Cebu In A Circuit

Travelling must be one of the perks of being a post-grad student. Albeit the fact that almost all of us are still entirely dependent to our parents for everything that concerns money, it has to get through your to-do list every summer just like what most of the med students do. Reference? my Facebook newsfeed and Instagram that had been filled with pictures of different Philippine destinations for the past eight weeks. In mid-April It was getting hopeless for our subsec until one day we were lucky enough to score a good deal in airfare. To my surprise, 12 of us managed to book a flight. Another two were supposed to meet us there plus the host of the house that we were gonna stay in. That makes 15 people! 

May 21, 2013

We left Manila at exactly 3:20 pm and landed at Mactan Cebu International Airport around 4:35 pm. Two of our classmates met us there and we waited for the last one to pick us up. While scanning the place I found the city in much resemblance to Manila and Pampanga with all the flyovers and traffic build-up. After an hour drive, we were welcomed by his family to their humble abode (major understatement! thought of changing humble to humongous!) 

First off, I thought the accent was nice. I think I’ve heard enough different dialects to be able to say that. Might I add that seldom should you see a person fluent in Filipino/Tagalog (which is supposed to be the national language) because they use English as the second language. Fact: Cebuanos are known to be good English speakers, with Cebu being regarded as “natural hub” for learning good English (source: Inquirer.net)

At dinner we had a taste of the most talked about Cebu lechon along with other delectable viands set on the table. Cebuanos indeed have the right to claim of the tastiest lechon, although I had to admit it was “5 stages of grief” without the sauce (one just couldn’t go without the other!) Afterwards, Dandan decided to take us to their guesthouse to spend the rest of the evening- an uphill villa that gives you a breathtalking view of the citylights at night. Fortunately, the weather have decided to go in our favor with the rest of the trip. 

May 22, 2013

On getaways like this, one couldn’t simply afford to sleep off the high energy and put it to waste so most of us went on a dip til we’re bound for the next trip at 3am. Next destination: Sumilon Island. 

My apologies for not knowing the exact location of the villa, but it takes approximately 2-3 hours from Cebu City to reach the town of Oslob where the Puerto Sumilon port is located. Arriving 2 hours early for the 7:20 am trip personally isn’t bothersome because only occasionally do we get see the sun rise on a very pleasant location.

view of the port where you could leisurely rest on the beach chairs while waiting for the 1st trip. The friendly staff also served us some refreshments.

Very liberating to see the sunrise every once in a while

We barely felt 2 hours! lol

The island in first-person view 

The 15-minute boat ride en route to the island to me was the highlight of the day (why the island itself wasn’t would be explained later.) The transition from the green shoreline water to the bluest one you’ll ever encounter was awe-inspiring, something I have never seen in my life. I couldn’t even describe how blue it was.. just absolutely beautiful. 

credits to: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pCEU4kR7pgg/TahPer8wHYI/AAAAAAAABxQ/k6tfY-Ga3fI/s1600/SUMILON+BLUEWATER+ISLAND+RESORT+PICTURES.jpg

We were welcomed by the receptionist with an orientation while handing us a map of the private island. It has a daytour fee of P1500 inclusive of lunch, kayak, and snorkeling passes/gears. I would advise you to bring your own snorkeling gear as theirs were quite worn out and dysfunctional (some were even leaking). Water shoes may also come in handy once you step into the sandbar because the area is rocky. A major drawback I found was that the Sandbar was open to public (in our case, there were too many of us that had to fit in that little shore along with many non-resort guests who rented a whole banca for P2500 pesos only.) We would’ve have appreciated the island more if the private beach area exclusive for the in-house guests were open for the day trippers as well.  

Some non-resort guests even built a picnic area in the Sandbar. (feel free to message me if you want this taken down)

nothing can stop us from enjoying ourselves with what the water had to offer

The biggest disappointment was the upkeep of this big island- pool filter was broken, jacuzzi was not available, restrooms and shower areas were not maintained, there aren’t enough trash bins etc. Food were also pricey. The menu is still exclusive of 12% VAT and 10% service charge so if you order a P350 meal, that would go as P431 in your total bill (not very student friendly!)

Having said that, I’d still give a thumbs up for the place itself. It’s still a must see place for someone who seeks alone time, or to families who want some peace and quiet for themselves with an impeccable view. of the blue water  Given the right timing, surely the island would have enough opportunity to showcase it’s true beauty. Perhaps an overnight stay determines a big difference, especially if you’ll try Glamping (glamorous camping), scuba diving, or whale shark watching. Just don’t forget to bring extra cash! 

for more info please visit: http://www.bluewatersumilon.com.ph/

May 23, 2013

MY PERIOD DAY

Because of the tiring events that transpired for the past two days, we left the house at around 3 pm heading towards Ayala mall, one of the malls owned by Ayala corporation with much resemblance to other branches here in Manila. I noticed a bunch of foreign tourists in this area probably because it’s the better choice than exploring the busy streets of Manila. Despite being urbanized, I noticed that the people were “chill” that almost gave me the notion I was in a completely stress-free city. Anyway, we went there to watch Star Trek: Into Darkness. Next stop was Crown Regency, another highlight of the trip, famous for their heart-stopping Sky Experience Adventures. The more famous ones are Skywalk extreme, where you shouldwalk through a translucent glass on the edge of the hotel and the Edge Coaster which definitely brings you 55 degrees of thrilling experience to a panoramic view of the city from above. Our group went for the Edge Coaster that runs for less than 5 minutes rather than Skywalk that takes 10-15 minutes simply because we found the former more daring. True enough, I thought for a second I was gonna fall off  that chair! This is a must-try experience for every person who lands to Cebu on a holiday. 

My Edge Coaster partner and I trying so hard for the camera, this wasn’t easy! 

view from the 38th floor, with souvenir diplomas 

for more info please visit: http://www.skyexperienceadventure.com/

We went to I.T park (Cebu version of Serendra?) for late dinner at Ilaputi which offers a variety of Asian food suitable for every person’s individual preference. I had a pasta called Triton’s treat which I believe is made up of crab (Aligue) paste. It was very delicious at a reasonable price. 

credits to https://www.facebook.com/rhee.gonzaga?fref=ts

The place was also modern. What caught my attention was their music consisting mainly of progressive house mixes that sets the mood for everybody. Service was fine. I would definitely want to go back and try their other dishes.

don’t we always have pictures? 

May 24, 2013

Period got worse, so I decided to stay at home with 2 friends while the rest went sightseeing to some landmarks such as Mactan Shrine, Sto. Nino Church, And RM factory. Cebu is famous for their dried mangoes.

Basilica Del Sto. Nino (credits to: Marc Hizon)

hipsters!

Of course a trip couldn’t go without a drinking session, so we spent our last night drinking, taking vain pictures of ourselves, and playing cards. When they said the last night was the best night of the trip, I say every night was. It’s just too fun to be with your friends on a getaway every once in a while. 

very neat and orderly

May 25, 2013

Unfortunately, every trip has to come to an end. We just had to accomplish ours with a photo-op and a bunch of selfies at the living room. lol

We didn’t get the chance to have our picture taken with Dandan’s parents.

Our last stop was danggit and dried fish shopping at a local market shortly before we left. Believe me haggling was fun too. Downside is, you’ll be bringing the smell along with you #nakakahiya.

This post goes out to Gullas family and every staff they have for the warm hospitality in adopting all 14 of us for 5 days (shoutout to Patty’s too, during our Tagaytay trip for being equally accommodating.) May I share that this family is the most talented I have met yet! This is, beyond any doubt, the worthwhile trip of my summer 2013. See you in school guys!