Dalahican is Lucena's working port district, several kilometres south of the city centre on Tayabas Bay. It is the departure point for ferries to Marinduque island and the smaller Quezon island groups, and a functioning fishing port where boats unload their catch in the early morning hours. Coming here at dawn — when the fishing fleet returns and vendors haggle over baskets of squid and reef fish on the concrete quay — is one of the more vivid experiences Lucena has to offer.
The ferry terminal itself is functional rather than scenic, but the bay views across to the green hills of Marinduque on a clear day make the wait worthwhile. A cluster of food stalls outside the terminal gate serves breakfast to departing passengers and arriving fishermen.