LIFE AROUND CEBU
Like a jack-in-a-box, Cebu is a surprise waiting to burst out of the confines of set expectations. When we talk of Cebu, what comes to mind is the Sinulog (a festival in honor of the Child – Jesus), lechon (whole roasted pig), dried mangoes, Larsians (an open-grill hangout place), danggit (dried fish), guitars, and the Carbon market
Cebu Island is one of the largest islands of the Philippine archipelago. It is long and narrow island; from north to south are approximately 217 km and 32 km across at its greatest width. The land area of the province is 4,864 sq km. The island is mountainous with several mountains greater than 700 m and a highest peak of 1,013 m. It is an attractive destination for many and although it is located in a tropical country the nearby sea provides for a cool breeze.
There are beautiful beaches never far away, challenging golf courses and interesting dive sites within easy reach. Apart from that, the country offers a combination of historical sites, museums, good restaurants and interesting night entertainment in a way that no other Asian country can provide. Last, but certainly not least, the present international currency adjustments are making the Philippines a bastion of low prices for visitors from the US, Australia and Europe.
Staple in the province is actually maize. Principal industries include coal mining and the manufacture of cloth, pottery, and refined sugar.
On Mactan Island, large Export Processing Zones are exclusively producing for export. The total population of the province is about 3 million; half of this is living in Cebu City, the capital of the province.
Cebu City is an excellent springboard for trips to neighboring islands. The Mactan International Airport, second largest airport of the country, is a hub for regional airlines serving neighboring towns and cities, while the extensive net of fast ferries take care of the shorter distances. With these fast ferries destinations such as the Camotes Island, Bohol Island, Dumaguete City, Island of Negros and Ormoc City, Island of Leyte; are only a few hours away.
SITES TO SEE IN CEBU CITY
MAGELLANS CROSS is a landmark etched in our history books. It was in this spot that Ferdinand Magellan planted a cross declaring Spain’s power over the territory. The ceiling of the building shows Magellan erecting the wooden cross, surrounded by locals who do the actual work.
FORT SAN PEDRO The Fort was built in 1565 to keep a lookout for pirates coming mainly from Mindanao. Successively the fort served as a garrison, rebel stronghold, prison camp and today mainly as lovers’ garden and museum.
TAOIST TEMPLE The magnificent Taoist Temple, a true symbol of Cebu’s large Chinese community, stands on top of a hill in plush Beverly Hills, overlooking the city. With its serene atmosphere, it is a castle in the middle of a chaotic city. It is representative of a people’s respect for another’s belief and religion.
STO NINO CHURCH One of the oldest remains from the Spanish era. The present massive Church was designed and constructed during the priorship of Reverend Juan Albarrana, O. S. A. (1735-1737). The Santo Niño is the only Catholic Basilica in East Asia.
THINGS TO DO IN CEBU CITY
ISLAND HOPPING An archipelago offers opportunities that cannot be done anywhere else, and that is precisely what many tourists like to do, island hopping. Famous islands are Mactan Island, Bantayan Island, Malapascua Island, Pescador and Sumilon, to name a few popular destinations.
- MACTAN ISLAND is a combination of industrial activity and leisure. The island is made of coral stone, but tectonic movements have lifted it slightly up. The island has three (3) man economic activities: The Mactan International Airport, the Mactan Export Processing Zone and Beach Resorts. Few areas in the country offer so many jobs as here on Mactan. MEPZ and the Airport have their own waste disposal system, the rest of the island does not. Beach Resorts today are: Shangri-la, Plantation Bay, Tambuli, Cebu Beach Club, Maribago Blue Waters, Pacific Cebu Resort, Cebu Marine, White Sands and Costabella Resort.
- BANTAYAN ISLAND - THE LITTLE BORACAY is located at the northern tip of Cebu. It is well known for its fine white sands and crystal clear waters considered as one of the most attractive tourist destination in the Philippines. Referred to as the Egg Basket, it produces over one and a half million eggs a day to supply different regions in Central Visayas. The locals have an interesting dialect. It’s a mixture of Ilonggo, Waray and Cebuano.
- MALAPASCUA ISLAND – UNFORTUNATE CHRISTMAS Christmas is very meaningful for the people in this island. The day they were conquered by the Spaniards thousands of years ago. Interestingly enough, the name “Malapascua” means “unfortunate Christmas”. It only takes 2 hours to walk around the whole island surrounded by pristine waters grounded on pure white sands. It is an exciting getaway for swimming and sunbathing. There are popular diving sites as well namely Tapilon Wreck, Gato Island, Monad Shoal and Pioneer Japanese Wreck point.
- SUMILON ISLAND – THE FIRST MARINE SANCTUARY The name “Sumilon” simply means “take refuge”. But the 24 hectares of luxuriant tropical greens is no simple sight to behold. It was the first established marine sanctuary in the Philippines, with its astonishing collection of marine flora and fauna teeming in its lucid azure waters. Diving enthusiasts will be intrigued by gentle pelagic species like hammerhead and whale sharks.
- MOALBOAL – THE DIVERS’ DEN A true “Moalboalanon” (native of Moalboal) would know the real story behind the origin of its name. It transpired one sunny afternoon in Moalboal’s spring, a source of water for many locals back then. A foreigner happened to pass by and humbly asked a woman with a cleft palate what was the name of the place. She thought his question was about the spring, so she answered “Bukal-bukal”. But because of her speech difficulty, her words came out sounding like “Moalboal”. That was how the town got its name. The spring still exists until today.
SHOPPING TILL YOU DROP
- PASEO A new wave of excitement splashes along the streets of Mabolo, Cebu’s first night market with dining, shopping plus entertainment all in one location. The latest installment for nocturnal extravagance, it goes by the name Paseo. It houses 96 bazaars, 24 Restobars and 7 food carts. It is the current night-out spot for partying. The crowd is usually composed of young urban professionals, students and those who love to dance till the break of dawn.
- BANILAD TOWN CENTER opens its doors wider giving more variety and more time for shoppers. For those with insatiable appetites, BTC is the place to be. A variety of fine dining experience is served in restaurants with Malaysian, Chinese and European dishes.
- AYALA MALL dictates urban lifestyle here in Cebu. It is home to families and friends’ recreation, retail shopping mania and entertainment bonanza. Recently it has annexed a new division, The Terraces, offering more choices for luxury boutiques and high quality gadgets. It is a melting pot for fine dining with cuisines ranging from Filipino, Italian, Chinese, Thai-Vietnamese, Japanese, American and many more. For viewing pleasure, cinemas are available showing the latest local or international box office hits. Concerts, exhibits and fashion shows are regular stamps in the Activity Center. This age of heightened interest in physical fitness and health are also catered by renowned gyms inside the premises.
BOHOL
Bohol, in the heart of Central Visayas, is the 10th largest island in the country. Approximately 803 kilometers south of Manila and 79 kilometeres southeast of Cebu, it is where you will gaze at the “Jewel of the Philippines” or normally referred to as the Chocolate Hills. The capital city is Tagbilaran City
Bohol’s most famous tourist attraction is without any doubt its Chocolate Hills. The symmetrical haycock shaped hills, there are about 1,200 of them, are located in the center of the island, not far from the town of Carmen.
The hills are the weathered remains of a kind of marine limestone on top of an impermeable layer of clay. The name Chocolate Hills comes from the fact that during summer, in the dry season ( December to May) the otherwise green hills turn into a brownish color because of lack of rain.
TARSIERS
In Loboc, Bohol, one can see Tarsiers, one of the world’s smallest primates, and there are probably less than 1,000 tarsiers left.
Tarsiers share characteristics of both sub-orders with feature unique to themselves. They are often lumped together with prosimians because they look and act like them and are small. They have different teeth compared to the prosimians and are meat-eaters (insects).
Tarsier is only four to five inches long. The length of its tail is usually double the length of its body. It weighs only 113 to 142 grams. Its brown eyes are three times larger than any primate’s. It has large hairless ears and very long claws and it can rotate its head almost 360 degrees.
LOOKING FOR A GUITAR?
Lilang’s is the first and number one guitar manufacturer in Lapu-lapu. It started manufacturing guitars in 1952 and was then managed by Lilang Amistad, the original owner.
DOs & DONTs
- Show respect for the grey haired people.
- Do not come for official visits; come at least half an hour late. Filipinos never come on time!
- Never let a Filipino lose his face, find a way out of an awkward situation.
- Do not argue with people in authority.
- Never take a taxi without a running meter
- Never pay the taxi after all your luggage is unloaded
- Never allow a taxi driver to accept other passengers apart from you
- Never put valuables and money in the hotel room, put them in the hotel safe until you need them
- Never reveal the name of your hotel to strangers
- Never trust anybody you don’t know
- Never gamble on the street
- Never change money outside banks or official money changers
- Never accept a ride in a car to “see something”
- Never lend someone your camera to take a picture of you
- Never use guides other than official ones, they carry a license
- Never use large banks notes in poor or remote places, robbers might wait for you just around the corner
- Never Give money to beggars
IS CEBU A SAFE?
Cebu is basically a safe place to be. Of course Cebu City, being one of the largest cities in the world, has its share of criminality.
Personal safety in a strange and remote country is very much dependent on someone’s personal behaviour. Behave properly and normally, and keep a low profile are the rules of the thumb for a safety stay in this beautiful country.