Getting Around Cebu for the First Time

Cebu is one of the famous metropolitans in the countries. It is so known and respected for everything that it can offer – from attractions to educational institutions – that even the then president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo chose to be sworn at Sugbu Park, the serene park just outside the capitol, the Magellan’s Cross Shrine and the Basilica Minor del Santo Niño de Cebu. There were even talks before to make the dialect of the city the national language and/or to trade Cebu City to be the capital of the country. All of these things have fired up my interest to eventually come up close and personal with this place one day.

 

That “one day” came on the 14^th to 17^th of January 2010. My closest colleagues and I agreed to plan our first out of town travel together and we have chosen to fly to Cebu and Tagbilaran to see the Magellan’s Cross Shrine and the Chocolate Hills. The plans kicked off well ahead of our travel dates, about six months before, so we had so much time researching about the attractions, tours, accommodations, and utilities, and transportations in the city. We had a long list of choices then narrowed them down according to reviews and blogs of those who have been in the area. We printed a map of the island and mainland and then their road maps. This way, we were able to make a good plan of the daily itinerary. Then we contacted the people we would want to hire, from the driver down to the guides. We settled to the highly recommended of those time, Kuya Jhun and Kuya Noel.

 

Day 1

The day came and I and my officemate convene with our other travel buddies who came all the way from Legazpi City at the Ninoy Aquino Airport. We checked in, board and arrive on time at the Mactan Cebu International Airport. From there, Kuya Jhun – our hired transpo and guide – meet us and take us to our first stop of the tour, the Magellan’s Shrine. It was right there in Mactan, along the way to Lapu-Lapu City so our guide wanted to maximize our travel and time so he didn’t waste any time and distance. The place was nice and barren although it was poetic. After taking photos and bumming around, he took us to nearby SuTuKil (Sugba-Tula-Kilaw) stalls, their famous local cuisine. The food was great and the prices were just right.

Then we had the great road trip to the capital city. I would’ve loved to stop right at the entrance or exit of the metal suspension bridge but Kuya Jhun told that it was illegal so we just drove passed it. After more than an hour road trip, we already saw the malls and we knew that we are near our hotel. Our accommodation was at the oldest street in the city, Colon Street. The entrance to the hotel was small that our driver had a hard time looking for it. What’s good about our hotel was that it was nice and inexpensive plus it was right in the middle of the CBD. The food strip of the city was right next to us and most of the huge malls were all sitting next to us. Little did we know that the street itself was an attraction and historical destination of the South.

Our first day was fully loaded. After dropping by our hotel to check in and leave our bags, we immediately hopped back in our vehicle and drove off to our next destination – the Fort San Pedro aka Plaza Independencia. It was near the pier so we also dropped by to buy our tickets to Tagbilaran the next day. Within walking distance was the Magellan’s Cross Shrine, which is right next to the Basilica Minore and the university. A little walk took us to the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, the Pari-an or Heritage of Cebu Monument. The Carbon Street was near but we didn’t dropped by yet and instead looked for Rico’s Lechon, a name highly recommended by Team Pacquiao’s Buboy Fernandez and wife Mariclaire. Kuya Jhun can’t find the place so we went to CnT Lechon instead, an establishment just in front of SM Cebu.

After that, Kuya Jhun took us to a cruise along Fuente Osmena where we saw the famous Crown Regency Hotel’s Skywalk tower, capitol and a lot more. Then we cruised the Ayala and Imus Avenues to get a good look of the city. A little over 4 o’clock, we head for the Tops where we can get a good look of the skyline and 360 degrees of the city. As promised, the place was a vantage point of the city. It was really good up there and there was a huge bell at the top. The area was a park-like destination to tourists. It was just sad that we don’t have a good camera back then so I wasn’t able to get a 360 degrees photo of the city. We watched the sun set up there and head down for the Larsian but it was full. Kuya Jhun recommended AAA and we had a good SuTuKil dinner in the place.

 

With our eyes, mind, heart, and stomach full, we head back to our hotel. We gave Kuya Jhun his take and provided instruction for the next morning. Since we were happy of how smoothly things were, we also gave Kuya Jhun a little bonus.   

Day 2

Bohol Trip

After a day in Cebu City, we hopped the Supercat to Tagbilaran aka Bohol. The weather was good and the ocean was so blue that we didn’t realize the long cruise to the land of Tarsiers and Chocolate Hills was fast appearing right before our eyes. Once we reached the destination, the tour guide that we hired immediately flashed the name card that showed the name of one of our travel buddies. We approached him and he gave us a good orientation on the tour ahead of us. As soon as we are settled in the van, he gave us a nice historical story of Bohol – how it became famous and why it is important to visit the province.  

Our first stop was the Blood Compact site or Sandugo Shrine in Barangay Bool, Tagbilaran City, Bohol. This is a masterpiece of the great National Artist Napoleon Isabelo Veloso Abueva, a local of the province. It portrays the blood compact between the Spaniard who conquered the Philippines, Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and Bohol Chieftain Datu Sikatuna on the 16^th of March 1565 – a date that is celebrated by Boolanos and the entire province in a festival.

Then, we drove off to the old Baclayon Church where short shorts are a no-no. One of my travel buds were told to wear a long skirt from the church so she can enter the home of God. At the back was a nice “gamut” house, meaning roots house and true to the name, there was a house there that is built in roots. Out in the garden are different flowering plants and shrubs as well as domesticated pets. Next stop was the Laoay Church and then went for Tarsier stalls somewhere in between Loboc and Bilar. While the wooded area in Bilar could have been near for us drop by and continue to Carmen for the Choco Hills, our guide recommended to go back for the Loboc Cruise and lunch.

And so we continue to a place where a huge snake has become an attraction, which is along our way to the Cruise. It was not among my favorites though, especially when Prony, the snake, got to enjoy an entire pig for his lunch. I had to stay behind and wait for my travel buds to get back to the van so we can continue the tour. Next, we stopped by Loboc Cruise for lunch. It was a nice buffet styled lunch in cruise, passing by singing groups in different locations along the Loboc River. After a good 30 minutes cruise-cum-lunch, we alighted the boat and once again go on a road trip, this time to the hanging bridges of Batuan. It is in this area that souvenirs are really cheap. Then it is time to see the Chocolate Hills in Carmen. Along the road to Carmen, we passed by Bilar’s woods and then the Butterfly Sanctuary.

Finally, we reached Carmen and turned to the alley that leads to the Chocolate Hills observation hill. There stood a stairwell that leads to the top of the hill where a bell and wishing well are perched. At the back side of the top was an open land of grass where one can have a nice photo opp with the choco hills as backdrop. It was really a beauty to behold although the colors of the hills would have been like chocos if it were summer. Still, the great hills were really an excellent sight. At the other side of the observation hill is the choco hills hotel. I wonder how it feels to stay in the hotel but staying in a resort in the nearvy Panglao Island is much more desirable to me. Once we descended, we agreed to go directly to the hotel we have reserved in Panglao Island. Our guide recommended another resort hotel though and while we were adamant, when we get there, we were in awe.

Our guide took us to Bagobo Beach Resort. The place was nice and the rooms that were given to us are at the beachfront. The beach was superb. The sand was as white as white can get and the ambiance was peaceful and quiet. The only let down in the resort was the unfriendly staff who were curt and insensitive to the needs of their guests. I gave our guide his take plus a little bonus and instructed him to fetch us the following afternoon for our cruise back to Cebu. We checked in the two beachfront cottages, and while waiting for dinner strolled along the white shore and bummed off to Cebu Beach Club and Resort. We passed by a few hotel and peddlers of earrings and necklaces along the way. Then we head back to the hotel to watch the sunrise and dip in the beach before we hit the dining table.

Once again, the servers were curt and feel like they don’t want to do us favors. If not for the nice ambiance and place, we would’ve packed our bags and look for another hotel. Since we are just staying overnight and the call time for our island hop is very early, we just let their disrespecting ways to go. We lounged some more after the dinner and stayed out in the shore where some beach umbrellas and beach beds were set up. A little over midnight, we hit the sack.

Day 3

Just before the sun rises, we were up and waiting for another guide who will take us to the nearby islands of Panglao – Balicasag and somewhere near the Pamilacan island for dolphin watching. They said that the dolphins will be out before 7 am so armed with our hot coffees to-go, we cruised the clean blue seas that will take us near the Pamilacan island before we set sail for Balicasag Island where our lunch will be waiting. We were not as lucky though so after a few more tries in different locations, we gave up and head for Balicasag Island. For a meager P150 per head, we enjoyed unlimited rice, cooked fish of different kinds and sizes, lobsters, crabs, shrimps, lots of buttered chicken, and mixed veggies. We were so full that we were no longer able to swim in the clear blue waters of the island.

A couple of hours more, we left for the resort. We reached way before sunset so we still had time to frolic on the shore and the beach. We swam and bummed around to our content then ordered dinner from the curt staff of the resort and requested for our food to be served out on the beach. At least they did that and we had a great last night stay with them. Beaten from the day’s activities, we hit the sack earlier.

Day 4

Once up, I tagged my roommate to get a sight of the sunrise on the beach. It was heartwarming with the early summer weather. We swam and a few more moments, our other travel buddies are up and joined us. Breakfast were ordered and consumed fast, and not wanting to be left off by Supercat, we head back to our rooms to pack. At the shore, we bought a few more take homes then head back to the resort to check out. Our guide is back to fetch us and take us to the pier.

Before lunch, we were already at the pier. We said our final goodbyes and gave our guide his final pay and bonus. Then, we head to the canteen for our lunch. Before one, we are in the boat and waiting for it to leave. Once again, the beautiful sceneries let us forget the time we were in the boat and we were in Cebu terminal in no time. From there, our city guide took fetch us and drive us down our hotel. The staff and servers of the hotel were happy to see us back, then recommended that we start our way to Carbon market soon to enjoy buying our take homes. We did and it was really fun to buy things at this market, everything was cheap and everyone is nice.

We went back to basilica and cathedral as well as the cross shrine before heading back to the hotel. For our last dinner in Cebu, we ditched the local mid-range restos for the smokey food strip next our hotel. We had what the common working Cebuanos would have for dinner – sinugba or skewed foods, fish, meat or seafood. We also tried their puso or the rice cooked in coconut cream. After dinner, we walked down the street of colon and the nearby avenue to get rid of our fullness and smokey scent but more importantly to see Cebu one last time. We head back to our rooms and had a great night.

Day 5

While everyone was preparing and packing their things back to their bags, I was out to carbon market for another round of dangit or dried fish. Then I head back to the church to say a prayer and walked back to our hotel. We then called on our guide during our first day to take us to airport where we had our lunch. We boarded and were back in Manila where three of our buds will have to wait for their flight back to Legazpi city. Overall, we had the best travel yet to a place we do not know of.

Cost

Each of has had shelled out 5,000 each for the 5 days we were in vacation, excluding airfare which we got at sale price. We, the ones from Manila, spent a few more for our transpo from our place to the airport. The ones from Bicol or Legazpi City had probably spent P2,500 to P3,000 more for their transpo back home. Overall, I could say that it was money spent wisely.