This video shows Cebu and most of its tourist spot and destinations. From the historic Colon Street at the downtown area. Then at the North Reclamation, Provincial Capitol and most of the tourists spot here. A must see to all Cebu tourists or wannabes!

Brief History Of Cebu

30,000 years ago the Negrito race crossed the Asian continent through the land bridges. With the disappearance of the bridges, islands were formed, Cebu was formed. Being part of the Malay peninsula, Cebu was part of the Malay empire around 500 A.D.

Early inhabitants refer to this island Zebu or Sugbu, whose trade and commerce reaches as far as Thailand and China was well as the near Malay countries.

The people lived in log houses with nipa roofs and used porcelain wares and earthen jars to contain wine and water. They wore gold jewelries and other ornaments to adorn themselves and their clothes. The men wore bahagui at the lower torso and silk turbans on their heads and their bodies were marked with tattoos. The women on the other hand, wore a loose sack-lined blouse, called chambarra, on tops of a square length cloth skirt wrapped around the waist. Some of the women did not wear anything from the waist up, but they painted their lips and nails and decorated their hair with flowers and colorful turbans and wore beautiful jewelries.

The later part of the year 1521 marked the Spanish era with the landing of Fernando de Magallanes and the baptismal to Christianity of Datu Humabon and Queen Juana and their followers. Magallanes was a Portuguese explorer who sailed under the Spanish expedition of 5 ships and more than 200 men. However, he died in the hands of Datu Lapulapu, a chieftain in the island of Mactan. The famous battle marked the Filipinos' aversion to foreign dominance and rule. It was 44 years later after Magellan's death when the expedition of Don Miguel Lopez de Legaspi and Fray Andres de Urdaneta (April 1565) that Christianization and Spanish colonization took place. Legaspi bombarded the palisades of Rajah Tupas and destroyed the village and called it Villa del Santisimo Nombre de Jesus. and became the first Spanish city established by the Spanish Cortes in 1571.

The Philippine revolution although it started in Luzon organized by Andres Bonifacio, had Cebu itself a site of a bloody battle. On April 3, 1898, Cebuano rebels under Gen. Leon Kilat engaged in a three-day fight and had the Spaniards cover behind Fort San Pedro.

Although the revolution did not last, the Spanish-American War, finally ended the Spanish rule when the Americans won in the Battle of Manila Bay. Spain officially turned over the Philippines to the Americans in the Treaty of Paris.

The American set the country to a semi-autonomous rule when the Philippine Commonwealth was establish in 1935, with Manuel Quezon as president and Sergio Osmena, a Cebuano, as vice-president.

Cebu, being the most densely populated island in the country, served as a vital Japanese base during the Japanese occupation in the Second World War which began with the landing of the Japanese Imperial Army on April 1942.

Cebu Quick Facts

Population/Language
Cebu Province has a total population of more than 3 million. Cebuano is the native tongue. While Filipino is commonly understood and spoken, the English language is widely used in business transactions and educations.

Weather
Cebu is best from December to May when the weather turns dry. it is coolest from December to February, hottest from March to May. Temperature can rise as high as 37°C in the summer. The rainy seasons begins in July bringing torrential downpours that would sometimes inhibit movements.

Philippine Time
Philippine Standard Time is eight hours ahead of Greenwich Meantime.

Dress/What to Bring
Wear natural-fiber, lightweight clothing. You'll feel more comfortable. Bring shorts, hat, sunglasses, bathing suits, insect repellent, flashlight, sun block cream, tough shoes for walking, rubber slippers for the beach.

The Barong Tagalog is the acceptable formal wear for men. Shorts or sleeveless shirts should never be worn when visiting churches, mosques or temples.

Electrical
Most areas in Cebu are supplied with 220 volts, 60 cycles. A plug with 2 flat parallel prongs is the norm.

Money
The Philippine currency is peso, divided into 100 centavos. Next to the peso, the US dollar enjoys wide acceptance. Most foreign currencies can easily be changed at banks, hotels, and authorized dealers. Foreign currency is not readily taken by establishments in Cebu. Major foreign credit cards may be accepted only at mjor hotels, resorts, shops and restaurants. Visitors are advised to bring sufficient amount of change is small bills or coins.

Business Hours
Banks - 9am to 3pm Monday to Friday; Government agencies and offices - 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday; Private firms - 9am to 7pm Monday to Saturday. Most department stores stay open on Sundays and holidays.

Tipping
Bellhops expect a tip, as do waiters, taxi drivers, haidressers, beauticians, and porters. Most hotels and restaurants add 10% service charge on top of the government tax. Tipping 5-15% of the bill appropriate if no service charge is included.

Public Transport
Getting around Cebu, one may take a colorful jeepney or a bus at a minimal fare. Tricycles (motorcycles with sidecars) are popular in outlaying areas and in the suburbs, quiet notably within Mactan Island. Taxicabs are widely available.

Cebu's Mountain Resorts

Here are the list of some of the mountain resorts you could visit during your travel here in the paradise Island of Cebu.

Royal Vista Resort / Imelda Aroma Mountain Paradise
121 Centro Ilaya
Maca-as, Catmon
Cebu, Philippines 6006
Tel No: (032) 430-9346 or 430-9441
For inquiries, email: info@royalvistaresort.com

Mountain View Nature's Park
Sitio Gorohe, Busay, Cebu City
Tel. no. (032) 419-2300 / 419-2083 / 0921 834 7743

Hidden Paradise Mountain Resort
Brgy. Libo, Ilaya, San Fernando, Cebu
(032) 415-9664 / 253-4452 / 414-5212 / 261-6434 / 0906 874 5035

Island in the Sky
Gaas, Balamban, Cebu
Contact No: 09192318848

Roosevelt Mountain Resort (Private)
Babag, Busay, Cebu City
0917 622 1275 / (032) 346-6503
Email: paseojen@yahoo.com

WIFI Hotspots in Cebu

On your holiday visit here Cebu, here are the wifi-hotspots that you can access internet for free.

waterfront lahug
Paseo mabolo
Chikaan lahug
loft itpark
mactan airport
regal business park hotel archbishop reyes avenue
cebu holiday spa banilad
calabria coffee shop cocomall
outpost nivel hills
bigby's ayala up to TJ, Big Mao & Kublai Khan
liberty baptist church
DaVinci's and Starbucks sa Paseo Center, Arcenas estate
wineshop gorordo
offroads (password offroads)
davinci's jones (password meatlovers)
gloria geans coffee boulivard
creams n bake A.S. fortuna
mandaue colesium WEP...
country mall
Chong Hua
honda
ngenius itpark ask username/pwd
GT IT asiatow ask uname/pwd
The Foundry, Norkis cmpd As Fortuna
Mango Square Mall

Christmas in Cebu

In Cebu, Christmas is a half-year celebration. It starts from September, becomes lively with fancy parties from December, and lasts until February. People try to "enjoy life, rather than to grieve," so practically, there is no Advent abstinence. Towns are filled with Christmas tunes and smiles.

Food is a must for these joyful gatherings (and actually, also for official negotiations, academic conferences, and funeral parades). As one of the biggest celebrations of the year, along with Sinulog and Easter, the Noche Buena (Christmas mid-night) dinner must be special.

On Christmas Eve, 2002, I was invited to a friend's house in Cebu City. My friend flew back from Hong Kong, her sister from Manila, and her father from Leyte -just for Christmas. It was a heart-warming family season.

We started snacking in the evening, leaving some energy (to eat) for the midnight. The most eye-catching food was the pre-ordered lechon-baboy, or "roasted whole-pig." This festive food is proudly displayed on many party tables. Lechon is a nationwide feast, throughout the year.

I was told by many Cebuanos that "Tagalogs don't know how to cook lechon. Lechon Cebuano is the best". . Cebuanos put herbs and salt in the emptied stomach of the raw meat (at that point it can still be called the carcass of the pig, with the entire head, legs and fresh-pink skin). As a result, the pork becomes flavorful after several hours of roasting. "But lechon Tagalog is simply grilled. The meat itself has no taste, so they have to prepare a gravy," say the Cebuanos. They say this even though not all of them actually have been to Manila and eaten lechon Tagalog. Maybe this is a part of "local identity building" in opposition to Manila-centered "Filipino culture".

In addition to lechon, there are three seasonal foods for Christmas: fruitcake, queso de bola (ball -shaped cheese), and jamon (ham). The loaf- or round-shaped fruitcake is a dark, heavy English-style cake made with dried fruits, nuts and rum syrup, but it is said to be "American." Some families say that, "it's our family tradition to bake them at home·we bake many loaves and give them to relatives and friends," indicating that their house is equipped with a costly gas/electric baking oven.

Queso de bola is a sharp-flavored orange-yellow cheese with red skin and shaped in a ball. I do not know when this Spanish-named, English-origin, Holland-made cheddar cheese came to the Philippines. It may have been at the end of the Spanish period or during the American period, when various imported foods first became available in Cebu.

Virtually Visit Cebu Island

You can now virtually visit and tour Cebu Island, Philippines using Wikimapia using Google Maps technology. Here you could see marked sites and buildings. Click here to explore Cebu!

Lapu-lapu City

Brief History

Mactan Island is the site of the famous "Battle of Mactan" where Datu Lapulapu successfully repelled the Spanish invaders headed by Ferdinand Magellan. In this battle, Magellan met his untimely death on April 27, 1521.

In this year 1690, the town of Opon was created. It was the first town in the island of Mactan and one of the greatest towns in the Province of Cebu.

On June 17, 1961 the status of Opon was changed from a municipality to a chartered city under Republic Act No. 3134 signed in law by President Carlos P. Garcia. The new city was named Lapu-lapu as a tribute to the man whose valor, exemplary leadership and lofty ideals of nationalism made him the nation’s first hero.

Lapulapu City’s land area is 6,423 hectares with a population of about 160,000/25 persons per hectare.

Geography

Distance from Manila : 365 miles ( 1 hour travel )
Distance from Cebu Island : 350 meters at the narrowest portion of the Mactan Channel accessible through the Mandaue-Mactan Bridge.

Topography

The area is generally flat with slopes of 0-3%. There are rivers or creeks in the island.

Climate

Average Annual Rainfall 1,638 mm
Temperature Range 65-95 ° F

Dry Season February – May
Rainy Season June – January

Trade, Industry and Tourism

Mactan Economic Zone (MEZ) Exports

MEZ exports increased by 21.0 percent to compromise 63.35 percent of the total exports and exceed its projected share to regional exports by 1.35 percentage points. Value of exports of non-MEZ enterprises registered to US$ 3.59 million. Manufacturing activity at the MEZ increased as manifested in the significant rise in employment at 10.0 percent. As of the first quarter of 1998, the processing has 130 locators/foreign companies doing business in the zone employing 36,000 people with a monthly payroll of P150 million.

Tourist Spots

Guitar Factories
Lapu-lapu City Parish Church ( Birhen sa Regla )
Lapulapu Monument Muelle Osmena
Magellan Monument
White Sand Beaches
World-class Beach Resorts

Transportation and transport Facilities

This is the country’s second international airport and the most important transport facility in the Visayas and Mindanao.

Domestic Destinations : serviced by Philippine Airlines, Grand Air, Air Philippines, Cebu Pacific, and Mindanao Express.

International Destination : serviced by PAL and other airlines, Direct flights to the following points are available.

• Bangkok, Thailand
• Brunei
• Hongkong
• Malaysia
• Narita, Japan
• Singapore
• Sydney, Australia

• Taipei, Taiwan

In-City and Cebu transport

Land : Jeepneys, tricycles, taxicabs, buses, cars for hire
Sea : Metro ferry, pumpboats, barges ( across Mactan Channel )

Wharves

Public : Muelle Osmena
Private : Seven( Owned by various establishments )

Communications

Philippine Long Distance Company and ISLACOM with national and international direct dialing facilities.

Hospitals

Two public hospitals with 85 bed capacity and one private hospital and various other private clinics.

Peace and Order

Lapulapu City is generally peaceful with a relative low crime rate. Protection services are provided by the City’s Police Force, Fire Department and Barangay Tanods.

Beaches

Marigondon turns into a Mecca for beach-goers on weekend. In this interesting 24-hour beach resort-cum-restaurant called Parker's. Popular among foreigners, the place also attracts locals because of its fresh seafood fare.

Lunch is never a dull moment in Marigondon. Vendors selling all sorts of native foods like kinhason, takobo, and tihi-tihi continuously "patrol" the area, making sure you know what you're missing if you don't buy anything.

Nighttime at Parker's is when you see barong-clad professionals unwind after a long day at the office. You see them arrive by the carloads from far-off workplace starting at nine. Indeed, there's nothing more soothing than a beer or two after a day's work while watching the waves roll only two meters away from you.

Beside Parker's is a string of nipa huts reportedly owned by the Tiongco and Gochan families although nobody really knows which family. The place is unnamed, yet, you can rent a "cottage" consisting of either a small wooden table with nipa roofing or a bamboo structure with a tiny cubicle for a dressing room. Nearby, sari-sari stores make sure everything you need is within reach. Stray dogs probably account for half of the entire population here.

The lack of control over passers-by, however, poses a security drawback. As here is absolutely nothing in sight resembling an entrance gate, the sea breeze may not be the only one free to come in and go out.

Farther down the line is a place called Palmyra, a sprawling jungle of wooden structures disguised as a beach resort with no access for vehicles. It has beachfront cottages, a mess hall sing-along bar, restaurant and private rooms all squeezed together in a little more than a hundred square meters of coral based elevated land area. Using every inch of available space, it has even small cottages in the only little strip of white sand below. Palmyra is definitely a must-see for potential scrap buyers.

Vano beach resort sits like a royalty surrounded by commoners. Vano has been a popular weekend venue for big company-sponsored beach parties since the late Sixties. Renovated recently, it has done away with those ugly bamboo cottages of old and in its place are parasols all lined up along a white-sand beach.

Vano is a pretty convenient place for family relaxation. It has ample parking space, a concrete fence and uniformed security guards. Coconut and Talisay trees abound in the entire property, providing a fresh relief in an otherwise barren landscape.

Like the other resorts in the area though, tap water at Vano has to be bought by container. Also, only the bungalow-type structure designed for company functions are equipped with private comfort rooms.

---

True to its name, Rock Island Beach Resort in Marigondon, Lapu-lapu City, has nothing really soft to offer. Sure it has a white-sand beach, but the sharp coral-based terrain leading there is certainly not pedicure-friendly. Treacherous sea urchins lurking beneath its tempting blue waters may also increase your chances of dveloping hydrophobia.

Rock Island has been a favorite weekend destination for people of working-class origin. What it lacks in amenities, it certainly compensates in afordable prices. Its popularity is hinged more on principles of simple economics rather than on its own merits as a place where one can relax, swim and have fun.

Recreation, after all, is a basic right not exclusively reserved for the haves. The have spots are wvey much entitled to go to the beach in this sweltering season just like every bonafide member of a classy club. Besides, getting paid for beach-hopping isn't exactly such a bad arrangement.

Visit Site

Dive Locations : Cebu

1. CAPITANCILLO ISLAND - 4 star

Location: 100 km north of Mactan Island, 10 km southeast of Bogo.
Access: 2 ½ hr by banca from Mactan, 1 hr from Sogod or by road to Bogo on Cebu's east coast and 30 min by banca.
Conditions: you would not normally make this journey in bad conditions, but even in good conditions fierce currents can be a real problem. Advanced divers pick...
Average depth: 80 ft
Maximum depth: 150 ft

There are three sites here with similar profiles:

A) The Ormoc Shoal, 5 km to the northeast of Capitancillo;
B) The Nunez Shoal, 3 km southwest of Calangaman Islet, which is to the northeast of Capitancillo Island; &
C) Capitancillo Island's own Southwest wall.

All have shallow reef-tops at 33 ft leading to drop-offs with colorful soft corals, gorgonian sea fans, caves and black corals. The main interest of the dives are the...


2. TALONG ISLAND - 4 star

Location: 55km north-northeast of Mactan Island, just north of the northwest point of Pacijan Island, the westernmost of the Camotes Island.
Access 2 hr by banca from Mactan Island or 1hr by banca from Sogod.
Conditions: Normally choppy with medium currents, but it can become really rough with fierce
currents. You would not normally make ...
Average depth: Open
Maximum depth: 130 ft plus

Talong in the dialect is eggplant. The north and northwest sides of the island have long slopes out and down with fields of stony corals, particularly large table and boulder corals. Deeper down there are gorgonian sea fans, whip corals, black corals and Dendronephthya soft tree corals. There are all expected reef fish, including Bumphead Parrotfish and small shoals of jacks, snappers, batfish and fusiliers...

3. MACTAN ISLAND - TAMBULI - 3 star

Location: Off Tambuli Beach Resort.
Access: 15 min by banca from whatever local resort you are using.
Conditions: usually calm with some current, though it can get rough with strong currents. A dive mainly for novices. You would not normally dive here in bad conditions. Visibility can reach 65 ft. Average depth: 65 ft
Maximum depth: 115 ft

You descent to an easy dive, sloping to a shelf at 70 ft. - where the reef fish are used to being hand fed then the slope continues off into the depths. All the smaller reef fish will approach ...

4. OLANGO ISLAND - MABINI POINT - 4 star

Location: Situated at the northern tip.
Access: 20 minutes by banca from Mactan Island.
Conditions: Strong surges and fierce unpredictable currents; a site for advanced divers only. Visitibility can reach 100ft.
Average depth: 115 ft
Maximum depth: 130 ft plus

This is a dive where one hopes to see larger pelagic species. There is little to see in shallower water, so get down quickly to 115ft on the drop-off, settle down in some shelter and look out- anything can pass by. Sharks are common, but Hammerhead Sharks are the highlight and Whaler Sharks...

5. OLANGO ISLAND - MABINI POINT TO BARING - 4 star

Location: Between the northern tip of Olango and the village of Baring.
Access: 20 min by banca from Mactan Island.
Conditions: Strong surge and fierce unpredictable currents, not for novice divers. Visibility can reach 100 ft.
Average depth: 115 ft
Maximum depth: 130 ft plus

There are several spectacular drop-offs and there are large caves about 100 ft to 115 ft down. There is little to see in the shallow water, so get down quickly to 100 ft and either have a fast drift at this depth or settle down in some shelter and watch the world go by.

Whitetip Reef and Grey Reef Sharks patrol the drop-offs and sightings of tuna, barracuda, snappers, surgeonfish and jacks.

6. OLANGO ISLAND - SANTA ROSA - 4 star
7. POO - 4 star

Location: 400 m offshore from the villages of Santa Rosa and Poo.
Access: 20 min by banca from Mactan Island.
Conditions: Normally strong currents. Novices should be with a divemaster. Visibility can reach 100 ft over the drop-off.
Average depth: 100 ft
Maximum depth: 130 ft

It is possible to snorkel on the reef flat at 30 ft to 40 ft but it is muddy well offshore and has strong currents, so you require banca cover.

For divers the drop-off starts around 30 ft to 130 ft. It is rich in marine life, stony and soft corals,gorgonian sea fans, barrel sponges, Dendrophyllia hard tree corals and Tubastrea cup corals. There is a good varierty of reef fish in the shallower waters, soldierfish and squirrelfish...

8. AMBOUCUAN POINT - 3 star 9. MARIGONDON -3 star

Location: 100m offshore in the Hilutungan Channel from Amboucuan Point to Marigondon.
Access: 15 min by banca from most of the resorts in Mactan island.
Conditions: Normally choppy with strong currents, but can become very rough with fierce currents. Only very experienced divers would dive here in bad condtions; less experienced divers should be with a divemaster and plan carefully for slack water. Visibility can reach 80 ft.
Average depth: 100 ft
Maximum depth: 180 ft

The area is used regularly for carefully planned night diving and is famous for Marigondon Cave, which has a large entrance some 40 ft in diameter with its top at 92 ft amd its bottom at 130 ft. The entrance has black corals, sponges, Tubastrea cup corals, squirrelfish, soldierfish and lionfish. The cave goes back some 150 ft and is roughly 80 ft wide at...

10. EAST SIDE OF PAGANAN ISLET
11. EAST SIDE OF CAOHAGAN ISLET
12. 13 EAST SIDE OF NALUSUAN ISLET - 3 star

Location: The east side of the extensive reef that extends south from Olango Islant to Nalusuan Islet.
Access: 30 min by banca from Mactan Island.
Conditions: Usually choppy with strong and localized currents. You would not dive here in rough conditions. It is best to keep to the east side of the reef in Olango Channel, as conditions can get really tricky on its west side, in the Hilutungan Channel. Both channels have rip currents. Novice divers are mostly a long way from shore, so you need good banca cover, fully alert to divers surfacing well away from the boat. Visibility can reach 100 ft.
Average depth: 60 ft
Maximum depth: 130 ft plus

The area offers good drift-diving over the drop-offs. Excellent stony corals can be seen down to 65 ft beyond which there are overhangs, crevices and the occasional cave with colorful soft corals, gorgonian sea fans, sponges, soldierfish, squirrelfish, lionfish, snappers, jacks, surgeonfish, parrotfish and small groupers. A good local guide is...

13. KANSANTIK - 4 star

Location: In the center of the Olango Channel, east of Nalusuan Islet.
Access: 50 min by banca, depending on how long it takes to locate this underwater Island and allow for its currents. GPS(Global Positioning System) is useful here.
Conditions: Open water, fierce currents and a fierce surge if you get the tide tables wrong. This dive is only for the most experienced divers, in small groups, and not for those with heavy cameras. A good banca operator is essential to find the site and drop a shotline and anchor onto it. Once in a position, the best guides, use a heavily weighted shotline, and some divers use individual lines to tie themselves to the weight on the shotline's bottom. Visibility can reach 130 ft.
Average depth: 100 ft
Maximum depth: 165 ft plus

An underwater mountain rises from the depths to within 100 ft of the surface. Descent the shotline and remember when you leave it that, even if you are presently in slack water, the current will soon pick up again. There are good stony corals, soft corals, whip corals, huge sponges and gorgonian sea fans, and schools of fish...

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Cebu

Cebu is the Queen City of the South and the country's oldest city dating back to Magellan's arrival in 1521. Growth was slow until the mid-19th century, when increasing trade caused rapid development. Today Metropolitan Cebu extends over 350 square kilometers, with five cities and municipalities and a population of more than 1 million.

Cebu (Sugbo) is the name given to the city, the metropolis, the island, the province. Cebu Province is made up of 48 municipalities and 5 cities - Cebu, Danao, Lapu-lapu, Mandaue and Toledo - with Cebu City as its capital. Cebu Island is a sliver of an island centrally located in the Visayas region of the Philippine archipelago, 365 miles south of Manila. Metropolitan Cebu is a complex of 3 cities and 6 municipalities with a population of over 1 million. Cebu City is the oldest Philippine city, and is also called the "Queen City of the South". As the first Spanish settlement, it was called Ciudad del Santissimo Nombre de Jesus.

The entire province has a total land area of 508,844 hectares, and its temperature averages 27 ° C all year round. The languages/dialects spoken are Cebuano Tagalog and English.

Cebu is also the diving center of the Philippines with magnificent coral formations, spectacular marine life and drop-offs plunging to blue nothingness. Fine weather all year round makes Cebu a favorite for water sports. Swim, snorkel & dive; windsurf, sail or ski; ride the waves, stroll along the beach, get a glorious tan. Revel in Cebu's sun, sand, sea & sky!

Language: The locals speak Cebuano - a dialect common in Visayas and Mindanao region. Pilipino (also known as Tagalog) is the national language, however English is widely used.

Carcar town, just south of Cebu City, has many preserved Castillian houses, gardens, and churches.

The Chapel of the Last Supper in Mandaue City, just off north of Cebu City, features hand-carved life-size statues of Christ and his apostles dating back to Spanish times.

The Magellan Monument in Mactan Island was raised in 1886 to mark the spot where Magellan died, who was killed in the fierce battle of Mactan. Datu Lapu-lapu, the chieftain in Mactan, who refused to submit to the Spanish Conquistadoris. There is also a Monument of Datu Lapu-lapu...

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A Glimpse of Cebu

A city in the midst of overwhelming growth, Cebu blends its ancestral heritage and modern business savvy with flair. Crowned the Queen City of the South,Cebu stands as the country's top business and tourist destination. It is here where business and leisure breathe together with office buildings and beach resorts finding its own place under Cebu's friendly skies.

The country's oldest city. Cebu is necessarily the place where relics of the past are a-plenty. Colon Street, for instance,has the distinction of being the oldest street in the Philippines. Paved late in the 16th century by Miguel Lopez de Legaspi. Colon now houses malls, office buildings, theaters as well museums and monuments. Other place of historical importance include Fort San Pedro, the oldest fortress in the country, Liloan Lighthouse, and the Bantayan sa Hari.

A busting trade port since pre-Hispanic times, and was named the country's capital by the Spaniards in 1565. Since then, Cebu has maintained its stature as the center of trade and commerce in Southern Philippines.

However, Cebu is more than just a city of increasing sophistication. With its colorful past, the city still retains much of its provincial warmth and charm, apart from its numerous man-made landmarks and institutions, Cebu also features miles of forest greens-a haven to wildlife and the place for a perfect picnic. There's the 15,393-hectare Central Cebu National Park, the 696-hectare Sudlon National Park, the Cawasan Falls and the Bolok-Bolok Mineral Springs. Nearby Mactan Island boasts of world-class beach resorts.

Cebu is a famed beach and dive destination. Its waters offer some of the world's most fascinating marine life. Its beaches are rimmed by white sands and offer a host of resorts with various sports and dive facilities. Cebu is also is dotted with Spanish colonial churches, forts, monuments, historical markers and ancestral homes. Its colonial past is the best seen in Cebu City, The provincial capital and the Philippines oldest city.

While history is maintained, progress takes its steady course in Cebu. This is the hub of sea and air transport, trade, industry and tourism in the southern Philippines. It is served by an international airport. Accommodations here are plentiful...

GEOGRAPHY AND TOPOGRAPHY

The province of Cebu is situated in the heart of the Philippines archipelago, in the center of the Visayan Islands. Five hundred and sixty two kilometers south of Manila, the province has a total land area of 5,088.44 square kilometers. It is made up of 167 island including Cebu Island ...

GETTING THERE

Cebu, situated on the air and sea transport crossroads of the country, is accessible by plane and boat. Philippines Airlines (PAL) has seven daily flights from Manila and daily flights from 22 domestic destinations. Mactan International Airport is also served thrice weekly by PAL flights from Tokyo and twice weekly by...

HISTORY

In Pre-Hispanic times, Cebu was known as"Sugbu" or "Zubu". It was already a port town visited by traders from China, Thailand, the East Indies and the Arabian kingdoms. When the explorer Ferdinand Magellan landed in Cebu on...

ART AND CULTURE

With an early exposure to the outside world predating the Spanish colonial period, Cebu has developed rich cultural foundations, creatively assimilating foreign influences with local folk sensibilities. This can be in centuries-old churches like the Basilica Minore del Sto. Nino, a subtle blend of Muslim, neo-classical and Romanesque architecture; or in ancestral houses like the...

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY

A bustling trade port since pre-Hispanic times, Cebu has maintained its place as the center of trade and commerce in southern Philippines. Farm lands make up 32% of the provincial land area which produce corn, coconut, sugar. rice and mango...

SIGHTS AND ATTRACTIONS

Steeped in history and blessed with a variety of natural scenery, Cebu offers many options for the traveler. One can trace the steps of the conquistadors in the numerous historical landmarks or admire the province's mountains, forests and seas. Cebu is famous for its beautiful islands and beaches, and offshore corals...

NATURAL SCENERY

The Top on Busay Hills affords panoramic views of Metro Cebu, Mactan and Olango. Ideal for picnics.

Kawasan Falls in Moalboal, the site of cascades and lush greenery, is another...

HISTORICAL MONUMENTS & LANDMARKS

Magellan's Cross on the corner of Magallanes and Burgos streets is Cebu's most famous landmark. In 1521, Magellan planted a wooden cross on this very spot where the first Filipinos, Rajah Humabon, Queen Juana and 400 of...

NATIONAL MUSEUM

Fort San Pedro is the oldest and smallest fortress in the country. Built as a triangular bastion in 1565, it took 200 years to finish. In the 1700s it served as a lookout against Muslim pirates. During the Philippines Revolution it was a prison for local rebels. When the Americans...

CHURCHES & TEMPLES

Basilica Minore del Santo Nino is where the miraculous Santo Nino image is enshrined. The Santo Nino de Cebu is the oldest religious relic in the Philippines. Given By Magellan to Queen Juana in 1521, the statue survived fires set by the Spaniards themselves in 1565. Since then Cebuanos have venerated the image. The Basilica Minore Del Santo Nino is the country's...

ISLANDS AND BEACHES

Mactan Island, linked to Cebu City by bridge, offers a wide array of beach resorts, from world-class to budget, most of which have full scuba services and water sports facilities. Buyong and Marigondon are famed dive spots with drop-offs that make for great night dives. Danajon Bank Features a double barrier reef-one of the few in the world. Most of the reefs are exposed during...

SHOPPING

Cebu's thriving arts and crafts industries make it a veritable paradise for souvenir hunters and avid shoppers. There is s wealth of finely crafted items in traditional and contemporary designs which have found their way into stores worldwide. Fashion accessories and...

FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

The Visayans are a fiesta-loving people and the Cebuanos have some of the most colorful celebrations in the islands from solemn religious rituals to rowdy parades.

Sinulog is celebrated every third Sunday of ...

EVENING ENTERTAINMENT

Entertainment and nightlife in Cebu are a must. There are a string of bars, cafes, discos and nightclubs downtown, from Colon Street to Osmena Boulevard and...

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GO ON FOOT

MANILA, October 21, 2004 (STAR) RENDEZVOUS By Christine S. Dayrit - My wanderlust has taken me around the Philippines. Recently, however, I came to the conclusion that I have not fully combed the many nooks and crannies of the archipelago. Thanks to On-Foot, the flagship TV show that can be seen on the Living Asia Channel (carried by Home, Dream, and Destiny Cable) twice a week and formed by Tim Tayag and Katrina Holigores, I was able to savor even further the beauty that abounds in our country. Mind you, our discovery of these sights and sounds was done, yes, on foot.

For their two episodes on Cebu and Palawan, Tim and Katrina invited me to join them on their domestic sojourn. "This is a different kind of traveling," Katrina enthused before we embarked on an Asian Spirit flight that would bring us first to the Queen City of the South. In Cebu, we were hosted by the beautiful Islands Shangri-la Mactan where we enjoyed the private white sand beach, the water sports, the friendly (and hungry) fish near the shore and of course, the sumptuous seafood that was served in great big heaps at Cowrie Cove.

From the resort, we fled on foot to discover more about what makes the city of Cebu tick and click. And our discovery is as fantastic as it is fascinating. Why not when On-Foot is a unique travel show with a comic twist. Devoid of tour guides, maps and travel books, self-proclaimed traveltologist, Tim Tayag, the host of the show, decides to get to know where he is, by asking the people around him. The show has nothing but a rough script and relies heavily on the kindness (although not so accurate information) of strangers. As always, the dexterous hands and imaginative mind of Katrina captured every moment of Tim on film.

The show’s purpose is to highlight world-class facilities in our country, promoting tourism from both local and foreign visitors, by uncovering both the well known and the little known "treasures" of every destination. When one travels "on-foot" and does away with the big tour groups or limits oneself to what one can read in a publication, one sees ...

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