Cebu is one of the major cities in the Philippines. It is renowned as the “Queen City of the South” because it grew significantly in terms of its economic and infrastructure opportunities.

Cebu is more than just high-rise buildings and establishments. It is not only a tourist destination, but also it is an ideal place to live if you look forward to settling down.

You’ll never get enough of Cebu once you set your foot in this amazing city. Rich history, pristine beaches, exciting adventures, and food trips, are just some of the things that you’ll experience while you’re in Cebu. In this blog, we will give all of these to you.

How to get there

There are a lot of ways to arrive to the Queen City of the South. Almost all airlines have Cebu routes that will only take about an hour to 2 hours, depending on your point of origin. 

If you’re coming from outside the Philippines, there’s still a chance that you can scout a trip to Cebu with these following origins: Hong Kong, Singapore, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, Nagoya, Taipei, and Los Angeles (yes, L.A.!).

And, yes, don’t forget to look for promo tickets!

Getting around

Getting around Cebu is easy but a little tricky. It’s easy because there are a lot of modes of transportation, such as jeepneys, tricycles, cabs, and buses. It get’s tricky (somehow) when you try to ride a jeepney because routes are named alphanumerically (e.g. 01K, 01B, 01C, 02B, etc.)

Pro Tip: Ask first a local or a driver before you ride the jeepney. 

How to plan your Cebu trip

Three days isn’t enough to explore the Queen City of the South. It’s real talk. Careful planning is needed before you visit Cebu so as to maximize your days and save time. If you just go with the flow, it might drive you crazy. And oh, traffic would really piss you off.

Here’s how you plan for your trip:

• Research and jot down all the places that you want to see, adventures and experiences you want to try, and foods you want to eat.
• Categorize each item according to location (North or South), and type (Cultural, Beach, Food, Adventure, etc.)
• Now that you’ve categorized them according to location and type, it should be easier to find them in the map, and estimate the time needed for you to travel from one attraction to the next.

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Best time to go & How many days do you need

Best time to visit Cebu is from September to mid of February where you will enjoy sunny days, cool nights, and less humid climate. (Bonus fact: the colorful Sinulog Festival in Cebu is held every January – another reason for you to visit the city) March to May are also good months, but expect a really hot day and a pack of tourists.

Three days isn’t enough to explore the whole city, not unless you limit your itinerary. Ideally, you must have 6 full days in order for you to travel and see the beauty of Cebu without rushing.

Top 21 Things to See, Do, Eat

1. Visit Temple of Leah

• Cebu’s Taj Mahal
• Entrance fee: Php 50 ($0.96) per adult, FREE for senior citizens and kids ages 10 years old & below

2. Eat lechon

• This is one food/specialty that you should try to eat! They have the best-tasting lechons in the Philippines.
• Usually sold per kilo or whole

3. Dinner at Lantaw Floating Restaurant

• Al-fresco 
• Good food & great location, with a sea view

4. Visit the 10,000 Roses

• Beautiful ambiance!
• Entrance fee: Php 20 ($0.38) per person
• Location: Day-as Cordova, beside Lantaw Floating Restaurant

5. Barbecue in Larsian

• Best barbecue in town!
• Location: Fuente, Cebu

6. Try the Tuslob Buwa

• This is a unique food item that you must try in Cebu! If Philippines is known for balut, Cebu City is known for the Tuslob Buwa.
• A street food where you dip hanging rice (puso) into the sizzling hot pig brain/pork liver/intestine sauce that’s seasoned with onions, oil, soy sauce, and shrimp paste.
• Php 10 ($0.19)

7. Sweet Treats!

• Sikwate (hot chocolate) and a plate of puto (some kind of a rice cake)

8. Sirao Flower Garden

• Called The little Amsterdam of Cebu
• Entrance fee: Php 50 ($0.96) per head
• Pool: Php 100 ($1.91) for adults, Php 50 ($0.96) for kids below 12 years old

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9. Have a thrilling adventure at the Crown Regency

• Must try: EDGE Coaster, Sky Walk Extreme, Tower Zip, and Cliff Hanger

10. City view from the Tops

• an overrated, yet a must-go tourist spot where you can see the whole of Cebu!

11. Carbon market

• Look for cheap clothes, fresh vegetables and fruits, and other Filipino treats

12. Discover Cebu’s History

• Heritage of Cebu Monument
• Fort San Pedro
• Taoist Temple
• Experience Sinulog Festival

13. Magellan’s Cross

• One of the Cebu’s iconic religious landmark

14. Swim with the whale sharks (Butanding)

• Yep, this is safe! The whale sharks are also called as Gentle Sea Giants
• This is one of the most memorable things that you can experience in your lifetime
• Php 500 ($9.57) for local tourists, Php 1,000 ($19.13) for foreigners
• Location: Brgy. Tan-awan, Oslob (about 3-hour bus ride from Cebu proper)

15. Escape at the sandbar of Sumilon Island

16. A weekend in Kawasan Falls

• leveled-up canyoneering
• trekking, rock climbing, waterfall jumping, and rapelling
• Multiple jump sites up to 50+ feet!

17. Simala Shrine

• a monastery for devotees of Mother Mary

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18.  Shop at Colon

• Extreme thrift shopping experience!
• Don’t forget to haggle.

19. Taboan Public Market

• Dried fruits, dried fishes, seafood, and nuts — all of these can be found and bought at Taboan Public Market
• Must try: Dried Mango

20. Dive at Moalboal

• One of the best diving spots in the Philippines!

21. Malapascua Island

• Also a diving site in Cebu
• A 3.5-5-hour bus rid from Cebu proper

Language

Locals of Cebu speak Cebuano or Visayan (Bisaya). But, of course, they’re also fluent in speaking English.

Useful Cebuano phrases:

• How are you? Kumusta man ka?
• What’s your name? Unsa imong ngalan?
• Good morning! Maayong buntag!
• Good afternoon! Maayong hapon!
• Good evening! Maayong gabii!
• How much is the fare? Pila ang pasahe?

ATMs, Currency & Credit Card

Cebu is a well-developed city. Banks are almost everywhere, ATMs are good and working, and medium to large establishments cater credit cards. Note that for foreign cards, there will be a charge of Php 200 ($3.82) for every withdrawal.

Philippine Peso (Php) is the currency, in which $1 is equal to Php 52.31 at the time of this writing.

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May 17, 2018 7:49 am Published by karladacanay92