Country > Philippines > Cebu > Cebu City
Date > 2022 > Oct
Activity > Traveling

Oct 13, 2022

Manila - Manila - Cebu City: from Touch-down to my Hotel

Location : Cebu City, Cebu (province), Philippines

Touch-Down Manila
When my plane touched down in Manila, it was a relief for me to know that all my Thailand concerns (immigration, etc.) were over. The plane taxied to its bay but stopped short of it for quite an uncomfortable amount of time...30 minutes on standstill? Apparently, there was a red light situation in the airport prompting all activities to be halted. It wasn't explained what caused the red light. A lot of passengers including myself, got jumpy and the queue to the toilet got long. What if I miss my connecting flight to Cebu? But finally, the plane moved and we disembarked.

long wait inside the plane after touch-down

I still had to get my luggage and had it manually transferred for my connecting flight to Cebu. The flight to Cebu was full but otherwise uneventful.

sighting Cebu from the plane window

Touch-Down Cebu
When my plane touched down in Cebu, I had an increased sigh of relief - a lot of steps and preparations from packing in Chiang Mai, itinerary in Bangkok, immigration/Covid documents, etc. were now behind me. My mental baggage was lightening up.

It was time to open up my next list called "To do upon touch-down in Cebu". By doing this ahead of time, it allowed my mind to stop racing because all I had to do was mindlessly follow the steps I've already researched on, and then chronologically follow them.

Go to Park Mall - I followed Ayn's advice (a friend in Cebu) to take public transport to Park Mall, buy a local sim and book an Angkas Grab motorcycle ride from there. I didn't want to take a cab and I didn't have a local mobile sim card.

Going to Park Mall wasn't that easy. It entailed 2 rides and it was drizzling. Also, a crowd of people was waiting for the same ride. I had one big backpack and one small backpack with me. How do I fit myself inside a crowded jeepney with all that? Sure, I should have taken the cab, but it would feel like bailing out.

1st Ride
Fortunately, while waiting for the jeepney, an empty cargo van stopped by and the people requested the driver to give them a lift. He agreed. Not wanting to be left behind, everybody scampered inside, myself included. We found out there was practically no seat inside - maybe for 4 pax only. Most of us had to squat with nothing to hold on to. When the van stopped at a traffic light, we would all be thrown to the front! It was rough-hewn, but honestly, I was loving it. It felt like the good old days when I lived life like a guerilla.

squatting inside an unlit van with nothing to hold on to

2nd Ride
I got off where I needed to take the 2nd ride. This was another hurdle. I got inside what they called the 'modern jeep'. It was really nothing more than a bigger van with seats but it had a/c. I had to sit down with my big backpack still on me, leaving my butt only about 2 inches of support. When the driver stepped on the brake, my butt would slide off. It wasn't comfortable. But as a yogi, I saw it simply as my tapas - enduring discomfort with a calm and non-reactive mind. But again, to be honest, I was loving it. In the meantime, I was talking to the locals beside me and having a nice time connecting with them - we can communicate in Tagalog! It's something I couldn't do with the locals of Thailand.

seated with my backpack still strapped to me...my butt kept slipping off the edge of the seat

Finally, I reached Park Mall. Who would have thought that covering this little distance from the airport to Park Mall would be an adventure all its own?
Buy a local sim card - for me to book an Angkas motorcycle ride, I had to buy a sim card, buy data, download the Angkas app, and book the ride. Since all that was confusing to me in my current situation and state of mind, I asked the counter lady to do everything for me. She was so nice. I was enjoying my engagement with the locals.
Getting the Motorcycle Ride - there was no available Angkas driver! Frustrated and tired, I just approached a guy with a motorcycle and offered to pay him PHP 100 (US$2) for a ride to my hotel. He agreed. We continued talking all the way until I reached my hotel. I was really enjoying myself talking with the locals.

on the motorcycle en route to my hotel

Check-In at Hostel 7 Cebu - after 12 hours on the journey since Bangkok, I finally reached my hotel where I could rest my weary body. It was close to 10 pm.

Ending Thoughts
Of course, I could have avoided all the difficulties by simply taking a cab. At this point, I have the money for it anyway. But if I took that easy and safe route, all this adventure would have been forfeited. It's no different from taking a choice - blue pill or red pill? By doing it the hard way, I enhance my tapas, fortify my mind, feel the rough-hewn texture of life and I meet new people who add animation to this mundane-turned-exciting sojourn. In a way, I would venture to say that taking life this way is like drinking the fountain of youth - you'll simply stay forever young as vitality and adrenaline flows through you.

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

Oct Snapshots

(Oct 31, 2022) If you have a fast eye for passing moments, you spot interesting snapshots where art imitates life...more »»

Next Traveling:

Cebu City Base: Hostel 7 Cebu

(Oct 13 - Dec 4, 2022) Now that my travel is behind me and I'm comfortably chilling at Hostel 7 Cebu, I can begin to shift my thinking from 'getting there' to 'finding my bearing'. It's good to be back in Cebu and rediscover it all over again.....more »»

Cebu City, Philippines

tourist attractions

Tops - hilltop offering panoramic view of the city
Taoist Temple - temple on a hillslope in Lahug with panoramic view of the city

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 Ormoc by boat

SUPERCAT - 3 hours, 5:30 am | 9:00 am | 12:30 pm | 4:00 pm
Business Class: Regular 1500, Student 1,200, Senior/PWD 1,071
Tourist (Aircon) & Economy (Non-aircon): Regular 1100, Student 880, Senior/PWD 785
OCEANJET - 3 hours, 5:00 am | 6:00 am | 9:30 am | 12:00 pm |1:00 pm | 4:30 pm
Open-Air (OA) 1100, Tourist Class (TC) 1100, Business Class (BC) 1600

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