…his chronicles and travels
Another attraction in the hillsides is the Cebu Taoist Temple completed in 1972. While there is no entrance fee, there is a physical price to pay in the 81 stairs that must be climbed in order to get up the front path to the temple.… Read more
High in the hills surrounding Cebu City is the Temple of Leah, a shrine dedicated to Leah Villa Albino-Adarna by her husband (mother and father of Filipino celebrity actress Ellen Meriam Go Adarna). Built in classical architectural style, the temple evokes thoughts of ancient Greece or Rome and is a somewhat unexpected site to find in The Philippine Islands.… Read more
Near SM Seaside mall is the Cebu Ocean Park aquarium which has many aquatic exhibits as well as an outdoor bird show featuring various species of parrot. There are also activities such as swimming with manta rays, a fish spa (where small fish pluck the dead skin off of your feet), and sea walking/trekking in an diving helmet.… Read more
SM Seaside City Cebu is the crown jewel mall of Cebu City. While Ayala Center and SM City are more centrally located and more established, SM Seaside is newer and absolutely massive (the third largest mall in The Philippines, and the tenth largest mall in the world).… Read more
Upon arriving to the Philippine archipelago in 1521 while leading a Spanish expedition, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan presented a small wooden statue of an image of the Christ Child to some locals as part of their baptism and conversion to Catholicism.… Read more
Bantayan Island has an old church in the square of Bantayan town founded in 1580, and of which the current structure’s construction began in 1839, finishing around 1863. The church has extensive ceiling murals, stained glass windows, and a replica of the Santo Niño de Cebú.… Read more
Known locally as Virgin Island, Silion Island is about a 45 minute pump boat ride away from the Santa Fe area of Bantayan Island. Since it’s a little off the beaten path there is still plenty of good snorkeling with lots of tropical fish to swim with.… Read more
You can rent a motor bike in Santa Fe (sometimes from your resort), and drive about ten minutes across the island to the town of Bantayan where there is a broader selection of places to eat and also an extensive fresh seafood market as well as a dried seafood market among many other shops.… Read more
About a five hour bus ride north from Cebu City (including several stops along the way) lies Hagnaya Port which has regular daily ferry service to Bantayan Island. After an hour boat ride, the ferry docks at Santa Fe Port where several resorts, restaurants, and a currency changing service are close by.… Read more
As both a former Spanish and American colony, The Philippine Islands have quite an eclectic hodgepodge of foods available on the menu – everything ranging from American classics to traditional Spanish dishes with a native Filipino twist on them. Even well-known chains such as McDonald’s and Burger King will offer items not seen in their native locations, so while the usual strategy of staying with local-only restaurants and street vendors does make a little sense overall..… Read more