The Flying Fish Hostel

Staff super nice. The design of the place is very interesting. Bedroom are nice and bed confortable with plugs for the phone.the design of bedroom was nice and bed are fixed so you don’t get bothered by the person going in upper bed. The staff was very nice, welcoming and respectful. There is seats and terrasse to work outside. Shower and toilets were very clean. A/C was working properly.

I booked one night in the dorm and one night in a private en-suite. The dorm was very good, with lots of safe storage space under the bed, and more space at bed level to have my luggage. There was even a rack to hang a towel or fabric for some privacy. No issues with mosquitoes in the dorm, probably because it has AC and a fan. I loved the style of the hostel. Bed was very comfy. Breakfast in the cafe next door was very nice. Close to lots of nice restaurants. Staff was useful. Would love to stay there again.

The bed is spacious and staff are accommodating.

The staff (special call-out to Jom) are world class, incredibly professional, friendly, and helpful. We also loved the open-air in-the-jungle minimalist design vibe, and the food and (especially) the coffee and shakes are excellent.

The location is on Hibbard Avenue, a 20-peso tricycle (a.k.a. “tuktuk”) ride from the airport, Silliman University’s main campus, the wild public market, or Rizal Boulevard with sweeping views of the sea. If you are up for adventure, try walking to discover things along the way - a fruit stand, a mom and pop restaurant, gorgeous flowers, and other curiosities, including how real people live in Dumaguete. A short walk leads to Cheese Stickan night market. The entirety of this hostel is a haven from the heat and city noise. I can only speak to the private “Apo” room on the ground floor. I prepared myself for a spartan block with walls porous to tropical life (insects, geckos, etc.). Well, I was pleasantly surprised. I found a high-ceilinged, sky-lit room with traditional wooden furniture, a refillable corked glass bottle for water, real glass tumblers, and an immaculate space with classy, cooling concrete floors with artful, not problematic, cracks for design. The AC and shower water were one-speed but somehow perfect. The room was always sufficiently cool and the water was always perfectly warm - not too cool or too hot. Towels were crispy clean, sheets classic white. The room was super quiet and super private. I had no distractions until I stepped out of there. This space is also attached to the Palmitas Kitchen & Bar - one of the best places in town to eat Western, Filipino, and fusion/international foods but with prices that won’t break the bank. Their Daing na Bangus is the best I ever had. On Friday night when the moon was bright, they even had a live acoustic singer/guitarist perform in the shaded courtyard. Finally, the staff here are golden - always smiling and not afraid to converse and be helpful and encouraging of whatever journey you happen to be on. I actually befriended several of them and enjoyed hearing about their lives beyond their jobs, where they work so hard. This makes Flying Fish feel like both a home and a getaway.