Philippines Travel Guide
Philippines Travel Guide seeks to share the vibe of an authentic experience through our idea of adventure travel for explorers and memory seekers in the Philippines.
Philippines Travel Guide seeks to share the vibe of an authentic experience through our idea of adventure travel for explorers and memory seekers in the Philippines.
After exploring the stunning beaches of Bantayan Island (Day 3-4), our excitement doubled as we set our feet on the beautiful city of Cebu and South Cebu, located in the South-Central Philippines. We are ready for the next two days (Day 5-6) of our Philippine adventure travel.
Cebu City, Central Visayas Region, offers many historical destinations and tourist attractions including the 16th-century landmarks of the country’s colonial past. Visiting Cebu City’s Magellan’s Cross in Plaza Sugbo and Basilica Minore del Santo Niño Cathedral gave us a glimpse of the richness of the Philippines’ culture and history.
On the fifth day (Day 5) of our Philippines travel adventure, we just slept in and did not start our adventure tour to Cebu City, Visayas until 7 a.m. Do you have an idea on how majestic Cebu City is as the country’s oldest city? Historically speaking, it was the Philippines’ capital during the Spanish colonial times. Housed in a small chapel, the Magellan’s Cross was the first tourist attraction we saw when we arrived in Magallanes, Cebu City.
Magellan, a Portuguese explorer to the Philippines, spreaded Roman Catholicism in Cebu and commemorated the arrival of Spanish colonists. In 1521, a ship captained by Ferdinand Magellan landed in the Philippines after sailing under Spanish flags. He then began to change the Philippines’ culture using Christian teachings and beliefs.
Ferdinand Magellan died in Mactan, a neighboring island of Cebu Province, at the hands of Lapu-Lapu, a national hero of the Filipino nation. Our next stop was the Basilica del Santo Niño (also known as Santo Niño Basilica) in Cebu City.
The oldest Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines is located next to Magellan’s Cross, which has stood the test of time. In 1602 and 1735, it was ravaged by fire and damaged by an earthquake in 2013. Despite all these, it remains open to the public today and has become the Philippines’ most important symbol of Christianity.
To this day, Filipinos still practice Catholicism and are highly religious. Around 80% of the Philippines’ population are Roman Catholics. The religion in the Philippines has a very interesting history and background.
The day turned hotter as the sun rose, so we decided to return to the accommodation, as Zak and I (Dani) unexpectedly got sunburned the day before. In the late afternoon, we went to the Temple of Leah and the Mountain Tops Viewpoint uphill outside Cebu City and enjoyed the view of the entire city of Cebu from above.
This time, the Uber didn’t work as we had hoped. Since the location was not on the Uber map, the first driver refused to take us there. We tried our luck with the second driver, who was willing to drive us up the mountain for PHP 1500 or USD 30 fixed fare. It seemed like an expensive price, but it was quite a drive.
Located in Busay City, Mountain Tops Viewpoint is about 40 minutes away from the Temple of Leah by car. Its breathtaking sunset boasts a stunning panorama of the city below.
The Temple of Leah in Busay, Cebu City is a must-explore. Recognized as Cebu’s Taj Mahal, it symbolizes a husband’s love for his better half. In memory of his wife, Teodorico Soriano Adarna built this temple of approximately 24 rooms adorned with life-sized statues of Roman gladiators in 2012.
Undeniably, the view in Cebu City makes a great place to sit back, relax, and enjoy a cold beer. Flying a drone over the city’s natural beauty is an ideal thing to do.
One of the reasons why you need to visit the Philippines is the people and their culture. It never fails to amaze you.
As a traveler, you might have heard about Cebu being one of the most loved tourist destinations in the Philippines. Because of such popularity among local and foreign tourists, hotels and accommodations have been put up in almost every corner of this historic city. Through this tourism initiative, guests can have a wide range of accommodation options to seek comfort from.
How to find the best backpacker hostels in Cebu?
If you are one of those travelers looking for affordable accommodation and do not mind sharing space with others, this one's for you. You’ll see a lot of guesthouses and backpacker hostels in Cebu spreading across the city. So, you’ll have an affordable, safe, and cozy place to stay as you enjoy the beautiful sights in the city.
Backpacker hostels in Cebu are still equipped with the basic features you need, including a clean and comfortable bed and bath, a free wifi, a lounge area, and a co-working space. Amazing isn’t it?
What is the average cost of budget hotels in Cebu?
Most tourists only need a hotel to leave their luggage, take a bath, and sleep because they are out exploring from day through night. If you are one of those travelers, go for a budget hotel.
Budget hotels in Cebu have basic amenities at a lower price as compared to regular hotels. For as low as PHP 550 or USD 11 per night, you can already get a clean and safe place to sleep and shower.
What are the luxurious hotels in Cebu?
Take your vacation to the next level by staying in the best luxurious hotels in Cebu. There are a lot of 5-star accommodations to choose from, and each hotel boasts its top-tier amenities and customer service.
From infinity pools, fitness and wellness centers, bars, free parking, high-speed wifi, and valet services- you’ll definitely get the value and VIP experience you pay for.
What is the best Airbnb in Cebu?
You might be thinking of flexibility at this point. So check out the properties listed on Airbnb in Cebu. You will be surprised by a bunch of condominiums, houses, apartments, and rooms available for adventure travelers in Cebu City to choose from.
Planning to stay in Cebu for a week? Not a problem! Weekly, daily, monthly, and long-term stays are available at lower prices. Most of these Airbnb listings are complete with amenities and are usually situated in accessible locations.
Cebu is a tourist hotspot for a reason. You will never run out of things to do, places to go to, and foods to eat. Not just that, visiting the city feels like you are traveling through different periods of time because you can enjoy activities in the historic areas that reveal Cebu’s rich history.
Are you ready to get the best out of your Cebu experience? You may try these activities when paying a visit to this wonderful city.
Being the oldest city in the Philippines, Cebu has many historical landmarks lined up with each other. Fort San Pedro, Magellan’s Cross, Colon Street, Heritage of Cebu Monument, Santo Niño Basilica, and Carbon Market are all within a short distance. On your Cebu City trip, make sure to include the best places to visit in Cebu City in your itinerary.
From north to south, get close to nature in Cebu, Central Visayas Region. It stands proud of having beautiful beaches and pristine islands. Speaking of islands, Moalboal, Sumilon, Bantayan, and Malapascua are just a few of the many popular islands in the Visayas archipelago that you must not miss visiting.
Kawasan Falls, Tumalog Falls, and Aguinid Falls are great places to enjoy a natural shower. If you love to hike, you will certainly fall for Casino Peak and Osmeña Peak because both are certainly worth the climb.
Do you know that every celebration in the Philippines can never be complete without the crispy, juicy, and savory Lechon? Best known for its crunchy golden red skin and tender, juicy, flavorsome meat, Lechon is a young pig filled with a secret blend of herbs and spices, impaled on a bamboo pole, and cooked whole over hot coals. Out of all the places in the country, you will find the best ones in Cebu.
Aside from being the "Lechon Capital of the World'', Cebu’s food culture is so rich that travelers find lots of delicious dishes around the province. One of which is Siomai sa Tisa’s Siomai, a steamed dumpling that deserves a special mention.
If you are planning to go on a trip to Cebu City and South Cebu province, check out the Google My Maps below to experience activities and adventures, and get to know different routes and directions, accommodations to stay, attractions to visit, and restaurants to dine in. Visit Cebu City and South Cebu province travel Google My Map to learn more about our Philippines Travel routes and adventures.
On the sixth day (Day 6) of our Philippines travel adventure, we left for Oslob at 3 a.m. to take the bus from Cebu Southern Bus Terminal to Oslob, Cebu Province. To avoid the local Sunday tourism, we postponed our Oslob Whale Shark Watching plans on a Monday and took a Banca straight to Sumilon Island, Oslob Cebu, Central Visayas, instead. The island is just one big sandbank that relies on the tides. The rest of the island is privately owned.
The Island of Sumilon is a great snorkeling spot with a very shallow reef. We saw plenty of colorful fish, such as Anemones, Barracudas, and sea snakes (Filipinos call it Walo-Walo). For locals, Walo-Walo is very poisonous but not naturally aggressive as long as they’re not expecting offspring.
From Sumilon Island, we visited some breathtaking waterfalls in Cebu Island. In Oslob, Central Visayas, we first came across Tumalog Falls . It is usually huge and worth a visit.
The second interesting waterfall spot we explored was Aguinid Falls , situated in Samboan, Cebu Central Visayas. It has a stunning environment and is made up of many levels, starting from levels 1 – 6 (passing down to the other falls is the only way to reach Level 6).
On our way to the next waterfall, we got hungry and asked our driver for an insider’s tip for lunch. We did not have to wait long for an answer because eating is one of the most important pastimes for Filipinos. After a couple of minutes, we reached the so-called “Barrio Kusina” (Barangay cuisine). Barangays are small neighborhoods within Filipino communities.
Barrio Kusina is on the ocean shore in a type of bungalow built on stilts . We ordered buttered chicken and Pancit Canton, a kind of Asian noodles cooked in Filipino style. Both were excellent. Eating authentic Filipino food in a great location is remarkable.
After a sumptuous lunch, we moved to Badian, Central Visayas to see the majestic Kawasan Falls as our last stop. This waterfall has a large canyon where Canyoning tours are offered. We decided to check out the individual waterfalls instead. A 15-minute foot march along a crystal-clear river led us to the waterfalls, where we saw a river flowing into the ocean and it was such an interesting view. There is a mixture of salt-and-fresh water at the mouth of the waterfalls, allowing for both sea and freshwater fish.
Here’s a heads-up. Getting into Kawasan Falls early in the morning can let you see monkeys on their way to the falls. It can get very busy with tourists especially on weekends . Get ready to level up your experience by getting a relaxing waterfall back massage. All you have to do is rent a bamboo raft and take it under the waterfalls.
From the waterfalls in Cebu Southern Province, we went back to our accommodation, the Luzmin BH Resort . It offers excellent service but is located slightly outside Oslob Town , Central Visayas.
On the same day (Day 2) of our Philippines Adventure trip, we took a flight from Manila NAIA to Cebu, in the afternoon. We landed at Mactan International Airport, the main airport of Cebu, which is located in Lapu-Lapu City on Mactan Island and serves as the main gateway to the Visayas. Our travel time from Manila to Cebu took approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. Then, we took an Uber (now Grab) outside the airport to go to the guest house in Cebu City.
Getting from Manila to Cebu by plane is the fastest and most convenient option, unlike traveling by ferry, which takes around 22 hours. Mactan-Cebu International Airport (CEB) has different domestic flight connections with several airline companies in the Philippines and offers international transfers too.
Taxis are usually available all around the airport in the Philippines, but booking an Uber is more convenient, but it is not available anymore, so you can use Grab instead. You can quickly get a private car by setting the pickup and dropoff points in the app on your mobile phone and the fee is also automatically computed.
After we had checked in and left our luggage at the guest house, we hopped on a tricycle and headed to Larsian BBQ for dinner which is basically a whole area full of traditional Filipino street food.
Everything is grilled over charcoal, and anything is available, from meat, fish, seafood, crabs, crayfish, to mussels. The food was ok. The mussels were not really all that great at this time.
There are many great Filipino foods in the Philippines that are worth trying! Make sure you don’t miss the opportunity when you visit the Philippines.
Check out the Google Maps below to have an overview of the entire 51 days of Philippines travel adventure, including exciting attractions and activities we did, destinations we explored, and travel directions in the Philippines.
We went to many places and experienced many unforgettable adventures during our visit to the Philippines. Here is a complete overview of the Philippines Travel Diary experience for our 51 Days trip to the different destinations in the Philippines in 2017:
Zak and Dani created the Philippines Travel Guide while on 51 days Philippines travel adventure in 2017. Focused on the idea to explore travel routes and documenting location information by using the Google Maps application in the Philippines.
We created a detailed Philippines travel diary each day about our Philippines eco-adventure traveling experiences, including the production of pictures and videos of our trip through the Philippine archipelago.
Philippines Travel Guide is passionate about helping other self-minded adventure travel lovers, to make the best out of the trip to the Philippines by providing real information that passionate travelers and enthusiasts need to know about the archipelago.
Philippines Travel Guide is an ongoing process to work out public shared and detailed Google MyMaps of the entire Philippines to provide easy navigation for travelers.
This website also contains a collection of interesting authentic insights and travel tips and tricks and destinations in the Philippines.
The Province of Cebu is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Philippines. It offers an adventurous blend of natural and man-made historical attractions and unique delectable foods.
Cebu City, known to many as the “Queen City of the South”, sits at the heart of the Visayas Region in the centremost part of the Philippines. The city preserves much of its Spanish heritage and remains home to rich cultural and historical landmarks.
Southern Cebu is home to untouched beaches and Instagram-perfect waterfalls. It is an ideal place to unwind along with nature’s pure beauty.
Our Cebu City and Southern Cebu Province adventures in the Visayas area brought us to white-sand beaches, noteworthy heritage sites, beautiful waterfalls, and vibrant city life.
Check out our Cebu City travel guide blog to get more extensive insider tips and must-visit destinations in Cebu City.
For the next two days in the Philippines adventure diary (Day 7-8), we continued our best adventure tours in Southern Visayas Island of Negros!
Philippines Travel Guide seeks to share the vibe of an authentic experience through our idea of adventure travel for explorers and memory seekers in the Philippines.
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