CEBU

Cebu is the hub around which the Visayas revolves. It is the most densely populated island in the Philippines and is second only to Luzon in its strategic and economic importance to the country. Its language, Cebuano, is widely spoken throughout the Visayas and parts of Mindanao, and its capital, Cebu City, is a magnet for migrants from all over the region.

Heavily developed, particularly on its eastern coast, Cebu has a long, bare backbone of a central mountain range that has confined most of the population to the coastal fringe. Mining and logging have taken their toll on the forests, though with the right guide there are still a few opportunities for exploring mountains, caves and waterfalls.


The beaches at the northern tip of the island and on its southwest coast have the whitest sand and the most spectacular diving. To the north, the idyllic offshore islands of Bantayan and Malapascua are steadily increasingly in popularity, and deservedly so. To the south, Moalboal's Panagsama Beach packs a concentrated dose of dive centres and budget hedonism.

Mactan Island, a short drive from Cebu City, may be little more than an overdeveloped mudflat, but divers and bird-watchers still flock to Olango, a reef-ringed outcrop just off its eastern coast.

Text from:  Lonely Planet

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Alegre Resort in Cebu

August 2008


During my previous travel to Cebu, I stayed in Shangri-la's Mactan Island Resort. No complaints with Shangri-La Mactan here. I loved its sprawling gardens, their pools, various restaurants and comfortable rooms. Service is excellent as well.  I would definitely go back :)


This time around, I wanted to try Alegre Beach Resort located in Northern Cebu. It is two hours away from Mactan Airport. I didn't mind the distance as it was interesting to see small towns one after the other all leading to a winding coastal road. The entrance of Alegre opened to an unpaved road which ended at the main building. I could already see the sea from where I stood near the Front Desk. I instantly knew that this resort is promising!

view of the pool and the sea from the lobby

We then hopped into a golf cart to get to our cabana. Double doors opened to a cozy room with a huge marble bath. Ladies will especially love that management did not scrimp on space when they designed the bathroom!




our cottage

two queen beds, a couch and the marble bath in the middle

The first order of the day was to have lunch. We took it in The Pavilion with a perfect view of the sea. I can sit here for hours and just marvel at the sight before me. I like the quiet and the serenity. The food is good, by the way. Served in generous portions by Alegre's courteous staff.

view from the restaurant during the day

view at night

Alegre's huge halo-halo with fresh mango :)

The strip of white sand beach is short but is always kept clean. Rows of chaise lounge line the beachfront, perfect for sunbathing and reading.

Several hammocks lie suspended between tall coconut trees. Just to the right side is a seafood BBQ and bar. The privacy is a welcome departure from the usual beach party scene. I loved it :)

The resort has an on-site dive center.  For non-divers, there's snorkeling, kayaking, tennis, a game room and  the gym.  The pool is nicely lit in the evenings so night swimming is also recommended.  Alegre also offers spa services.

And before we said our goodbye to this beautiful resort, we saw a rainbow.  The sky was a gentle combination of pink and purple.  How pretty is that?

Alegre Beach Resort is highly recommended if you wish to get away from the busy city scene or deviate from the wild parties others Philippine beaches are known for.  It is peaceful and relaxing... just the right medicine for the tired soul :)

* * *

I was lucky to be traveling with a friend who hails from Cebu.  She became my personal tour guide, showing off some of the highlights that Cebu City has to offer:

Try the pasta, pizza and risotto at La Tegola -- one of Cebu's popular restaurants.
This branch where we dined at overlooked the Cebu City so it was pretty at night.

Went to TOPS - a popular sight-seeing spot offering stunning
views of the city.  This is one of 'tunnels' with kiosks available for dining.

Visit the Cebu Cathedral that dates back to the 1500s

IT Business Park has a lot of cafes and restaurants.  Yuppies thrive here.

We drove 3 hours to the southern part of Cebu to see another popular attraction -  Kawasan Falls.  There is a light trek involved from where the cars were parked.  We passed by small streams and crossed over bridges.

We only went to the first waterfall as we still had to go back to the city to catch our flight.  This was the biggest and the busiest of the three.  There were cottages built in the surrounding area, which could be rented for picnics.  One can also take a dip into the refreshing water.  Bamboo rafts can also be rented to take you under the waterfall for a cool shower!

* All photos are Skycab's own.

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Macau Side Trip

Travel Blog by Jen (March 2008)


On our third day in Hong Kong, we decided to hop on a ferry to cross over to Macau for a day trip. Macau has seen big new developments in recent times. Ultra-grand hotels and casinos are being built left and right, adding a modern touch to the Old Macau, renowned for its World Heritage sites. It would be interesting to see Macau if only for a day.


We bought our ferry tickets at the Macau Ferry Terminal on the 2nd level of Royal Pacific Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui. It was easy as there were several operators that sell tickets and there were departures every minutes. A one-way ticket costs HKD148 (USD 19) for the 1-hour ride.





One needs to go through immigration upon arrival in Macau so remember to bring your passport. At the arrivals hall, many tour guides tout their services. You can negotiate the price especially if you belong to a large group. Since we had limited time, we decided to tour the city ourselves. Free maps and information are available at the Macau Tourist Information Center at the arrivals hall. So armed with our handy map and loose HKD change, we took the bus and headed to the famous Senado Square.


The Senado Square is paved in the traditional Portuguese pavement -- with a wave-patterned mosaic of colored stones created by Portugese experts. The Senado Square is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the center of the former Portuguese colony of Macau and is bordered by equally prominent buildings such as the Leal Senado, the General Post Office and St. Dominic's Church. The pedestrian piazza was bustling with activity when we arrived as people make their way on foot to the Church of St. Dominic and the ruins of St. Paul.







St. Dominic's Church is also part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site and dates back from the early 17th century. We went inside to view the altar but didn't go anymore to the museums on its 2nd and 3rd floors.








A short uphill walk led us to the Ruins of St. Paul. It is essentially just a facade of what was once a Portuguese Cathedral. This and its grand staircase are all that remains. The church was built in 1602 by the Jesuits and was destroyed by a fire in 1835.










The back side of the church was converted into a museum showcasing a crypt, exhibits of paintings, sculptures and liturgical objects.

Just beside the ruins is Fortaleza do Monte ("Mount Fortress"). No easy climb up here but the park at the top of the fort has a panoramic view of the city. This was also built by the Jesuits and served as a military center of the former Portuguese colony. It is also part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

On your way to and from the ruins, don't miss the opportunity to sample the delicious egg tarts!

From Senado Square, we took a cab to the newly built Venetian Macau. Like its sister resort, The Venetian in Las Vegas, the Venetian Macau is grand, luxurious and offers the same gondola rides and circus acts in "St. Mark's Square."

The Venetian Macau offers free shuttle service back to the ferry terminal. This was our last stop for the day. I think Macau requires its own 4-day vacation next time. We only had a glimpse of this place. I know there are so much more things to see and do! Bungee next time?

(Pictures by Jen de Guzman and Charisse Yap)

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Ilocos Heritage

Travel Blog by Jen
January 21, 2008

Finally flew up North to see the cities of Laoag, Vigan and Pagudpud from Jan 19-21, 2008. We decided to have Laoag as our home base for this trip. It was a good thing as Fort Ilocandia is beautiful. The property and grounds are well-maintained. The red-brick walls, arches, the courtyard and the fountain reminded me of pictures taken in Spain. Fort Ilocandia boasts of its own beach, an Olympic size swimming pool, tennis courts, fishing ponds, a mini-zoo, ATV riding and a casino.

Fort Ilocandia's well-kept grounds

Fort Ilocandia

We spent 3 days only for the trip but it is ideal to stay for four to better explore each city. The fastest way to reach Laoag City is by plane. Only an hour's flight from Manila, this is better than taking a road trip which can take approximately 12 hours. Note that from Laoag city, Vigan is 2 hours away by land; and Pagudpud, is 1.5 hours away. Roads are in good condition and traffic is light.


Our itinerary was as follows:

Day 01: We had late lunch in a famous restaurant serving Ilocos cuisine - LA PRECIOSA in Laoag. Try their bagnet (deep-fried pork meat) and "poqui-poqui" (eggplant sauteed in tomatoes and egg).

 

Poqui-Poqui ("Tortang Talong")

After lunch, we went to MUSEO ILOCOS NORTE which showcased the rich cultural heritage of the Ilocano folk.

Museo Ilocos Norte

We also visited MALACANANG OF THE NORTH - the official residence of then Philippine Pres. Ferdinand Marcos. The mansion is huge with 7 bedrooms and a balcony overlooking Paoay Lake.

Next, we headed to PAOAY CHURCH (St. Augustine Church) which is included in the UNESCO's World Heritage list. Its architecture is unique as it is a combination of Gothic, Baroque and Oriental. Having been completed in 1894, it is one of the oldest churches in the Philippines.

 

DAY 02: Early morning start to get to Pagudpud. On the way there, we stopped first at CAPE BOJEADOR LIGHTHOUSE - the highest lighthouse in the Philippines. Built in 1892, the lighthouse stands on a promontory in Burgos, 45 kilometers north of Laoag City. It still sends out signals to ships passing by the Cape facing the northern portion of the South China Sea.

Cape Bojeador Lighthouse

Right beside Pagudpud lies Bangui, a peaceful, scenic coastal town with a rich colorful history. In recent years, the construction of 15 wind turbines standing 70 meters tall became an added attraction to Bangui, attracting tourists and photographers alike. The NORTHWIND BANGUI BAY PROJECT is a 25-megawatt wind power generation plant, the first wind power plant in the Philippines and in Southeast Asia. The facility provides 40% of the power requirement for Ilocos Norte. This is an amazing photo opportunity one shouldn't miss.

We then proceeded to the famous beaches of Pagudpud-- the "BLUE LAGOON" and SAUD BEACH. The white sand is fine and the waters are blue.

Blue Lagoon

Also stopped at BANTAY ABOT CAVE. It's essentially a rock formation with a hole in the middle! From inside the hole, one can have a nice view of the ocean.

Back again to Paoay for lunch at HERENCIA -- home of the famous Pinakbet Pizza. The word is the contracted form of the Ilocano word "pinakebbet", meaning shrunk or shrivelled. The original Ilocano pinakbet uses bagoong, of fermented monamon or other fish, while further south, bagoong alamang is used. The basic vegetables used in this dish include native bitter melon, eggplant, tomato, ginger, okra, string beans, lima beans, chili peppers, parda and winged beans. Must try this as well as other unique pizza flavors such as Dinuguan, Chicharon and Ilocandia Pizza.

Yummy Pinakbet Pizaa.  Must try!

Stopped at the MARCOS MUSEUM and MAUSOLEUM or BALAY TI ILI. The ancestral house of the Marcoses in Batac showcases the memorabilia of the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos. The preserved remains of Pres. Marcos can still be viewed today.

Next stop was VIGAN to see the famous ancestral houses along CALLE CRISOLOGO. Vigan is a must-see for the pedestrian tourist. It's interesting to see these preserved houses with ancient tile roofs, balustrades and hardwood flooring. Cobblestone streets complete the walking experience!

 

For the animal lover, visit also Ilocos Sur Governor Chavit Singson's BALUARTE. It features a mini zoo, a skeet shooting range and free palomino rides. Entrance is free to the public :-)

DAY 03: Free for leisure until departure to airport.

It is best to hire a van to get from place to place especially if you're traveling with a big party. What we got was a van with a seating capacity of eleven. We were lucky to have made contact with Eucliez Esteban (mobile +63905-) who was efficient and very accommodating :) Contact him directly if you wish to avail of his transport service.

* All photos are Skycab's own.


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