Local excursions to do during you stay at Atmosphere

Local excursions

Day trip to Apo Island

The most popular local excursion in Negros is Apo Island, with spectacular snorkelling, swimming and scuba diving. Apo Island is surrounded by lush coral reefs and many sea turtles, an unforgettable trip and a must for both divers and snorkelers. It is one of Atmosphere Resorts & Spa’s 5 most popular excursions. If the weather allows, we conduct trips to Apo Island several times per week since it is only 40 minutes away by boat.

Apo Island is surrounded by healthy lush coral reefs with a large population of green and hawksbill sea turtles and colourful reef fish. A small fishing community lives on the island, which has a small chapel, a lighthouse and a marine sanctuary. Near the beach, there is a shallow turtle sanctuary where you can watch the turtles graze on the seagrass.

The island is surrounded by white sand beaches and greenery, which makes it spectacular also topside. So if you want to swim, snorkel or dive with turtles in the Philippines, surrounded by a stunning landscape, this is the day trip for you!

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Local excursions to Apo Island Negros Oriental

Explore The Outstanding Beauty of Negros Oriental

The thunderous Casaroro waterfall

Experience the excitement of a 40-meter waterfall that drops into a refreshing swimming basin of cold water. The misty, green oasis is stunning and is surrounded by steep rock walls. To reach the waterfall, follow along on a beautiful hike through rain forest and a flowing river. Be prepared to get your feet wet and for some excitement! This is the perfect excursion if you look for a bit of adventure.

Be ready for a bit of a workout, with around 300 steps to reach the riverbed. But don’t worry! You can cool off with a quick swim in the cool mountain water before making your way back up again.

If you like more adventures like this, check out our excursions for the adventurous.

ADVENTURES

Valencia hot springs & Pulang Bato waterfall

Local excursions to Pulang Bato Valencia Negros Oriental

Along the way to Valencia hot springs and the Pulang Bato waterfalls, the adventure begins when you pass the sulfur vents, which can be seen as gas and smoke coming out of the mountainside. These vents are natural openings in the Earth’s crust, where volcanic gases escape.

Once at the hot springs, enjoy a dip in the naturally hot and slightly sulfurous springs. They are fed directly from the mountain into manmade hot pools and are famed for their medicinal properties. Afterwards, you can take a refreshing dip in the Pulang Bato waterfall just a few meters away. The waterfall is also called “Red Rock waterfall” after the color of the surrounding rocks which creates a surreal landscape. Nearby, the quaint town of Valencia is another great spot to explore.

VALENCIA TOWN

Visit the beautiful Twin Lakes

Connect with the beautiful nature in the Philippines with a visit to the Twin Lakes (the local name is Lakes Balinsasayao). They are two deep freshwater lakes located in the northern parts of Negros Oriental. The lakes are 330 meters above sea level and located next to a narrow mountain ridge.

Go for a kayak adventure, or just hike around the lake. For those who venture a little further around the lakes, there is also a waterfall. There is a viewing tower between the lakes, from which you have beautiful views of both lakes.

Did you know that the area is also well-known for its astounding bird life? If you wish, you can add bird watching with an experienced bird-watching guide to your trip to the Twin Lakes.

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Local excursions to twin lakes Negros Oriental

Atmosphere soup kitchen (ASK)

Atmosphere soup kitchen is an important part of Atmosphere Gives Forward, where we create or support projects that aim to contribute to sustainable solutions in the local community for social and environmental issues.

We sponsor a soup kitchen program that provides up to 80 children with a balanced lunch 5 days a week. The children are from an impoverished area in Dumaguete near the city dump site. The soup kitchen is located only 30 minutes away from the resort. The success of the program is owed to the mothers of the children who prepare, serve and run the program. Atmosphere staff visits ASK weekly and we are thrilled for guests to join us on this complimentary tour, where you can also help serving lunch or hand out vitamins.

Read more about our soup kitchen and how you also can donate if you would like to.

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Day trip to Siquijor island

Fancy exploring another island? Siquijor island is on our horizon and is a popular spot with its waterfalls, caves and white beaches. The mysterious and beautiful Siquijor is a big island with a lot to offer. If you are interested in cultural options. the guide can focus on old churches, museums and famous landmarks, or perhaps you are more interested in waterfalls, beaches and the old balete tree, or maybe a mix of both? The island is historically infamous for black magic but there is little sign of this today.

Your trip can be discussed with the guide to fit your interests, to make the most out of your day trip to Siquijor. Smaller boats are not allowed to cross over to Siquijor. Therefore, our excursions to this magical island are with the public ferry in the morning and then returning on the last ferry of the day.

Day trip to Sumilon island

Another island hopping adventure leads you to Sumilon island. Sumilon is situated at the southeastern tip of Cebu island. It is a perfect spot for scuba divers since it offers diverse dive sites for all levels. The surrounding beautiful reefs on white sand also makes it an ideal place for snorkelling and swimming.

The journey to this paradise island takes approximately 1,5 hours by boat and promises you a day filled with underwater exploration and relaxation for the whole family.

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Dumaguete City tour

Dumaguete is the largest city in Negros Oriental and a bustling town with four Universities. The most famous one is Silliman University, which also has a well-known marine biology laboratory.

Dumaguete is also the principal seaport in the area with a breezy seaside boulevard. The Dumaguete boulevard is perfect to sit and enjoy the views with a drink or two in one of the many bars, cafes and restaurants. The city also has a modern shopping mall and movie theatre for those who fancy other activities whilst here on holiday.

For visitors interested in culture there is plenty to explore. The old bell tower and oldest stone church in Negros Oriental are worth a visit. There is also a big and bustling covered market in town and an anthropology museum housed in the oldest building of Silliman University.

Silliman university website

Visit the quaint Valencia town

Do you wish to explore something else than the beach? Valencia is a small mountain town only 30 minutes from Atmosphere. Here you can visit fruit farms that grow a variety of tropical fruits such as durian, rambutan, lanzones and mangosteen. You can also visit the famous picnic site Forest Camp built next to a creek with eight man-made swimming pools. It is a perfect place to cool down in the cold water and experience the nature around Valencia. We can also bring you to take a peek at a local home that has an impressive collection of WW2 memorabilia. Or just stroll around the town plaza, visit the church and sample some local snacks.

We can tailor your trip to Valencia as you wish. We would highly recommend combining your trip with the Valencia hot springs and Pulang Bato waterfalls.

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Valencia Sunday market

Experience the Filipino culture and try local food at the Valencia market on Sundays. A highlight of Valencia is its weekly farmer’s market. It is a popular activity on Sundays from 5 am to 12 noon for both locals and foreigners.

The market showcases an array of locally grown fruits and vegetables from farmers across the province. Valencia also has a playground, perfect for the kids to play in.

Additionally, it caters to both tourists and local residents by offering coffee stands, breakfast, and local and international delicacies. This diverse blend of offerings has transformed the market into a vibrant hub, capturing the essence of Valencia’s cultural fusion and communal spirit.

Explore the Baslay coffee plantation

Do you love coffee but have never seen how it grows? The mountainside near Atmosphere is ideal for growing coffee. Join our local experienced guide and explore the coffee plantation in Baslay. It only takes about 30 minutes from Atmosphere to go there.

Enjoy a drive through a scenic landscape through colourful local villages. When you arrive at the coffee plantation, we recommend that you take a short hike on a jungle path where you can taste coffee beans growing on trees. You can also spot native birds, butterflies and exotic plants on the way. After the short hike, you can enjoy the panoramic views from the native bamboo tower lookout. Just sit back and enjoy a cup of locally brewed coffee and a local sweet treat.

The Manjuyod Sandbar "The Maldives of the Philippines"

Enjoy the gorgeous white Manjuyod Sandbar, famously called “The Maldives of the Philippines”. Relax on the boat and sandbar with a picnic lunch provided by Atmosphere. Go for a swim in the blue clear water or join one of the organized water activities by the sandbar.

The sandbar is located near the city of Bais. Bais is situated on a part of Negros island where the coastline curves back on itself creating a bay sheltered from the Tañon Strait. To reach Manjuyod takes approximately 2 hours by an air-conditioned van from Atmosphere and the sandbar is only a 15-20 minute boat trip from Bais pier.

From the sandbar, you have beautiful panoramic views of mountainous Negros and the neighbouring Cebu Island. To make your trip even more adventurous and fun we recommend combining your visit to the Manyujod sandbar with a dolphin-watching tour.

Just be aware that the sandbar is only visible at low tide and the tides changes daily. There are times when the sandbar is not visible at all, or when the sandbar is as wide as a large beach. Let us know what day you are planning on going, and we can find out for you if it is a good day or not.

Dolphin watching

Malatapay Wednesday morning market

Explore and enjoy the local way of life in the Philippines. The Malatapay market opens its market stands early every Wednesday morning and is full of local activities and vibes. The market is a local meeting place for traders, merchandisers, shoppers and visitors. You can find different types of Filipino food, vegetables, fruit, tools and household items.

But the most interesting part must be the livestock market: cows, goats and pigs in abundance meet their fate here in the early morning. Visit the market to see the hustle and bustle, and taste some sweet banana fritters and local coffee. Or why not sample some famous Lechon Baboy (roast pork) with a cold San Miguel beer?

Valencia Sunday market

Scuba diving in Dauin and Apo Island

Dive into a world of wonder and discover the magic beneath the waves by scuba diving in the Philippines. At Atmosphere, you can take full advantage of some of the world’s best scuba diving.

The world-famous Apo Island with its breathtaking walls, stunning corals and turtles is just a short boat ride away and some of the world’s rarest underwater critters can be found along the Dauin coastline and even on the Atmosphere house reef right in front of the resort. We also love to scuba dive with sharks in Sumilon Island!

We offer diving that suits everyone! Try diving for the first time with PADI Discover Scuba diving, become a certified diver or expand your dive knowledge even further by diving with our marine biologist or taking an underwater camera workshop using our rental cameras. Read more about diving in the Philippines and all the options here.

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The best snorkelling in Dauin and Apo Island

At Atmosphere Resorts & Spa in the Philippines, we welcome snorkelers on all our boat trips. The most popular snorkelling spot is Apo Island. A beautiful island with lots of turtles, white sand and stunning coral reefs.

Snorkelling can also be done off the beach on our amazing house reef – right in front of the resort – at any time. Many of our dive sites are also excellent snorkelling sites with very shallow corals and beautiful colourful fish.

Have you always dreamed of seeing a whale shark? We take guests to swim and snorkel with the whale sharks in Oslob – snorkelling with these giants is an unforgettable experience.
Snorkel equipment is available for all overnight guest use free of charge in our dive centre. We offer snorkelling classes for guests who have little experience but wish to learn. We also have dedicated snorkelling guides at Atmosphere and we provide life jackets available for the less experienced swimmers. Whale sharks or turtles? The choice is yours!

Read more about snorkelling in the Philippines.

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