Country > Philippines > Cebu > Cebu City
Date > 2017 > Apr
Activity > Traveling

Apr 6-9, 2017

3-Night Cebu Stopover

Location : Cebu City, Cebu (province), Philippines

Cebu-Bound
I caught the 8am Oceanjet from Poro Port (Camotes Islands) to Cebu City for the 2-hour, P380 trip. I could have gone straight to Apo Island, but by-pass Cebu City? It would seem rude to ignore a benevolent destination I've had memorable moments with. Besides, I am excited to see my friends - and I am grateful to have plenty of that in the city.

Robinson's Galleria
My plan was to ride a jeep from Cebu Pier 1 to Robinson's Galleria. Upon alighting from the ferry, I was greeted by the most pleasant of all surprises. Instead of squeezing myself with three bulky bags into a jeep (to the chagrin of the other passengers whose knees are bumping into each other), there before me was a free shuttle to Robinson's Galleria! Whoa! It was a new air-conditioned van with a helpful driver who assisted me with all my luggage - pogi-points #1. This is a traveler's dream. At Robinson's, I checked-in my luggage in their traveler's lounge! Yes, they have this facility for the traveling public - upon presentation of a travel document (my boat ticket). Pogi-points #2. Now, I could roam around the mall without my baggage and feeling secure that they are in safe hands. After my mall stint, I then took their free shuttle to Lahug near JY Square, in an air-conditioned bus designed for people with luggage (like the airport shuttle that takes you to the tarmac) - pogi-points #3.

Robinnson's got it all covered and scored a homerun. For this reason alone, I'll say thank you by doing most of my purchases and movie-viewing in that mall. Oh, a suggestion to management - call me a hog, but how about free wifi in the bus? The wait for the bus to depart could take a while and so does the trip, given all the traffic. And by going the whole 9 yards on this, the public just might begin to talk about it :)

Robinson's Free Shuttle Schedule to JY Square, Lahug
Lahug to Robinsons	9:30am-11:00am-1pm-3:00pm-5:30pm-8pm
Robinsons to Lahug	11:15am-12:00noon-2:00pm-4:00pm-7:15pm-9:15pm

Gamay Meals for Daku Price
(translation, small meals with big price) - at least that's the initial shock when I had to spend my first meal in Cebu City, coming straight from Camotes where P30 is already a full meal. My morning sikwate/puto maya (hot cocoa drink and sticky rice) ritual after my morning workout in Camotes was P15 - my Tudela friends (a remote (municipality) in Camotes), claim it would only cost them P10. Here in the city, I saw a promo for the combo at P50. I know, I'm in the city and I have to pay city-price for everything. Just ranting.

Fujinoya Cafe
Somehow, Fujinoya Cafe and Cebu are becoming intertwined. I can't imagine visiting Cebu without hanging out at Fujinoya. It's many things to me. It's where I go for the best coffee in Cebu - seriously, the owner is an in-depth barrista who travels the world deepening his coffee knowledge and skill. This is where I meet my friends too - long conversation, intimate sharing, hilarious laughs...all within the confines of Fujinoya's muted walls. For lightning fast and reliable wifi connection, very few places in the city can rival this place. With its low-key ambience and subtle pastry, I can't think of going anywhere else.

Peoplescape

Jeanne
Without Jeanne, Cebu would not be as compelling. Without Jeanne, I might actually find loneliness in my solitude. I was without a best friend for many years until she appeared on the horizon. In Cebu, I am her house guest and we usually start our mornings with coffee-chat, facing the lush greenery of Beverly Hills' tucked-away mini-forest. I take her wise counsel under advisement - in her, I have my Jiminy Cricket. When I get too old, too bent and too gray to be doing all the crazy traveling, I find comfort thinking she'll be on the other rocking chair as we watch the sunset talking about yoga, life, evolution and Theosophical philosophies....as she chastises me for filling her coffee cup to the brim.

Chai
Before, she was a pretty mountaineer - as I saw her from a distance back during our UP Diliman days. Now in Cebu, she's a pretty blond yogini with substance and insight (with a mountaineer verve lurking underneath). Through the years, my deepening friendship with Chai takes on layered dimensions which continues to this day - Fujinoya coffee conversation, Burrows dinner...talking about yoga, her pending tying of the knot, life epiphanies and just about everything else under the sun. We get a sense of each other's personal growth through our once-in-a-blue-moon conversation.

Alyssha, Charlotte, Dale
With my Camotes friends in town, it didn't feel like I actually left the island! Chilling out at Fujinoya, we once again celebrated friendship, good coffee and great pastry. Always great to be in the company of well-meaning friends with genuine affection and concern. HUGS 😃

Amad, Lovorn, Jason, Ayn
With my participation at the Theosophical Society meeting, I once again met Amad, Lovorn, Jason and Ayn. They pretty much represent various communities of like-minded thinking in Cebu - yogis, kalimasada, theosophists, margi. It's always a joy to have the meeting of the minds over laughs and food.

Persian Palate
Persian Palate offers vegetarian buffet Fridays and Saturdays at P195/head. This is a great idea in a country where you rely on the luck of the draw to eat veggie food outside - not in this land of sugbo. Another good that came with this weekend buffet is the resurgence of like-minded communities. Yogis, meditators, Buddhists, spiritualists and vegetarians found a place where they can gather over good eats. You see familiar faces gathered in their own circle - the community of seekers in Cebu is a small one.

Theosophical Society
I was in luck to be in the city on a weekend with the Theosophical Society in session. It's open to outsiders, and issues pertaining to higher evolution are discussed. This session's topic was Patanjali's yoga sutra. It was hard to digest as taken directly from the translation. I see it more not as a guideline but as a validation when you finally arrive. I think that's the time it would all make sense and become comprehensible. I also think a more pedestrian approach would drive home the point. eg - yama: if you have nothing pleasant to say about someone (this includes gossip), just shut up...or something like that. Otherwise, with the sharing part, it became looser with more people putting in their insight.

Ending Thoughts
As I travel, I meet a kaleidoscope of people in a revolving door where crossing paths could be a fleeting conversation never to happen again - like a meteorite flashing a streak before it's gone forever. And then there are these wonderful souls who share with me more than a passing moment - like a comet that comes into your orbit within timed intervals. They don't happen everyday but it gives you optimism about the future that lay ahead.

With an open invite from Jeanne to be her house guest anytime, Cebu remains a tempting destination. Thank you Jeanne, thank you Cebu!

--- Gigit (TheLoneRider)
YOGA by Gigit | Learn English | Travel like a Nomad | Donation Bank

my first Cebu City meal. Coming my Camotes where P30 is a full meal, I got the initial price shock

again, Sikwate/putomaya combo in Camotes is P15...I'll be hemorrhaging cash here

vegetarian buffet dinner at Persian Palate every Fri and Sat

Theosophical Society gathering moderated by Lovorn

hotel

Hostel Seven Cebu - newly opened, resto/bar, central location, solo/group travellers
Juana Osmeña Street, Cebu City
S Hotel & Residences - new hotel, luxury rooms, central location
827 M. Velez corner Andres Abellana St.

resto / cafe / bar

Fujinoya - new and refreshing twists to Western style desserts using Japanese techniques
Wilson St., Lahug, Cebu City - tel. 888.6075
Bad Boys Wingz - Buffalo Wings, unique versions of sauces! Great service, accommodating staff, bad boys vibe
Kasambagan, Cebu City | (032) 415 4811

yoga

Love Yoga World - yoga studio
11/fl, Skyrise 2 Tower, IT Park, Lahug, Cebu City
Yoga Now - first Yoga and Wellness studio in Mactan offering daily Yoga Classes
at The Yacht Club Mactan

mountain biking

Cebu Mountain Bike Adventure - MTB tours, bike sales and repairs. Bed and Breakfast + Resto Cafe + wifi
1298-b V.Rama Ave, Guadalupe, Cebu City | 0942.959.7451

Cebu City to Bantayan Island

The best and fastest way is by Ceres Bus at the North Bus Terminal, adjacent to SM City. The bus takes 4.5 hours going north until it reaches Hagnaya Port. From there, you pay the ferry company separately. The bus boards the ferry until it reaches Sante Fe Port (1.5 hours) in Bantayan Island. From Santa Fe, the bus goes to Bantayan Poblacion and then to Madridejos.

Ceres Bus - PHP 260 (to Santa Fe), 4.5 hours to Hagnaya Port + 1.5 hours by ferry.

Schedule: according to the dispatcher, trips begin at 6 pm (this arrives Hagnaya around 10:30 pm but the first ferry leaves at 1 am...that's a 2.5-hour wait at the port), leaving every hour until 1 pm the following day (I speculate that 1 pm is the last trip to avoid rush hour traffic along Consolacion). This doesn't match the ferry schedule so the bus simply waits until a ferry departs. e.g. the 6 pm trip arrives 10:30 pm and waits for the 1 am ferry. The last trip, 1 pm, arrives 5:30 pm, in time for the ferry's last trip.

Bus arrives at terminal 30 mins before departure. Luggages are P150/pc if no passenger.

Alternatively, you can get off the bus at Hagnaya Port and take the ferry independently. There are 2 ferry companies:

Super Shuttle Ferry
PHP 359 + 25 Terminal fee, 1.5 hours

Island Shipping
PHP 350 + 25 Terminal fee, 1.5 hours

Cebu City to Dumaguete

Cebu City to Dumaguete by Boat

George and Peter Lines - Mon/Thur/Sat/Sun 10pm, (035)225.4337, 0922.557.1023
Oceanjet - via Tagbilaran, daily 6am, dumticketing@oceanjet.net, 0918.898.2188
Cokaliong - Mon/Tue/Wed/Thur/Fri/Sat 7pm, Sun 12pm, 6 hours, (035)225.3599

Cebu City to Dumaguete via Liloan (bus, boat, jeep, tricycle)

Cebu City South Terminal - take the southbound Ceres bus to Liloan, P200, 5 hours
Liloan - the bus drops you off at the Liloan Port where you board the Fastcraft to Sibulan, Negros Oriental, P62, 30 mins
Sibulan - at the Sibulan Port, the jeeps wait for Fastcraft passengers to take them to the public market in Dumaguete, P12, 30 mins.
Public Market - at the market, you can take any tricycle to your hotel, P8 for short trips

Cebu City to Tagbilaran, Bohol

Weesam Express - Pier 4, departs 9:00 AM, 2:00 PM, 6:30 PM, 2 hours
one way: Economy (aircon) P500.00, Economy (non-aircon) P400.00, First Class P600.00
round trip promo (at least 2 days advance booking): Economy (aircon) P600, Economy(non-aircon) P500, First Class P1200
round trip promo (1 day or on the day booking): Economy (aircon) P800, Economy (non-aircon) P700, First Class P1200
Ocean Jet - Pier 1, departs 6-7-8-9:20-10:40-11:40AM, 1-2-4:20-6:35PM, 2 hours
Open Air / Tourist Class P800, Business Class P1000
+63 932 8734 885 / +63 922 8572 300
SuperCat (2GO) - Pier 1, departs 08:15-13:30-15:10-18:00-19:40
P 500.00
+63 32 233 7000
Lite Ferries - Pier 1, departs daily 12:30pm, 10:00pm and 1:00pm (Mon, Wed, Sat)
Standard (Lying) Php 150, Tourist (Lying Aircon) Php 340
+63 977.822.5483 / +63 998.999.5483 / +63 925.347.5483 / (032)255-1721 to 26 / (032)414-9001 to 03
info@liteferries.com.ph / www.liteferry.com

Cebu City to Siquijor by Boat, via Tagbilaran

Cebu City to Siquijor, via Tagbilaran

Lite Ferries - Pier 1, departs M/W/SAT at 1:00pm, 10 hours, economy Php 649 (through barkota.com), layover in Tagbilaran 5:45pm-8:00pm, arrives Larena Port, Siquijor at 11:00pm
+63 977.822.5483 / +63 998.999.5483 / +63 925.347.5483 / (032)255-1721 to 26 / (032)414-9001 to 03
info@liteferries.com / www.liteferry.com
Ocean Jet - Pier 1, departs daily at 1pm, 5 hours
Open Air P1600
+63 932 8734 885 / +63 922 8572 300

Cebu City to Siquijor by Bus, via Liloan (Santander)

(as of Jan 2023)

Sugbo Urban
There is only one bus plying this route - Sugbo Urban. Tourist class coach, a/c, comfortable, Sun-Fri (these dates keep changing). P420 for bus, P275 for ferry to Liloan. Leaves Cebu City (South Bus Terminal) at 8 pm (Sundays 1 am), heads south to Liloan (Santander), takes the ferry to Larena Port, Siquijor, docks around 5 am, makes a clockwise roundtrip around Siquijor Island - Larena, Enrique Villanueva, Maria, Lazi (stops at Lazi market for breakfast and leaves 6:50 am), San Juan, Siquijor (arrives 8am, P50 from Lazi to Siquijor Poblacion) and catches the 1pm ferry at Larena Port for Liloan, Cebu and resumes its land route. Arrives Cebu City 10 pm.

Sugbo Urban is the cheapest and most convenient way because when it reaches Larena Port (Siquijor), it continues its trip around the island (clockwise) along the circumferential road, passing through - Enrique Villanueva, Maria, Lazi, San Juan, Siquijor...and back to Larena. It spares you the cost of hiring a tricycle or habal-habal which charges exhorbitant fares. Besides, it's a long trip to the other side of the island to be taking by tricycle.

This is also the slowest. The bus arrives Liloan Port around 12:30 am but the ferry leaves 2:30 am (2 hours of waiting time). The ferry trip is a slow 4 hours (this should only take 1.5 hours with Montenegro or Alesson), arriving Larena around 6:30 am. This 4 hour voyage offers no comfortable sleeping - you stay upright on your seat or sleep on the floor on a cardboard. The boat waiting/voyage takes 6 hours. Altogether, the entire trip takes 11.5 hours until the bus reaches Lazi.

Cebu City to Camotes Island

Cebu City to Camotes Islands

via Poro - from Pier One in Cebu City, take the Ocean Jet for Poro, 2 hours, daily trip - 6am and 3pm (0936.823.8762 |0956.270.6610 | 0999.889.9999).
via Consuelo - from Cebu City, take the northbound bus passing through Danao and get off at the Danao Port. At the Port, take a Jomalia Shipping boat for Consuelo (San Francisco, Camotes), P220/pax, a/c, 2 hours, daily trip - 5:30am, 7:00am (special trip), 8:30am, 12:00 noon (express), 2:30pm, 5:30pm and 9:00pm (express, Fri/Sat/Sun only).

Camotes Islands to Cebu City

Poro - Cebu City (fastest and most direct) - go to Poro and take the 8am or 5pm Ocean Jet to Pier One in Cebu City, P380/pax/aircon, 2 hours
Consuelo - Danao - Cebu City - go to Consuelo (San Francisco) and take the Jomalia Shipping boat to Danao, P220/pax, a/c, 2 hours, daily trip - 5:30am, 7:00am (special trip), 8:30am, 12:00 noon (express), 2:30pm, 5:30pm and 9:00pm (express, Fri/Sat/Sun only). From Danao, take the Ceres Bus to Cebu City