I’m above the cloud again…so happy to find time to celebrate my girlfriend’s birthday in Cebu and Bohol. It’s a rare opportunity that our schedule give us this luxury to travel.
Our flight was on time when we arrived at Mactan Cebu International Airport. It’s a bit old, some of the facilities were under construction and renovation.
Probably this is next to NAIA to be a busy airport. “No Smoking Policy” was not strictly implemented at the airport especially at the Taxi bay. I see somebody smoking few meters away from the sign. And that’s a policeman!
Day 1 – Cebu
Travel from Manila to Cebu City
- Travel Time: 5:55 am – 07:10 am
- Airline: Cebu Pacific NAIA 3
Mactan Shrine
From Mactan Cebu International Airport we boarded a taxi going Punta Engaño where Mactan Shrine was located. Taxi fare was around 70 -100 pesos depending on the traffic. You can ride a jeepney heading to Punta Engaño but if it’s your first time to visit, better ride a taxi instead.
Weather was not pleasant when we arrived at Mactan Shrine, I’m a bit disappointed with the shrines, its old and lack of maintenance it’s like a small park on my province. From there you can see Magellan Shrine, Lapu-lapu Monument, Battle of Mactan mural painting and Plaque for Lapu-Lapu for depending Mactan.
You can buy souvenirs outside near the parking lot. Park is open to public and no need to pay for entrance fee.
SUTUKIL
Few meters away, we found the SUTUKIL restaurant. Sutukil is a three-way style of preparing seafood. It is a combination of Cebuano words “sugba,” “tuwa,” and “kilaw” which mean to grill, to stew and to eat seafood raw, respectively.
There’s a lot of it nearby and along the Punta Engaño road. Food was yummy fresh and delicious, it made me to use my hands while eating. The price of seafood’s ranges from 100 – 150 pesos per hundred grams including cooking of it. We spent 700 pesos for lobsters, crabs and squids.
Cebu Lechon Experience
Since the weather is not pleasant that day, instead of going to Taoist Temple, we decided to take a taxi to Ayala Center Cebu which cost us 140 pesos. We stroll around the mall for few hours then we decided to take lunch.
As Cebu was familiar with lechon and called “Lechon Capital of Philippines”, we look a restaurant inside the mall for lechon. We buy ½ kilo for 180 pesos and 3 “puso” (a cup) of rice for 30 pesos at one of branch of CnT Lechon.
Robe’s Pension House
From Ayala Center Cebu, we took a taxi to Robe’s Pension House. We chose this transient house because it near at Cebu port since next day were going to Bohol. It cost 1,000 pesos per night. It’s good enough for a budget room. You got a complementary bottled water and air-conditioned room. You can hear the noise from outside but it’s tolerable.
Magellan’s Cross
From Robe’s Pension House we took a taxi again for 60 pesos to Magellan’s Cross. It’s located in Magallanes St at Plaza Sugbo. Since high school day a time we read about it, this is the first time we saw it personally. I’m bit disappointed again at place, beware of street children forcing you to buy a souvenirs.
Fort San Pedro
Few walk away from Magellan’s Cross, Fort San Pedro is located, an oldest military structure in the Philippines which used to repel Muslims raider before. It is located in the area now called Plaza Indepedencia, in the pier area of the city This structure is now open for public viewing for 30 pesos per person.
Day 2 – Bohol
KRRRRING… Alarm woke me up as early of 4:30 am. I need to be prepared before 5am. At Exactly 5:15 am we took a taxi for 70 pesos to Pier 2 where we booked a ticket for ocean jet which brought us to Tagbilaran City that day. Roundtrip ticket cost 1,000 pesos per person.
Travel from Cebu City to Tagbilaran City
- Travel Time: 6:00 am – 08:00 am
- Ship line: Ocean Jet Pier 2
Since Dumalaun Beach Resort, a hotel we chose in Panglao offered a package for both tour and accommodation we decide to get one of their packages. You may look on their website for more information
Sea was calm that morning, we arrived on our destination on time, happy and excited. According to resort, there’s a driver waiting outside the port with the signage of my name. Yeah… I saw him easily and from that port we started the tour.
Loboc Eco- Tourism Adventure Park
Oh no… Need to test myself, if I’m afraid of height? This is what come on my mind when I saw a zip line across the mountains. We bought a combo ticket where the first route going to other mountain was by zip line and going back was cable car. Ticket cost 350 pesos per person.
Kakanin Sidetrip
We stop along the way in Loboc, according “Kuya Jun-jun” our van driver, that place was his birthplace, he bought some “Binamban” (a local delicacies) for him and for us. Taste is great and we eat those “Binamban” for just few minutes because we are hungry and had not took breakfast yet.
Chocolate Hills
ATV Adventure Tour
We were afraid but excited. For few minutes of learning engine stop for several times but the moment that I learned how it work I manage to drive closely to the guide. I love that experience it taught me how to drive a buggy.
It cost 900 per vehicle for 30 minutes. For 30 minutes’ ride will route in Three Sisters Hill with estimated of 5kms. If possible you have to bring extra clothes just in case of rain and you got muddy during the tour.
Sagbayan Peak
Since the time we visit is after the earthquake. Sagbayan peak still under renovation, but this not make us disappoint the beauty of Chocolate Hills.
Shiphouse
You will see the passion of the ship captain, that make his house look like a ship.
Butterfly Garden
If you are a lover of butterfly, you will enjoy it. There was a lot of breeds of the butterfly here but also breed of other insects such as moths, (other version of grasshopper)
Tarsier Conservatory
Make sure you remove your flash and set your camera good enough to adapt in low light at this point because you are not allowed here to use flash. According to the caretaker, tarsier eyes was sensitive to light so flash make them blind and make them to kill themselves.
Some folks told us that Tarsiers was gone already but they were wrong. I see 10 tarsiers that time and I asked the caretaker if how many tarsiers they taking care of, and he replied that there’s a lot of them on the heart of the mountain.
Twin Hanging Bridge
If you lived before on the province and you used hanging bridged before, this will not amaze you. But if this is your first time to cross this kind of bridge, I believe you got excited and afraid. But you don’t need to worry, it’s safe.
Loboc River Floating Restaurant
If you are familiar with the floating restaurants, the concepts here is same. You can see the scenery along the river while eating your lunch.
Bohol Python Wildlife Park
A place where you see the largest python in the country but the time I visit; python was already dead due of strong earthquake strike Bohol before. This is also the place you will see few of wildlife found in the Philippines.
Sanduguan Monument
A landmark where Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and Datu Sikatuna of Bohol signed their treaty of friendship. This place had also a calming and beautiful sea view found at the back of this monument.
Day 3 – Dumaluan Beach Resort
Roaming around the resort since this also a day we go back to manila. As early of 5am, we woke up to capture the sunrise and enjoyed the white sand of Panglao.
That’s it for our adventure!
What’s your favorite place in Cebu or Bohol?