Cebu, Philippines Travel Guide
About Getting Around Attractions Hotels Eats & Nightlife Essentials & Practicals
Intro to Cebu
When people think of a vacation in southeast Asia, the Philippines may just be a blip in the back of their minds. Travelers who DO think about visiting a tropical island in the Philippines probably focus on Boracay, the island I hear the most about in conversations among westerners. Lemme say this. I love the Philippines and Cebu kicks some vacation butt.
Cebu is wonderful and is accessible by plane via the Mactan-Cebu International Airport. You should strongly consider Cebu, the long and vastly larger island strip in between Boracay (not exactly as Boracay is northwest of Cebu) and Bohol (to the southeast). Matter of fact, Cebu is often the hub for vacations to Borocay and Bohol, which are great day or two day side trips for many. Cebu is the Philippine’s number one tourist destination and boasts some of the top diving and beach spots in the world.
Cebu is located in the center of the Philippines’ 7,000 plus island archipelago between the Visayan Sea to the north and Bohol Sea at the south. The area in and around the Visayan Sea is appropriately known as the Visayan Islands.
Cebu is known as the “Queen City of the South” because of its robust, emerging economy in the Philippines archipelago. Cebu’s population is second only to Manila and economic growth rate is the fastest in the country. Its main economic industries are export, trade and tourism. Today, many multi-national and international companies such as Citi and Hewlitt Packard outsource their call centers to Cebu because English is widely spoken in the Philippines.
The history of Cebu is rich. The first western colonization of the Philippines occurred in Cebu in April, 1521 by Portuguese explorer, Ferdinand Magellan. Magellan swiftly baptized the local Chieftan, Rajah Humabon, and the chieftan’s subjects. Christianity was born in Asia.
On the eastern side of Cebu’s capital, Cebu City, there are two bridges that connect the main island to smaller, Mactan Island. Grab a cab and slowly drive around the island – around the coast and through the vivid green inland parts of Mactan. Arrive at the Maribago Bay at the southern tip of Mactan and you’ll find tons of dive shops and local eateries. Spend a day doing a fun dive around the bay or rent a banana boat. Or, just have a lazy day at the oceanside Kontiki Restaurant, overlooking the harbor. A day on Cebu’s Mactan Island is a day you will remember for a very long time.
Cebu offers a lot for those who like the sea and nice, clean beaches, hospitable and friendly people and history and culture. Cebu’s folks are very spiritual. They celebrate the Holy Child, Jesus, with an annual festival known as “Sinulog Festival” every third week in January with drums, procession, music and dancing.
The Cebu province has the best of both travel worlds: a thriving metropolis in Cebu City and charming seaside, island resorts. Cebu City offers the conveniences of a metropolis while surrounding cities (on the main island) and islands offer slow-paced resorts and lifestyles. Cebu’s neighbor, Bohol, presents the icing on the cake with its greenery, beaches and “Chocolate Hills.” Dig into Cebu to find out what the “Chocolate Hills” are.
Though Cebu’s often craggy streets present a bit of a challenge for the wheelchair-bound tourist, the willing and helpful cab drivers (sedans, vans and SUVs) make Cebu very wheelchair accessible. Finally, as an Asian guy in a wheelchair who draws many stares, especially in Asian countries, I found that the locals in Cebu stare or look out of interest. When I smiled and greeted the locals, they replied with big smiles and greetings.