CEBU

Cebu : A must-see place

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cebu)

white beaches, sunny weather, coconut trees, mangoes, picturesque sceneries, festive mode and music (Cebuanos are great singers). Plus, it brings the rustic lifestyle in an urban setting. No matter how cosmopolitan Cebu is, life is simpler, compared to well-developed cities. It does not take hours or night just to reach the beach. And if you are lucky enough, you can live just a few steps from the beach. Everything you need is within your reach. The mall is just a stone throw away. Museums and other popular tourist spots are like everywhere. And lastly, you do not need to travel far to see paradise.


JEEP : 8 PESOS / student/ citizen : 7 PESOS
TAXI : 40 pesos ->metered.

Land

Bus

The main bus lines servicing the Cebu area are Ceres Bus Liner (261 5008), CBL Liner (232 1850),ABC Liner (253 1668) and Rough Riders (233 5238).

The most popular destination outside Cebu City is the southern dive spot of Moalboal. The Cebu South bus station is a short taxi ride from downtown (around P30), otherwise take the Basak-Colon, Urgello- Colon or Labangon-Colon-Pier jeepney for P5. From here, there are buses leaving all day for Argao (P55, two hours), Bato and Lilo-an (via Oslob; P75, five hours),Toledo (P40, three hours) and Moalboal (via Carcar; P65, three hours).

If you're after a public bus north, the Cebu North bus station, servicing several bus lines, has rather inconveniently shifted out to Mandaue, a 15-minute, P75 taxi ride from uptown. A Mabolo-Carbon or Mandaue- Cebu City jeepney will take you there, and bring you back into town. The station is on Wireless St, in the desolate Reclamation Area.

Rough Riders buses to Maya, the gateway town for boats to Malapascua, run from 6am to 6pm (P100, 4½ hours, every half hour).

At the north station you'll also find Phil-Cebu Bus Lines (usually called CBL) buses to Hagnaya, the gateway town to Bantayan Island. They leave up to seven times daily, from 7.30am to 5pm (P80, around three hours). Some other bus companies only go as far as Bogo (P60, 2½ hours), where you must take a tricycle to Hagnaya pier (P40, 20 minutes). The last boat departs Hagnaya for Bantayan at 6.30pm.

If you are heading to Malapascua Island and your accommodation is in uptown Cebu, you can jump on a bus at Ayala Center, get off at Bogo and catch a bus to Daan Bantayan (P30, one hour) and a hubel-hubel to Maya pier (P30, 20 minutes). The last regular service is usually around 5pm.

If you want to do some sightseeing along the coast, you can hop off on the way and wait for another bus to come. Waving one down from the highway is usually not a problem, although they'll often be standing room only.

For both northern and southern destinations, there are also air-con vans departing from the White Gold Terminal (232 7501; Pier 4, Reclamation Area). They have no schedules, but leave when the van is half to three-quarters full, so if you're the first seated, you may have to wait. Air-conditioned and with fewer passengers, these are a faster, cushier way to get around. Rates are up to 30% higher than the bus.

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Boat

Cebu City's vast, multipiered port throngs with boats travelling around the Philippines and internationally. The bigger passenger- ferry lines such as SuperCat and OceanJet run large, fast ferries to and from Cebu City every day of the year except Good Friday and New Year's Day.

All shipping information is vulnerable to change. The Sun Star newspaper publishes a schedule that is generally reliable, but it is always good to double-check your schedules directly with the shipping companies. Also confirm the pier from which your boat is departing, or you might be in for a last-minute scramble when you arrive at the port.

The rule with ticket prices, as always, is that you get what you pay for. More expensive categories available are usually 'tourist' and 'cabin' (air-con), which cost around 20% and 30% more, respectively - and are often well worth it if you plan to get some sleep. Most companies offer discounts to students (15%), disabled travellers (20%), senior citizens (20%) and minors (12 years and under; 50%).

You can purchase tickets for SuperFerry, SuperCat and Cebu Ferries at Aboitiz Express (2GO; 233 7000), which has offices in Robinson's Plaza, Ayala Center and SM City.

Bookings for the above lines plus Cokaliong, Aznar, Super Shuttle Ferry and Sulpicio can be made at the Travellers' Lounge (232 0291; SM City, in car park left of entrance 3). Otherwise you can book your ticket directly at the shipping company's booking office, which in many cases will be at the port, usually at the pier from which its boat departs.

Cebu City passenger-ship companies and their details are as follows:

Carlos A Gothing Lines (232 9998; Gothing Private Wharf, Pier 7, FF Cruz, Mandaue)

Cebu Ferries (232 4229; www.cebuferries.com; Pier 4)

Cokaliong Shipping Lines (232 7211; www.cokaliongshipping.com; D S Osmeña Ave, North Reclamation Area) Boats leave from Pier 1.

EB Aznar Shipping (234 4624; EB Aznar Bldg, T Padilla St)

George & Peter Lines (254 5404; Pier 2)

Jadestar Shipping Lines (254 0263; Pier 3)

Lite Shipping Corporation (253 7776; cnr GL Lavilles St & MJ Cuenco Ave)

OceanJet (255 7560; www.oceanjet.net; Pier 1)

Palacio Shipping Lines(255 4538, 253 7700; cnr Mabini & Zulueta Sts) Boats depart Pier 1.

Roble Shipping Lines (255 5904; Pier 3)

Roly Shipping Lines (234 0827; Pier 3)

Sulpicio Lines (232 5361; www.sulpiciolines.com; Sulpicio Go St, Reclamation Area; booking office Pier 3)

Super Shuttle Ferry (book through Travellers' Lounge 232 0291; SM City)

SuperCat (234 9600; www.supercat.com.ph; Pier 4)

SuperFerry (233 7000; www.superferry.com.ph; Pier 3)

Trans-Asia Shipping Lines (254 6491; www.transasiashipping.com; Trans-Asia Shipping Lines Bldg, cnr MJ Cuenco & Osmeña Blvd) Boats depart Pier 4.

VG Shipping Lines (416 6226; Pier 3)

Weesam Express (412 9562; www.weesamexpress.com; Pier 4)

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Air

If it suits your itinerary to fly in from Asia, arriving in Cebu City rather than Manila has its advantages. Cebu's Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA; 340 2486; www.mactan-cebuairport.com) is second only to Manila in terms of air traffic, but way ahead in terms of user-friendliness. Note that the airport is actually on Mactan Island, 15km east of Cebu City.

Within the Philippines, domestic airlines fly between Cebu and around a dozen destinations - including, of course, Manila.

Airport terminal fees are P100 (cash) for domestic flights and a hefty P550 for international flights.

The following domestic and international airlines have offices at MCIA:

Air Philippines (341 0930; www.airphils.com)

Asian Spirit (341 2550; www.asianspirit.com)

Cathay Pacific (340 3254; www.cathaypacific.com)

Cebu Pacific (340 7980, www.cebupacificair.com)

Malaysia Airlines (340 2978; www.malaysiaairlines.com)

Philippine Airlines (PAL; 340 0191; www.philippineairlines.com)

Singapore Airlines (Silkair; 340 0041; www.silkair.com.sg)

South East Asian Airlines (SEAIR; 341 4879; www.flyseair.com)

It's a one-hour flight between Cebu and Manila. The route is service by Air Philippines (two flights daily each way), Cebu Pacific (nine flights daily each way) and Philippine Airlines (seven or eight flights daily each way, from 5am to 7.30pm).

Other domestic destinations include the following:

Bacolod Cebu Pacific, PAL (30 minutes, twice daily).

Cagayan de Oro Asian Spirit (one hour, three weekly).

Camiguin SEAIR (one hour, weekly).

Caticlan Asian Spirit, SEAIR (one hour, twice daily).

Davao Cebu Pacific, PAL (one hour, two to three times daily).

General Santos Air Philippines (one hour, daily).

Iloilo Cebu Pacific, PAL (40 minutes, twice daily).

Kalibo Cebu Pacific (40 minutes, three weekly).

Siargao SEAIR (one hour, weekly).

Zamboanga Air Philippines, Cebu Pacific (one hour, five weekly).

International destinations include Hong Kong (Cathay Pacific, daily), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia Airlines, twice weekly), Seoul (PAL, eight weekly), Singapore (Silkair, daily) and Tokyo (PAL, five weekly).

WHERE BEST TO GO IN CEBU?

1. MALAPASCUA ISLAND (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malapascua_Island) SEE TREASURE SHARK
   GO DIVING !!! :)

2. OSLOB (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oslob,_Cebu ) SEE WHALE SHARKS!

3. KAWASAN FALLS (http://www.kawasanfalls.net/)  so beautiful!! worth it to go !!!!!!! amazing

4. TOPS (http://www.lonelyplanet.com/philippines/the-visayas/cebu-city/sights/food/tops-lookout)GO AT NIGHT!! 

5.AYALA MALL (http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g298460-d1475801-Reviews-Ayala_Center_Cebu-Cebu_City_Cebu_Visayas.html ) 

6. Mactan Shrine (http://www.fabulousphilippines.com/mactan-shrine.html) very nice to go .. and learn a lot about history of philippines.. 

7. Mango Square (party at night) (http://beautyofcebu.blogspot.com/2012/10/mango-square-in-cebu-city-enjoy-life-at.html) 

8. SM Cebu (TRY SM BOWLING ,, WATCH CINEMA )( http://smsupermalls.com/smcitycebu )

9. Sky Walk (Crown Regency hotel Fuente ) (http://www.crownregencyhotelandtowers.com/ppc/?gclid=CKnz7svvuLgCFYUn4godSTwAcQ )

10.Taoist Temple (http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g298460-d1484752-Reviews-Taoist_Temple-Cebu_City_Cebu_Visayas.html )

Add to trip

Beverly Hills, Cebu City, Philippines 

Where to stay?

-> there are so many cheap rooms here in cebu especially in the city you can find 300 - 500 pesos room per day with air condition 

-Capitol tourist Inn (http://www.crownregencyhotelandtowers.com/ppc/?gclid=CKnz7svvuLgCFYUn4godSTwAcQ ) 

-Cebu Guesthouse hotel (http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g298460-d1179240-Reviews-Cebu_Guesthouse-Cebu_City_Cebu_Visayas.html)

Things to eat in Cebu? 

 shall jump straight to the best thing that I had in Cebu – Zubuchon lechon (whole roasted pig). All you need to know is Zubuchon has the best lechon. You MUST TRY it if you are in Cebu.

Besides the famous lechon (P240 half kilo or SGD$7/P450 for 1kg or SGD$13.2), we also had the equally good Lechon Sisig (P190). Zubuchon has other dishes like Lechon Crispy Pata (P450 or SGD$13), Roasted Pork Belly (P380 or SGD$11) and Slow-Cooked Pork Belly (P220 or SGD$6.5) on the menu.

Note: Zubuchon is no longer at Banilad Town Center.

Zubuchon Lechon
One Mango Mall
General Maxilom Ave, Cebu City
+63 32 2395697

#9 Brownie Cup from La Marea

“Go to La Marea and eat all the desserts there,” my friend Trixie told me.

La Marea is a dessert place in Cebu that has a range of cakes and pastries at affordable prices. We went there twice during our stay in Cebu and tried quite a few desserts. Of course, there were hits and misses. Just make sure you try the warm Brownie Cup (P100 or SGD$3) which comes in flavours like chocolate, apple crumble, blueberry, and white chocolate.

The Walk, I.T. Park
Lahug, Cebu City

Banilad Cross Road Cebu City
+63 32 4162919

#8 Cheap and good food from Mooon Cafe

I was reading some of the Cebu food blogs to research on places to eat, and some of them raved about the food at Mooon Cafe (it’s spelled with three Os). I think a few reviews even went out on a limb to call it the best restaurant in Cebu.

It is not hard to understand why Mooon cafe is so popular. They serve decent food at affordable prices, and it has an electrifying atmosphere. However, the food is not consistent. We were there during the first night, and we really enjoyed the Mexican Baby Back Ribs (P198 or SGD$5.8) and Mooon Steak (P176 or SGD$5). But when we went back for lunch again, the same baby ribs was lacking in flavour and the Pork Chops (P158 or SGD$4.6) was too salty.

That said, Mooon Cafe is still a nice place to have dinner when you are in Cebu.

The Terraces, Ayala Center
Cebu City Philippines

The Walk Asiatown, I.T. Park
Lahug Cebu City

42 E. Osmeña St Guadalupe
Tel: +63 32 4159779

#7 Ribs and Burgers from Casa Verde

For the best pork ribs in Cebu, go to Casa Verde. Their menu has a wide range of offerings like Burgers (P180 or SGD$5.2), sandwiches (P158 or SGD$4.6), chicken (P170 or SGD$5), seafood (P178 or SGD$5.2) and of course, the best seller pork ribs (P198 or SGD$5.8).

The Terraces at Ayala
Tel:+63 32 2338885

The Walk at IT Park
Tel: +63 32 4123336

#6 Eat Chicken Inasal before leaving Philippines

It is a must to eat chicken inasal when you are in Philippines. With 408 branches all over the country, Mang Inasal – Philippines fastest growing barbecue fast food chain – is probably the most accessible option for chicken inasal.

Ground floor SM Cebu City

#5 Cebu street food: Larsian BBQ

Cebu Larsian BBQ is the answer most people reply when you ask them what to eat in Cebu. Larsian is like our hawker centre with rows of stalls that serve BBQ meat and seafood. I don’t have the exact address, just tell the taxi Larsian near Near Chong Hua Hospital.

If you are looking for street food in Cebu, Larsian is probably the place to go.

#4 Eat more Lechon at CnT Lechon

There’s no such thing as too much lechon. Besides Zubuchon, CnT Lechon is another place that is famous for the roast pig.

Food Court
4th Level Ayala Mall

1377 Rama Ave, Guadalupe
Cebu City
Tel: +63 32 2544249

#3 One of the best restaurants in Cebu – A Cafe

A Cafe by the Abaca group is easily one of my favourite restaurants in Cebu. We loved it so much that we actually went there for dinner twice. Definitely a must-visit in Cebu.

The menu is fairly small: it serves all day breakfast items like Eggs Benedict (P335 or SGD$9.8) and Blueberry Pancakes (P295 or SGD$8.6); there are lighter options like fresh Salad, Soup, and Sandwiches as well as main courses like Steak Frites (P795 or SGD$23), Angus Buger (P445 or SGD$13) and Herb Roasted Half Chicken (P525 or SGD$15.4)

crossroads, banilad
Cebu City, Philippines
Tel: +63 32 5055692

#2 Maya Mexican Restaurant

A restaurant that has consistently been voted as one of the best restaurants in Cebu, Maya Mexican restaurant (also under the Abaca group) is the place to go for good Mexican food.

Crossroads, banilad
Cebu city, philippines
Tel: +63 32 2389552

Abuhan Restaurant pochero

(https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=abuhan+restaurant+cebu&oq=ABUHAN+RES&aqs=chrome.2.57j0l3j62l2.3607j0&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 )

WIFI ZONE -> most of the restaurant,hotel,cafe, have wifi