If you’re sightseeing in Cebu Island! Food, sightseeing, hotels. Recommended places to stop by!

Hello. This is Kamiyama.
I usually create and sell businesses.

I often go to Cebu Island and Singapore. This time too, I took about two weeks and went. If I personally like a place, I visit it many times until I get tired of it. Thanks to this, I gradually come to understand the good aspects of a place and can enjoy it more deeply.

Moreover, at a low price without spending much money. If you try to do various things without much knowledge, you'll likely use a Japanese travel agency, which will result in paying a very high price. If you cleverly use the local systems, you can go anywhere cheaply.

So, this time I'll introduce the course I always take when I go to Cebu Island. For those planning to go to Cebu Island, those sightseeing, those going for work, and those who want to change their environment by working casually in Cebu Island as a nomad, please refer to this.

First, the standard Mövenpick Hotel beach.

Recently, it has been heavily advertised in Japan, and the number of people has been increasing. So, I'll list it as a standard place. Mövenpick. On the upper right of Mactan Island, not too far from the airport, there is a hotel called Mövenpick. It's a must-visit for Cebu Island tourism.

This place has a strong resort feel with its facilities, beach, and pool, making it a relaxing spot if you like tropical destinations. However, you cannot use the beach unless you book lunch or dinner together. There is a service counter immediately to the left after entering the entrance, where you can book lunch or dinner. If you book either, you can generally use the beach all day. It also serves as a base for Mactan Island tourism.

The prices are: for lunch on weekdays, adults 2000 pesos, children 1000 pesos. For lunch on weekends, adults 2500 pesos, children also 2500 pesos. For dinner, adults 2800 pesos, children 1400 pesos.

I haven't been for lunch yet, but for dinner, they serve an incredible amount of meat! There's also a salad bar, so if you eat a lot of salad at first thinking 'I'm hungry!', you'll regret not being able to eat the meat later. If you have time for sightseeing, I highly recommend dinner.

By the way, you can order ice cream for free at first, and this ice cream is quite delicious. I recommend going around noon, swimming and playing for half a day, then having dinner and heading back in the evening. However, it's so comfortable that if you relax too much, you might lose time for other sightseeing spots, so be careful. Lol

Anyway, relax and unwind at a spa.

When it comes to Cebu Island, it's all about spas. Take your time to relieve your fatigue between sightseeing. In Japan, spas often bring to mind facilities with jacuzzis, but in Cebu, it's about massages. Aroma massages, oil massages, foot massages, and more are available at incredibly low prices.

If you get a massage at a hotel, it can cost around 1000 pesos per hour, but if you get a massage at a spa outside the hotel, it's surprisingly around 250 pesos per hour, which is about 700 yen in Japanese currency! (2016 exchange rate). It's cheap.

Here, let's leave the hotel for a bit and visit an outside spa while sightseeing.

The spas we often visit are:ALNEA SPAa spa in the Mabolo district, or one also in the Mabolo district,Ming Thai SpaThese two are inexpensive and of reasonably high quality, allowing you to relax.

However, I feel like ALNEA SPA used to have a different name. Since the name changed, I haven't visited, so if the interior and system haven't changed from before, it should be a good spa. It's also close to Ayala Mall in Cebu City, so you can stop by during your city tour.

However, since the two places mentioned above are within Cebu City, they take about 30 minutes by taxi from the Mövenpick or the airport. Why not visit them while sightseeing at malls, clubs, or bars in the city? After all, there are plenty of places where you can drink cheaply.

Drinking at bars and playing at clubs.

Cebu City actually has many places to go for drinks. Including clubs, there are plenty of facilities available to enjoy the nightlife. It's also perfect for sightseeing. However, please be careful when going out at night. In reality, there are many prostitution-related businesses in Cebu Island. Common girls often engage in prostitution, especially in the club area called Mango. As a result, Japanese old men still come to visit for the purpose of prostitutes.

Let's stop the outdated and uncool way of having fun, like buying women in clubs or bikini bars with old men. Locals will dislike you, and nothing good will come of it. Also, there are many foreigners and Japanese people wandering around who might try to take advantage of Japanese people. It's best to keep your distance from anyone who isn't family. Don't let your guard down just because you're sightseeing.

With that in mind, here are some nightlife tourist spots.

First, speaking of clubs,LIV SUPER CLUBThis club is the most recommended. This place has been around for a long time, and famous DJs from around the world come to play here. The interior is clean, and it's a great place to dance, drink, and have fun. The quality of the people who come here is also good, so as long as you don't let your guard down or get too drunk, you won't get into trouble.

Moreover, if you go outside, there are many shops open until late at night. There are also places like tequila bars where you can enjoy shisha, so it's fun to relax and drink at a bar before going to LIV. Re-entry is also possible, so if you get a little hungry, you can eat a bit at a Korean restaurant or cafe and then come back. It's quite comfortable. It's one of the best solutions for nightlife tourism.

By the way, the place called Mango, which I mentioned earlier, has bad sound and bad quality customers, making it a rather uncomfortable place. Especially if club beginners go there, they might instantly start to dislike clubs. If you're invited to go, say NO. People who say 'It's safe, it's okay' are often the ones who get pickpocketed.

Also, speaking of bars, there's one in the hotel called Castle Peak Hotel,9th barI often visited this bar. It's a good idea to have a drink before sightseeing in Cebu City at night. This place has a great view, is comfortable, and is a really good spot. It was fun to drink at 9th bar and then go to a club, or eat dinner and then drink at 9th bar.

Dinner and meals. Recommended restaurants and cafes.

Food. The food in Cebu Island is basically delicious. However, there are a few places I prefer to go. First,BLUE BARIt's located on the rooftop of a city hotel called Marco Polo Hotel, and from here you can get a panoramic view of Cebu Island's nightscape, and the atmosphere of the place is also good. It's a rooftop bar, and the blue-lit interior enhances the ambiance. As a tourist dinner, you can expect a satisfaction level of above average.

By the way, the buffet at Marco Polo Hotel, while the taste is decent, allows you to dine elegantly by the poolside, making it a perfect place to enjoy the atmosphere and eat your fill. However, the buffet is more for those staying for a longer period, perhaps visiting occasionally, rather than for tourists.

Also, often recommended for tourists, Mactan Island'sMaribago GrillI remember eating dishes here that felt like an evolved version of local Filipino cuisine.

Filipinos traditionally seem to enjoy eating with their hands, and my friends recommended I try it. (laughs) They said, 'It makes it even more delicious~,' but I still feel a bit of resistance. (laughs)

Those visiting Cebu Island for tourism will probably stay on Mactan Island, so Maribago Grill is likely close by and easy to access.

Also, Ayala Mall'sBanana LeafI personally quite liked and often visited this place. The food is served on leaves. I think it's basically Thai cuisine. While coming to the Philippines for Thai food might seem a bit odd, I think it's worth stopping by when you come to Ayala Mall to buy tourist souvenirs.

By the way, the pizza place is delicious. It's located near IT Park.Pizza RepublicandYellow CabI often visited such pizza places. Especially Pizza Republic seems to be popular both domestically and internationally as a pizza place where you can freely create custom-made pizzas. More and more such shops are appearing, Cebu Island.

Speaking of IT Park,ilaputithat shop is also delicious. I'm not sure if many tourists go to IT Park, but for those staying long-term, such as for study abroad, I think it's worth visiting once. My personal recommendation is beef stroganoff. It's a dish with a combination of cream sauce, rice, and meat, which is not often seen in Japan. Bibimbap is also good. Also, carbonara. For those staying long-term rather than just for a temporary visit, please do visit.

And the neighboring island. To Bohol Island for sightseeing and to Bohol Beach Club, which has beautiful beaches.

Finally, leaving Cebu Island for the neighboring island. The easiest to visit is Bohol Island. By the way, it takes about 2 hours by high-speed ferry departing from a port called Pier 1 to Bohol Island. For island sightseeing, arranging a driver through a travel agency is the least troublesome. All things considered, the places you can visit on the tour are as follows.

■ BACLAYON CHURCH
A nicely old church.

■ BLOOD COMPACT
A monument-like structure is erected for commemorative photos.

■ BILAR MAN MADE FOREST (DRIVE THRU)
A forest with many large trees.

■ TARSIER AND PYTHON VIEWING
You can see small monkeys called Tarsiers. Also, take commemorative photos with large snakes.

■ 1 LUNCH AT LOBOC RIVER
Enjoy a leisurely lunch while cruising down the Loboc River by boat.

■ CHOCOLATE HILLS
A mysterious place with mountains resembling Tirol chocolates.

■ HANGING BRIDGE
A suspension bridge made of bamboo.

■ SOUVENIR SHOP
Souvenir shops.

What do you think? It's incredibly packed with activities, isn't it?

However, when I say 'ask an agency,' I don't mean a Japanese travel agency. It's better to ask a local travel agency. Japanese travel agencies are simply quite expensive. If it's an agency run by local Filipinos, even if you have them guide you around Bohol Island for a day with a driver, it will only cost around 2800 pesos (6,000 yen). Adding a guide would make it a bit more expensive, but the driver will guide you sufficiently, so it's not necessary.

However, some people might find it difficult to ask a local travel agency. Certainly, it might be difficult if you can't speak English, but in reality, it's not that much trouble.

If you want to sightsee on Bohol Island with a driver, please bring the PDF below directly. It's the PDF I received when I traveled. You will need to book a hotel separately, but the agency should generally be aware of it.

Reference PDF for Bohol sightseeing

By the way, even if I asked other agencies, it was also 2,800 pesos. It seems this travel package is generally sold for 2,800 pesos. If you can speak English, you should be able to book it easily locally, and even if you can't, if you proceed slowly, there shouldn't be any particular problems.

Just in case, let's have one working phone number. Even for a temporary visit, it's better to have a SIM card with roaming or a SIM-free phone. This is for contacting your travel agent in case of any trouble. It's said that Philippine customer service doesn't work very well, but when I asked, they responded more quickly than Japanese agencies.

Please note that to obtain boat tickets, you must pick them up the next day or when you are contacted on the same day.

After you've finished sightseeing around Bohol Island, you can be sent back to your hotel. The place we prefer to stay at is called 'Bohol Beach Club'. Alona Beach is famous on Bohol Island, but actually, there's another recommended spot. That is the beach at Bohol Beach Club.

The reason it's recommended is because it's quiet and beautiful.

Alona Beach has many tourists and is always crowded and bustling. However, Bohol Beach Club is quite a hidden gem, with fewer people, allowing you to relax comfortably. The drinks are also relatively cheap for a resort. If you're looking for a quiet and peaceful beach in Bohol, this is the place.

Also, it's recommended to take a swim in the sea in the morning. The reason is that the tide recedes in the evening, so the sea is most beautiful when the tide is high in the morning. You'll probably see the most beautiful sea around 6 AM to 8 AM.

The transparency is incredible. Even in places so deep your feet can't touch, you can still see the bottom. While swimming, I felt as if I was in a jewel. For a temporary visit, you'll get a considerable amount of satisfaction.

And at the hotel, you can also arrange island hopping. That's the real pleasure of sightseeing. Island hopping is a fun activity where you go out to sea to snorkel or land on nearby islands by boat. Since you might be on the boat for a long time, those prone to seasickness should take motion sickness medicine beforehand. You can swim in a wonderfully beautiful sea with beautiful marine life.

I definitely want you to experience it at least once!

Please note that check-out is at 12 PM, but you can leave your luggage at the cloakroom and stay at the beach, restaurant, or pool until your pickup time. For the second day, the recommendation is simply to relax on the beach. Each time, I enjoy drinks while relaxing by the poolside or on the beach, waiting for my pickup. If you leave the hotel at 5 PM and go straight to the port, you should be able to catch the last boat with plenty of time.

There are many other attractions as well.

Actually, this might be as far as you can easily sightsee. If you become a more advanced Cebu Island traveler, it's also fun to visit waterfalls like Kawasan Falls in the south of Cebu, relax at resorts also in the south, or swim with whale sharks. However, just going to Bohol Island and back, or playing at Movenpick, will take 3 or 4 days, so I think it's better to go if you have a week or more.

If it's your first time in Cebu Island and you're sightseeing, a one-night stay with Movenpick beach and a Bohol Island tour might be just right. If you're staying long-term for English language study abroad or similar, there are many waterfalls, hot springs, and other resorts on Cebu Island, so please do visit them. Making friends locally and going on trips arranged by local Filipinos is quite challenging but fun.

Finally, a supplement regarding the safety and environment of Cebu Island.

Basically, public safety is not that bad. Although there are stories that President Duterte has changed and is massacring people related to drugs, there was no change from before, and rather, public safety has significantly improved. I was particularly surprised by the changes at the airport. Previously, malicious taxi drivers would try to rip you off, rushing to be first, but now it's organized, and you can safely take a taxi from the taxi stand.

However, it's true that there are still many drivers who try to overcharge, but in the end, it's only about a few hundred yen.

As long as you don't get involved with drugs yourself, Cebu Island seems to be becoming a more comfortable place than before. Similar to the airport, the port on Bohol Island also had better facilities than before and had become more comfortable. It had only been a year and a half since I left Cebu Island, but I re-evaluated Cebu Island, wondering if it could change so much. It will probably continue to move in a good direction.

So, this turned out to be quite a long article, but it was a summary of tourism in Cebu Island. Next time, I plan to write articles divided by categories such as restaurants, leisure facilities, and resorts, so if you are planning to visit Cebu Island, please refer to them!