Cebu, Philippines

If you have a sense of adventure, I would definitely recommend a trip to the Philippines. After all you must, or you wouldn't be reading this website after all, now would you?

Well, where should I start? I guess all flights to the Philippines from the USA start either in Los Angeles or San Francisco, mine began in the latter. There are a few different airlines that fly to the Philippines, but I took Philippine Airlines (PAL, or as the locals refer to it, Plane Always Late). They had the best fares that I could find, about $700 roundtrip, SFO – Cebu.

Their flights leave once a day, about 11 p.m. I would strongly recommend checking in early, and I do mean early, like a couple of hours early if you can. You see, you will have your first encounter with the infamous Balikbayan Boxes! They are the preferred type of luggage for the Filipino returning from a trip. What they are is a 20 x 20 x 20 cardboard box filled with all the goods purchased overseas that are being brought home for the family. And let me just say that there will be enough boxes in the check-in line to build a small house. If you can get by with only carry-on, I would go that route. After all, you will be heading for a nice warm climate, how many clothes do you really need?

When you check in, see if you can find a seat in an exit row, you will appreciate the extra leg room. After all, you will be sitting, sleeping, living in that seat for the next twelve hours! Also, as an extra bonus, the flight crews seats are in front of you, and there is nothing wrong with having a beautiful PAL flight attendant sitting across from you. They are some of the friendliest people you will meet.

After your arrival in Manila (you will lose a whole day due to the time zones you have passed through), you will need to catch another flight to Cebu. The international and domestic terminals in Manila are in two different places, so you will need to catch a bus to go to the domestic terminal. If you are flying PAL for the whole trip, the transfer is free. After you go through Immigration and Customs, make a right and go to the end of the hall, that is where you sign up for the bus. Just show your PAL ticket and you will be taken care of. The bus ride is about ten minutes or so. There is a 100 peso departure tax when you leave from Manila. To the left of the check-in counter there is a booth where you can exchange some of your cash, so don't worry if you haven't done that yet. But I would only exchange a small amount, as the rates are not the best.

The flight to Cebu takes about an hour. I chose Cebu because it is in the middle of the country and is a good base for travelling about. You can fly almost anywhere from there or catch a boat to another island. The ferry service from the port is great. Check the local paper, the Sun-Star, for ferry schedules or one of the many ticket offices located around town. Cebu is where Magellan first landed in the Philippines, and was killed. Some of his crew finished the trip around the globe, alas without their captain.

Cebu is a hilly island, so you have the best of both worlds at your disposal, the beach and the hills. Cebu City is a big city, with all the usual pros and cons of big cities everywhere. Traffic sucks, the air gets a little thick sometimes (emission control, what's that?) and people everywhere. But the energy there is fantastic, as are the people. In fact, the people are the greatest asset of the country. In my two weeks there, I didn't meet one jerk. Everyone was friendly and helpful. Even though Cebu is nonstop, be ready to shift yourself down to first gear, or as my Jamaican friend used to say, "take it teasy mon!". You're on vacation, relax, don't be in a hurry, no one else is going to be.

It might be a good idea to share a taxi into town if you can, and agree on the fare beforehand, although I found that the meters in the taxis were reliable, so it's not really a big deal. A ride into the center of Cebu City should cost about 150 pesos (~$4 US). Oh yeah, don't freak out on the drive in. Although there are no noticeable traffic laws in effect, and you might feel that you are going to end up a statistic, I only saw one minor accident in two weeks. Trust your driver.

You might have picked a place to stay already, or maybe not. The old standby, Lonely Planet, was pretty darn accurate as far as accommodations went. Or for all things Filipino, check out filipinolinks.com, a fantastic resource, I recommend it before you plan anything.

The pension houses around town are all pretty decent, but if you are going to stay in the city, I would stay in the northern end instead of downtown. You can find a place to stay for around $10-$15 a night that is pretty nice, or half that if that is the way you want to go. The food is good, and cheap. If you spend 200 pesos for a meal, you are living the high life! You can figure on spending about $10 US a day for your meals, and I'm talking three meals a day, all you can eat.

That is one thing that you will find out, Filipinos love to eat! Every place that I tried had decent food, I just hope that you like rice with every meal (yea, including breakfast!). There are street vendors everywhere, 24 hours a day, so don't worry about going hungry. And be sure to eat all the mangos you can, they are the best I have had in my life! If you really want to fit in, try some green mango and bagoong, you'll love it or hate it! The same with balut.

If you want to get around town, you can take the jeepney, the cheapest way, only a few pesos each way. The routes are written on the side of each one, so it might help to familiarize yourself with streets beforehand, or just ask anyone. But a taxi is the easy (and coolest) way to go. It'll cost you about a buck (40 pesos), to get just about anywhere around town. When you venture out of town the best way to get around is by bus. Grab one at either the Northern or Southern bus terminals, depending on which way you are heading. You can take either an air-conditioned bus or a regular, the air-con costing a little more, but not much. It'll cost you about 90 – 100 pesos (~$3 US) to go as far north or south as you can go. Just tap a coin on some metal part of the bus when you want to get off or let the bus attendant know were you want go and they will let you know when you are there.

If you want to do a little island hopping, there are a couple of places I would suggest. For an overnight or longer stay, try Bantayan Island. It is off the northern tip of Cebu and can be reached directly by ferry from Cebu City or by bus to Hagnaya and then boat to Bantayan. Take the ferry, costs a little more, but a much nicer trip! Or for a nice little day trip from Cebu City, hop a boat to the Camotes Islands, only about an hour ride from Cebu. Or just head wherever you feel, you won't be disappointed!

There is so much more I could say, but there is probably not enough space. Oh, just a few things. The exchange rate was $1 US = 37.75 pesos in May '99. Shop around for the best rates and use big, new bills, you'll get a better rate. Be sure to save 500 pesos for departure tax at the airport.

And if you are a single guy, you will think you died and went to Heaven. There are SO MANY fine looking ladies you will not believe it! If you need more info, write me at [email protected]. Mabuhay!!!

Hotels in the Philippines

General Info

Population/Language
Cebu Province has a total population of around 3 million. Cebuano is the native tongue. English and Tagalog are commonly understood and spoken.

Weather
Cebu is best from December to May when the weather turns dry. It is coolest from December to February, hottest from March to May. Temperature can rise higher than 100F in the summer. The rainy season begins in July, bringing torrential downpours that would sometimes inhibit movement.

What to Bring
Wear naturalfibre, lightweight clothing. You'll feel more comfortable. Bring shorts, hat sunglasses, bathing suit, insect repellent, flashlight, sun block cream, tough shoes for walking, rubber slippers for the beach. Pack tissue paper in your purse as public toilets almost never have any.

The Barong Tagalog is acceptable formal wear for men. Shorts or sleeveless shirts should never be worn when visiting churches, mosques or temples.

Electrical Appliances
Most areas in Cebu are supplied with 220 volts, 60 cycles. A plug with 2 flat parallel prongs is the norm.

Money
The Philippine currency is peso, divided into 100 centavos. Next to the peso, the US dollar enjoys wide acceptance. Most foreign currencies can easily be changed at banks, hotels, and authorized dealers. Foreign currency is not readily taken by the establishments in Cebu.

Major foreign credit cards may be accepted only at major hotels, resorts, shops and restaurants. Visitors are advised to bring sufficient amount of change in small bills or coins.

Business Hours
Banks – 9am to 3pm, Mon-Fri
Government agencies and offices – 8am to 5pm, Mon-Fri
Private firms – 9am to 6pm, Mon-Fri, 9am to 12noon Saturday
Shops – 9am to 7pm, Mon-Sat.
Most department stores stay open on Sundays and holidays.

Tipping
Bellhops expect a tip, as do waiters, taxi drivers, hairdressers, beauticians, and porters. Most hotels and restaurants add 10% service charge on top of the government tax. Tipping 5-15% of the bill appropriate if no service charge is included. 5-10 pesos for bellboys, porters and the like.

Public Transport
Getting around Cebu, one may take a colorful jeepney or a bus at a minimal fare. Tricycles (motorcycles with sidecars) are popular in outlaying areas and in the suburbs, quiet notably within Mactan Island. Taxicabs are widely available.

General information on Cebu provided courtesy of BestofCebu.com. For more info on Cebu, check out their website.