffic, weather and whether there is a delay waiting for the ferry.

From Cebu, the Dumaguete buses are scheduled at 6AM, 7:30AM, 10AM, 11:30AM, 1PM, 2:30PM, 4PM, and 6PM. The first bus for Cebu from Dumaguete leaves at 3:15AM and the last at 2PM; there are many trips in between, scheduled every hour or two. Scheduling is not at all strict; a bus will leave early if it is full, sometimes more than an hour early. Cost for the bus (Feb 2018) is, paid to the conductor. There is a separate charge for the ferry; someone comes round to collect it. A senior's discount is available on both fares, making them and.

You can also take a non-air-conditioned Ceres bus from the Cebu south bus terminal to Liloan ferry terminal for, then get a ferry over to Sibulan ferry terminal for , then a jeepney to Dumaguete downtown market for. Total.

At busy times, such as major holidays, you may be better off taking a boat or even plane since you can book tickets in advance for those rather than just queuing up and hoping. For example, during Cebu's Sinulog festival it will be slow and difficult to get a bus and when you do it may be very slow as the many parades cause traffic jams.

From Negros Occidental
There are Ceres buses to and from Bacolod, capital of the western province of Negros Occidental (which shares the island of Negros with Negros Oriental whose capital is Dumaguete). Possible stops along that route include Kabankalan which has some beach resorts, Mabinay which is a caving destination, and Bais which has beaches, dolphins and whale sharks. There are many trips a day. Fare for a non-air-conditioned bus is each way. and for the air-conditioned bus is. Travel time is 6-7 hours.
 * Bacolod to Dumaguete: first trip at 2AM and last trip at 7PM.
 * Dumaguete to Bacolod: first trip at 2:30AM last trip at 7:30PM.

An alternative route, longer and more expensive, would be to follow the coast rather than cutting across the center of the island. This would give the opportunity to stop at several beach areas along the way, notably Sipalay. See for places nearer Dumaguete on this route.

From Luzon
Ceres also now have a bus from the Cubao district of Quezon City (which is part of Metro Manila) to Dumaguete. It goes by land to Batangas City, by ferry to Caticlan on Panay, by land to Iloilo, ferry to Bacolod, and finally by land to Dumaguete. DLTB also have a bus route that goes from Cubao down to Bicol at the southern end of Luzon, across to Samar on a ferry, then overland to Ormoc. From Ormoc, one can reach Cebu City by ferry, and from Cebu there are both boats and buses to Dumaguete.

For most travellers, the buses from Cubao are not a desirable choice; either has travel time over 36 hours and cost above, which is higher than some flights or some classes of travel on the luxurious 2Go boats. However, one of them may be a good choice if you want intermediate stops. For example, one might visit two of the country's best-known tourist destinations by taking the bus from Cubao to Batangas, ferry across to Puerto Galera, back to Batangas for the ferry to Caticlan, short ferry ride to Boracay, and back to the bus for the run to Dumaguete.

Alternative routes
If you want to see more of the southern parts of Cebu Island, you can travel south from Cebu City on your own, then reach Dumaguete with smaller hops from there. All these ferries are ro-ros so bringing a vehicle is possible,

 * Take a bus to the San Sebastian (Bato) area of Samboan, then take a 20-30 minute ferry ride to Sibulan, 20 minutes away from the centre of Dumaguete. Ferries leave from Sibulan 5AM-5PM. To get this bus you must play the game chasing against time; seats are limited and if you don't get a chance to be an early bird in booking a ticket, you'll probably end up sleeping in the bus terminal waiting for the next day's departures.
 * Ro-ro from, on Cebu Island to , Sibulan operated by Lite Shipping Corporation at 4PM, 7PM, 8:30PM & 10PM with journeys to Cebu Island at 5AM, 8:30AM, 11:30AM & 1PM with an 80-min journey time. , . Return vehicle fare (for a multicab) of includes driver and one passenger with additional passengers at  each.

It is also possible to go west from Cebu City to Toledo and get a ferry to San Carlos (Negros Occidental) there, or get a direct bus from the North Bus Terminal in Mandaue to San Carlos. From San Carlos, you can then travel south along the coast of Negros via Bais and Tanjay toward Dumaguete. This route is longer, slower and less travelled.

From Iloilo City, the easiest route is by ferry to Bacolod then bus to Dumaguete. From Palawan one can take a plane or ferry to Iloilo, or fly to Cebu City. From Manila one could get a direct flight or boat, but it is also possible take a ferry or plane to any of Iloilo City, Bacolod, Cebu City or Tagbilaran then continue to Dumaguete.

From Mindanao, there are direct connections to Dumaguete by boat from Dapitan.

From Cagayan de Oro or Camiguin it is also possible to take a ferry to Bohol and change to another for Dumaguete.

Get around
Dumaguete has few taxis and almost none of the jeepneys you'll see in other cities in the Philippines. There are some jeepneys going to nearby towns but, unlike other cities, there are no jeepneys with general-purpose downtown routes. Most in-town transit is by motorcycle/sidecar rigs called pedicabs.

Locals in the Philippines name a landmark or commercial establishment near their destinations, street names are rarely used or known. Many travellers will be able to get around knowing only the names of three landmarks: Rizal Boulevard, Lee Plaza and Robinson's Place; most other places of interest are within easy walking distance of one of those.

If you must have air conditioning and are willing to pay for it, then the few taxis are often found near the Bethel Guest House or at Robinson's Place Mall. Neither the locals nor the resident foreigners use these much; they either have their own vehicles or take pedicabs which are easier to find and cheaper.

Motorcycles are also popular; the roads have considerably more of them than cars. They can be rented in several shops along Perdices St, near the corners of Pinili and Santa Rosa Streets, typically for a day. Few locals use helmets; if you plan to ride it is a good idea to bring a good-quality helmet with you.

By pedicab
The standard transport option is a three-wheeled contraption usually called a pedicab. In parts of the Philippines a "pedicab" is human-powered, but in Dumaguete it is a motorcycle with a sidecar. In other areas, that might be called a traysikel. These are cheap by foreign standards, usually easily found, and very convenient. These do have a windshield and a roof so there is some protection from the elements, but they are neither quiet nor very comfortable. The sidecar has seating for four, two facing forward and two back, but it is designed for Filipinos and four Westerners will not usually fit unless one rides pillion behind the operator.

These are shared vehicles; expect to ride along with whoever happens to be going the same way, and to take the odd detour as the driver diverts to deliver other passengers to their destinations. Fare is regulated at per person for trips of up to 3 km, more for longer distances and an extra charge for luggage is allowed. For most trips within town, just give the driver, or even for longer distances or at night.

When travelling to further-out destinations (airport, etc.), or if you want the machine to yourself, expect to pay more and negotiate, probably before you get in. Coming from the airport, there are flat rates posted on signs outside the terminal, for downtown and  for the south side of town, e.g. Robinson Mall. Prices can be high for a journey to a suburb; for example most drivers ask or more for Valencia, and most customers take a jeepney for  instead. A family with luggage going from downtown to Dauin might be asked for.

By jeepney
There are various terminals for jeepneys to nearby towns or suburbs; these are cheap and interesting, but often quite crowded. Sit up front with the driver if you can; this is more comfortable and has a better view. Most jeepneys give a discount for students or seniors.

The Jeepney terminals are mostly in the area around the cathedral or the market west of it.

Jeepneys or buses northbound to Sibulan, San Jose or Tanjay can sometimes be flagged down on Rizal Boulevard or on the highway going north out of the city, and jeepneys for many places can sometimes be found near the pier, but your chances of a comfortable seat are better at the terminal.

See

Dumaguete is a university town; there are four universities plus various colleges, and about a quarter of the population of the city proper are students.

Foremost of the city's educational institutions is Silliman University.

Inland (west) of Dumaguete are a range of volcanic mountains running from well south of the city to well north of it. None of the volcanoes are active but several of them are not extinct either; experts say they have the potential to erupt again. Travel services in Dumaguete or local guides closer to the sites can arrange trips. Some of the main sites are: Each of the suburbs we include in this article — Valencia, Sibulan and Bacong — is administered as a separate town and all have been towns since the era of Spanish rule. They all have some buildings going back to that era, clustered around a central plaza; the ones in Bacong include the oldest church in the province.

Do
The free public urban beach is Silliman Beach, just south of the airport (3 km north of downtown). While often crowded and usually littered, it has three advantages over many other beaches of Negros: the bottom is all sand without mud or rocks, it's deep enough so that the sea does not retreat far from the beach even at low tide, and mature trees provide a good amount of shade in the afternoon.

There are several popular seaside resort areas nearby and it is common for travellers to use Dumaguete as a base for visiting one or more of them, since the beaches in town are often highly polluted. Many hotels and all travel agencies in Dumaguete can arrange trips to any of them.
 * Apo Island - a small island somewhat south of Dumaguete with excellent diving
 * Bais - a city on the coast to the north, known for dolphin and whale watching
 * Siquijor - an island province with good beaches and many tales of witches and sorcerers, visible from the Dumaguete boulevard and accessible via frequent ferries.

There are many dive shops in Dumaguete. Some of them are:

See also Diving in the Philippines.

There are also some golf courses:

Several of the resorts have swimming pools, but the public pool downtown is cheaper:

 * Aqua Swimming pool Largest swimming pool in Dumaguete (Capital area) behind Freedom Park. per person.

There are decorated horse-drawn carts offering scenic rides around town.

There are sometimes dragon boat races in the harbor, with a large crowd watching from the boulevard. The traditional date for the dragon boat festival is the 5th day of the 5th Chinese lunar month, which usually falls in June of the Gregorian calendar. However, Dumaguete often has races somewhat earlier (perhaps regional events to qualify for later national events?); for example in 2017 and 2018 there were races in early April.

Learn
There are many small colleges and vocational schools, some English-teaching mainly for Chinese and Koreans, and four universities: The Silliman University Library is one of the best in the Visayas with more than 100,000 volumes, and provides a relatively quiet and air conditioned sanctuary from the perpetual hum and throb of the streets. It's not usually open to the public, but for a purely nominal fee and a courteous word with the librarian you might be admitted as an overseas visitor.

There is a public library in the cluster of municipal buildings on Colon Street, next to the fire station and near the post office, with free WiFi.

Buy
The main shopping area downtown is Perdices Street from around the Bell Tower to the edge of Silliman University. The street continues north into the university, but the name changes to Hibbard Avenue.

Downtown

On the boulevard, Why Not? has imported (mainly European) groceries, including some things you cannot find elsewhere. Prices tend to be high but are sometimes better than in the imported foods section of a supermarket.

Outside downtown
If you want a lot of stuff, for example if you are setting up housekeeping, then the Hypermart may be preferable to Robinson's Place. Robinson's have four separate stores in their mall — supermarket, department store, TV & appliances, and other hardware — with separate delivery systems for each, and they refuse to combine purchases from multiple stores into one delivery. At the Hypermart you can get groceries, appliances, bedding and furniture in one store, get them all delivered in one load, and pay only one delivery fee.

Other shopping
There are farmers' markets near the center of every town; all are very good for fruit and vegetables and have other things as well. All these markets except Valencia are right on the main north-south coastal highway through the region. The one in Dumaguete is just west of the cathedral and the one in Valencia is where the jeepneys deliver you if you arrive that way.

Zamboanguita, south of Dumaguete, also has a market. Every Wednesday, the village of Malatapay there has a large market; the specialties are handicrafts and seafood.

Robinson's Place has two bookstores, both part of nationwide chains and both with a reasonable selection of books in English. National Bookstore on the ground floor has new books while Book Sale, upstairs, sells used books. There is also a book store downtown on Perdices a little north of Lee Plaza; it has a lot of children's books and textbooks, but almost nothing for general adult readers.

On the hallway leading to the immigration office (listed under ) is the small family-owned X.I.Q. bookstore (which also is a book rental place) which seems to be the only establishment in town with a good selection of sci-fi and fantasy; they also have a large selection of romances and children's books. The second floor of that building also has a bookstore.

Eat
There are restaurants all over Dumaguete and some of the plainer ones with Filipino customers away from the central strip may be the best places to search for low prices or local color. In particular, places catering to the student market near any of the universities (especially along Hibbard Avenue near Silliman University or the North Highway near Negros Oriental U) are often cheap and lively.

All the places listed under below also serve food, though not all have a large menu.

Budget
Most of these places — at least Chow King, Filomena, Food Net and Scooby's — offer free filtered and chilled water from a self-service fountain with a supply of glasses. Most also have soft drinks around, and some have tea, coffee or juices. None serve alcohol.

 * Next to Food Net on Noblefranca is a small stand with cheap Filipino food. Their deep-fried bananas (cut up, coated with batter and optionally with sugar) make a tasty cheap dessert at a stick. Two sticks would be a light meal.
 * Next to Food Net on Noblefranca is a small stand with cheap Filipino food. Their deep-fried bananas (cut up, coated with batter and optionally with sugar) make a tasty cheap dessert at a stick. Two sticks would be a light meal.
 * Next to Food Net on Noblefranca is a small stand with cheap Filipino food. Their deep-fried bananas (cut up, coated with batter and optionally with sugar) make a tasty cheap dessert at a stick. Two sticks would be a light meal.
 * Next to Food Net on Noblefranca is a small stand with cheap Filipino food. Their deep-fried bananas (cut up, coated with batter and optionally with sugar) make a tasty cheap dessert at a stick. Two sticks would be a light meal.
 * Next to Food Net on Noblefranca is a small stand with cheap Filipino food. Their deep-fried bananas (cut up, coated with batter and optionally with sugar) make a tasty cheap dessert at a stick. Two sticks would be a light meal.
 * Next to Food Net on Noblefranca is a small stand with cheap Filipino food. Their deep-fried bananas (cut up, coated with batter and optionally with sugar) make a tasty cheap dessert at a stick. Two sticks would be a light meal.

There are also two small cheap burger places on the Boulevard, next to Bogart's. See.

Mid-range
A major area for restaurants and bars is the scenic seafront strip along Rizal Boulevard, plus the streets just behind it up to or a bit beyond Perdices. The cheapest food in this area is from street vendors who appear along the sea front, mainly near the north end, in the evenings selling tempura and corn-on-the-cob.

The restaurants are generally mid-range in pricing, with main courses in the range, though an imported steak can be up to. The food is generally quite good and the range of choices is large, but prices are often somewhat higher than in other areas of town. Quality of the coffee varies rather widely, and much of it is not worth the prices charged here; see above for alternatives. However the boulevard places more-or-less all have cold beer and many serve good milkshakes. Tea, juices, wine and mixed drinks are also on offer in many places. Many offer calamansi juice, from a local fruit similar to a lime; this is worth trying if you like citrus drinks.

Nearly all these places have patios with a view of the sea; this is a mixed blessing. The view is lovely and there is often a welcome sea breeze, but there is no air conditioning, the traffic noise can be distinctly unpleasant, during storms the rain blows in, and people on the patios will be bothered by beggars and vendors of various things.

Along the boulevard
We list the boulevard restaurants here in north-to-south order:

 * The Blue Monkey Grill, on the corner of Rizal and Silliman, closed in early 2018. As of the start of 2020, something is actively under construction on their former site.
 * The Bricks Hotel has a restaurant and bar. beer, smoking area out back.
 * Bethel Guest House (listed under ) has Filomena Cafe (listed under ).
 * Bethel Guest House (listed under ) has Filomena Cafe (listed under ).
 * Bethel Guest House (listed under ) has Filomena Cafe (listed under ).
 * Bethel Guest House (listed under ) has Filomena Cafe (listed under ).
 * Bethel Guest House (listed under ) has Filomena Cafe (listed under ).
 * Bethel Guest House (listed under ) has Filomena Cafe (listed under ).
 * Bethel Guest House (listed under ) has Filomena Cafe (listed under ).
 * Bethel Guest House (listed under ) has Filomena Cafe (listed under ).
 * Bethel Guest House (listed under ) has Filomena Cafe (listed under ).
 * Bethel Guest House (listed under ) has Filomena Cafe (listed under ).
 * Bethel Guest House (listed under ) has Filomena Cafe (listed under ).
 * Bethel Guest House (listed under ) has Filomena Cafe (listed under ).
 * Bethel Guest House (listed under ) has Filomena Cafe (listed under ).
 * Bethel Guest House (listed under ) has Filomena Cafe (listed under ).
 * Bethel Guest House (listed under ) has Filomena Cafe (listed under ).
 * Bethel Guest House (listed under ) has Filomena Cafe (listed under ).
 * Bethel Guest House (listed under ) has Filomena Cafe (listed under ).
 * Bethel Guest House (listed under ) has Filomena Cafe (listed under ).
 * Bethel Guest House (listed under ) has Filomena Cafe (listed under ).
 * Bethel Guest House (listed under ) has Filomena Cafe (listed under ).
 * Bethel Guest House (listed under ) has Filomena Cafe (listed under ).
 * Bethel Guest House (listed under ) has Filomena Cafe (listed under ).
 * Bethel Guest House (listed under ) has Filomena Cafe (listed under ).
 * Bethel Guest House (listed under ) has Filomena Cafe (listed under ).
 * Bethel Guest House (listed under ) has Filomena Cafe (listed under ).
 * Bethel Guest House (listed under ) has Filomena Cafe (listed under ).
 * Bethel Guest House (listed under ) has Filomena Cafe (listed under ).
 * Bethel Guest House (listed under ) has Filomena Cafe (listed under ).
 * Bethel Guest House (listed under ) has Filomena Cafe (listed under ).
 * Bethel Guest House (listed under ) has Filomena Cafe (listed under ).
 * Bethel Guest House (listed under ) has Filomena Cafe (listed under ).

Parents bringing kids to the boulevard fairly often get them either hot dogs at the cheap burger places or ice cream cones at 7-Eleven.

Other downtown places
There are also a number of restaurants that are not on the boulevard but are within easy walking distance. Many are either on Santa Catalina (parallel to the boulevard, a short block inland) or on Silliman Avenue (running inland from the north end of the boulevard).

Along Silliman: Along Santa Catalina: Elsewhere downtown:
 * There is another Jo's in Sibulan, a km or two beyond the market, with a large patio and a fine sea view.
 * There is another Jo's in Sibulan, a km or two beyond the market, with a large patio and a fine sea view.
 * There is another Jo's in Sibulan, a km or two beyond the market, with a large patio and a fine sea view.
 * There is another Jo's in Sibulan, a km or two beyond the market, with a large patio and a fine sea view.
 * There is another Jo's in Sibulan, a km or two beyond the market, with a large patio and a fine sea view.

Perdices Street has several chain restaurants; Jollibee's and McDonald's each have two, while Dunkin Donuts, Chow King, Greenwich Pizza and Mang Inasal (Filipino BBQ chicken) each have one. Fruit is available in the supermarkets, from fruit shops, or from street vendors. There are many bakeries; Lee Plaza has two (one listed at and another on the ground floor), Robinson's has one, and there are several more along the street.

South of the center
There are also some restaurants south of downtown either on Jose Romero (the road that goes west to Valencia) or on the highway south toward Bacong. Many of these are popular with local expats.

Lobos Sports Bar is located on the Diversion Road near the intersection with the Western Nautical Highway. Showing sports from around the world with ice cold beer and great food. 2 billiards tables, 3 dart boards, 1 shuffle board, and 1 set of corn hole. The waitresses and staff are friendly and they are ready to serve.

Robinson's mall has many chain restaurants including Shakey's Pizza, Jollibee, Mister Donut, Krispy Kreme, Mang Inasal and KFC inside the mall. A courtyard at the east of the mall has several more, including Bo's Coffee and Mooon Cafe. A food court at the north end of the second floor has many places, mostly with Filipino food.

North of the center
The area Where EJ Blanco reaches the coast north of town is developing rapidly. Flores Avenue along the coast has been widened, there is a large upmarket condo/mall project at the Flores/EJ Blanco intersection, and there are many restaurants in the area: Families with kids may appreciate either Racer or Lantaw. Between the two is a small playground with swings, slides and a grassy area to run around on; kids can reach it without either going on a road or being out of the parents' sight. Elsewhere north of downtown are:
 * There is a small stand with Filipino-style barbecue chicken between Hayahay and Lantaw.
 * There is a small stand with Filipino-style barbecue chicken between Hayahay and Lantaw.

Valencia
Valencia has a market near the center of town with bakeries, fruit vendors, several restaurants with Filipino food, and two pizza places. On Sundays many additional vendors appear; along the north side of the market is (mostly used) clothing at good prices, while to the west is a park with vendors of interesting food including European sausage-in-a-bun and good cheap ( for a small loaf) French bread. Delicious Spanish Omelettes and Croquetas and a fantastic Greek Yoghurt are also available around the kiosk area of the Sunday Market.

On the streets on the south and west sides of the market are many restaurants, including some that are quite popular with the town's large expatriate community:

Splurge
Competition is stiff for restaurants in Dumaguete, and the restaurants listed above all have many moderately-priced items on their menus so we have listed them all as "Mid-range". If you want elegant decor and a menu that includes upmarket offerings, then your best bets are Casablanca, La Residencia Almar, or Lantaw.

Drink
Tourists and resident expatriates do much of their imbibing in the strip of restaurants and bars along Rizal Boulevard; those are listed under above. There are also a number of other restaurants, plus some discos and karaoke places, just inland from there. Some bars outside that central region, but within a few minutes pedicab ride, are: When ordering a rum & coke in Dumaguete, a double usually costs less than a single; Philippine rum is cheaper than the mixer. Some places offer a triple for even less.

For those who enjoy karaoke, there is a KTV place above Mooon Cafe on Silliman Avenue, and another a few doors further west; these cater to a mainly student crowd. As anywhere in the country, there are also many "videoke" places scattered around town, generally loud, cheap, in low-rent neighborhoods, and catering to the working class. For tourists, one of these might be a good choice if you are out with Filipino friends, but otherwise probably not.

Unlike some places in the Philippines, Dumaguete does not have a flourishing sex trade. As anywhere on Earth, there is prostitution, but it is not nearly as blatant as in places like Angeles or Puerto Galera. There are some girlie bars outside Dumaguete city limits in Sibulan along the North Highway beyond the airport, but nothing so obvious in town.

Sleep
Dumaguete is a tourist town with a large number of hotels, not all listed here. Walk down almost any street near the center of town and you are bound to find several.

Splurge
At early 2023 exchange rates is a bit under $40 US, so even these upmarket places are cheap by Western standards.

Long-term stays
It is fairly common for travellers to stay in Dumaguete for long periods, in particular for most or all of what would be the winter season back home. Some even settle permanently; this is a prime destination for retiring abroad. Many hotels and some small guest houses offer by-the-week or by-the-month deals.

There are also places catering mainly to long-term guests. Prices start around /month for a room in a house full of students; unfurnished studio apartments start around /month. Most of the resident foreigners have nice places in the range, and many of those are furnished, but finding vacancies for such places may be difficult and you need to sign at least a six-month lease for most of them. A foreigner cannot legally own land in the Philippines, but they can buy a condo in their own name. It is common to buy land in the name of a Filipina wife or girlfriend, and that often works well, but a condo is safer. There are real estate agents (web search will find a dozen, or you may notice signs around town) who can connect you to anything from by-the-month accommodation to buying property of various types. Why Not? on the boulevard and Red Tables in Valencia have notice boards with ads to rent or sell property, cars and motorcycles. The Facebook group Dumaguete Marketplace often lists apartments for rent.

Outside town
West of downtown there are several highland resorts mainly oriented to outdoor activities. These are in a forested area and are reached via Taft Street which starts a bit north of downtown Valencia and runs west along a river. South of the city is a coastline well provided with dive resorts, which we cover in the articles on the coastal towns. Listed north-to-south, those are:
 * Bacong, included in this article
 * Dauin - about 20 km from Dumaguete
 * Zamboanguita
 * Either Dauin or Zamboanguita has boats to Apo Island which has some of the best diving in the region. Transport to the island, and accommodation there, can also be arranged through tour agencies or hotels in Dumaguete.

 * Siaton - near the southern tip of the island, with the scenic Lake Balanan in the mountains inland of it and a harbor popular with people Cruising on small craft.

Beyond Siaton, around the corner onto the southwest coast of the island, are several more towns, also often reached via Dumaguete. These are a bit off-the-beaten-path, not well-developed as resort destinations. Listed east-to-west: Beyond those is Negros Occidental; the nearest resort area there is Sipalay, not highly developed or heavily touristed but with good beaches and diving. This is a popular destination for Dumaguete or Bacolod residents who want to get away from it all.
 * Santa Catalina
 * Bayawan
 * Basay has some of the finest fishing in the country.

Stay safe
Dumaguete is generally a safe city. There are enough beggars and touts to be annoying, but by Asian standards these problems are relatively mild. Police are quite visible, especially along Rizal Boulevard.

You do see evidence that locals are concerned about security. Many of the larger old houses and more-or-less all the new luxury housing are in walled compounds, and barbed wire, spikes or broken glass to discourage people from climbing the walls are common, as are bars to keep burglars from entering windows. Most businesses have roll-down metal doors for protection when they are closed. Many businesses and some residential compounds have armed guards. Guards at the entrances to many department stores or malls use metal-detecting wands to scan customers before entry. All of this, however, is true in most areas of the Philippines, and much of it is common to most low-income countries.

Traffic can be distinctly hectic; there are no traffic lights and few stop signs in the town, and you only occasionally see policemen directing traffic. Most of the oddities of Asian driving are seen in Dumaguete: running without lights at night is common, motorcycles fairly often do interesting things like going down the wrong side of the road or ignoring one-way traffic signs, and so on. On the positive side, the traffic is not remarkably fast, there are few traffic jams and, compared to some other Asian cities, Dumaguete has fewer drivers who seem obviously insane to western observers.

Pedestrians should be quite cautious in Dumaguete. The traffic is dangerous, some roads lack sidewalks, and even if there is a sidewalk, it may be blocked by parked motorcycles. Both roads and sidewalks are often seriously uneven — some have holes that could easily break a leg, and many more could turn an ankle — so it is essential to watch your step.

As in any tropical area, there is risk of sunburn; it is quite important for newly arrived visitors to exercise caution.

Stay healthy
Health risks in Dumaguete are not large but, as for most travel, it is worth checking with your doctor and possibly getting some vaccines before setting out. The area is tropical, so see also hot weather and tropical diseases.

A few vaccines may be of particular concern:
 * The city has many stray dogs and cats, and some rats and bats, so rabies vaccine may be a good idea. It takes three shots spaced over a month; cost in the Philippines is -3000 per shot.
 * Two vaccines for the mosquito-borne disease dengue fever are now available in some countries. Dengue is widespread in the Philippines and Dumaguete has some mosquitoes (though not many), so one of those might be a wise precaution. See Dengue_fever for details.

The city has many health services — doctors, dentists, pharmacies, optometrists — and, as elsewhere in the Philippines and indeed most of Asia, these services are often much cheaper than in higher-income countries. There are exceptions when imported products, such as dental implants or certain drugs, are required for the treatment.

Hospitals & clinics
The city has five hospitals: The Social Hygiene Clinic, part of the city health office at the City Hall on Colon Street, offers free testing for sexually transmitted diseases including HIV. The Central Visayas region ranks third in the country for the most cases of HIV.

Pharmacies

The erection-enhancing drugs Viagra and Cialis are available from most pharmacies without prescription. There are also vendors who patrol the boulevard bars selling them; they are considerably cheaper provided you bargain the price down some, and the products do work, but the pharmacies are probably safer. In any case, you should not take these without consulting a doctor since they affect the circulatory system and may be quite dangerous for some men.

Connect
Internet service is generally very good; Dumaguete is one of the hubs of the fiber optic network that connects the country. Most hotels and many restaurants offer free Wi-Fi; connection speed is fine for text, photos and most graphics but music or video streaming is sometimes jerky.

There are a number of fairly large Internet cafés; they cater mainly to people playing online games, so they provide reasonably powerful computers with decent screens and a fast connection. One is above the Scoobie's coffee shop on San José, another is at Harold's Mansion, and several are around the corner of Perdices and Silliman to catch the student trade; one of the largest and most popular is Frozen Throne a half-block south on Perdices.

If you rent or buy a place, home Internet service starts around a month and ranges up to over. Most foreign residents opt for a package that includes cable TV and fast Internet for something in the range.

Cell phone connections are fast and reliable anywhere in the city itself or in central areas of the major suburbs, but can be quite flaky in some outlying areas.

Cope
Dumaguete has frequent (once every few weeks) "brownouts", the local term for a complete shutdown of electrical power; these are nearly all planned shutdowns announced in advance by the power company, and are usually several hours on a Sunday. Locals often cope with them by having a day out at a resort in some nearby area, most commonly Dauin to the south or Amlan to the north. Valencia may also be an alternative, and has a Sunday market, but some Dumaguete brownouts include Valencia.

Smoking
Smoking is not encouraged in Dumaguete; a municipal ordinance prohibits smoking in public places, including on the streets or in restaurants and bars, and there are officers on scooters who give out tickets for this, for a first offense. Most or all hotels prohibit smoking in the rooms. However, a few bars have smoking areas and some hotels provide a patio or balcony area where nicotine addicts can indulge.

For those who prefer a vaporizer:

For chewing tobacco, Bogart's Bar on the boulevard stocks a Swedish product called Snus.

Go next
Nearby major cities are Bacolod and Cebu City; there are buses to both and boats to Cebu. Popular tourist destinations nearby include Siquijor, Bohol and Apo Island.

The Dumaguete-Bacolod bus route passes through several places that may be worth a stop. Mabinay, up in the mountains about halfway, is a center for spelunking; the area around it has many caves but accommodation choices are not brilliant. Kabankalan is where the road reaches the sea again, on the west coast south of Bacolod, and has some beach resorts.

Bais, 44 km north of Dumaguete, is known for dolphin and whale watching, and also has public ballroom dancing in the plaza, mangrove swamps, and a 7-km long white sand bar that is washed clean twice a day by each high tide. Oslob on Cebu Island is known for whale sharks.

title: Dumaguete


text:
Dumai

Dumai is the main port city in Riau province on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Typical of such cities, it is quite seedy and there is nothing really much to do once you have arrived except to get out as soon as you can. However, you may well find yourself arriving here as it is a major ferry port with connections to the Malaysian cities of Port Klang, Port Dickson and Malacca as well as other Indonesian cities like Bengkalis and Batam.

By road
Dumai is well connected by road from Pekanbaru and Medan. The Trans-Sumatran Highway doesn't directly cross over the city, but goes near the city's edges.

From Pekanbaru, it takes approximately 5 hours to reach Dumai. The primary mode of transport is either buses or "travels" (shared car pool). It costs approximately Rp70,000 per person by "travels" and Rp50,000 by bus. If you book a full car, it is roughly Rp450,000 from Pekanbaru. The roads are not good however.

From Medan, it takes about 10 hours. The cost of travel is approximately Rp200,000-300,000 per person, depending upon the bus.
 * Makmur/Halmahera, Jl. Sisingamangaraja Km 6, 7 Medan. Large buses (AC or non-AC), runs daily (usually overnight).

The main bus station is inconveniently located. An office for shared taxis to Pekanbaru can be found about 300 m from the northern end of Jalan Sudirman, on the east side.

By boat
All passenger ferry depart from. Beware not to go in the wrong gate as the terminal gate is just side by side with cargo port gate.

From Malaysia
Ferries operate from the following Malaysian cities:

 * Port Klang: Several operators run daily ferries to/from Port Klang, the port for Kuala Lumpur. They include:
 * Indomal Express/Malaysia Express: Contact Doyan Shipping in Port Klang . From Malaysia, RM100 one-way. Journey takes just under 3 hours.
 * MV Pelita Jaya Express/Sabang Marindo II: by NKH Ferry Services in Port Klang . Daily departures from Dumai at 1300; from Port Klang 1030. From Malaysia RM80/150 one-way/return.

The Port Klang passenger terminal charges a departure tax of RM 20 whether you arrive from Dumai or depart from Port Klang, if you don't have the amount in Malaysian Ringgits you are allowed to pay in Indonesian Rupiah but the rate are quite bad.

 * Port Dickson:
 * The Acob Express (Port Dickson Jetty office ) operates daily to/from Port Dickson in Negeri Sembilan. From Malaysia, it is RM85/160 one-way/return. Departs Dumai 1300, Port Dickson 1030.
 * Indomal Express depart from/to Port Dickson on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Dumai to Port Dickson : 11:00 (local time) & Port Dickson to Dumai : 09:00 (local time)

 * Malacca: one ferry daily, operated by Tunas Rupat (Dumai agent at Jl. Jend. Sudirman No. 423, /37805, open from 07.00 till 17.00; Malacca Ticketing booth at Jln PM10, Plaza Mahkota Melaka Raya. Tel: +60-6-2816766 or office at +60-6-2832506/2832516). Ferry depart depart at 09:00 local time except Friday depart at 10:30 from Dumai and 08:30 from Malacca. Journey time just under two hours. Tickets from Malacca cost RM110/170 one-way/return (at Dumai, cost Rp 300,000/600,000 one-way/return for adult, children 1-12 yo cost half). On high demand season, they may add more trips daily. You have to check-in 2 hours minimum at ticket counter. Indomal also runs ferries on this route 5 times per week.
 * Malacca to Dumai Ferry.. Tickets can be purchased from the Malacca International Ferry Terminal, about a 5-minute walk from the Tourist Information Office near the Clock Tower. When purchasing a ticket, an exit ticket from Indonesia is asked for. If you do not have an exit ticket, they are happy to sell you an open return ferry ticket (195 Malaysian ringgit, as of July 2019). This return ticket is valid for six months. Ferry departure time is 10:00. The immigration office opens at 09:00. Money can be exchanged at the ticket purchasing counter. You are able to carry your luggage on to the ferry, but larger items will be stored separately. It takes about two hours to sail to Dumai and depending on the number of passengers, and where you are in the queue, up to an hour to clear immigration. If you want the 60-day visa on arrival, the cost is 500,000 Indonesian Rupiah (July 2019). This process is rather straightforward with no complications.

From other parts of Indonesia
In Batam, ferries dock at Sekupang, next to the international ferry terminal where there are connecting ferries to Singapore. In Bintan, ferries arrive/depart from Tanjung Pinang harbour in the middle of town.
 * Batam, Bintan and other Riau Islands:
 * Dumai Express ( Office at Jl. Jenderal Sudirman No.425) operates several ferries to/from Batam and Bintan. Most ferries stop by Bengkalis off the coast of Riau, and also Tanjung Balai on Karimun Island.
 * Batam Jet (Office at Jl. Jenderal Sudirman No.441) has daily ferries to Batam.

Indonesia's national passenger shipping company Pelni ships call at Dumai, linking it with Sumatran ports like Medan and other Indonesian islands like Java, Kalimantan and Sulawesi.
 * Other islands:

Get around
Nothing much to see even if you don't have a transport. The town is quite small where you can walk around in half a day just like Kuah, Langkawi, Malaysia. Grab car serves the city.

There's a public park in Sudirman street called Taman Bukit Gelanggang where you can rent a "delman"; a traditional horse-drawn cart.

Buy
Prices are high here because of the small size of the town, and the fact that nothing is grown in the area except palm plantations. There is small shopping mall called Ramayana. For fruit and vegetables there is Pasar which is open during the day 7 days a week.

Food souvenirs
Keripik cabe, cassava crisps with chili spices

Eat
You can taste a lot traditional food in Dumai. Ayam Penyet (Smash Chicken) is a fried chicken with hot/nice traditional chili. You can find sellers in Patimura street, Sei masang, and almost every street in Dumai. Pecel Lele is a fried fish with traditional chili. You can find a lot of food in Hasanuddin (Ombak) street, especially fresh seafood.

Beware though if you visit here during fasting month of Ramadan, it will be very hard to find food for lunch. Only several fast food chain and Chinese-operated restaurant will open.

Drink
Air akar and es samudra is a local Riau drink and you may find it in Dumai.

Coffee shops
There are several good coffee shops in Dumai,

Sleep
There are two or three nice and new hotels. Once you reach the jetty, do not allow any touts to bother you. Walk fast and get a tricycle (or better, book Grab before going out from terminal) to go to your hotel. Do not tell anybody how long you are going to stay. You can say you came for business meeting with your boss. Your boss is arriving later. You won't be bothered after that. Otherwise the van touts and tricycle touts will try to push prostitutes.

Go next

 * The local bus station is about 3 km out of Dumai where buses leave for the next most tourist destinations in Sumatra, Bukittinggi (ca. 8-9 hr) or Lake Maninjau.
 * To Beting Aceh Island, an island with white sand beaches. Take a boat from Dumai.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Dumai


text:
Dumas

Dumas is a city on the High Plains of the Texas Panhandle.

Get in

 * US Highway 287 between Amarillo and Stratford
 * US Highway 87 between Amarillo and Dalhart
 * Accessible from Borger and Pampa by Texas 152

Go next

 * Stratford, small historic rail depot town with many very old homes.
 * Dalhart - XIT Ranch, and a famous rodeo celebration.

title: Dumas


text:
Dumbarton

Dumbarton is a town in Clydeside in the Central Belt of Scotland, with a population of 20,480 in 2020. It stands on the north shore of the Clyde at the outflow of the River Leven, which drains Loch Lomond. Most visitors are simply making a stopover, as this is the first town and cluster of accommodation you encounter heading north from Glasgow towards the Highlands. The main reasons to visit are the castle and the model ship tank.

Understand
Dùn Breatann is Gaelic for "hill of the Britons" referring to Dumbarton Rock, the crag standing over the Clyde and fortified since ancient times. The Britons spoke a P-Celtic language akin to Welsh; in 840 AD they were driven out by the Vikings and supplanted by the people of Strathclyde, who spoke the Q-Celtic forerunner to modern Gaelic.

Shipbuilding and whisky-distilling were the town's traditional trades, and it was the historic county town of Dunbartonshire (note the spelling). It nowadays hosts West Dunbartonshire Council, and is a commuter town for Glasgow and for Faslane navy base ("HMNB Clyde") on Gareloch. It's frankly ugly, a sprawling mess of ill-planned post-war concrete. Anyone who detests Scotland's five planned "New Towns" such as Cumbernauld had better come here and take a look at the alternative.

Get in
By plane: Glasgow Airport is nearby, and easily reached with a car via A898 Erskine Bridge, but there's no public transport that way except twice a day when the Citylink buses to the Highlands call at the airport. So you usually have to travel via central Glasgow; else consider taking a taxi.

Trains run every 15 min from Glasgow Queen Street (low level) to Dumbarton East (for castle), Dumbarton Central (for town) and Dalreoch (for Levengrove Park). They either originate in Edinburgh and continue to Helensburgh Central, or in Springburn or Airdrie and continue to Alexandria and Balloch on Loch Lomond. The trains towards Helensburgh also stops at Cardross (for Geilston Garden).

Every couple of hours, trains along the West Highland Line from Glasgow Queen Street stop at Dumbarton Central, but not the other stations, on their way north via Helensburgh Upper and Arrochar & Tarbet to Crianlarich, where they divide for Oban or Fort William.

The Caledonian Highland Sleeper leaves London Euston Su-F after 9PM, reaching Dumbarton around 6AM on its way to Fort William; the return train picks up around 11:30PM to reach Euston by 8AM. You might prefer to take the Lowland Sleeper towards midnight then a daytime train from Glasgow.

has a staffed ticket office and machines, a cafe, waiting room and toilets. There are steep ramps to both platforms.

has a ticket machine and waiting area but no other facilities. Access is by steps to the island platform.

First Glasgow Bus 1 / 1A / 1B runs every 30 min from Glasgow Osborne St via Scotstoun and Clydebank railway station to Dumbarton, taking just over an hour, and continuing either north to Alexandria and Balloch, or west to Helensburgh. This and other local buses ply along Glasgow St and High St; there isn't a bus station.

First Bus 206 runs from Balloch and Alexandria, taking 50 min. It's every 30 min M-Sa and hourly on Sunday.

Scottish Citylink buses from Glasgow to Oban, Campbeltown, Fort William and Skye pick up and drop off at Barloan Toll roundabout on A82 at the north edge of town; they don't come into town centre.

Get around
The buses for Balloch run up the Vale of Leven, while those for Helensburgh follow the coast via Cardross.

Taxi: Wright Taxis serve Dumbarton and Alexandria, tel +44 1389 721010.

See

 * Old Dumbarton Bridge, built in 1765, crosses the Leven just north of Levengrove Park. It still carries traffic but is now bypassed by the bridge on Glasgow Road 100 yards north.
 * Old Dumbarton Bridge, built in 1765, crosses the Leven just north of Levengrove Park. It still carries traffic but is now bypassed by the bridge on Glasgow Road 100 yards north.
 * Old Dumbarton Bridge, built in 1765, crosses the Leven just north of Levengrove Park. It still carries traffic but is now bypassed by the bridge on Glasgow Road 100 yards north.
 * Old Dumbarton Bridge, built in 1765, crosses the Leven just north of Levengrove Park. It still carries traffic but is now bypassed by the bridge on Glasgow Road 100 yards north.
 * above Cardross is a bizarre ruin. It was built in the 1860s as a baronial mansion, and became a Roman Catholic seminary in the 1960s. This was then engulfed in a brutalist concrete carapace that won lots of awards but was a shambles to maintain, occupy or cultivate a pious priestly vocation within. The seminary decamped to Glasgow in 1980 and for a time the building was a drug rehab project, then a vandalised mess. The mansion was demolished in 1995 after a fire rendered it unsafe. The concrete structure has defeated a string of projects to rescue it and you may find the area fenced off.
 * Kilmahew Castle 200 yards north of the seminary was built at the end of the 13th century, and inhabited to mid-19th century, then fell into ruin.
 * towards Alexandria has a walking trail with here and there the remnants of a "Starfish" air raid decoy. In the Second World War Britain had decoy defences for airfields and other military installations, and extended these to the cities after the 1940 bombing of Coventry. At the onset of an air raid, a control bunker set off pyrotechnics to resemble the incendiaries dropped by the pathfinder aircraft, thus drawing the bomber fleet away from town and the shipyards.
 * towards Alexandria has a walking trail with here and there the remnants of a "Starfish" air raid decoy. In the Second World War Britain had decoy defences for airfields and other military installations, and extended these to the cities after the 1940 bombing of Coventry. At the onset of an air raid, a control bunker set off pyrotechnics to resemble the incendiaries dropped by the pathfinder aircraft, thus drawing the bomber fleet away from town and the shipyards.

Do

 * Football:
 * Golf: Dumbarton GC is a mile north of town centre. White tees 6026, par 71, visitor round £20. Cardross GC is northwest towards Helensburgh.
 * Scottish Pipe Band Championships are held on Levengrove Park in late July. The best of them go forward to the World Championships in Glasgow in August.
 * Highland Games: Dumbarton doesn't host its own, see Luss and Balloch for their events in July.

Buy

 * Morrisons is 100 yards east of Lidl.
 * Asda is on St James Retail Park north side of Glasgow road opposite the Denny Ship Tank.
 * High Street has a collection of lower end shops with a small mall, the Artizan Centre.
 * High Street has a collection of lower end shops with a small mall, the Artizan Centre.

Eat

 * Along High St are Rigo's Bistro, Chargrill, Andy's Golden Fry, Bollywood Lounge, Grill on the Bridge, plus the pubs listed below.
 * Haveli Family Buffet next to Central railway station is open M-Sa noon-9PM, Su 2-9PM.

Drink

 * Town centre other pubs include Glencairn Lounge, Counting House, Burgh Bar, Waterside Inn and Lennox Bar. Waverley Bar is west of the river and Stags Head is next to the east railway station.
 * Lennox Brewery at 25 Lime Rd near Central station produces various ales, and you can sample them at source on Saturdays 11AM-3PM.
 * Distilleries: see Glasgow for Auchentoshan Distillery, 5 miles east at Dalmuir. Others stretch up the valley to Balloch but can't be toured. What Dumbarton does, rather than distilling, is blending, bottling and shipping out - Chivas Regal is the best-known local name.
 * Distilleries: see Glasgow for Auchentoshan Distillery, 5 miles east at Dalmuir. Others stretch up the valley to Balloch but can't be toured. What Dumbarton does, rather than distilling, is blending, bottling and shipping out - Chivas Regal is the best-known local name.

Sleep

 * Most travellers hereabouts are simply looking for a stopover along A82, the road to Loch Lomond and the Highlands. There's a string of places to meet that need, but not much in Dumbarton itself.

Connect
Dumbarton has 4G with all UK carriers. As of Dec 2022, there's patchy 5G along A82 but not in town.

Go next

 * Helensburgh's main attraction is Hill House designed by Charles Rennie Macintosh.
 * Loch Lomond stretches north of Balloch. The west shore carries the busy A82; the east shore is more peaceful around Balmaha, except at weekends when the city hordes arrive.
 * Don't regard Glasgow as just a transport hub, it's a great destination in its own right.

title: Dumbarton


text:
Dumbrăveni

Dumbraveni is a town in the north of Sibiu County, in the centre of Transylvania, central Romania. Before 1945, it was called Ibaşfalău (German: Elisabethstad", Saxon dialect: Eppeschdorf; Hungarian: Erzsébetváros). The town lies on the banks of the Târnava Mare River, 20 km east from the city of Mediaş, the second largest city in the county. It now has a large Romany ("gypsy") population.

Dumbrăveni has two villages attached to it: Ernea (German: Ehrgang, Saxon dialect: Argung, Hungarian: Szászernye) and Şaroşu pe Târnave (German: Scharosch, Saxon dialect: Šuerš; Hungarian: Szászsáros).

Get in
Dumbraveni has a train station and lies on the rail line 300 connecting Bucuresti (nord) - Brasov - Sighisoara - Teius - Războieni - Cluj Napoca - Oradea. There are two "Accelerat" trains stopping on this route, connecting Bucuresti (nord) to Satu Mare.

For more national connections, one can take the local trains to Sighisoara or Medias and then catch Accelerat, Rapid and InterCity trains there. For train timetables and fares, check Mersul Trenurilor

Get around
Dumbraveni is at roughly equal distance between Sighisoara and Medias (around 18 km) and both cities are easily accessible by local "Personal" trains.

title: Dumbrăveni


text:
Dumfries

Dumfries is the principal town of Dumfries and Galloway in southwest Scotland. It's a pleasant market town, with a population of 46,500 in 2020.

Robert Burns (1759-1796) the poet spent his last years here: from 1788 to 1791 at Ellisland Farm 7 miles north, then in Dumfries town until his death, aged 37. Sites associated with him are the main reason to visit, and it's also a good base for exploring the Dumfriesshire countryside. For travellers to and from Ireland who need a stopover, Dumfries may be a better choice than the port of Stranraer.

Understand
The Dumfries area is lowland and sits on red sandstone, well-drained and fertile. The town grew up east of the lowest crossing point and tidal limit of the River Nith - Maxwelltown on the west bank was separate until merged with Dumfries in 1929. Although it's a burgh of great antiquity, few of the buildings are very old, as invading armies kept wrecking the place. The last such visitor was Bonnie Prince Charlie in 1745, who demanded money and shoes for his men. But the Duke of Cumberland was marching down on him so he and his Jacobite forces scarpered, none too nimbly as few of the shoes had been handed over.

Dumfries is on the transport route between England and Northern Ireland. It's grown rapidly and its industry and transport depend upon these UK links; in 2016 it voted heavily against Scottish independence.

By train
Scotrail trains run every 2 or 3 hours from Glasgow Central, taking 1 hour 50 min via Kilmarnock and Sanquhar, and continuing from Dumfries to Annan, Gretna Green and Carlisle.

From England, take the train towards Glasgow or Edinburgh and change at Carlisle. From Glasgow it's almost as quick to come via Carlisle as by the direct train.

is east side of town centre. It has a staffed ticket office and machines, a cafe, toilets and waiting room. There is step-free access to Platform 1, which in practice all trains use. There are steps and no lift for the bridge to Platform 2. Plusbus is available at this station.

By bus
Stagecoach Cumbria Bus 79 runs from Carlisle, taking 1 hr 40 min via Longtown, Gretna, Annan and Ruthwell, M-Sa hourly and every two hours Sunday.

Stagecoach Bus X74 runs from Glasgow, taking 2 hr 15 min via Hamilton, Lesmahagow,  Abington and Moffat to Dumfries, hourly M-Sa and every two hours on Sunday.

Stagecoach Bus 101 runs from Edinburgh 3 or 4 times a day, taking 3 hours via Penicuik, West Linton, Biggar, Abington and Moffat.

Stagecoach Bus 500 runs from Stranraer via Glenluce, Newton Stewart and Castle Douglas to Dumfries, with six M-Sa and three on Sunday. It doesn't serve the ferry ports at Cairnryan.

Stagecoach West Scotland Bus 81 runs from Lockerbie M-Sa every 30 min, every two hours Sunday, taking 20 min via Torthorwald.

National Express no longer serves Dumfries: the Ulsterbus from London to Belfast has been axed.

is the town bus station.

By road
A74(M) is the main Carlisle-Glasgow highway, to the east of Dumfries. From Carlisle take A75 past Annan to Dumfries; this continues west to Castle Douglas and Stranraer. From Glasgow or Edinburgh leave A74(M) at Beattock for A701.

A76 runs up the Nith Valley from Dumfries via Sanquhar and Cumnock to Kilmarnock, for routes to Glasgow and the Ayrshire coast.

Get around
Houston's Bus 372 runs south from Dumfries along A710 to New Abbey (for Sweetheart Abbey), Ingleston Ford Farm (start of the climb up Criffel), Kirkbean (turnoff for John Paul Jones birthplace) and Sandyhills, which has a deer park. It runs M-Sa every two hours, but only three times on Sunday.

Houston's Bus 6A runs south from Dumfries along B725 via Kingholm Quay to Glencaple and Caerlaverock Castle. It runs M-Sa every 3 hours — three hours is longer than you need for the castle, so you could tramp along the road for an hour either north to Kingholm Quay or east to Ruthwell, both of which have more frequent buses back to Dumfries.

Stagecoach Bus 246 runs north from Dumfries along A76 to Auldgirth (for Portrack Garden and Ellisland Farm), Thornhill (3 miles south of Drumlarig Castle), Sanquhar, Kirkconnell, New Cumnock and Cumnock. It's every two hours daily.

Taxis: Woodgrove are open M-F on +44 7721 309537.

Bicycles: G&G Cycle Centre and Frothy Bike Co (see Eat) both do sales and repairs but don't hire bikes.

National Cycle Route 7 comes from Carlisle through Annan to Dumfries and on to Castle Stewart and Stranraer. It's on B724 to Annan then by back lanes from Powfoot to Caerlaverock then B725 into Dumfries. West it follows the Old Military Road, now bypassed by A75.

Town

 * Other Burns sites within town are the statues to him and his wife Jean Armour (1765-1834), and his mausoleum in St Michael's graveyard. See below for Ellisland Farm.
 * Midsteeple rears up in the middle of High St. Built in 1705, it was variously a prison, council chamber and county records office.
 * Devorgilla Bridge is a picturesque 15th century sandstone footbridge over the River Nith. On the west bank, the Old Bridge House was built in 1660; the museum within it remains closed.
 * is all that remains of the 12th-century Lincluden abbey and castle. It was abandoned and fell into ruin circa 1700.
 * a further two miles up A709 is a charming restored 18th-century thatched cottage. "Crucks" are crutches - sturdy oak beams supporting the roof. Hours erratic, try your luck.
 * Torthorwald Castle is a 14th-century bastion next to Cruck Cottage, well ruined.
 * is all that remains of the 12th-century Lincluden abbey and castle. It was abandoned and fell into ruin circa 1700.
 * a further two miles up A709 is a charming restored 18th-century thatched cottage. "Crucks" are crutches - sturdy oak beams supporting the roof. Hours erratic, try your luck.
 * Torthorwald Castle is a 14th-century bastion next to Cruck Cottage, well ruined.
 * a further two miles up A709 is a charming restored 18th-century thatched cottage. "Crucks" are crutches - sturdy oak beams supporting the roof. Hours erratic, try your luck.
 * Torthorwald Castle is a 14th-century bastion next to Cruck Cottage, well ruined.
 * Torthorwald Castle is a 14th-century bastion next to Cruck Cottage, well ruined.

South of town

 * West of the river:

 * is a small oval circle 4 miles southwest of town, with eight stones of an original nine. It appears to be aligned with the sturdier "Twelve Apostles" north of town, see below.
 * Hills Tower a mile southwest of the circle is a well-preserved square tower house of 1527 with a wing added in 1721. It's a private residence and you can't visit.
 * See Castle Douglas for Drumcoltran Tower and other sights further down that road.
 * Southerness Lighthouse two miles south of the cottage was built in 1748. It was decommissioned in 1936 but still serves as a day-mark.
 * East of the river: there's no bridge below Dumfries so you have to backtrack
 * Southerness Lighthouse two miles south of the cottage was built in 1748. It was decommissioned in 1936 but still serves as a day-mark.
 * East of the river: there's no bridge below Dumfries so you have to backtrack
 * East of the river: there's no bridge below Dumfries so you have to backtrack

 * Nith Estuary wetlands south of Caerlaverock are a National Nature Reserve.
 * See Annan for Brow Well, an ancient spa where Burns came in his last days in forlorn hopes of a cure, and Ruthwell Cross a remarkable 8th century high cross with Latin, Anglo-Saxon and Runic inscriptions.
 * See Annan for Brow Well, an ancient spa where Burns came in his last days in forlorn hopes of a cure, and Ruthwell Cross a remarkable 8th century high cross with Latin, Anglo-Saxon and Runic inscriptions.

North of town

 * is a stone circle off A76 near Newbridge, about 100 m in diameter. The design is similar to the circles of Cumbria. Eleven boulders remain; the lost 12th apostle has inevitably been dubbed "Judas Iscariot", but as he only disappeared circa 1800, he'd had a good run for his money.
 * Portrack Garden of Cosmic Speculation is a mile south of Ellisland Farm off A76. It's a wacky garden and sculpture park inspired by science: quarks, fractals, and black-hole distortions of space-time, insofar as it's possible (or indeed prudent) to re-create these in rural Dumfriesshire. It's only open one day a year as part of the Scotland's Gardens charity scheme, usually the Sunday of the first May Bank Holiday. Adults £10, children free.
 * is a dilapidated keep and barmekin up a lane west of Auldgirth. It's 16th century.
 * is a dilapidated keep and barmekin up a lane west of Auldgirth. It's 16th century.
 * Closeburn Castle is now upscale accommodation, see Sleep.
 * Morton Castle is a jagged stump two miles east of Drumlanrig. Not much left of this remote 13th century Hall, the fun is in trying to find it, then having it to yourself. At Carronbridge leave A76 for A702 and take the second right. Always open, free.
 * Durisdeer Parish Church is an attractive Georgian building off A701 over the hills into Clydesdale.
 * is one of Scotland's finest, a 60-m cascade in the Moffat hills. The walk to it continues up past the falls and to beautiful Loch Skeen, ringed by craggy hillsides. It's on A708 about 30 miles and an hour's drive from Dumfries.
 * is one of Scotland's finest, a 60-m cascade in the Moffat hills. The walk to it continues up past the falls and to beautiful Loch Skeen, ringed by craggy hillsides. It's on A708 about 30 miles and an hour's drive from Dumfries.

Do

 * DG One Ice Bowl includes a skating rink and bowling facilities, swimming pool and sports / exhibition hall.
 * Art galleries include Ottersburn Gallery near the old swimming pool, and Gracefield Arts Centre on Edinburgh Road.
 * Theatre Royal at 66 Shakespeare St claims to be the oldest working theatre in Scotland. Box Office is +44 1387 254209.
 * Cinema: Big Burns Supper on Newall Terrace shows films and hosts community events. The Odeon has closed down.
 * Football: Queen of the South FC ("The Doonhamers") were relegated in 2022 and now play soccer in League One, Scotland's third tier. Their home ground is Palmerston Park, capacity 8690, off Terregles St west of the river.
 * Rugby: Dumfries Saints RFC play in National League Two, Scotland's third tier.
 * Dock Park, east bank of the river below St Michael's Bridge A756, is a park and play area with mini-golf, trampolines and cafe.
 * Golf: nearby courses are Dumfries & Galloway GC, Dumfries & County GC and The Crichton (9 holes), with Lochmaben and Lockerbie courses further east.
 * Dumfries Ice Bowl is on King St west of the bridge.
 * Ice hockey: Solway Sharks play at the Ice Bowl in the National League, the predominantly English second tier. The playing season is Sept-March.
 * Mountain biking at Seven Stanes course at Mabie Forest (south on A710), with another course at Ae Forest.
 * Climb Criffel, 10 miles south of Dumfries off A710. It's 1870 ft (570 m), so it's not a Munro, it's a Marilyn, but because it rears up in isolation from a low plain, it's prominent and commands all-round views. The usual route is from Ardwall by Loch Kindar: there's parking up the lane. It's a short steep ascent through forest, becoming boggy on the summit heathland, reckon 3 hours there and back.
 * Youthbeatz is a children's and young people's free music festival on Park Farm Showfield in late June.
 * Dumfries Agricultural Show is held on the first Saturday in August at the Show Field, Park Farm DG2 7LU.
 * Dumfries Agricultural Show is held on the first Saturday in August at the Show Field, Park Farm DG2 7LU.

Buy

 * Loreburne Shopping Centre is the main retail mall. Lidl and Morrison's supermarkets are a block or two east, with Tesco further out towards Tarff Town.
 * Barbour's department store, the town's oldest shop, is still going strong in its impressive sandstone building on Buccleuch Street, M-Sa 9AM-5PM.
 * Farmers Market is on the first Sunday of the month. It's at Tarff Town northeast, junction of A75 and A709.

Eat

 * Imperial does good Chinese at 126 Queensberry St, open F-M noon-8PM.
 * Daksh is standard Indian fare on Queen St, open W-Su noon-2PM.
 * Yamas is a small Greek deli and cafe at 35 Bank St, open M-Th noon-2PM, 4:30-9PM; F-Su noon-9PM.

Drink

 * Others in town centre include White Hart Hotel on Brewery St (has rooms), Slipstream and Dickie's on English St, New Bazaar on White Sands, Hole i' the Wa' on High St, The Stag on Bank St, Granary and Flesher's Arms on Loreburn St, and over a dozen more.
 * Out of town:
 * Nightclubs: The Venue at Church Place has live events F Sa 8PM-3AM.
 * Brewery: Lowland Brewery is in Lockerbie.
 * Distilleries: in Dalton towards Lockerbie, Ninefold make rum and Oro make gin. See Annan for its whisky distilleries. Ben Cumhaill north on A76 is not yet in production, so the earliest its whisky could be ready is 2025.
 * Nightclubs: The Venue at Church Place has live events F Sa 8PM-3AM.
 * Brewery: Lowland Brewery is in Lockerbie.
 * Distilleries: in Dalton towards Lockerbie, Ninefold make rum and Oro make gin. See Annan for its whisky distilleries. Ben Cumhaill north on A76 is not yet in production, so the earliest its whisky could be ready is 2025.

Sleep

 * Cairndale Hotel is a 3-star on English St.
 * Ferintosh Guset House is an immaculate B&B next to the railway station.
 * Huntingdon Hotel is a 3-star at 18 St Mary's St near the railway station.
 * Travelodge is at the junction by Premier Inn.
 * Holiday Inn aka The Crichton is on the University Campus, two miles south along B725.
 * is a tower house, probably 14th century, and one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the country. It's available for self-catering, sleeping six in two double rooms and one suite; it's off A76 ten miles north of Dumfries. Don't gripe at the lack of a lift: until 1748 there were no stairs, and people had to shin up a ladder.
 * Trigony House is a pleasant country house hotel on the main road near Closeburn.
 * Sanquhar is 28 miles north up the A76, but if you're going that way you might splurge at Blackaddie Country House Hotel, B&B double £200 in 2022.
 * is a tower house, probably 14th century, and one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the country. It's available for self-catering, sleeping six in two double rooms and one suite; it's off A76 ten miles north of Dumfries. Don't gripe at the lack of a lift: until 1748 there were no stairs, and people had to shin up a ladder.
 * Trigony House is a pleasant country house hotel on the main road near Closeburn.
 * Sanquhar is 28 miles north up the A76, but if you're going that way you might splurge at Blackaddie Country House Hotel, B&B double £200 in 2022.
 * Sanquhar is 28 miles north up the A76, but if you're going that way you might splurge at Blackaddie Country House Hotel, B&B double £200 in 2022.

Stay safe
Obvious stuff: beware traffic, safeguard valuables and avoid the occasional idiot drunk.

Also, avoid getting drunk yourself and falling victim to Burke and Hare. No bodysnatchers they: they preyed on Edinburgh's down-and-outs, got them drunk, snuffed them out and sold the corpses for dissection. Hare turned prosecution witness against Burke, who was hanged in 1829, while Hare was given immunity and smuggled out of town to Dumfries. He may have been making for his origins in Ulster, but he was recognised and a furious mob besieged him at the Kings Arms Hotel (now Boots on High Street). He was taken into protective custody and early next morning set down on the road to Annan, and advised to leg it to England. There are no further reliable sightings and his fate is unknown.

Connect
Dumfries and its approach roads have 4G from all UK carriers. As of March 2022, 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

 * The Museum of Lead Mining is in Wanlockhead, Scotland's highest village, in the Lowther Hills.
 * Take the old road to Annan via Ruthwell for its 6th century High Cross and chalybeate Brow Well.
 * For more Robert Burns memorabilia, head to his birthplace at Alloway just south of Ayr.
 * The mountains seen to the south across the Solway are the English Lake District. They're scenic but will feel very touristy after Dumfries & Galloway.

title: Dumfries


text:
Dumfries and Galloway

Dumfries and Galloway (Scottish Gaelic: Dùn Phrìs is Gall-Ghaidhealaibh) is a region in the southwest of Scotland.

Towns
The main England-Glasgow transport corridor cuts through the east of this region, with railway and motorway running north from Carlisle to cross into Scotland.
 * still has a wedding industry, though there's no practical need for couples to go there.
 * is indelibly linked to the 1988 Pan Am flight disaster.
 * Beattock is the little village where road and rail climb the moor over into Clydesdale and descend towards Glasgow.
 * is a lead-mining village in the hills.

The region's other towns are along A75. Heading west:
 * helped brew "The Devil's Porridge", an essential ingredient of World War I munitions.
 * is where Robert Burns spent his last years; it's a good base for exploring the castles and hills beyond.
 * a charming coastal village featuring Victorian country house Baron's Craig, along with occasional views of the Cumbrian coast.
 * has impressive Threave Gardens.
 * near the coast was popular with the "Scottish Colourists" and remains an artists' colony.
 * has Cardoness Castle.
 * is the base for exploring Glen Trool forest and the Machars peninsula.
 * has many book shops and an annual Book Festival in early autumn.
 * , once an island, had the first church in Scotland, established by St Ninian in 397 AD.
 * is the port for ferries to Northern Ireland, which nowadays sail from nearby Cairnryan.
 * is a small fishing village, and was the main port for Ireland until Stranraer developed.
 * is a village near the Mull of Galloway, the southwest tip of Scotland.

Understand
The region of Dumfries and Galloway was created in 1975 by merging the counties of Dumfriesshire, Kirkcudbrightshire and Wigtownshire. This was part of a nationwide reorganisation of local government: some of those changes proved unworkable and were revoked, but this part of Scotland has a coherent regional identity so this particular change has lasted. Administratively it's a "unitary council", a bit like a metropolis, if that term can apply to quiet pastures and forested hills studded with castles.

The region is lowland and fertile along the coast of the Solway Firth. It has a short border with England around Gretna, which eloping English couples used to dash across, while to the north rise the Southern Uplands. The valley of the River Annan is a transport corridor into those hills but not necessarily out of them: follow it too far and you land in The Devil's Beef Tub, where your plaintive cries will be answered only by the moorland peewits. But by the time Glasgow grew into a city destination in the 19th century, road and railway engineering advanced to carry the routes over Beattock summit into Clydesdale. So for most travellers nowadays Dumfries and Galloway is just a brief green blur five minutes beyond Carlisle.

The Solway coast is shallow but was a good way to get around in bygone ages when small ships could draw up in any tidal creek. So invaders and raiders often landed here. The "Gall-" in Galloway is from Gaidheil, the Gaelic for a stranger or foreigner. As with Galway and Donegal, it's not clear which strangers are meant, as there's quite a choice. The Vikings are obvious suspects but it might also mean rival Celtic chiefdoms, and in medieval times battles for the crown of Scotland were fought here. Banditry continued after the wars, hence all the castles - mostly simple fortified dwellings rather than barracks or palaces, and now in varying states of dilapidation. The coast and creeks were also good for smuggling when taxes rose sharply in the 18th century. Many people were employed either in smuggling or in law enforcement, and often both. One beneficiary was the poet Robert Burns, wnose last attempt at farming was at Ellisland near Dumfries, but employment as an exciseman allowed him to give that up, and to do more writing in the short span that remained to him.

Burns' associations remain the biggest tourist draw, and other cultural magnets are Kirkcudbright for its painters and Wigtown for books. Sweetheart Abbey, Caerlaverock Castle, Drumlanrig and Threave Gardens are among its other big sights. But mostly it's a quiet region of coastal vistas, grazing cattle and the occasional thwack of a golf ball.

By plane
Glasgow is closer, but consider Manchester Airport for its excellent range of flights, competitive fares, and good onward transport.

By train
Trains from London Euston and Manchester rush north from Carlisle towards Glasgow Central, mostly non-stop, but every couple of hours they call at Lockerbie and Motherwell.

A loop of line runs west from Carlisle via Annan, Dumfries, Sanquhar and Kilmarnock to Glasgow Central. Trains run hourly as far as Dumfries, continuing to Glasgow every couple of hours.

Trains run from Glasgow Central via Ayr to Stranraer but don't serve the Cairnryan ferry terminals.

By bus
Buses run direct from Edinburgh and Glasgow to Dumfries, otherwise change in Carlisle.

National Express formerly ran overnight from London across the region to Stranraer and Cairnryan, but this remains suspended in 2022.

Citylink / Ulsterbus 923 runs from Glasgow via Ayr to Cairnryan (connecting with the ferry) and Stranraer.

By boat
See Stranraer for ferries from Northern Ireland, which sail to Cairnryan a few miles north of town. The operators are Stena Line from Belfast (with connections from Dublin and Londonderry), and P&O Irish Sea from Larne.

Get around
Train is the best option between Carlisle and Lockerbie, and Carlisle, Annan and Dumfries.

All the villages have at least occasional buses M-Sat, radiating out from Carlisle, Dumfries, Newton Stewart or Stranraer. There's next to nothing on Sunday.

Taxis are another option for short journeys, with most towns having at least one taxi company.

You'll need a car to visit the remote castles and forests out in the countryside.

See

 * Robert Burns sites are mostly in or near Dumfries, but see Annan for the curious pool where he bathed in forlorn hope of a cure.
 * Old churches and abbeys: best is Sweetheart south of Dumfries. Scotland's first church was at Whithorn, but the present ruin is 12th century.
 * Castles are mostly well-ruined, but Caerlaverock is impressive for its islet site. Dumlanrig is a grand palace built for bling not defence.
 * Gardens: the best are Threave near Castle Douglas and Port Logan towards Drummore. Scotland's Gardens is a scheme that opens up private gardens once a year in summer, with all proceeds going to charity. There are some 40 participating gardens in this region, dates staggered so there's one open most weekends.

Do

 * Glen Trool is a forest park above Newton Stewart with forest walks, a circular walk around Loch Trool, and a path up Merrick the highest hill in southern Scotland.
 * Southern Upland Way is a long-distance hiking trail, from the coast at Portpatrick, through the forests and foothills before leaving the region at Wanlockhead to cross the Borders to Cockburnspath on the North Sea coast. Most walkers just do short there-and-back afternoon sections.
 * Fishing casts over the small lochs and rivers, or from shore along the Solway Firth. Local tackle shops can advise and sell permits.
 * Football: the pro soccer teams are Queen of the South in Dumfries, Annan Athletic and Stranraer. Rugby Union is not as big a sport here as in the Borders to the east.
 * Golf: lots of courses, though none rank as championship: head to the Ayrshire coast for Turnberry and Troon.

Eat

 * Pub food and the hotels are often your best bet. The town main streets have the usual cheap and cheerful outlets.
 * Fish and shellfish may have been imported from far away, but the west around Newton Stewart and Stranraer has a small fishing trade.
 * Smokehouses in Newton Stewart prepare newly-smoked fish, cheese and meat.
 * Dairy is the region's main style of farming, so look for local cheeses and ice cream.

Drink
There are two whisky distilleries in the region, both of which can be toured: Bladnoch near Wigtown, and Annandale near Annan. A few others make gin.

Most local pubs provide a range of real ales. There's a handful of micro-breweries.

Stay safe
Usual precautions for traffic and safeguarding valuables.

You need to dress for the weather but the hills are of no great height, and it's unusual for roads to be snowbound.

Go next

 * East are the Scottish Borders. Approach routes that are scenic yet A-road are A701 from Moffat via Devil's Beef Tub and Grey Mare's Tail towards Selkirk, and A7 the old Edinburgh road via Hawick.
 * Northwest is Ayrshire for more Burns connections, golf, and the islands of the Forth of Clyde.
 * Glasgow is the must-see city north.
 * The mountains seen across the Solway Firth are in the English Lake District: scenic but crowded in summer, and it's sure to rain.

title: Dumfries and Galloway


text:
Dumyat

Dumyat (دمياط, also known as Damietta in English) is a city in Lower Egypt with about 1.1 million inhabitants in the larger metro area.

Understand
A city overlooking the Mediterranean. It is, along with its twin town Ras-El-Barr (راس البر) a popular summer destination for Egyptians from nearby governantes. It is famous for domyati cheese, furniture and beaches, as well as a clothing industry which is in decline. Perhaps it is most famous, though, for being where one of the Nile's two branches in lower Egypt meets the Mediterranean. There are 5 hour slow trains from Cairo, and quicker coaches from many Egyptian cities. It is also easily accessible by road.

Get in
There are several daily trains from Cairo, with a journey time of around 5-6 hours. Hiring a private taxi is also an option, taking around three hours depending on traffic.

See

title: Dumyat


text:
Dunagiri

Dunagiri - also called Drongiri, Dronagiri and Doonagiri - is an area in Kumaon, an incredibly beautiful setting within the magnificent Himalayas. Touching an astounding 2,700 metres, the lush forest setting overlooks stunning snow peaks and a dramatically serene landscape.

Understand
Situated 400 km north of Delhi, it takes 10-11 hours to reach Dunagiri from Delhi. 100 km from Nainital, Dunagiri is 43 km from Ranikhet and about 50 km from Kausani. One can travel to Rishikesh/Haridwar from Dunagiri in 6 hours. It takes 6 hours to travel from Dunagiri to Badrinath, to Valley of Flowers National Park or to the revered Hemkund Sahib. Dunagiri is within short driving distance of other popular destinations such as Jim Corbett Park, Almora, Mukteshwar, Bageshwar, Jageshwar, Munsiyari, Chaukori and Patal Bhuvaneshwar - all of these are under 5 hours drive from Dunagiri.

Dunagiri is also intimately associated with Mahavatar Babaji and Kriya Yoga. It was at Dunagiri in 1861 that Shyamacharan Lahiri, better known as Lahiri Mahashaya, was given initiation into Kriya Yoga and the discipline of Kriya Yoga was re-established in the world after having been ‘lost’ for centuries. This first meeting, spectacular and miraculous, occurred at a cave at Dunagiri. The full account of this meeting is well documented in the famous book “Autobiography of a Yogi” by Swami Yogananda Parahamsa (chapter 34-Materializing a Palace in the Himalayas). The cave at Dunagiri is well marked and is visited by thousands of pilgrims from all over the world.

Get in
Dunagiri is about 400 km north of Delhi in the Himalayas. It is close to (43 km) from the well known town of Ranikhet. One can reach here by road - you can drive, take a bus or a taxi; you can reach here by train - the closest station is Kathgodam which is connected to major Indian cities such as Delhi, Calcutta, Varanasi and Jammu.

By car
Driving to Dunagiri from Delhi takes 10 to 11 hours. Take NH-24 out of Delhi, drive through Ghaziabad, Hapur, Garhmukteshwar, Moradabad, Rampur to Bilaspur, Rudrapur, Haldwani and Kathogodam. After Kathgodam is a scenic hill journey that takes you through Bhimtal, Bhowali, Ranikhet, Dwarahat to Dunagiri.

Another route from Moradabad to Dunagiri is via Bazpur, Kaladhungi, Nainital to Bhowali, Ranikhet, Dunagiri is slightly shorter and more scenic, but you need to enquire road conditions before proceeding..

By train
The nearest train station is Kathgodam. Drive to Dunagiri takes about four hours (140 km) through very picturesque lakes and hills. On prior notice we can arrange pick-up taxi from Kathgodam train station to Dunagiri Retreat.

 * Trains from Delhi to Kathgodam (to reach Dunagiri):
 * Train no. 15013 Ranikhet Express: Daily, leaves Delhi 22:35, arrives 05:45
 * Train no. 14012 Anand Vihar Kath. AC Exp.: M W Su, leaves Delhi 06:00, arrives 11:55
 * Train no. 15035 Uttarakhand Sampark Kranti Express: Daily, leaves Delhi 16:00, arrives 22:40
 * Trains from Dehradun, Mussoorie, Haridwar, Rishikesh to Kathgodam (to reach Dunagiri):
 * Train no. 14120 Dehradun Kath. Exp.: Leaves Dehradun 22:50, Haridwar 00:10, arrives 07:10
 * Trains from Kolkatta, Lucknow to Kathgodam (to reach Dunagiri):
 * Train no. 13019 Bagh Express: Daily, leaves Howrah 21:45, Lucknow 00:05, arrives 09:30
 * Trains from Kanpur, Lucknow to Kathgodam (to reach Dunagiri):
 * Train no. 12209 Kathgodam Garib Rath: Daily, leaves Kanpur 06:15, Lucknow 08:05, arrives 15:05
 * Trains from Jammu, Jalandhar, Ludhiana to Kathgodam (to reach Dunagiri):
 * Train no. 12208 Kathgodam. Garib Rath : Daily, leaves Jammu 23:45, Ludhiana 04:10, arrives 14:35

By plane
The nearest airport is Pantnagar Airport.

Get around
The best way to get around within Dunagiri is to walk. Local taxis, although limited in availability, can be hired to travel within the immediate area.

Dunagiri is within short driving distances to Nainital, Ranikhet, Kausani, Baijnath, Bageshwar, Almora, Binsar, Mukteshwar, Munsiyari, Chaukori, Patal Bhuvaneshwar, Joshimath, Badrinath, Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib which makes it suitable for visitors to stay at Dunagiri and visit these places as 'day trips' or short excursions. Dunagiri's is centrally located with reference to these popular tourist destinations.

Positional Details of Dunagiri: Coordinates: 29°49'23"N 79°26'54"E

Dunagiri Distance Chart:

 * Almora to Dunagiri - distance 65 km (2.5 hr)
 * Badrinath to Dunagiri - distance 240 km (7.5 hr)
 * Bageshwar to Dunagiri - distance 88 km (3 hr)
 * Binsar to Dunagiri - distance 100 km (3.5 hr)
 * Chaukori to Dunagiri - distance 134 km (5 hr)
 * Delhi to Dunagiri - distance 400 km (10 hrs)
 * Dwarahat to Dunagiri - distance 15 km (10 hr)
 * Gwaldam to Dunagiri - distance 88 km (3 hr)
 * Haldwani to Dunagiri - distance 140 km (4.1 hr)
 * Haridwar to Dunagiri - distance 312 km (7.5 hr)
 * Hemkund Sahib to Dunagiri - distance (Govindghat)   220 km (7 hr)
 * Jageshwar to Dunagiri - distance 100 km (3.5 hr)
 * Jim Corbett National Park to Dunagiri - distance 136 km (4 hr)
 * Joshimath to Dunagiri - distance 196 km (6 hr)
 * Karnaprayag to Dunagiri - distance 115 km (3.5 hr)
 * Kathgodam to Dunagiri - distance 135 km (4 hr)
 * Kausani to Dunagiri - distance 50 km (2 hr)
 * Mukteshwar to Dunagiri - distance 120 km (4 hr)
 * Munsyari to Dunagiri - distance 200 km (7 hr)
 * Nainital to Dunagiri - distance 100 km (3 hr)
 * Patal Bhuvaneshwar to Dunagiri - distance 175 km (6 hr)
 * Rishikesh to Dunagiri - distance 287 km (7 hr)
 * Ranikhet to Dunagiri - distance 43 km (1.5 hr)
 * Valley of Flowers to Dunagiri - distance (Govindghat) 220 km (7 hr)

See

 * Dunagiri temple - The famous temple of Dunagiri is 15 km from Dwarahat.
 * Dwarahat (ancient temples)
 * Garg Rishi Ashram
 * Mahavatar Babaji's Cave
 * Mansadevi
 * Pandukholi
 * Sukhadevi

Do
There are several options for treks, village walks, soft adventure, meditation and of course, spiritual practices.

Buy
Organic produce.

Drink
Spring water from pure Himalayan sources, Organic milk.

title: Dunagiri