By Briyce
Summer 2013 has been my best vacation so far. I was lucky I had the chance to visit and see what Cebu is like. I had been hearing a lot of good stuff about the place so I started planning on going and the last summer was the first, and hopefully not the last, that I finally got the opportunity. Here are notes of my Cebu vacation trip.
You will never know the best of Cebu without checking out the city itself. Metro Cebu has also a lot of amazing things to offer. What I like most about it is that the traffic is less heavy and there are even days that there’s no traffic at all. You can get to your destination in minutes. I like the malls because they are not congested with people and also because of the variety of stuff I can shop. I love the restaurants as well as Cebu can boast of a wide range of international cuisine. I had a hearty meal at an affordable price in one local restaurant where I had a steak and spent only about 250 pesos.
There are also a lot of high class hotels and resorts in Cebu. I happened to stay in Crimson Resort which is located in Mactan for a day or two. It was a different experience for me since I stayed not really in a hotel but in a village-like accommodation with very nice and extra spacious rooms. When I get back, I will definitely check out other Cebu resorts.
My friends in Cebu introduced me to boating. At first, I really had no idea what we were going to do. It was also in Mactan where we boarded a boat enough for about 25 people. Then we sailed towards a big sand bar. They said it was also an island. The beach was really nice with its white sand and a lot of foreigners were also there. The heat of the sun was not that surprisingly scorching even though it was mid-day.
Because I’m finally having an amazing getaway in the Queen of the South, I didn’t let the chance pass by to visit the renowned Bantayan Island. After about 3 hours ride to the North from the city, we boarded a ferry towards the island. I really liked the feel of the small community, made much warmer by the friendly Bantayanons. This island is famous for its white, sugary beaches and to me it was like an untouched Boracay. This is also a place I’m certainly going back to when I’ll visit Cebu again, hopefully by next year.
To the South are also wonderful places to visit. I was really happy to see the whale sharks of Oslob. The Cebuanos fondly called them “butanding.” It took us about 2 hours to get there. We only paid 100 pesos per person for the whale shark watching. A mini banca, enough for about 3 to 5 people, brought us a few meters from the shore to where the whale sharks were. Snorkeling allows you to see the enormous bodies of the whale sharks and they were all shockingly harmless.
Further to the south we went, for another 2-hour ride, to reach the Kawasan Falls in Badian. There were 3 waterfalls and they all looked beautiful. The water was freezing cold so it was a welcome respite from the heat of summer. We had a small picnic before we left to go back to the city.
The night before I left Cebu, my friends brought me to the Tops Garden which is located in Lahug, Cebu. It was in a higher part of the Metro so you could view the city lights at night. The wind was soft and a little cold. The place was peaceful, making it ideal for taking a break from the humdrum of city life. I simply can’t express how enjoyable that Cebu vacation was. You just have to experience it yourself to fully grasp what I’m talking about. So if you’ve been planning your next vacation, why not book your tickets to the Queen City of the South? A lot of adventure awaits you!
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