What to Do? When I arrived in Cebu at 8:30 a.m. on a Sunday from Iloilo, I thought there was a 1 p.m. ferry for Tagbilaran - none, not until 10 p.m. This meant 12 hours in Cebu. What to do? Should I check in at Hostel 7 Cebu for a few days again? I didn't find that exciting. I decided to weather it.
Calling Some Friends I messaged Marky and Ellen if they'd be free for coffee - they can't. I realized that besides these 2, there wasn't anyone else I'd be comfortable enough to invite, despite knowing many. Oh well, that's life. I'd rather be alone anyway than force the issue.
Robinsons Mall Within 2 km from the pier is Robinsons Mall. With my bike, it wasn't a problem. This mall is friendly to travelers with a big backpack. I had it checked in at their Travelers' Lounge. Different this time was their fee of P20 - it used to be free...still, I'd rather pay than lug that heavy load for 12 hours. Another great feature is their RLounge - it's a room where shoppers can relax in a comfy sofa, charge their phones and use the clean washroom. It's P20, but free for Seniors - yey! This is big. In the Philippines, public washrooms are often dirty. I'd rather pay for a clean one but often times, you don't find any. Sometimes, I have to use a hotel washroom for my needs (pretending I'm a guest).
Christine from Belgium At the Travelers' Lounge, I met Christine. I'm glad to have someone to talk to. Ironic, but I find it easier to talk to a foreigner than a Filipina in my own country. Foreigners are open to interact and be interacted upon. I feel comfortable talking to them. I walked Christine up to the boat ticketing office until she rode a motorbike to her pier. The acquaintance was good while it lasted.
Christine from Belgium, giving me tea (no, it's not a condom)
Movie? The best way to kill time was watch a movie. But movies in these big malls (Robinsons, SM and Ayala) go for P340/movie. In Tagbilaran, the same movie is only P220. Even with my discount, I waived it. I'd rather buy food with that kind of money. The movie, Captain America, wasn't too exciting anyway.
SM Leaving my big backpack at Robinsons, I rode my bike to SM and roamed around. I really had to stop myself from buying anything at Decathlon. I just love that store. If I could make a guilt-free purchase, I would have purchased a pair of rollerblades - I can use them at the Old Airport in Tagbilaran and in Iloilo, any river esplanade would be ok with them.
Lite Ferries At 9 pm, I loaded my bike with my pack and rode off to Pier 1 for my 10 pm Lite Ferries to Tagbilaran. I came prepared for this 4-hour trip - brought my malong as bedsheet, ear muff, eye mask, strings to hang my towel, slippers to walk around, food and water in case I get hungry. At 2 am Monday, the boat arrived Tagbilaran and I was off on my bike, completely reliant on myself as other passengers fell at the mercy of the tricycle drivers (at 2 am, you don't have a choice but to agree to their price).
Ending Thoughts I was out of Tagbilaran over 2 weeks, staying 4 nights in Cebu and the rest in Iloilo. It was a break from my routine and came as a relief. I've seen how beautiful Iloilo City is. Without any doubt, my decision is to leave Tagbilaran and relocate. I won't be rushed though. I'll take my time selling all my stuff and tying up loose ends. As I close this chapter in Tagbilaran, I open a new one in Iloilo City.
(February 21, 2025) Math has many levels - calculus, geometry, algebra, etc. What are the progressive levels? What practical questions do they solve? How did abstract Math evolve from '1+1'?...more »»
More on Cebu City:
About Cebu City
Cebu City is the 2nd biggest city in the Philippine (next to Manila) - and it continues to build and expand. Traffic is getting bad. Decentralization is being developed with the SM Super Mall in the SRP south and the suburban towns in the north.
Boat from the airport to the city center - even without traffic, it takes about 4 rides to reach the city. But with Cebu's increasing traffic congestion, it has become a nightmare. Instead of taking the land route, take the water route - no traffic, fresher air and cheaper. From the airport, take the yellow multi-cab straight to the river port and take the ferry (there's only one destination) to the city. Take the 02B jeep and get off at UC near Jones - you're now on the city's main artery.
given its size and increasing congestion, Cebu really needs a mass railway system - something that is conspicuously lacking, but no one seems to complain about
Cebu is bursting at the seams on the yoga scene. There are about 20 yoga centers in the city - from yoga studios to gyms offering yoga and hotels jumping on the bandwagon
a trendy and safe place in Cebu where you can chillout for coffee and enjoy good eats would be at the Ayala Mall
there are other pocket-areas for trendy hangouts - Banila Town Center, Crossroads, Escario Plaza, La Vie, etc.
the tourist area where most of the budget hotels and restaurants are, are located within the Mango area, although it has a seedy belly feel. Kids may swarm on you pretending to be begging, but they could be picking your pocket or your backpack pockets - be careful
many pick-pockets in the Colon area - be careful
Cebu City Google Map
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 Iloilo City by boat
Trans Asia Shipping - Terminal 2, Pier 3, 15 hours, Mondays and Fridays, 6 pm (ETA 8:30 am, next day), Trans Asia 19 boat, Tourist P1545 (SR P1236), 2nd Class open air P1400 (SR 1120)
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:
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
Cebu City to Tagbilaran, Bohol
Trans Asia Shipping - (updated Jan 25, 2025) Terminal 2, Pier 3, 4 hours, Mondays, 12nn (ETA 4 pm), Trans Asia 3 boat, 2nd Class open air P370 (SR 296)
Lite Ferries - (updated Jan 25, 2025) Pier 1 Terminal 1, 4 hours, departs daily 1:00pm and 10:00pm, Sundays only 10:00pm
Standard (Lying) Php 370, Tourist (Lying Aircon) Php 520
Address: 1022 Mj Cuenco, Cebu City, 6000 Cebu
Email Address: info@liteferries.com.ph
Mobile Number: +639778225483 / +639989995483
Telephone: (032) 255-1721 to 23, 25, 26 /(032) 349-7349
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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
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