Mactan to Dumaguete Without a Plane: Every Bus, Ferry and Fare Option

Almost every route starts at the Cebu South Bus Terminal (CSBT) in Cebu City, or at the Cebu City piers. From Mactan-Cebu International Airport:

• Grab or taxi to CSBT: roughly 14 km and about 20 to 40 minutes without heavy traffic. Expect around ₱250 to ₱350 by metered taxi, and more for Grab during peak hours or at the airport. Heavy traffic on the bridges can stretch the trip well beyond an hour.
• MyBus + transfer: the airport bus to SM City Cebu costs about ₱50 and takes roughly an hour or more. From there a short taxi ride (about ₱150 to ₱200) or a jeepney heading to the terminal gets you to CSBT.
• Yellow airport multicab or jeepney: the cheapest option, around ₱10 to ₱20 per ride, but it needs two or three transfers and is not ideal with big luggage.

Here is where the Cebu South Bus Terminal is, on N. Bacalso Avenue:

If you plan to take the OceanJet fast craft, ask your driver for the Cebu City pier area instead (Pier 1 to 4), not CSBT.

Ceres Liner runs air-conditioned buses from CSBT straight to the Dumaguete terminal. The bus rides the RoRo (roll-on, roll-off) ferry from Liloan in Santander to Sibulan in Negros Oriental, and you can stay in your seat or step out on deck.

• Approximate fare: around ₱340 to ₱375 one way. Some listings show about ₱275 for the bus plus a barge fee of ₱75, while an older operator-linked notice put the direct aircon fare at ₱372. The ferry portion is typically bundled into the ticket.
• Travel time: roughly 6 to 7 hours including the sea crossing and waiting to load, longer in heavy traffic or on holidays.
• Frequency: trips leave through the day, from early morning to evening. Check the Ceres Liner website or the terminal for current departure times.
• Tip: bring a light jacket, as the aircon can be strong.

This is the route most budget travellers choose, because you do not have to transfer with your bags at the port. The bus ends at the Ceres terminal in Dumaguete:

You can also split the trip into parts, which gives you more flexibility with timing.

1. Bus from CSBT to Liloan Port (Santander): about ₱160 to ₱190, around 4 to 4.5 hours. Several operators run this, though not every bus is air-conditioned.
2. Ferry from Liloan to Sibulan: roughly 25 to 30 minutes. Maayo Shipping's passenger fare has been listed at about ₱130, and Cuadro Alas Navigation Lines' at about ₱150. Older sources quote lower fares, so expect to pay somewhere between roughly ₱70 and ₱150 depending on the operator and when you go.
3. Jeepney, multicab or tricycle from Sibulan to Dumaguete: about 15 to 30 minutes and roughly ₱15 to ₱30 by public jeepney, more by tricycle or Grab.

The crossing starts at Liloan Port in Santander, at the southern tip of Cebu:

and you land at the Sibulan Ferry Terminal in Negros Oriental, about 12 to 15 km from Dumaguete:

All in, this costs around ₱350 to ₱500, similar to the direct bus, with the added chance of a faster connection if your timing is lucky. Maayo Shipping resumed its full regular Sibulan–Liloan schedule on 1 July 2026, but trip times have changed several times this year, so check before you rely on a particular sailing.

Heads-up: there were no Sibulan–Liloan trips on Good Friday and Black Saturday this year, and holiday schedules can differ, so plan ahead if you are travelling on Holy Week or other peak days.

A less common alternative goes through the Bato port in southwestern Cebu to Tampi in Negros Oriental, on Maayo Shipping's Bato–Tampi route. It is useful if you are already in the Oslob, Moalboal or southwest Cebu area, but from Cebu City or Mactan it is generally slower than going through Liloan. Tampi is also some distance north of Dumaguete, so you will need another jeepney or van from there. Confirm current fares and trips with the operator before choosing this route.

If you would rather travel mostly by sea, OceanJet's fast craft connects Cebu City and Dumaguete through Tagbilaran in Bohol. It is faster and more comfortable than the bus, but it costs more and depends on connections. It leaves from the Cebu City pier area:

• Typical schedule: OceanJet's own daily schedule shows a Cebu–Tagbilaran sailing at 8:20 AM and a Tagbilaran–Dumaguete sailing at 10:40 AM, with Cebu–Tagbilaran departures through the day. Schedules change, so confirm on the OceanJet website or booking channels.
• Travel time: about 2 hours from Cebu to Tagbilaran plus the Tagbilaran–Dumaguete leg, around 5 to 7 hours door to door including the connection and port procedures.
• Approximate fare: listed fares for the two legs together range from roughly ₱1,200 up to ₱3,500 depending on class (open-air or tourist, business) and promos. OceanJet announced updated fares from 16 March 2026, so check the current rate when you book.

You arrive at Dumaguete Port, which is also where ferries to Siquijor leave from:

This route suits travellers who want a comfortable seat and are happy to pay more. Arrive at the pier early and keep your ID handy.

Cokaliong Shipping Lines has operated overnight Cebu City–Dumaguete sailings that leave in the evening and arrive before dawn. Booking-site listings have shown departures from Cebu City Pier 1 on some evenings, with roughly 6 to 10 hours at sea, and fares of about ₱355 for economy, around ₱650 to ₱800 for tourist class, and higher for cabins or suites.

The days, times and vessels vary by week, and we could not confirm a current schedule on the operator's own pages, so check the latest Cokaliong schedule or its Cebu ticketing office before planning around it. It can save you a night's accommodation if the timing works.

A few practical tips:

• Bring a valid ID, which operators and ports may ask for.
• Keep small bills for jeepneys, terminal fees and tricycles.
• Travel earlier in the day to leave a buffer for traffic and ferry queues, especially on weekends and holidays.
• Fuel surcharges and fare adjustments were announced by many Philippine ferry operators this year, and MARINA allowed passenger fare increases of up to 20 percent, so prices may differ from the figures here.
• Final fares, trip times and cancellations depend on the operator and on weather, so always confirm before you travel.

The Dumaguete Ceres terminal and the Sibulan port are both a short jeepney, multicab or tricycle ride from the city centre. Rizal Boulevard, the seaside promenade, is a lovely place to unwind after the journey, with cafés and street food nearby.

If you are heading on to Siquijor, ferries leave from the Dumaguete port, so you can continue your trip the same day if the schedule allows.