Donsol

Donsol is in Sorsogon, Philippines.

Understand
There are 2 main areas in Donsol - what is called the town center, with small shops and food stalls, home stays hotels and Dancalan, which is around the beach about 2 km west of the city center.

Donsol town is a small rural town of a few thousand people. Before the arrival of tourists the local economy was based on fishing, rice farming and copra (dried coconut meat). With the arrival of tourists to see the whale sharks there has been an injection of money into the area which has meant better infrastructure. The town has a nice church, wet market and near the quay side are a fishing community and fish dealers.

About 2 km out of town is Barangay Dancalan. In Dancalan you will find the Visitor Center, most dive shops and beach resorts. Most resorts do not accept credit cards.

Most Resorts and hotels in Donsol are open only during the whaleshark season (December to May), with two exceptions listed below. The number of visitors have been declining in the 2010s with 2018 showing a new low. Locals seem to connect this to the similarly declining numbers of whaleshark sightings in the area.

There are no landlines in Donsol and internet access is only in the town center, with the exception of most resorts.

By plane
You can fly from Manila or Cebu to Legazpi City, then take a public minivan to Donsol.

By minivan
Public minivans to/from the terminal in Legazpi city cost per person. Private vans cost from per van, and you can get them outside the airport when you arrive. They have A/C and will drop you directly at your hotel.

To get to the Public Minivan Terminal in Legazpi you have to take a tricycle from the airport to the Van Terminal, then wait for the van to be full (12 people). It costs per person, and the driver will drop you at the Donsol Bus Station in the city center.

Buses also are available from Manila direct to Donsol (daily) or via Legazpi.

Get around
There are lots of tricycles in Donsol that will get you wherever you want. To go from the city center to Dancalan the price is for 2 people.

See

 * Whale Sharks. Whale sharks, locally known as butanding, used to gather in the area six to nine months a year (November - June), with the numbers peaking from February to early May. However, they have now become almost non-existent and can mostly only be experienced while scuba-diving. The largest fish in the world can grow up to 12 meters in length, and weigh many tons. They're considered a vulnerable species, and are protected in the Philippines. The first recorded sightings of baby whalesharks (under $$ worldwide were recorded in 2009 in Donsol.
 * Fireflies. One of the few places in the world that holds night time firefly tour. Fireflies light up entire trees, giving off a serene scene. This can be done at the Donsol River or at the Ogod River. The tours are done via small river boats that fit 4 - 6 people.

Do
Most of the hotels can organize the activities for you, including transportation. However some of them tend to add a fee on top of the usual price.




 * Scuba diving is a popular activity here, and there are a handful of operators available:
 * Scuba diving is a popular activity here, and there are a handful of operators available:







Buy
It is difficult to change money, so cash up before heading to Donsol. To exchange euros or US dollars, ask at Amor Resort or Hernandez Guest House, but the rate can be more than 10% less than the official one (teling you false numbers on rates in Legaspi). Alternatively in a pinch you can purchase meals and avail of accommodations and activities at Giddy's Place PADI Dive Resort using a credit card.

Except for the payment for the rooms, Casa Bianca accepts U.S. dollars and euros for the meals, strictly following the exact exchange rates in Legazpi.

Eat


Most of the resorts along the beach have their own restaurant where you can eat even if you are not staying in the resort.



Go next

 * Legazpi City
 * Metro Cebu via Masbate
 * Sorsogon