Overview

Throughout the city of Cebu there are numerous attractions to see including museums, galleries and monuments. In the middle of the city you will find the famous Basilica Minore Del Santo Nino church, which was built in the early 16th century. Also in the downtown area is the fascinating Cas Gorordo Museum which features history and heritage from the turn of the 19th century.

Basilica Minore Del Santo Nino

Located in the heart of Cebu City, Basilica Minore De Santo Nino is a 16th century church which is one of the oldest in the Philippines. Originally built from earth and wood in 1565 the church was rebuilt in the same spot with hard stone that still stands today. In 1965, Pope Paul VI gave the church the rank of minor basilica. There is a small museum inside that documents and showcases the history and heritage of the old building with statues and relics.

Casa Gorordo Museum

Positioned in the downtown area of Cebu City, the Casa Gorordo Museum is housed in an old 1850s built private home that was bought by the Gorordo family. The house is amazing, with Mactan coral stone used downstairs and Philippine hardwood used upstairs. The house has been kept in original condition with antique furniture, photos and kitchen equipment on show. Guided tours are available to look through the house and learn of the interesting history behind it.

Magellan's Cross

Magellan's Cross is a significant monument in honour of Ferdinand Magellan, the famous Portuguese maritime explorer who was the first European to discover the Philippines. He died in 1521 when trying to kill an important leader on the island of Mactan for Rajah Humabon, the Cebu ruler of the time. The very spot of the cross is where Magellan himself planted a wooden cross before his death. Since then the cross has been encased with stone to stop people chipping parts off in the belief of supernatural powers.

Fort San Pedro

Located on Osmena Boulevard in the downtown district of Cebu City is the fortress of San Pedro, built in 1565 by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi. The Spanish de Legazpi constructed the fort after conquering the Philippines and used it as the base of the first settlement. The impressive 20,000 square feet fort is made from hard stone and has high walls with watchtowers. The fort was also occupied by Japanese soldiers from 1942 to 1945 during WWII. Today the fort is a great attraction that offers a break from the downtown bustle of Cebu City.

Taoist Temple

The Taoist Temple of Cebu City is situated high up in the mountainous and exclusive suburb of Beverly Hills, approximately two miles from downtown Cebu. There are 99 steps that lead to the top of the temple, where the lighting of joss sticks and blessings from monks can be enjoyed. Built in 1972, the temple has classic Chinese architecture with ornate pillars and a pagoda topped roof. At the top it is almost 1,000 feet above sea level and spectacular views of the surrounding areas can be enjoyed.

Overview

With fantastic weather and beautiful landscapes, Cebu is the perfect place to enjoy sports and outdoor activities. There is a wide choice of water sports to take part in including scuba diving, snorkelling, swimming, surfing, waterskiing and jet-skiing. On land there are several golf courses to have a round at as well as two ice skating rinks to take a break from the hot weather.

Mountain biking

Cebu's beautiful landscape and warm weather provides perfect conditions to enjoy riding a mountain bike through scenic trails. There are numerous companies that offer guided tours and provide all necessary equipment, food and drink. There are groups for all levels of ability and fitness including children. It is also possible to hire bikes and explore the surrounding areas by yourself. Along the beachfront are paved pathways that offer easy riding for a relaxed afternoon cycle.

Ice skating

In contrast to the year-round warm weather in Cebu, there are two indoor ice skating rinks which offer not only an enjoyable time, but also a welcome relief from the hot sun. The rinks are located in the island's two giant shopping malls, Mega Mall and South Mall. All equipment is available for hire and lessons are provided. Children will love the special fun and games that are provided throughout the day.

Water sports

With stunning white sand beaches and clear-blue warm waters it is not surprising that Cebu has an array of fun water activities to enjoy. The main beach near to Cebu City is awash with people playing ball games such as volleyball and football as well as Frisbee. In the water you can enjoy a swim or body surfing on the small waves. There are jet-skis for hire as well as sailboats and waterskiing opportunities. Also available are boat tours that offer a day of diving, snorkelling or fishing.

Golfing

In the Philippines, golf is a popular sport and Cebu is home to several courses, some of championship level. You will find playing golf in Cebu a pleasure with perfect year-round weather, picturesque surroundings and inexpensive green fees. The coastline course at Cas Del Mar Golf Resort is one of the best, being designed by golfing legend Gary Palmer. The first hole starts from the beach and the other holes all have stunning views of the water. All equipment is available for hire and golf caddies are also provided.

Caving and climbing

Cebu is made from spectacular limestone mountains, which provide an ideal environment for caving and climbing. The dramatic seaside cliffs are perfect for a climbing expedition and there are numerous adventure companies that provide all the gear and lessons. At the base of the cliffs and mountains are literally hundreds of amazing caves to explore. Long tunnels that sprawl in all directions with challenging obstacles along the way will keep you entertained all day.

Dining and shopping

Across the island of Cebu there is a great choice of cuisines from around the world coupled with a wide selection of shops. Restaurants are situated everywhere but the majority are along the beachfront areas. Souvenir and market lovers will be impressed with the selection of goods for sale. The beach markets are filled with unique and beautiful handmade items.

Although Cebu is an island paradise, the city and surrounding areas are home to an abundance of fantastic restaurants, cafés and eateries. A large variety of flavours and cuisines are available including French, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Korean and Indian. The best two areas in Cebu for restaurants and eateries are Ayala Mall and IT Park. Both of these areas have a wide choice of cuisines and some restaurants are open 24 hours.

The local Philippine food is tasty, with influences from other countries around the world making their way on the menus. Some of the famous dishes include sweet pork that has been marinated with traditional herbs and spices before being grilled on a barbeque; chicken is also used with this same cooking style. Another popular sweet and refreshing dish is halo-halo, which uses crushed ice with local fruits, sweet beans and ice cream. You can find this dessert being sold at street stalls everywhere, particularly along the beach promenade.

Being surrounded by warm waters ensures Cebu has a fresh supply of seafood. There are endless seafood restaurants serving tasty and inexpensive meals as well as street stalls about the city with barbeque grills cooking prawns and fish. You will see suckling pig rotisserie grills along the streets. The pork is served with bread and salad and can make for a tasty snack late at night.

Surprisingly, Cebu City is filled with a large variety of shopping options. There are large malls with department stores, boutiques and small independent shops as well as endless street markets selling all manner of handicrafts, clothes and souvenirs. You will find numerous flea markets situated along the beachfront and great bargains can be found.

The largest shopping mall in the city is SM City Cebu, which has four levels of shops, restaurants and entertainment. Located in the downtown area is Ayala Mall, which has a large department store and numerous brand name shops available.

Colon Street is a good place to start shopping with its good mixture of street stalls and markets coupled with department stores and small clothing shops. You will also find a good selection of designer clothing and other upscale items in this area. Not far from Colon Street is Carbon Market, where a host of handicrafts, home wares and food is for sale.

Cebu is famous for its handmade fare including items such as jewellery boxes, woven baskets, handbags, silver jewellery and clothing. There are many unique pieces made from shells and stones; necklaces, wind chimes and ashtrays are common. Handcrafted guitars made in Cebu are of a high quality and sometimes include shell inlays to make them unique and special. For musical instruments, check out Maribago on the east coast of Cebu.

Within the city of Cebu the choice of restaurants, cafés and eateries is vast. Cuisines and flavours from around the world can be found as well as local Filipino food. The majority of restaurants are reasonably priced and offer fantastic food. You can also find some fine dining establishments which provide the perfect place for a romantic or special dinner.

Overview

Most visitors arrive in Cebu from within the region via Mactan-Cebu International Airport, just a short drive from downtown Cebu. It is also possible to arrive by ferry from Manila, but expect the ride to take around 20 hours. Once on the island getting around is easy, with taxis, jeepneys and public buses covering all parts of Cebu.

Airports

Located in Lapu-Lapu City is Mactan-Cebu International Airport, which is only 20 minutes' drive from downtown Cebu. The airport handles all international and domestic air traffic for Cebu. Philippine Airlines along with Cebu Pacific has a plethora of connections to other islands in the area as well as with neighbouring countries in the region.

Direct flights are available from Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai, Doha, Busan, Koror, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Kota Kinabalu and Seoul. If arriving from other cities, usually a connection from Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport is required.

Although only a small airport, Mactan-Cebu International has a shopping centre which is perfect for picking up last-minute gifts for back home. Other facilities at the airport include duty-free shopping, restaurants, bars, newsstands, car rental, hotel reservation, banking and postal services.

Getting to your hotel in Cebu City from the airport takes only 20 to 30 minutes by shuttle bus, taxi or private car. It is a good idea to ask your hotel for a pick up service, as this will be the quickest and easiest option. There is a taxi desk at the terminal and coupons are purchased before travel, which eliminates the need for negotiating a fare. The bus shuttle leaves every 30 minutes and is fast and efficient.

Public transportation

Other than taking a direct international or domestic flight, the only other way to arrive in Cebu is by sea. Cebu City's domestic seaport is the country's busiest, with a plethora of passenger ferries arriving daily. There are large ferries that carry up to 4,000 passengers, which make the journey from Manila, Zamboanga, Butuan City, Davao and Cagayan de Oro. Smaller boats are typically faster but only travel to nearby islands within two hours.

From Manila there are three companies that offer routes to Cebu; Superferry, Supercat and Oceanjet. The journey is safe and will typically take around 20 hours depending on weather conditions. The ferries are comfortable with a host of facilities onboard including shops, restaurants, bars, cafés, entertainment rooms, sun decks and salons with massages. Accommodation on the ferries varies from staterooms and private cabins to air-conditioned bunk bed areas and even a non air-conditioned bunk bed section.

Getting around Cebu is relatively easy with an abundance of metered taxis, private cars, public buses and jeepneys. The public buses tend only to make the journey from north to south of the island along the east coast but are convenient for seeing the beaches along this route.

The private cars also referred to as ‘hotel cars' are usually overpriced and aimed at tourists. These cars are typically found at the nicer hotels. You will sometimes need to walk outside of your hotel to find a regular metered taxi. Metered taxis are generally the easiest way of getting about. Be sure to ask the driver to turn on the meter.

Jeepneys are seen everywhere around the streets of Cebu and offer an inexpensive and fun way to get around. These vehicles are essentially a small open-backed pick up with bench seating in the back for passengers. They usually travel set routes and you jump on and off where you please, paying the driver afterwards.