Dauin

Origin of the Name

There are three versions, the first two being interrelated; first, there was a majestic tree that towered over all trees that the Spaniards asked for its name, which was Calawin. Second, the natives believed that the Calawin was the home of the supernatural beings, called “Dawinde”, who gave help to those in need but could be seen only in such situations. The third, natives used to cultivate the lands into banana plantations. The bananas were sold not by bunch or by fingers but by hands, which were locally called “Lawing”.

Contemporary Times

An association of Japanese divers once named Apo Island of Dauin town one of the ten best dive sites in the world. The 72-hectare volcanic outcrop on Negros Oriental’s eastern horizon has placed Dauin in the world tourism map. It is an international favorite, attracting large numbers of scuba and snorkel enthusiasts to its magnificent underwater gardens and colorful marine life.

While the island barangay is Dauin’s principal tourism lure, the town’s beaches are the locus of some of the most popular resorts in the province, from the upscale to the budget-friendly, all catering to the foreign market, all gazing at Apo Island. Occasional sorties to Dauin’s marine reserves can also be arranged.

The town’s largely unspoiled hinterlands roll up into the Mt Talinis Geothermal Reserve, where fumarolic activity can be observed on Mag-Aso and the Malungcay Hot Springs.

Dauin’s colonial Church of San Nicolas is regarded as the Province’s oldest. In front of the church and along the beach are the ruins of two dome-shaped watchtowers said to have been used to warn against pirates.

Barangays

Dauin is politically subdivided into 23 barangays.

Attractions

Dauin hosts several popular beach resorts with both local and foreign tourists. The coast of Dauin offers scuba dive sites with both coral reef and muck dive opportunities. The municipality has established several sanctuaries, within which fishing and boating is absolutely prohibited. This includes sites such as Mainit sanctuary, Luca sanctuary, Dauin sanctuary and Masaplod sanctuary. These sites are well preserved and offer a huge variety and quantity of life forms.

Dauin also offers Muck diving, which on a point of view of biodiversity can be compared to the dives in Lembeh Strait in Indonesia. Greater blueringed octopus, Wonderpus, Mimic octopus, Poison ocellate octopus, Ambon scorpionfishes, Flamboyant cuttlefishes, bluespotted stingrays, nudibranchs, and many species of frogfish (most amazing critters in the world) are frequent sights on the sandy shores of the municipality.

Apo Island is part of the jurisdiction of the municipality of Dauin. The island is also a popular site for scuba diving. As it is completely surrounded by coral reefs, the whole island is a dive site. Popular dive sites include Coconut Point, Mamsa, Cogon, Rockpoint and Chapel. Bigeyed Jacks, turtles, bumphead parrotfish and sea snakes are inhabiting the reefs of the island. It is accessible by boat, 30 minutes from the mainland.

Another tourist attraction of Dauin is the Baslay Hot Spring. The hot spring is located in Barangay Baslay. The water from the hot spring contains natural sulphur which is known to have health benefits.

Elementary Schools