Learn how to book a Bais Bay Cruise to experience what has been dubbed "one of the most successful dolphin & whale watching operations in the Philippines!"

Bais Dolphin & Whale Watching

How to book a Bais Bay Cruise

Out of 23 species of marine mammals documented to have been sighted in Philippine waters, 9 have been sighted in Bais Bay-Tañon Strait area, acknowledged to have one of the biggest concentrations of cetaceans in the world.

And the good news is that visitors and tourists now have a chance of getting to see these delightful animals up close and personal with what is described as one the most successful dolphin-and-whale-watching operations in the Philippines -- the Bais Bay Cruises.

Regular cruises supervised by Bais City Hall staff take visitors out to Tañon Strait, the narrow channel between Negros and Cebu Islands, to view playful dolphins and pygmy sperm whales.

BAIS CITY AT A GLANCE

Distance from Dumaguete City: 44.7kms

Land Area:

202.67 sq km

Population:

74,702 (2007)

Fiesta - Patron Saint:

September 10 - St. Nicolas of Tolentino

Festival:

Sipong Festival - Sept. 7th

A spectacular thanksgiving for the fruits of labor in the hot fields and the cold sea.

Tourist Attractions:

Central Azucarera de Bais, Baldwin Locomotive, Dolphin Watch Bais Bay Cruises, Talabong Mangrove Park,

Lag-it Beach

This section aims to give you complete details on how to make reservations for a Bais Bay Cruise, how much it costs, what to expect and how to get to the Capinahan Port in Bais City from the Negros Oriental capital city of Dumaguete.

We have decided on a Q & A format for easier reading:

1. What months are the Bais Bay Cruises available?

Dolphin & whale watching is ideal between the months of May and September, when the waters are calmer and the winds are not too strong, thus allowing them to play in the waters and be seen by tourists.

The cruises are available from March to October, with the peak months being Philippine summer months of April and May.

2. Who runs the Dolphin & Whale Watch operations?

The city government operates the cruise vessels Dolphin I & II, Vania I & II, and Horizon, available for booking at telephone numbers:63 (35) 402-8174, 63 (35) 402-8040 and 63 (35) 402-8180.

You may also make reservations via the Bais City Tourism Office at these telephone numbers: 63 (35) 402-6629 and 63 (35) 541-5161

3. Should we make prior reservations?

Definitely -- YES! Mr. Jun Serrano, Bais City Tourism Officer advises folks to make a reservation at least one month before, especially for bookings during the peak months of April & May. A reservation deposit of Php500 is required for this purpose that will be applied to the total costs of the boat rental.

4. How much does the Bais Bay Cruise cost?

The cost for renting the boat for the whole day is Php4,000 for 20 persons (Dolphin 1), and Php3,000 for the smaller boat (Dolphin II) that can accommodate 15 persons.

5. Can we rent the vessels for just a few hours?

You can decide how long you want to be out in the water for but the rate remains the same as if you took it out for the whole day.

6. What does the cruise include?

The whole-day activity includes:

a. Cruising around the waters looking for pods or schools of dolphins, of which there are many species.

According to Mr. Feliciano SIlva, Jr. of Dolphin II, they can tell which dolphins have already eaten and which ones are still looking for food, and they do not disturb the latter.

b. The boats will also bring visitors to the Manjuyod Sandbar, which is a beautiful stretch of white sands that disappears during high tide for a delicious lunch of grilled pork and seafoods right in the middle of the water. The price of lunch is not included.

c. At high tide, the boats can now proceed to the Talabong Mangrove Park, a 400-hectare protected mangrove forest where visitors have to walk through a 5,968 split-bamboo boardwalk before reaching the park.

d. Since the boats are hired for the day, they can also stop in the middle of Tanon Strait so that guests snorkel and dive around the boat and be rewarded with spectacular underwater scenes.

6. What if we are not able to make prior reservations?

There are private boats for hire at the Capinahan Port at similar rates and that will provide the same features as the government-run activity. Should all the government boats be booked already, try calling the Bais City Tourism Office and ask for assistance in contracting the privately-owned boats.

7. What if there are less than 15 in our group, or what if I am traveling alone?

There are smaller private bancas for hire at about Php2,000 that are good for 1-4 persons in the area.

8. What are the benefits of hiring the government-run vessels over renting private boats?

Mr. Silva told us, on a recent visit, that the captain and engineer of their boats are licensed maritime professionals, and "there is insurance" (and we noticed that the vessels are newer and larger than the private boats).

DISCLAIMER: This site is not connected with the operators of the Bais Bay

Cruises, not has it received any compensation or incentives for its promotion

or inclusion herein, neither does it warrant that the information is accurate at

all times. The information was verified at the time of publication and site

visitors are enjoined to check the same for themselves by contacting the

operators directly using the contact info above.

Bais City Attractions

History of Bais City

Special Interest: Dolphin Watch, Oldest Tree, etc.